Victoria S. DorsanoFounder, Be Victorious Coaching · Be Victorious Coaching · Systems > Willpower

The Secret to Real Sourdough

3 Nov 2025 · 1 min

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1:07

In this monologue, Victoria S. Dorsano explains what constitutes real sourdough and why it matters. She defines real sourdough as a slow‑fermented loaf made with a wild‑yeast starter, typically fermenting for 24 hours or more. This extended fermentation allows microbes to generate lactic and acetic acids, which increase mineral bioavailability, slow glucose release (lowering the bread’s glycemic impact), and partially pre‑digest gluten, making the bread easier for gluten‑sensitive individuals. Dorsano then gives practical guidance for distinguishing authentic sourdough from commercial imitations: genuine sourdough has a short ingredient list—flour, water, salt, and a starter (occasionally a touch of malted barley)—whereas fake versions contain longer lists with preservatives, dough conditioners, or baker’s yeast.

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So what is real sourdough? Real sourdough is slow fermented with a wild yeast starter. Typically this process takes 24 hours or more. This time allows for microbes to produce things like lactic and acetic acid, which do a couple of things when we're talking about the context of sourdough. They make minerals in the flour more bioavailable and readily absorbed into our bodies. They slow the glucose release when the bread is consumed, which then helps to lower the glycemic index of that food. And lastly, those microbial byproducts help to pre-digest some of the gluten in the bread, which many people who who are gluten sensitive tend to find sourdough easier to eat and digest for that reason. So luckily, if you know what to look for in the ingredient list, you'll be able to spot the fakes and find the real sourdough. So one thing you should be able to note is on a fake sourdough, the ingredient list might be a little bit longer. On a true sourdough bread, the ingredient list is going to be fairly short. There's usually going to be flour, water, salt, and some sort of sourdough starting culture. That's usually all that needs to be in the bread. Sometimes you might find a little bit of like malted barley flour, but that's it. You're not getting any kind of crazy preservatives, dough conditioners, baker's yeast, that sort of thing.