Sourdough is hands down the healthiest type of bread. Made with only three ingredients; flour, water, and salt, sourdough is simple and natural, the way bread should be. However, with the rise in popularity of sourdough, and all of its health benefits, food companies, and grocery stores are jumping on the bandwagon, unfortunately, more and more fake sourdoughs are popping up in grocery stores, and consumers are being tricked into thinking they are getting the real deal. So, let’s discuss these clever marketing tactics, so you know how to spot a fake sourdough, and what to look for instead.
What is real sourdough bread?
Real sourdough bread is a work of art. It takes time, patience, and lots of love. Real sourdough is made by slowly fermenting flour, water, and salt, to create a sourdough starter, or natural leaven, which is then used to make the dough rise. The initial sourdough starter is then kept alive through ongoing feedings for the purpose of leavening additional bread dough in an ongoing manner, and it is the actual process of natural leavening with wild yeast that defines a loaf as sourdough. This is a lengthy multi-stage process that takes days to complete but produces the most natural (and delicious) form of bread.
However, because there is no legal definition of sourdough, there is nothing to stop manufacturers from selling substandard products. Despite the fact that traditional sourdough ingredients are flour, water, and salt, many store-bought versions include added yeast, ascorbic acid, vinegar, and oil. So, although many grocery stores may carry bread labeled “sourdough”, more often than not they are in fact fake sourdough. Real sourdough takes time and large food manufacturers don’t have this time so they will take shortcuts to create products faster and at a cheaper price. Real authentic sourdough costs more than a standard loaf of processed bread, because of the time, effort, and quality ingredients it takes to create it.
How to Spot a Fake Sourdough
The good news is, spotting a fake sourdough is not as complicated as it may seem. In fact, with a little know-how you can easily identify the real deal from the imposters, so here are some of the important things to look for when you are trying to differentiate sourdough from “sourfaux”.
- Includes Simple Ingredients: Real sourdough will only contain three ingredients; flour, water, and salt. On a label, this can include flour, water, salt, and “culture” or “starter” which refers to the natural leaven used to make the bread rise, however, the ingredients should not include anything else.
- Does Not Include Yeast: If you see yeast listed as an ingredient in sourdough, you can be sure that it is not an authentic sourdough. The yeast used in modern baking is a processed food that does not allow for the natural fermentation of the grains, which is what gives sourdough bread its beneficial health properties.
- No Sweetener: Real sourdough does not require any sugar or sweetener to activate the yeast because it uses a natural fermentation process. So, if a sweetener is listed, you can be sure that it is not real sourdough.
- Expires Quickly: It is important to keep in mind that real food goes bad, and sourdough is real food. Therefore, if your sourdough has an expiry date that is weeks or months away, you can be sure it is not an authentic sourdough.
The Bottom Line
The best way to determine if sourdough is real or fake is to read the ingredients. In most cases, you won’t find real sourdough at a grocery store or local supermarket. Big box chains just don’t take the time or have the skills to create and sell authentic sourdough. If you want the real deal, which you should, look for a local bakery, specialty shop, or farmers’ market that specialized in authentic sourdough. Although it may seem like a headache, I can assure you it is well worth the time, cost, and effort to get the real deal.
I’m new to learning all about sourdough bread and really appreciate this article! I recently bought some bread and the ingredients listed are flour, water, wild yeast, and salt. Would the wild yeast listed mean it is not authentic sourdough bread?
My pleasure, I’m happy you found it informative! And, yes, wild yeast is what cultures the flour and water and is considered authentic sourdough starter.
Hi, I am looking for true sourdough sold at bakeries in my area. This article is SO helpful! I do have a question though that I haven’t been able to answer from Googling:
One bakery lists their ingredients as hard winter wheat flour, sea salt, water and sourdough starter developed with native yeasts. If the starter is developed with yeast, is it still true sourdough??
Native yeast is natural yeast found in the air around us and on grains we bake with so yes it is real that’s why it’s listed as starter which then usually has parentheses defining it as just flour water and possibly native yeast which is natural yeast. You just wanna be on the lookout for when it just says yeast because that is referring to commercial yeast which makes it not a real sourdough hope this helps
What if the bread lists sourdough starter and yeast both?
In that case, they’re using a combination of both, so it’s not 100% naturally leavened or a 100% authentic sourdough, but still a healthy choice!
Thank you for the article. We recently purchased a sourdough that had bakers yeast and a sweetener in the ingredients. Guess it is not authentic but is the baker’s yeast wild/native yeast?
Happy you found it informative!
No, bakers yeast is not wild yeast, however, that does not mean the bread is necessarily unhealthy by any means, it simply means it was leavened with commercial yeast and not naturally fermented.
The ‘Square Sourdough’ sold by Aldi is a total fake as well as awful tasting. There is no sourdough starter or culture listed, and the final two ingredients listed are LACTIC ACID and FUMARIC ACID. FAKE!
If you buy this you won’t be eating sourdough bread, at least not like any I’ve made.
Thanks for sharing!
I’m wondering about sour dough bread in restaurants. I guess I need to ask.
Aldis sourdough round is just flour , water and salt and lists fermented flour but also lists yeast. Is it true sourdough?
If yeast is added as an ingredient, unfortunately it’s not authentic sourdough.
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The bread I get from the sprouts bakery also says “enzymes” does that mean it’s a fake ?
Technically, no. “Real” sourdough is only flour, water, and salt. 🙂
Lovely post, i’m trying to eat foods that are better for my stomach. For when i cant get true sourdough, do you think the MEB Foods Vitastic Pita Bread Wholemeal pockets which contain only Wholemeal Wheat Flour, Water, Yeast, Iodised Salt, Vitamins (Thiamin, Folate) is good (ofc not as god as sourdough bc of the yeast in it, but would you say this is ‘good enough’).
Hi Em,
I’m happy you found the article helpful. To answer your question, if the ingredients list on a “sourdough” contains yeast, it is not authentic sourdough. The additional of vitamins and minerals is fine, this is often found in flour, however, yeast would not allow for the natural fermentation process of a real sourdough bread.
That said, bread with a simple ingredients list as you noted (flour, water, salt, yeast) can still be a very healthy choice and is arguably much better than most other options you’d find in stores.
Hope that helps!
Steph