Sourdough bread became incredibly popular, especially following the first months of the pandemic when everyone suddenly decided to turn their house into a bakery. But how is it different from ordinary bread? Is sourdough bread vegan?
Sourdough is a bread made by fermenting dough without using store-bought yeast. It has a sour taste and many health benefits compared to regular bread. It is easier to digest, more nutritious, has a lower glycemic index and contains less gluten, just to name a few. But is sourdough suitable for a plant-based diet? Find out!
Can you eat sourdough bread on a vegetarian diet?
Sourdough is usually made from four main ingredients, flour, salt, water and a sourdough starter, which is usually flour and water. However, these days, there are many products on the market that contain all kinds of animal-derived ingredients that are still labeled as sour. This is why it is always fundamental to pay attention!
Things to keep in mind while buying sourdough
Rich Sour: Many brands tend to enrich their sourdough with ingredients that are not completely vegetarian, such as milk, eggs or butter. To see if the brand you choose contains these, you need to check each ingredient. As an average, less is better.
Sweet Sour: Unfortunately, some brands decide to smooth out the sourness of their products by adding sweeteners. While most of these are suitable for vegetarian diets, others are not. The most common of these is honey, so always read your label to make sure this ingredient hasn’t been added to the mix.
Sour Starter: As we mentioned above, a traditional sourdough starter should only consist of flour and water. However, some companies add other non-vegan ingredients to boost its activity, such as honey and milk. Unfortunately, many brands list ‘sour starter’ among their ingredients. Whether or not you decide to consume these products depends on your level of rigor.
artificial flavor: There is no way to know if artificial flavors were created using animal products, so try to avoid these ingredients when purchasing items from your local supermarket.
Mono-Glycerides and Diglycerides: Mono-glycerides and diglycerides are forms of fat that are often used to modify the structure of sourdough and preserve its moisture. Unfortunately, although they often come from soybean oil, they can also be animal-based.
Lecithin: Similarly to mono-glycerides and diglycerides, lecithin is often derived from soybeans. However, in some cases, it can come from the egg yolk.
On the date: Also known as Datem E472eAn emulsifier that may be derived from animals.
Questions to ask your employer
Well, now you know how to get 100% vegan sourdough bread when buying it from the supermarket. But what if you get your bread from a baker? You may want to ask a few questions to make sure the products are completely plant-based.
- First of all, Ask if they are sour-enriched And, if yes, with what.
- second, Check if it is sweetened with honey or other animal products. If you are very strict with your diet, you can ask what their bread tins are usually greased with. Some bakers, in fact, use animal fat and you definitely want to avoid that.
- You can also ask Ask if they tend to butter their bread After it comes out of the oven and whether they feed their sourdough starter with anything other than flour and water.
Thus, you will be one hundred percent sure that these products are suitable for a plant-based diet.
Some sours are suitable for vegetarians
Injera: Injera is a flatbread that can be spongy in texture. This product is common in some African countries including Ethiopia, Eritrea and parts of Sudan. Injera is completely vegan and usually made from teff.
Pumpernickel: Pumpernickel is a typical German product consisting of dense and sweet rye bread. This product is completely vegetarian, so you can enjoy it without worry.
Borodinsky: Borodinsky is a dessert originally from Russia. This dark rye bread is sweetened with molasses and garnished with coriander and caraway seeds.
A few sours should be avoided
Panettone: Panettone is an Italian dessert often made for Christmas. Unfortunately, it is not suitable for a vegetarian diet Among its ingredients are properties of lard. However, this product is so popular that nowadays you can easily find vegetarian-friendly options.
Sour Milk Bread: As the name suggests, sour milk bread is unfortunately not suitable for vegetarians. It is a common product in Asian cuisine and contains animal-derived ingredients such as Butter, milk, and, occasionally, honey.
A few substitution suggestions for making your own plant-based sourdough
After all this, if talking about sourdough, you feel a certain level of nostalgia for the first months of the pandemic, when we all spent time at home baking all kinds of products, this section is for you!
In fact, whatever type of sourdough you want to make from the comfort of your kitchen, we’ve decided to suggest you a few plant-based substitutions! So, roll up your sleeves, and let’s get started!
If your recipe calls for buttermilk, you can replace this ingredient with a splash of lemon juice and your favorite non-dairy milk. The amount is approx A tablespoon of lemon juice per 250 grams of vegan milk.
Should you use butter? No problem! You can choose from any vegan butter or oil available in the market Sunflower oil to walnut oil, and coconut oil. Just keep the same amount required in the original recipe.
A Great alternatives to eggs are hemp or chia seeds. Just put a spoonful of seeds in three cups of water and voilá! Your egg substitute is ready! Of course, you can use almighty aquafaba!
Honey can easily be replaced with all sorts of vegan sweeteners such as molasses, agave syrup and maple syrup, Instead of milk you can choose any type of non-dairy milk available to you.
So, is sourdough bread vegetarian?
There are often no easy answers in the vegan world. To put it as simply as possible, Yes, traditional tok dal is vegetarian as it is made of three main ingredients, water, salt and flour. however, It is always important to check all the ingredients on the label of the products you buy Ask your local store and your waiter or baker for additional information as many brands use animal-derived ingredients in their bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are all sourdough breads vegetarian?
Unfortunately not. Many brands often include sweeteners and other animal-derived products in their ingredients. However, traditional tok dal is vegetarian, as it is made with water, salt and flour.
Is boudin sourdough bread vegetarian?
According to Boudin Bakery’s official website, they are made with sourdough, purified water, salt and some real mother flour. Unfortunately, they don’t specify that their original mother dough contains animal-derived products, so be sure to ask their staff if you decide to check out the boudin.
Is pan sourdough bread vegetarian?
It depends on the option you choose. For example, Panera’s Classic, Rustic, and Whole-Grain Sourdough are vegan. However, they also have non-vegan bread, so don’t hesitate to ask the staff for clarification.
Is San Luis Sourdough Bread Vegetarian?
Yes, San Luis Sour is completely vegetarian! It contains no ingredients of animal origin.