For me, it was easy to decide on which type of bread to choose. That’s why I will highlight below the main aspects of these leavening agents types. Looking in detail at wild yeast vs commercial yeast differences will help you to take your own choice when making or buying bread.
How is Wild Yeast Produced?
Wild yeast is everywhere. Be it a beginner or an advanced one, the process to cultivate live yeast is similar for one and all. It simply starts with mixing water and flour. This mixture, when exposed, activates the bacteria that produce lactic acid and wild yeast which is present in the flour, air or your hands. These bacteria start to spread throughout the mixture and initiate a culture of freshly bred microorganisms which will be used to leaven the bread.
What’s a Sourdough Starter and why is it Used?
The sourdough starter was a vital aspect of bread making during the middle ages. When folks from the middle ages wanted their dough to rise, they resorted to using a mixture of water, flour along with wild yeast to initiate the lifting process. It is important to note that a sourdough starter has a life of its own since it requires some looking after and occasional feeding. This may sound unheard of, but people hailing from the Middle Ages practiced this and survived.
The produced bread is more flavourful, lasts longer than its counterparts, and is quite easier to digest.
Sourdough is primarily used in bread-making as it gives off a tangy and delightfully flavored bread, which is all the more nutritious than commercial bread. More so, it has a wide variety of application. It can be used in making pancakes, crackers, tortillas, breakfast items, waffles, desserts, muffins, and pie crust.
Wild Yeast vs Commercial Yeast major differences
The Cost Factor
Natural ingredients are always better than their artificial counterparts, all things considered. The primary difference is that an endless supply of natural yeast can be made and it is much, much inexpensive.
Health Benefits
The natural yeast is viable for suppressing gluten intolerance and curbing celiac disease. But from a commercial standpoint, it is always time-consuming and less predictable. However, commercial yeast is known for its traits, not benefits. This is why for non-commercial usage; sourdough will always trump over commercial yeast.
Flavouring
The process is pretty same worldwide as wild bread yeast and bacteria form the basis of all starter doughs. This bacteria and yeast create quite a versatile and distinct flavor when compared to commercial yeast. A variety of flavors, cost-cutting, and nutritional benefits are all hallmarks of natural yeast.