What Is Considered to Be Sprouted Bread?

Sprouted Flavor

Unlike white bread, which is made from flour that has been refined and processed to remove much of its flavor and texture, sprouted bread has an earthy, nutty flavor that comes not only from the wheat berries themselves but also from the young, germinating wheat sprouts. Sprouted bread has a complex flavor that may not be appealing to eaters who are accustomed to the simpler, cleaner flavor of white flour. Sprouted bread that includes other sprouted grains and legumes will have a flavor that is even more complex than bread made solely from sprouted wheat.

Sprouted Nutrition

According to Ruth Frechman, a Burbank-based dietitian quoted in a 2009 article in the "Los Angeles Times," sprouted breads do have higher amounts of calcium, niacin, iron and fiber than white bread, although they don't have appreciably more of these nutrients than unsprouted whole-grain bread. However, according to Lloyd Rooney, a professor of crop science at Texas A&M University quoted in the same "Times" article, the sprouting process does make some of the grain's proteins and amino acids more readily available and more easily absorbed by the human body. Both sprouted bread and regular whole-wheat bread are higher than white bread in dietary fiber, which can lower risk of heart disease.

Sprouted Handling

Sprouted-grain bread requires more careful handling and storage than regular white bread and even regular whole-wheat bread. Because they typically don't contain preservatives and are prone to mold more quickly than breads made from processed white flour, they should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

Sprouted Price

Unlike white bread, which can be mass-produced, sprouted-grain bread takes careful handling throughout the production process. This extra attention translates to higher prices. Sprouted-grain bread tends to be purchased and consumed by nutrition-conscious consumers so it is often made with organic ingredients, which also tend to be more expensive than the flours and grains in ordinary white bread. Sprouted bread also commands higher prices than white bread because fewer bakeries produce it.