Ultimate Guide to Sourdough Pretzels | OMG! Pretzels (2024)

FAQs

Are sourdough pretzels better for you than regular pretzels? ›

Sourdough pretzels are a healthy snack because they include all the health benefits found in sourdough bread. Plus, they are baked, not fried, but still give you the crunch you crave from a satisfying snack. Sourdough pretzels also contain fewer calories and less fat and sugar than other snacks.

The secret to sourdough is simple: water. The more water you add to your dough will affect how open the crumb (bigger holes and softer texture) will be once it's baked.

Sourdough hard pretzels contains 70 calories per 21 g serving. This serving contains 0 g of fat, 2 g of protein and 15 g of carbohydrate. The latter is 1 g sugar and 1 g of dietary fiber, the rest is complex carbohydrate. Sourdough hard pretzels contains 0 g of saturated fat and 0 mg of cholesterol per serving.

Maintain your sourdough starter in an ideally warm environment (75-80ºF). Feed daily or refrigerate in between feedings when doubled in size. Feed your sourdough starter, rise for a couple of hours, and put it in the refrigerator between bakes. Feed it once at room temperature before using it.

Pretzels may be better than some fatty chips, but four out of five nutrition experts surveyed by Time say if you're trying to eat healthy, pretzels shouldn't be your go-to snack. Although pretzels are low-fat, they are also pretty paltry on the protein and fiber front, and they can be quite high in sodium and carbs.

Sourdough relies on a mix of wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, rather than baker's yeast, to leaven the dough. It's richer in nutrients, less likely to spike your blood sugar, contains lower amounts of gluten, and is generally easier to digest than bread made with baker's yeast.

Look for bread with no more than 10 grams of carbohydrates per slice. These breads are typically labeled as low in carbohydrates on the packaging. Sourdough bread is another low-carb bread option, often containing half of the carbohydrates found in one slice of white bread.

Chewy and malty, with a touch of whole grain flour to boost the flavor, these sourdough pretzels make a delicious snack. The dough mixes up quickly, the shaping is fun, and boiling and baking take less time than you might think.

Are sourdough pretzels low Fodmap? ›

Low FODMAP eating gives the green light to sourdough, and I base almost all of my baking around it these days. I've found that wheat and gluten in general do not bother me, so if you're eating Low FODMAP or for gut health and feel the same way, these pretzels should be no problem for you!

Compared to whole wheat flour, rye flour is said to be the most nutrient- and amylase-dense option for a sourdough starter. Overall, it has a lower gluten protein content than wheat flour, which means it produces slack, sticky, and dense doughs.

For more tang: Incorporate some rye flour and/or whole wheat flour early in the bread-making process, such as when feeding the mother culture and the preferment. Rye flour in particular will help your culture produce some acetic acid.

Do I have to discard my sourdough starter? It would be best if you discarded some portion of your starter each time you feed it unless you want to continue to let it grow. Eventually, you need to discard the used “food” (flour and water) that's been used to sustain your starter during the last fermentation period.

The Bottom Line. Sourdough has made a comeback—and for good reason. It provides nutrients, including healthy carbs, protein, fiber, iron and vitamins like folic acid. It may help improve digestion, lower chronic disease risk and even promote healthy aging.

Soft pretzels and flavored pretzels are usually higher in calories, salt, sugar, and fat than hard pretzels, so you may want to limit your intake of those varieties.