The Sourdough School

DIVERSITY BREAD® || PERSONALISED BREAD || BAKING AS LIFESTYLE MEDICINE

BAKE WITH THE HANDS OF AN ARTISAN AND THE MIND OF A CLINICIAN

Set within the walled gardens of Dr Vanessa Kimbell's beautiful Victorian home in rural Northamptonshire, The Sourdough School is home to the Proven Bread Programme, teaching the art and science of nutrition, the gut microbiome and fermentation in bread. We train bakers to produce Diversity Bread® and healthcare professionals to personalise bread through Baking as Lifestyle Medicine. Arrange a conversation today.

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Fermenting for Fibre: Sourdough & Cholesterol Management

A batch of Oats Pocket Bread from 10-Minute Sourdough by Vanessa Kimbell, showcasing a high-fibre sourdough bake designed to support healthy cholesterol levels through the BALM protocol.
These nutrient-dense Oats Pocket Breads, featured in 10-Minute Sourdough: Breadmaking For Real Life by Dr Vanessa Kimbell, make managing cholesterol both practical and delicious.

Navigating the complexities of cholesterol and sourdough is a foundational component of our Diploma in Nutrition and Digestibility of Bread. For medical professionals and students, understanding how specific soluble fibres in whole grains interact with the gut to modulate lipid profiles is essential for heart-supportive dietary prescriptions.

Drawing on Dr Vanessa Kimbell's doctoral research into the BALM framework, we often find ourselves diving into the science of phytates in response to the growing interests of students into how sourdough fermentation naturally modifies bread to better support fat metabolism and nutrient density. This colleciton of research studies is vital because it informs our practical application, transforming how we select high-beta-glucan grains and utilise long fermentation to improve heart health.

High cholesterol remains a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease according to the NHS but is also a modifiable risk and can be addressed through diet and lifestyle, our Proven Bread programme provides the evidence-based toolkit to manage these levels. We invite you to join us for a Tuscan Retreat to see how the BALM protocol comes to life, blending rigorous nutritional science with the traditional craft of the baking.

Phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase: from Functions to Diseases

Cardiovascular benefits from ancient grain bread consumption: findings from a double-blinded randomized crossover intervention trial

The prebiotic effects of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation: A six-week randomised intervention trial

Diet patterns and health span

Associations between dietary patterns and the incidence of total and fatal cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in 116,806 individuals from the UK Biobank: a prospective cohort study

Effect of High Beta-Glucan Barley on Serum Cholesterol Concentrations and Visceral Fat Area in Japanese Men—A Randomized, Double-blinded, Placebo-controlled Trial

Potential beneficial effects of butyrate in intestinal and extraintestinal diseases

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Dietary fructooligosaccharides and potential benefits on health

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Understanding the Physics of Functional Fibers in the Gastrointestinal Tract: An Evidence-Based Approach to Resolving Enduring Misconceptions about Insoluble and Soluble Fiber

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Effect of High ?-Glucan Barley on Serum Cholesterol Concentrations and Visceral Fat Area in Japanese Men—A Randomized, Double-blinded, Placebo-controlled Trial

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Beta-Glucans Improve Growth, Viability and Colonization of Probiotic Microorganisms

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Green tea: potential health benefits

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A Walnut-Enriched Diet Affects Gut Microbiome in Healthy Caucasian Subjects: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

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Formation of propionate and butyrate by the human colonic microbiota

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