The Sourdough School

BALM – Proven as one of the healthiest approaches to bread in the world.

Based in the walled gardens of Dr. Vanessa Kimbell's beautiful Victorian home in rural Northamptonshire, UK, we tutor individuals and train bakers and healthcare professionals in Baking as Lifestyle Medicine (BALM). Personalising bread to your lifestyle, gut microbiome, and unique genetics for optimal health—tailoring fermentation, fibre, and diversity so that your daily bread becomes the foundation of your health.

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Folate

My initial interest in folate came from a personal diagnosis of having SNP’s in my MTHFR genes.  What I began to realise is that we evolved with a diverse range of ingredients in our bread.  A great example of this is Toollund man.  incorporating a diverse array of naturally folate-rich ingredients into flour and subjecting it to fermentation to boost folate’s natural methylation, we can craft bread that is substantially more nutritious, offering specific advantages for individuals with MTHFR gene variations. This methodology has profound implications for public health, especially considering the sizable proportion of the population affected by this SNP.

Here’s how increasing methylated folate can bolster public health and nutritional quality of breads.

  1. Enhanced Nutrient Assimilation: The fermentation process augments the bioavailability of folate in its methylated form, more readily assimilated by individuals harbouring MTHFR mutations. This ensures broader absorption and utilisation of this pivotal nutrient, crucial for DNA synthesis, repair, and various methylation processes within the body.
  2. Mitigation of Deficiencies and Related Health Complications: A diet incorporating bread made from fermented, folate-enriched flour could significantly reduce the risk of folate deficiencies, particularly pertinent for those with MTHFR mutations who are predisposed to issues like hyperhomocysteinaemia, cardiovascular diseases, and neural tube defects due to impaired folate metabolism. Providing folate in a more bioavailable form could diminish these health risks.
  3. Broad-Scale Public Health Support: Considering the significant portion of the population carrying MTHFR gene mutations, this approach stands to offer widespread public health benefits. By ensuring such nutritious bread is readily available, it addresses the nutritional requisites of a considerable demographic, potentially lowering the incidence of folate-related conditions.
  4. Promotion of Nutritional Equity: This strategy also advances nutritional equity, making high-quality, nutrient-dense foods accessible to a broader swathe of the population. This includes those who might not have the means or knowledge to manage MTHFR-related dietary needs effectively.

Additionally, plant bread manufacturers can leverage this technique to amplify the nutritional value of their products. By adopting this method, they not only cater to the needs of individuals with specific genetic predispositions but also contribute to the overall nutritional enhancement of the bread available to the general public. This proactive step towards improving the nutritional profile of bread could lead to enhanced health outcomes, a reduction in nutrient-related health issues, and a significant boost to public well-being.

Syllabus for Bread and Genetics - Puratos

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LessonsTimeWhat you will learn

- WHAT IS FOLATE AND WHY DO WE NEED IT?

  1. A comprehensive explanation of folate (vitamin B9) - Background Knowledge - mins
  2. What are the key factors that impact the bioavailability of Folate in humans? - Background Knowledge - mins
 mins

What is folate and what impacts the bioavailability in humans?

A daily recommended intakes of folate is recommended of between 170 and 300 g (de Bree et al., 1997)

This section looks a what folate is and what impacts bioavailability, and the biological Significance of Folate

  • A comprehensive explanation of folate (vitamin B9), detailing its dietary sources, biological roles, and significance in human health.
  • Folate Cycle and DNA Synthesis: Describe the folate cycle’s pivotal role in DNA synthesis, repair, and methylation processes, illustrating folate's central position in cellular metabolism.
  • Importance in Pregnancy and Cellular Growth: Highlight the critical importance of folate during pregnancy for preventing neural tube defects, its role in cellular division, and its impact on growth.

- METHYLATED FOLATE

  1. What is the MTHFR Gene and why is it important? - Core Knowledge - mins
  2. The theory of Methylated Folate in the way we evolved eating Bread - Background Knowledge - mins
  3. Cognitive health and folate - Background Knowledge - mins
 mins

1. Introduction to the MTHFR Gene and how this impacts bioavailability

  • Brief Description and Location: Introduce the MTHFR gene, highlighting its location on chromosome 1 and its fundamental role in human genetics.
  • Gene Function: Elucidate the gene’s function in encoding the enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, essential for folate metabolism and DNA synthesis.
  • Enzyme’s Role in Methionine Synthesis: Discuss the critical involvement of this enzyme in the methionine synthesis pathway, emphasising its function in converting homocysteine to methionine, a process vital for DNA methylation and repair.

- 2. MTHFR GENE MUTATIONS

 mins

  • Common Mutations: Describe the most prevalent mutations within the MTHFR gene, focusing on C677T and A1298C, and explain how they alter the enzyme's function.
  • Functional Impacts: Delve into the biochemical and physiological consequences of these mutations on the enzyme's activity and overall folate metabolism.
  • Mutation Prevalence and Inheritance: Provide an overview of the distribution of these mutations across different populations, including their genetic inheritance patterns, to underscore the global health implications.

- RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MTHFR, FOLATE, AND HEALTH OUTCOMES

  1. Why bread is the perfect medium to deliver both choline and methylated folate and why this matters genetically - Background Knowledge - mins
 mins

  • Impact of MTHFR Mutations on Folate Metabolism: Examine the specific ways in which MTHFR mutations influence folate metabolism and the resultant effects on health.
  • Clinical Implications: Discuss the clinical implications of impaired folate metabolism, including elevated homocysteine levels and their association with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, neural tube defects, and other health conditions.
  • Bread as a Strategy: Why bread is the perfect medium to deliver both choline and methylated folate and why this matters genetically

- HOW WE CAN INCREASE METHYLATED FOLATE AND CREATE A FERMENTED PRODUCT TO ENHANCE BREAD

  1. How we can increase Methylated Folate and Create a Fermented Product to Enhance bread - Background Knowledge - mins
  2. Which fermentable ingredients are high in folate - Background Knowledge - mins
 mins

The increase in methylated folate in bread produced through this method is a result of both the bioactivity of selected lactic acid bacteria and the natural enzymatic processes occurring within the legumes and grains during fermentation. This process is significantly influenced by the specific strains of LAB used, the composition of the legume-grain mixture, and the fermentation conditions. By carefully selecting these parameters, it’s possible to enhance the nutritional profile of bread, particularly its folate content, contributing to improved health outcomes through diet.

Likewise yeast can also improve methylated folate, and by choosing a substrate that contains more folate we can create fermented flours to enhance bread.

All reasonable care is taken when advising about health aspects of bread, but the information that we share is not intended to take the place of treatment by a qualified medical practitioner. You must seek professional advice if you are in any doubt about any medical condition. Any application of the ideas and information contained on this website is at the reader's sole discretion and risk.

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