What I've Learned About Natural Yeast

In January of 2013 I discovered Natural Yeast. Since then I've learned a lot and I've shared a lot of what I've learned with others. Since I'm continually learning and adding the new things I've discovered to my blog I thought I would create a page for those of you newbies who just want to know "What is Natural Yeast".

What Is Natural Yeast?

Natural Yeast is just how it sounds. It is natural. It exists in the air around us. We can see it after it settles on things like fruits and vegetables. For example, the white stuff that appears on grapes after they've been sitting on the counter for a few days, that's yeast (natural). While it is possible to make a yeast that you can bake with from grapes, apples, oranges, and various vegetables I don't recommend it. My daughter tried it for a science experiment. Although she won second place at the District Level her efforts to make bread failed. Why? Because it is very hard to make a consistent working dough from yeast made from fruits and vegetables. It is much easier to work with a sourdough type of yeast. You can make your own starter from flour and water although it takes a while. The process however is simple. Mix clean filtered water with any type of flour until it forms a sticky paste. Leave it on the counter stirring occasionally until bubbles begin to form. Stir and feed until you have a working yeast. However, this "simple" process can take several weeks which can be discouraging. It is much easier to get a little bit of starter from someone else. If you can get a starter from someone you know, like me, you may need to feed it several times as it adjusts to your home environment before it is bubbly and happy and ready to use.

What do I mean by home environment?

The environment in your home is unique to you and your family. Have you ever wondered why so called San Francisco sourdough bread doesn't taste the same anywhere else but in San Francisco? That's because the environment in San Francisco is unique to that area creating a uniquely flavored bread. On a much smaller scale the environment in your home is unique to you. If you get a starter from someone else and it seems to lose its enthusiasm after you feed it give it some time. It will adjust to the bacteria and atmosphere in your home and perk up in time. The advantage to this is that the yeast you use in baking bread for your family is made from the bacteria in your home that is already familiar to your system which makes it the most ideal bread for you and your family to eat.

A quick note here... Many people freak out a little when we talk about bacteria. When you tell them they have bacteria in their home they start looking for the bleach. We've been raised with an understanding that bacteria is bad for you. I went to a conference recently where I learned that there are many forms of bacteria that are actually beneficial and necessary for healthy digestion. These healthy bacteria are found in the environment around us and in the healthy foods that we eat. Probiotic yogurt provides a miniscule amount of healthy bacteria that our bodies need to fight off infection and disease. I believe that bread made from natural yeast can provide a significant amount of healthy bacteria for your digestive system (as with many other things of course). But here is my proof... I began feeding my family of seven people a regular diet of bread made with natural yeast in March of 2013. Since that time not a single person in my family has thrown up. Seven people in almost two years! My kids go to public schools and are surrounded by outbreaks of the stomach flu and worse and yet we have been resistant. I think this is pretty amazing!

Here's a cool quote from an article by Jacques De Langre about the difference between yeasted bread and naturally leavened bread. The entire article can be read in this post.

"Bread and grain-based diets, especially at the beginning, give the illusion that they do not readily digest. Natural leaven bread, because of its inherent beneficial ferments, slowly recreates the population of friendly lactobacillus digestive bacteria in the absorption tract. The end result is a recovery of digestion and proper elimination by the effective action of friendly bacteria. Natural leaven bread provides more stable nutrition than that obtained mechanically by non-fermented (and thus non- pre-digested) bran and other raw or cooked roughage diets, since these only succeed in physically abrading and irritating the colon."

What About Gluten Intolerance or Celiac Disease?

Gluten intolerance runs in my family. I have been gluten intolerant since 2002. Three out of my five children are also gluten intolerant as well as my mother and many of my sisters. This creates a strong case for all of us actually having Celiac Disease although we have not had the biopsy done to prove it. Back in 2002 when I discovered that wheat was making me sick I didn't see the point in being tested. When I stopped eating wheat I felt better. So I stopped. It was a no brainer. When I began experimenting with Natural Yeast I was obviously very nervous. You can read about my experience in this post. So I conducted my own experiment, on myself, and began eating pancakes with the natural yeast. When I had no immediate reaction I continued the experiment for a month before introducing it to the rest of my family. So far we can all eat this bread without any problems. I know many people that can also eat it without problems and others that say they still have symptoms even after eating the bread. All I can suggest is that you conduct your own experiment. There is science however explaining why bread made with natural yeast is so good for you, even if you are gluten intolerant. Here is some of that science from one of my posts:

The Science Behind Natural Yeast

In my search for understanding how this all works I researched about wheat itself. Until 2013 I didn't eat wheat, I didn't buy it, I didn't store it. I didn't want to have anything to do with it. I subscribed to the idea that man has genetically modified wheat to the point that it is no longer good for us. As I began my research I learned that wheat berries (the grains) are full of nutrients such as calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium and phosphate. But wheat has a self preservation mechanism called Phytic Acid. The role of phytic acid is to not release any of the nutrients in the wheat berry until an enzyme called Phytase is present. Phytase essentially convinces the wheat that it's been planted and it is free to release the nutrients it has been storing. When wheat is ground into flour some of the chains of phytic acid are broken and some nutrients are released but with phytic acid still present our bodies have a hard time absorbing those nutrients. Here is an interesting quote from the book The Art of Baking with Natural Yeast,

"While the wheat flour moves through our digestive tract, phytic acid panics and runs around snatching up all nutrients that fit the description of the ones he was holding on to.... He does such a good job that he snatches up nutrients from other foods we've been eating. We never even realize we've been robbed." Or do we? How many of us are nutrient deprived and feel it in many different ways from sleep deprivation, to lack of energy, to chronic illness?

So how do we get phytic acid to release the nutrients in wheat? I'm going to quote the book again.

We use natural yeast  to "trick" phytase into thinking the seed has been planted and it's time for the nutrients to go to work. This is because natural yeast starters are acidic, low in PH, and moist - just like soil.

When we work our starter into a dough, phytase recognizes the change in environment and gives the all clear for nutrients to be released. On the average, this process takes at least six hours, as the starter reproduces and spreads throughout the dough, neutralizing the phytic acid as it goes.

... Once phytic acid has completed his assignment, he gets a new one. He runs around with his empty chains and snatches up cancer-causing free-radicals. So the good stuff gets to us, and the bad gets carried out.

In our effort to make our lives easier, faster, and more efficient we have robbed ourselves of the processes necessary to digest foods and absorb the vital nutrients therein. It's not completely our fault. Science and innovation have made mass producing breadmakers rich and huge corporations don't really care about what you eat and how it affects you.

What's Wrong With Instant Yeast?

Rapid Rise instant yeast was developed in the 1980's and with it there was an exponential increase in celiac disease, gluten intolerance, acid-reflux, diabetes, and other wheat allergies. With instant yeast the slow rise or fermentation step is skipped. This step is essential in releasing phytase, the enzyme essential in aiding digestion and the absorption of nutrients. Manufacturers however are going to tell you there is nothing wrong with instant yeast. I can't imagine why that would be.

Ok, You Have Me Convinced. So How Hard Is It To Make Bread From Natural Yeast?

To be perfectly honest, there is a learning curve. Making your own bread from natural yeast is going to require some experimenting, some patience and most of all Time. Making bread with natural yeast is not quick. However, I do believe once you get the hang of it it does become very easy. With a little planning ahead and the right ingredients you can make wonderful bread, pizza dough, crepes, donuts and so much more!