Is Farmhouse Sourdough Gluten Free?

The Ingredient Breakdown

As a food scientist, I look past the marketing on the bag and go straight to the formulation. The reason Farmhouse Sourdough fails the gluten-free test is due to its primary flour composition. The very first ingredient listed is Enriched Wheat Flour. This is the standard designation for refined white flour, which is the primary source of gluten (gliadin and glutenin proteins) in bread.

However, the gluten content doesn't stop there. The recipe includes Wheat Gluten as a separate additive. Manufacturers add vital wheat gluten to dough to increase the protein content, giving the bread that chewy, elastic texture associated with sourdough. This essentially doubles down on the gluten load.

Perhaps the most deceptive ingredient is the Malted Barley Flour. Barley is one of the 'big three' gluten-containing grains (along with wheat and rye). Even in small amounts, barley is a distinct hazard for those with gluten intolerance. Finally, the inclusion of Rye Flour adds the third variety of gluten to the mix. To call this product sourdough is accurate in terms of the leavening process, but it is a wheat-based product through and through.

Nutritional Value

From a nutritional standpoint, Farmhouse Sourdough is a standard white bread. It is not a 'health food' in the functional sense, though it is certainly a staple carbohydrate. Because it uses enriched flour, it is fortified with vitamins like Niacin and Folic Acid, which is a positive.

However, it contains added Sugar and Soybean/Canola Oils. While the calorie count is typical for a slice of bread (roughly 80-100 calories depending on the slice size), the glycemic index is likely high due to the refined flour and added sugar. It fits into a standard diet as an energy source, but it does not offer the high fiber or low sugar benefits of a whole-grain or keto-friendly alternative.