What is sourdough?

Going back to the origins of bread means going back to the key element that makes natural fermentation possible: the sourdough starter. It's no surprise that our name is Origo, since sourdough is considered one of the oldest forms of fermentation: there is evidence that this method was already used in ancient Egyptian civilisation 3,000 years BC, and it was consumed on a large scale by the whole population.

Made without added commercial yeast, our bread is created from a natural ferment known as sourdough starter, levain or lievito madre. It is made up exclusively of water and flour. When both ingredients rest, a culture of beneficial bacteria develops naturally, together with a series of wild yeasts responsible for its fermentation. In this process, these bacteria devour the carbohydrates in the flour (sugar), generating gases in the dough such as ethanol and carbon dioxide. Internally, these two components are responsible for producing a well-fermented loaf with its characteristic holes, which form during baking when the gases come into contact with the heat of our stone oven.

The universe of bacteria is immense, but it's worth highlighting that the ones we find in bread are lactic acid bacteria. These are the same ones found in other types of ferments we also make at Origo, such as kimchis, sauerkraut, pickles, beers and wines. Our passion for fermented products is definitely not limited to our breads!

So it's no coincidence that sourdough bread is considered one of the richest in protein, minerals and fibre, with a lower glycaemic index. Just a couple of slices are enough to satisfy our digestive system and, what's more, it doesn't just fill us up — it also nourishes us significantly.

Sourdough has the power to enrich our digestive system thanks to a long natural fermentation process, especially breads made with wholegrain flours and cereals, such as our xeixa bread, spelt bread, rye, seed bread and Copenhagen.