Wildgrainis the first bake-from-frozen subscription box for sourdough breads, fresh pastas, and artisanal pastries.
Bread is a delicious, but sometimes hard-to-digest, food. If you love bread but have found yourself with an upset stomach after enjoying your favorite loaf, this article is for you. Read on to find out how you can keep enjoying bread while keeping your tummy happy and your gut healthy!
Sourdough bread is the best bread for gut health. This is due to the fermentation process of sourdough bread. In contrast to white bread, which is made with commercial yeast, sourdough bread is made with a sourdough starter made from wild yeast. The slower fermentation process of sourdough bread produces organic acids and phytase, an enzyme that breaks down phytates that are naturally found in flour and can make digestion difficult. Prebiotics, which aid in digestion and help to form a healthy gut microbiome, are also formed during the sourdough bread fermentation process. Sourdough bread also tends to contain less gluten than other bread, further promoting gut health and easing digestion, especially for those who are gluten-intolerant.
Although sourdough bread dough and rye bread dough contain probiotics, baked bread does not contain probiotics since these microorganisms cannot survive the high heat conditions required to bake bread. However, both sourdough bread and rye bread are high in prebiotics, especially β-glucan. Prebiotics such as β-glucan nourishes our gut microbes (or healthy gut bacteria), helping to balance our gut microbiomes and improving digestion and metabolism. To get the best health benefits, try Wildgrain’s sourdough rye bread!
Is sourdough bread good for the gut and microbiome? Is sourdough bread the best bread for gut health?
Sourdough bread is great for your gut and overall microbiome health. This bread is one of the best types of bread for gut health, as its slow fermentation process produces good-for-you prebiotics. This process also helps to break down compounds, such as phytates and gluten, that make the digestion of regular white bread more difficult.
Is rye bread better for your gut and microbiome? Is rye bread the best bread for gut health?
Like sourdough bread, rye bread is good for your gut health and may help to improve digestion. One of the reasons rye bread is good for your gut microbiome is because it contains prebiotics, such as β-glucan, which is a soluble fiber that can help promote a healthy gut. As an overall good source of fiber, with a single slice containing about 2 grams of fiber, rye bread can help keep your bowels regular and effectively treat constipation. Considering both sourdough and rye bread are excellent bread choices for gut health, sourdough rye bread might be one of the best bread options for improving your gut microbiome.
What is the best bread for gut inflammation? What is the best bread for an anti-inflammatory diet?
The best bread to reduce gut inflammation is bread made from whole grains. Refined grains, such as the grains found in white bread and white pasta, are known to increase inflammation across the whole body. Sourdough bread and rye bread are both good options for an anti-inflammatory diet. The best sourdough and rye bread varieties to reduce gut inflammation are those made from whole grains. However, if you are intolerant to gluten, you’ll want to opt for gluten-free bread options to ease any gut inflammation, since neither sourdough bread nor rye bread are gluten-free.
What are the best breads for IBS?
Sourdough bread is one of the best types of bread for those with irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, as it is often the best tolerated. The best bread choice for IBS is going to be different from person to person, but in general, you want to avoid bread that contains wheat, rye, barley, and whole grains. For those with IBS, whole grain foods tend to be harder to digest and make IBS symptoms worse. The fermentation process used to make sourdough bread helps to break down some of the gluten and other compounds that tend to cause IBS flare-ups. This often makes sourdough bread one of the best-tolerated breads for IBS.
Where can I buy healthy bread online?
At Wildgrain, we specialize in making high-quality, fresh breads that are delivered directly to your door. Wildgrain is the first bake-from-frozen delivery subscription service for breads, rolls, pastries, and fresh pastas. Some of our popular breads include sourdough whole wheat, sourdough 7-grain, slow fermented 3-seed bread, and sourdough rye. We are proud to offer healthy breads, made with non-GMO flour and without added sugar or preservatives. Learn more about Wildgrain and our artisanal baking and cooking methods.
About the Author
Dr. Jorge has been a public health researcher for many years, holding both a Bachelor's degree and a Ph.D. in Chemistry. They presently work as a medical writer and love being able to assist others in understanding various health and scientific topics.
This content is for informational use only and does not replace professional nutrition and/or medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It is not a substitute for and should not be relied upon for specific nutrition and/or medical recommendations. Please talk with your doctor about any questions or concerns.
FAQs
Sourdough bread is great for your gut and overall microbiome health. This bread is one of the best types of bread for gut health, as its slow fermentation process produces good-for-you prebiotics.
