Since Abigail’s Oven exclusively bakes sourdough bread, we have found at least seven ways that bread may help to strengthen your body’s immune system as we struggle against more rounds of this pandemic and future health crises we could face. For that reason, we have compiled this list.

1. Eat Whole More Grain, especially non-GMO, old-strain wheat, and other ancient grains. These contain many essential nutrients needed for stronger immunity as whole-grain wheat is a good natural source of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

2. Eat Your Vitamins and Minerals. Supplements may help to fight infection and build immunity, but wheat is a great source of natural vitamins and minerals, such as selenium, manganese, phosphorus, copper, and folate, all of which play a role in natural immunity.

3. Improve Your Gut Health. Foods baked with sourdough starters give your gut a prebiotic effect that is similar to consuming more fiber.

4. Fermented Foods Promote Immunity. Using a long ferment process in sourdough bread making helps break down and diminish antinutrients, like phytates and lectins, which interfere with the absorption of nutrients.

5- Before Using Grain Soak It overnight in warm water to activate phytase enzymes found on the grain. This helps to break down phytic acid which binds minerals in wheat like iron, calcium, and zinc and makes them bioavailable.

6- Eat Healthy Fats on slices of sourdough bread. Sourdough dipped in olive oil or spread with almond butter may help your body’s immunity.

7- Get Enough Sleep. While this pandemic runs its course, you should focus on good sleep; remember that most adults need at least seven hours sleep. The best nighttime snack is one with both carbohydrates and proteins. A deli slice of turkey on a slice of whole-wheat sourdough with milk or peanut butter on sourdough toast all promote sleepiness.

Wheat and sourdough make a great marriage for better nutrition and a healthy immune system. Learn more about eating your way to better health at Martha Levie’s new blog, YourSourdoughStart.com you may also enjoy this post: Bread, the Flu, Pandemics, and Immuno-health

In the comment section below, share your thoughts about diet and immunity.


Author: Darryl Alder, blogs for Abigail’s Oven, YourSourdoughStart.com, The Voice of Scouting, The Boy Scout, EternalCore.org, and SearchIsaiah.org. His hobbies include growing annuals and perennials; gardening vegetables; baking artisan sourdough bread; outdoor cooking; and Scouting. You can follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You will find many of his recipes for using sourdough at YourSourdoughStart.com.