In a time when bread is frequently portrayed as a nutritional villain, nutritionist Pooja Makhija advises people to understand gluten and fermentation rather than focusing solely on eliminating it. Speaking about her views on bread, Makhija persuasively argues that sourdough is a better option than most commercially available loaves during her appearance on The Masoom Minawala Show. When questioned about bread, Makhija quickly clarifies that different types deserve different reputations. “Sourdough, I love,” she says, adding that sourdough can be made from white flour, ragi, or other grains. “We're just using the sourdough culture, vastly reducing the gluten.” According to Makhija, the majority of commercially available breads are yeast-fermented. However, sourdough relies on a colony of naturally occurring microorganisms.
“Sourdough has a microorganism culture which digests the gluten or whatever is the protein in the carb,” she says, explaining that this fermentation process is what allows the bread to “fluff it up” while altering its protein structure.
The nutritionist claims that this distinction has important health ramifications. Compared to regular bread, the final product contains far less gluten, as the sourdough culture partially breaks it down. She emphasises that sourdough has a significantly lower gluten content, while carefully noting that it is not gluten-free.
“A slice of regular bread has about 1,000 to 1,400 parts per million of gluten. A sourdough has only 200,” she notes.
According to Makhija, the real conversation should focus on understanding gluten and individual tolerance rather than demonising bread in general. She emphasises that dietary choices should be guided by how the body reacts rather than trends that promote complete abstinence, saying, “Rather than what's my take on bread, it's what's my take on gluten.”
She also emphasises how oversimplified health narratives can lead consumers to unnecessarily eliminate entire food categories. “Not all bread is the same,” host Masoom Minawala reiterated, pointing out that fermentation methods, ingredients, and processing play a crucial role in determining how a food impacts health.
Summarising Pooja Makhija's approach, the host emphasised the importance of education. "Knowledge over elimination," Minawala stated, reinforcing the idea that awareness—rather than avoidance—truly supports long-term health.
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