Can you eat sourdough bread with diverticulitis?

In this brief article, we are going to answer the question “can you eat sourdough bread with diverticulitis?”. We will discuss what sourdough bread is. In the end, we will understand what are the health benefits of sourdough bread. 

Can you eat sourdough bread with diverticulitis?

No, you cannot eat sourdough bread with diverticulitis. Although a high fiber diet is recommended in diverticulosis, it is best to switch to a low fiber diet in diverticulitis i.e. when there is inflammation of the pockets in the intestine caused by diverticulosis. 

Your gut may recover and diverticulitis symptoms can be alleviated by changing your diet to fresh fruits, vegetables and cereals. 

What is Diverticulitis?

Diverticula are tiny pouches that emerge anywhere in the intestine. They may arise due to poor diet, mainly related to low fiber intake. 

Diverticulitis-related illness develops if the pouches become inflamed or get infected.

The following are the most typical signs:

  • Usually on the left side, abdominal pain
  • Vomiting
  • Chills
  • Constipation

What is sourdough bread?

Sourdough bread is a bread made by fermenting dough. It is one of the earliest methods of fermenting grains. 

Experts think it originated in ancient Egypt about 1500 BCE and was the primary technique for leavening bread until baker’s yeast superseded it a few centuries later.

There are two types of bread, leavened and unleavened. Dough for leavened bread rises as the loaf is being made. This is created by the gas produced when the dough’s flour starts to ferment.

Commercial baker’s yeast is used in the majority of leavened bread to aid in dough rising. Bread that has been leavened is sourdough. However, instead of employing baker’s yeast, it is leavened by wild yeast and naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria in the flour.

Because wild yeast is more tolerant to acidic environments than baker’s yeast, it may collaborate with lactic acid bacteria.

The starter ferments the carbohydrates in the dough throughout the bread-making process, allowing the bread to rise and develop its distinctive taste.

A species of bacteria called acetic acid bacteria, which is present in sourdough bread in different amounts naturally, is responsible for the bread’s distinctive vinegar-like fragrance.

High acetic acid bacteria starters also need more time to ferment and rise, which gives sourdough bread its distinctive texture.

In addition, sourdough bread is said to have more nutrients and be simpler to digest than bread produced with baker’s yeast because of the yeast that is naturally present in it. Even now, sourdough bread is still widely consumed.

What are the Health Benefits of Sourdough Bread?

Here are a few sourdough bread advantages supported by research:

It’s beneficial for your digestive system

As a result of the fermentation process, sourdough bread may have more prebiotic and probiotic-like qualities, which benefit gut health. The sourdough bread prepared with rye flour enhanced the number of beneficial gut bacteria. 

Choose whole grain sourdough bread for added gut-friendly advantages since whole grains have more fiber than processed grains.

It may improve digestion

While sourdough bread contains gluten, frequent sourdough intake may aid in better gluten digestion. The fermentation procedure for sourdough bread changes the wheat’s enzyme composition and may help prevent negative effects from gluten. 

People with celiac disease, who are unable to consume gluten, should not yet be advised to eat sourdough bread, but those who are gluten-sensitive may choose to speak with their doctor or a dietician to find out whether they may be able to eat sourdough bread. 

Other research has shown that sourdough’s lactic acid bacteria may even assist to control allergic reactions, inflammatory reactions, and autoimmune illnesses.

It facilitates healthy aging

It may have a significant role in fostering good aging. According to research, older persons had a decreased chance of developing diabetes, cancer, and heart disease when they regularly consumed whole-wheat sourdough bread.

It helps maintain healthy blood sugars

When you consume carbs, the blood glucose normally rises as they are digested, but sharp fluctuations in blood glucose might raise the risk of developing chronic conditions like diabetes. 

Sourdough bread helps to maintain blood sugar levels. Simple carbs like sugar and processed grains, particularly when they aren’t combined with protein and fat, cause such large jumps in blood sugar levels.

Conclusion

In this brief article, we answered the question “can you eat sourdough bread with diverticulitis?”. We discussed what sourdough bread is. In the end, we understood what are the health benefits of sourdough bread. 

References

http://www.giconsultgr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/diverticulosis_a.pdf

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sourdough-bread#what-is-it