• Skip to main content
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer

Sourdough - transform your bread & your health

The Healthiest Bread in the World: Science-Backed Baking for a Better Gut Heath

Vanessa Kimbell is a time-served baker who specialises in gut health and trained in the art of sourdough bread in the Dordogne. A bestselling author, she holds a doctorate in Baking as Lifestyle Medicine and Preventative Health and is a member of BANT. Vanessa combines deep expertise in sourdough with unparalleled knowledge of the science of bread and digestion. At The Sourdough School, she teaches personalised artisan bread tailored to optimise gut health and genetics. Discover healthy bread recipes, tips, and techniques featuring sourdough fermentation, wholegrain benefits, and personalised baking advice—designed to inspire a slower, healthier approach to baking, eating, and sharing bread.

WhatsApp
[email protected]
Follow on Instagram

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
The Sourdough School Course Information
Subscribe to our newsletter

.

  • Home
    • The School
    • What is Baking as Lifestyle Medicine?
    • Get in Touch
    • Evidence Based
  • Dr Kimbell
    • Personalised Bread Assessments
    • Books by Dr Kimbell
    • Podcast on Apple
    • Podcast on Spotify
    • Case Studies
  • Courses
    • Workshops
    • Baking Retreats
    • Online Diploma
    • Join The Club
  • Articles
    • Understanding Sourdough
    • Bread & Health
    • Bread & Nutrition
    • Bread & Gut Health
    • Bread Matters
  • Baking
    • Recipes
    • Bread Making Ingredients
    • Sourdough Ingredients
    • Sourdough Bread Kits
  • Shop & Resources
    • Sourdough Baking Equipment
    • Flours from Farmers Directory
    • Add Farmer to the Directory
    • Bread Health Calculator
    • The Glossary
    • Research papers
    • Sourdough Hydration Calculator
    • British Artisan Flour Mills by Region
    • Equipment advice pages

All Posts Default

People at the table eating and enjoying healthy bread at the table, showcasing the role of quality bread in supporting digestion, gut health, and overall well-being
Every part of what we do when we bake connects us to the world around us and the people in it.

Healthy bread is more than just a food—it’s a cornerstone of nourishment that can transform your well-being. This category dives into the science of bread and digestion, exploring how sourdough and other naturally fermented breads support gut health, reduce inflammation, and balance blood sugar levels. With expert insights from Dr Vanessa Kimbell, discover how choosing the right bread can improve digestion, manage IBS, and contribute to mental and physical health. From understanding the impact of gluten to evaluating bread quality and digestibility, this is your ultimate resource for healthier, better bread.

Discover the connection between bread and digestion this category showcases all our feature on how sourdough and fermented bread can best support gut health, improve digestion, and reduce bloating with expert insights and practical tips.

 

 

 

Learn some Affordable Healthy Bread-Making Tips

Tim Spector Bread recipe sitting at the table eating

Tim Spector’s Recipes for Gut Health from His New Book Food for Life

Podcast: Farming under threat.

sliced sourdough on the table.

DDT – Desired Dough temperature

An overview of Sourdough Bread and IBS

bread history images in The Sourdough School library

The History of Bread in images over 500 Years

Bread Classification: A Framework to determine if bread is healthy or not.

Is your bread healthy? Try The Bread Health Calculator

What is Personalised Bread?

Jasons Sourdough & Lack of Evidence for Gut Health Claims and Digestibility.

Vanilla pods being held

Pure Vanilla – Guide & Advice

The Magic of Black Barley – In Conversation.

New Prescription Courses

Certifying Bakers

Supporting Empowerment – The Club

Training to Socially Prescribe

Baking is activism

Nutritious Bread is Key to Social Justice

The Sourdough School Online Diploma in Nutrition & Digestibility of Bread 2022-2023 – apply for a scholarship or bursary

Social Media Month: Template

Go to the moon? Or bake sourdough? A more practical suggestion of how to save the planet….

Location

Is Gluten Bad? The Gluten Myth: an extract from Spoon-Fed by Tim Spector

LIVE NOW – join the club & invite a friend to bake with you for free – 48 hours only

  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Next

Todays live for diploma students will be on 'How t Todays live for diploma students will be on 'How to engage your patient in the lifestyle changes of the BALM' with @vanessakimbell 

In their 6pm live session, we help keep our students on track with the syllabus and discuss the application of Baking As Lifestyle Medicine to the 6 pillars of Lifestyle medicine, applying the research papers, application of the Research, and how this ties into prescribing, along with guest lecturers, discussions and sharing knowledge.

#lifestylemedicine #health #functionalmedicine #nutrition #integrativemedicine #healthylifestyle #wellness #lifestyle #rcgp #dietitian #nutritionist #healthcareprofessional #holistichealth #healthyliving #plantbased #guthealth #naturopathicmedicine #selfcare #functionalnutrition  #naturopathicdoctor #foodasmedicine #foodismedicine #lifestylegoals #cpd #lifestylechange #mentalhealth #sourdough #sourdoughschool #bakeforhealth
BAKE, ANALYSE, EAT; RECALIBRATE & REPEAT. 📆 Th BAKE, ANALYSE, EAT; RECALIBRATE & REPEAT.

