Top Health Benefits of Sourdough Discard in Baking

When we think of sourdough, we often think of sourdough bread but there are so many more ways to incorporate sourdough into our diets and our baking. Many of us are also familiar with the health benefits of sourdough bread but we can experience many of these same health benefits by adding sourdough discard to our non-bread baking recipes.

I maintain a sourdough starter even though I’ve literally made sourdough bread one time. It was, of course, KAMUT sourdough and it tasted amazing but I need a little more practice to feel confident making my own sourdough bread. In the meantime, I continue to feed my sourdough starter and I use the discard in so many baking recipes. 

What is Sourdough Discard?

Sourdough discard is what is left over after feeding your active sourdough starter. This is what you discard from the starter you (usually) plan to use for baking bread. The options are to use the discard for another baking recipe or throw it out so obviously the best option is to find some fun recipes and use up that discard! Less food waste and more tasty baked goods is a win-win in my book!

What is a Sourdough Starter?

The active sourdough starter is a simple mix of flour and water but the ratios and time are what transform it into a living, fermenting sourdough starter. The natural fermentation process creates acetic acid which gives off that unique sourdough smell. You can make your own sourdough starter but it takes many months of commitment before a brand new starter tastes and performs best.  My advice is to get a sourdough starter from a friend. This is what I did and it has worked out great. And it seems that almost everyone on earth started baking sourdough bread during the pandemic so it’s likely you know someone with a starter! 

Health Benefits of Baking with Sourdough Discard?

Aside from preventing unnecessary food waste, baking with sourdough discard can be part of a healthy diet. Here are some of the potential health benefits:

• Lower Glycemic Index: Baked goods that include sourdough starter or discard lower the glycemic index of that food so this can be beneficial for anyone monitoring their blood sugar levels or insulin levels or just anyone who wants to avoid that sugar spike and crash effect. 
• Easier to Digest: Sourdough is a fermented food and fermented foods are essentially predigested by prebiotics or healthy bacteria, making them easier to digest. This presence of prebiotics can make sourdough baking a healthier choice for those with digestive issues and for those who just want to avoid feeling sluggish after eating bread and other baked goods. 
• Lower Gluten Content: The sourdough fermentation process breaks down a lot of the gluten initially present in the flour. I am not a doctor and I do not recommend consuming anything against the advice of your medical professional but some people who have non-celiac gluten sensitivity or trouble digesting wheat bread or baked goods can tolerate them just fine when sourdough is involved.
• Contains Amino Acids: As the sourdough fermentation process breaks down gluten, the pleasant byproduct is the creation of amino acids.
• Contribute to Gut Health: Beyond being noticeably easier to digest and in addition to prebiotics, the good bacteria in sourdough also contain probiotics which can help create a healthy gut microbiome. 
• Lower Inflammation and Improved Immune System: Some of the pleasant side effects of a healthy gut include a stronger immune system and lowered risk of inflammation because the beneficial bacteria that are probiotics trigger the production of immune cells.
• Easy to Bake Without Eggs: I love eggs but if you need to bake without eggs for an allergy or diet preference for yourself or others, sourdough discard makes that easier. Because sourdough discard can replace eggs in many baking recipes, this makes it easier to bake plant-based or vegan.

Is Sourdough OK for Celiacs or Wheat Allergies?

Sourdough bread and baked goods made with wheat still contain wheat and gluten so they are not recommended for anyone with Celiac Disease or a wheat allergy. The fermentation process of sourdough products and bread, in particular, helps break down a lot of the gluten so this, in addition to some of the reasons above, is why some with gluten sensitivities find that they can eat sourdough. This impact is even greater, depending on the kind of flour. Studies have shown that sourdough bread made with KAMUT® Brand Wheat has even less gluten than sourdough bread made with all-purpose white flour. (learn more about KAMUT® Brand Wheat here) This might be worth a try for someone with a gluten intolerance but, again, I cannot safely recommend this for anyone with Celiac Disease or a wheat allergy.

How to Bake with Sourdough Discard

Sourdough discard can be used in place of eggs in many recipes and in place of some of the leavening agent. For example, in one of my best sourdough recipes, my Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies, I completely eliminate the eggs and reduce the baking soda by half.

To use your sourdough discard in a baking recipe, either use fresh discard after feeding your active sourdough starter and/or use discard out of the fridge but let it come to room temperature first. You can reference specific measurements in my recipes but a little bit of discard goes a long way. For example, too much discard in cookies results in a very cakey cookie so my Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies only call for ½ cup of discard.

Has my Sourdough Discard Gone Bad?

There are a variety of opinions on when you should use sourdough discard. I’ve seen bakers advise that you wait until the sourdough discard is at least 7 days old and I’ve also seen bakers recommend using sourdough discard up until it is 7 days old. Obviously, there’s not much of a consensus on when to use your sourdough discard. (I have successfully used a six-week-old discard that’s been stored in the fridge.)

However, there is a consensus on when sourdough discard has gone bad. If your discard has mold or has lost its texture and is separating, toss it. But if your sourdough discard is in good shape, then go ahead whether it’s older or younger than seven days.

Beyond making sure your sourdough discard is safe to use, age can also play a role in taste. An older sourdough discard is more likely to taste sour but I have never noticed a strong sour taste in any of my sourdough baked goods and I rarely pay attention to the age of my discard.

Can you Freeze Sourdough Starter?

If you are someone who bakes infrequently and doesn’t want to maintain feeding a starter every 10 days or you are going on a long vacation, you can freeze your starter! I have never tried freezing my sourdough starter so I recommend following the advice of another, more experienced sourdough blogger. This blog post by Rebecca at Moon and Magnolia is very informative and includes lots of great pictures.

Will Sourdough Discard Make My Baked Goods Taste Sour?

This depends on the recipe, the amount of sourdough starter discard used, and the age of the discard. 

• Recipe: It is easier to detect any specific flavor in a simple recipe so the more complex the recipe, the less likely you are to notice a tangy flavor. 
• Amount: The more sourdough discard in a recipe, the more chance you’ll taste that sourdough flavor.
• Age: Typically, the older the sourdough discard, the more you will notice a sour flavor. 

Recipes that Work Well with Sourdough Discard

I use sourdough discard in so many recipes but my favorites have included muffins, cookies, pancakes and waffles. Expect to see more sourdough discard recipes in the near future and please share if you find another fun way to use your discard in your baking!