What is the #1 best bread for a healthy gut? ›
"Let's talk about my favorite bread for digestion and gut health: Sourdough bread. Sourdough is incredible because these microbes are transforming the flour," Dr. Bulsiewicz explains in the Instagram Reel, referring to the way the wild yeasts react with the flour and water in the sourdough starter.
What bread has the most probiotics? ›
Sourdough is easier on the stomach than other kinds of bread due to its prebiotics, making it easier to digest. Additionally, sourdough contains probiotics that are created during its fermentation process: Yes, there's a science to sourdough starter.
What bread is easiest on the stomach? ›
If you have digestive issues, you may want to opt for bread made with simple ingredients and minimal processing. Sourdough bread, which we will discuss later, is a great option, but there are other types of bread that are easy to digest, such as spelt bread, oat bread, and rye bread.
What bread is a Superfood? ›
Because wholegrain bread is made with flour from whole grains, it contains plenty of healthy compounds, like fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Fiber serves as food for the bacteria in your gut and can help keep you fuller for longer. Wholegrain breads are also a source of polyphenols.
What bread is best for bowels? ›
100% whole grain bread is high in dietary fiber, and fiber carries water straight to your stool to soften it. Watch that the bread you're buying starts with the word “whole”. Multigrain or seven-grain bread is not whole-grain; they're still made with enriched white flour and will worsen constipation.
Which bread is anti-inflammatory? ›
Refined grains, such as the grains found in white bread and white pasta, are known to increase inflammation across the whole body. Sourdough bread and rye bread are both good options for an anti-inflammatory diet. The best sourdough and rye bread varieties to reduce gut inflammation are those made from whole grains.
Which cheese is most probiotic? ›
Semi-hard cheeses such as cheddar, mozzarella, or gouda, as well as cottage cheese, may contain higher levels of probiotics than other types of cheese that are aged for longer periods of time. Cheesemakers are exploring new methods to protect probiotic bacteria through the aging process.
What breads does Dr Gundry recommend? ›
There's a bread out there that you can have as much as you want. It's called the Barely Bread and comes with a nod of approval from well-known American heart surgeon Steven Gundry, who has created its recipe. He believes it's the best bread one can have. It contains no grains and is lectin- and gluten-free.
What is the most unhealthiest bread? ›
The Unhealthiest Store-Bought Bread You Can Buy
- Loaf of 12-grain enriched bread - Food Club.
- Loaf of Wonder Bread - Wonder Bread.
- Loaf of sliced bread - Home Pride.
- Loaf of sliced white bread - Pepperidge Farm.
- Loaf of sliced potato bread - Martin's.
- Two packets of sliced sweet bread - King.
With dozens of loaves lining the shelves, here are our top picks of the healthiest bread:
- Rye bread. ...
- 100% wholemeal wheat bread. ...
- Buckwheat bread. ...
- Spelt bread. ...
- Sourdough. ...
- Soda bread. ...
- Flaxseed (linseed) bread. ...
- Porridge oat bread. Made with wheat flour, yeast, water and salt with the addition of oats or even leftover porridge.
The Bottom Line. In general, you want to look for whole-grain bread that has some fiber, protein and not too much sodium or added sugar per slice. Sprouted grain bread hits all those marks and has a hearty texture that I think is delicious when toasted.
What bread is best to stop bloating? ›
Tummy-friendly breads
Some people with wheat sensitivity have no problems when they eat toast (cooked wheat tends to be easier to digest), sourdough bread, bread cooked with flour made from French wheat, or any bread from a specialist bakery, rather than a supermarket.
Which bread is good for belly fat loss? ›
Yes, whole grain bread is very good for weight loss. Eating whole grains have been shown to help eliminate more belly fat when compared to eating refined grains. Whole grain bread contains fiber, which may also help keep you full for longer, making it easier to eat less overall and help lose weight.
What is the easiest bread to digest for IBS? ›
Sourdough bread is often better tolerated with IBS. The fermenting process that makes it rise helps break down some gluten and FODMAPS.
Which bread is best for IBS? ›
Sourdough bread and gluten-free bread are the best types of bread for people with IBS.
Which bread is more digestible? ›
Luckily we have an ally: sourdough. The wild yeast and lactobacillus in the leaven neutralise the phytic acid as the bread proves through the acidification of the dough. This prevents the effects of the phytic acid and makes the bread easier for us to digest.
Is sourdough bread better for gut health? ›
Sourdough bread may be easier to digest than white bread for some people. According to some studies, sourdough bread acts as a prebiotic, which means that the fiber in the bread helps feed the “good” bacteria in your intestines. These bacteria are important for maintaining a stable, healthy digestive system.