📆 The Sourdough School Clinic - Thursdays 8pm - for students of The Sourdough School 

✏️ In this weekly live session, we cover technical baking questions. Students can submit their Baking Record Sheets in advance of the session.

📋 We look at the details of our student's bakes - the specifics of the flour, timings and temperatures. Using our sourdough record sheets Vanessa will make suggestions on how they might modify, or recalibrate the next time they bake.

Follow the link in the bio to learn more about becoming a student at The Sourdough School 👆

#sourdough #sourdoughschool #bread #sourdoughlove #sourdoughlover #naturalleavened #leavening #levain #realbread #breadmaking #bakebread #makebread #makerealbread #learntobakebread #breadmakingclass #sourdoughstories #bakingforlove #bakingtherapy #sourdoughbaking
IBS AWARENESS MONTH Do you suffer from irritable IBS AWARENESS MONTH

Do you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)? It can be tough to deal with the uncomfortable symptoms of stomach cramps, constipation, diarrhoea and bloating. But did you know that making dietary changes, such as incorporating sourdough bread into your diet, could help alleviate some of those symptoms?

Studies have shown that sourdough's long, slow fermentation process can reduce IBS symptoms. Plus, during #ibsawarenessmonth, we're exploring how adding different herbs and spices to your sourdough can further improve both the flavour and the digestion of your bread.

Let's talk about gut health, fermentation, and how sourdough can be a delicious and healthy addition to your diet. Join the conversation and share your experiences with IBS and sourdough.

#guthealth #healyourgut #healthygut #guthealing #guthealthmatters #letfoodbethymedicine #foodasmedicine #gutbrainconnection #nutrientdense #micronutrients #digestivehealth #nutritionfacts #microbiome #breadandguts #ibsawarenessmonth
THE SOURDOUGH SCHOOL – HAND CARVED WOODEN LAME THE SOURDOUGH SCHOOL – HAND CARVED WOODEN LAME

One of the biggest issues around using a plastic lame to score sourdough, of course, is that eventually the blade will become blunt and the lame could end up in landfill.  So several years ago I talked to my dear friend EJ about developing a lame with a replaceable blade. And he came up with this very beautiful hand carved wooden lame.

Very sadly EJ is no longer with us. Recently a friend of EJ’s who is also a wood turner and carver offered to make these again for us in remembrance of our dear friend.

Follow the link in the bio to our shop where you can find our full selection of wooden sourdough tools 👆

#sourdough #sourdoughschool #bread #sourdoughlove #sourdoughlover #naturalleavened #leavening #levain #realbread #breadmaking #bakebread #makebread #makerealbread #learntobakebread #breadmakingclass #sourdoughstories #bakingforlove #bakingtherapy #sourdoughbaking
The Baking As Lifestyle Medicine (BALM) Protocol The Baking As Lifestyle Medicine (BALM) Protocol

The current food system is broken at multiple levels, from the pesticides used in our soils to the emulsifiers and additives adulterating industrially-processed foods. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the bread we eat.  The figures reported by the UK Flour Millers say that bread is bought by a staggering “99.8% of British households” and that “the equivalent of nearly 11 million loaves are sold each day. Approximately 60-70% of the bread we eat is white and sandwiches are thought to account for 50% of overall bread consumption. Average bread purchases are the equivalent of 60.3 loaves per person per year.” 

Most bread sold is made by modern processing methods that strip heart-healthy whole grains of their nutrient contents, resulting in low-fibre bread with a high glycemic index. Over time, white processed bread can increase a person’s risk of insulin resistance alongside other lifestyle diseases.

We’re on a mission to revolutionise the bread making process at every level – from soil to slice. The rules governing this are laid out in our Baking As Lifestyle Medicine protocol. 

#lifestylemedicine #health #functionalmedicine #nutrition #integrativemedicine #healthylifestyle #wellness #lifestyle #rcgp #dietitian #nutritionist #healthcareprofessional #holistichealth #healthyliving #plantbased #guthealth #naturopathicmedicine #selfcare #functionalnutrition  #naturopathicdoctor #foodasmedicine #foodismedicine #lifestylegoals #cpd #lifestylechange #mentalhealth #sourdough #sourdoughschool #bakeforhealth
Follow on Instagram

About

Email: [email protected]
Tel: +44 (0)7813308301

The Sourdough School Ltd
Registered in England & Wales: 08412236

Terms & Conditions

Privacy Policy

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Latest Posts

Tim Spector’s Zoe Bread

Learn some Affordable Healthy Bread-Making Tips

Tim Spector’s Recipes for Gut Health from His New Book Food for Life

Protected: An Invitation to Join Dr Kimbell on the Bread & Guts Podcast

Podcast: Farming under threat.

BANT Member
Lifecode GX

Subscribe

Enter your email address

Search


Terms & Conditions | Competition Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2009–2025 Vanessa Kimbell | Login
Registered in England and Wales: 08412236
Website by Callia Web