What if bread itself isn’t necessarily the problem—but the ways we grow grain, process flour, and make bread have fundamentally changed?
In Episode 151 of The Dr. Haley Show, Dr. Michael Haley welcomes German baker, engineer, author, and nutrition adviser Dr. Sven Mostegl. Their wide-ranging conversation explores traditional breadmaking, modern flour, sourdough cultures, wheat berries, gluten, fiber, and long fermentation.
Rather than declaring bread universally good or bad, Dr. Mostegl explains why the grain, milling process, ingredients, fermentation time, and craftsmanship can produce very different foods.
You’ll learn:
• How traditional bread differs from much of today’s packaged bread
• What happens after a wheat berry is milled into flour
• The advantages and limitations of grinding flour at home
• Why professionally milled flour is not necessarily inferior
• What long fermentation may change inside dough
• Why fermentation involves more than simply waiting a certain number of hours
• The difference between authentic sourdough and sourdough-flavored bread
• Where the yeasts and bacteria in a sourdough starter come from
• How commercial yeast changed bread production
• Why whole-grain flour and proper preparation should be considered together
• How wheat, spelt, einkorn, and rye differ in breadmaking
• Why rye is Dr. Mostegl’s favorite grain
• How fiber, bread structure, and fermentation may influence blood sugar
• Which questions to ask when buying bread from a bakery
• What equipment a beginning home baker actually needs
• Why learning to handle dough by hand can be valuable before using machinery
• How consumer choices can influence what bakeries and manufacturers produce
Dr. Mostegl also discusses breadmaking as a tactile, meditative, and even spiritual practice. Working with dough teaches the baker to respond to temperature, humidity, hydration, flour, starter activity, and the changing condition of the dough—not merely follow a clock.
IMPORTANT CELIAC DISEASE DISTINCTION
Ordinary wheat, rye, or barley sourdough should not be presumed safe for someone with celiac disease. Fermentation can modify components of the dough, but traditionally fermented bread may still contain clinically significant gluten.
EPISODE RESOURCES
Read the complete article, watch the interview, and access the full transcript: https://drhaley.com/bread-fermentation-sven-mostegl/
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UmqcdtIaoNg
LEARN MORE ABOUT DR. SVEN MOSTEGL:
Official Website: https://sventhebaker.com/
About Dr. Sven Mostegl: https://sventhebaker.com/about
All Links and Social Channels: https://linktr.ee/drsvenmostegl
Baking Classes: https://sventhebaker.com/baking-classes
Online Courses: https://sventhebaker.com/online-course
Bread Calculator: https://sventhebaker.com/bread-calculator
Books and Publications: https://sventhebaker.com/buecher
BOOKS BY DR. SVEN MOSTEGL
The Bread Revolution: Why Grain Is Healthier Than Many People Think, and How We Can Use It to Feed the World
English edition: https://www.amazon.com/dp/3903521884
Die Brot-Revolution German edition: https://www.amazon.com/dp/3903660361
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Sven-Mostegl/e/B0FK5HHK2G
FOLLOW DR. SVEN MOSTEGL
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sventhebaker/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drsventhebaker/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sven-mostegl/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@svenmostegloffical
ABOUT DR. SVEN MOSTEGL
Dr. Sven Mostegl is a German professional baker, PhD engineer, author, trained nutrition adviser, and health educator based in Dubai. With decades of experience in food and baking, his work connects fully fermented foods, nutrition, the microbiome, and metabolic health.
Through his books, baking classes, and educational work, he challenges common assumptions about food and translates complex topics into practical ideas for everyday life. His goal is to help people better understand what they eat, how their bodies work, and how everyday choices may support a healthier and happier life.
ABOUT THE DR. HALEY SHOW
The Dr. Haley Show explores health, nutrition, natural living, and the evidence behind the claims that shape our decisions. Host Dr. Michael Haley speaks with clinicians, researchers, authors, entrepreneurs, and other experts whose experience can help listeners ask better questions and make better-informed choices.
Learn more: https://drhaley.com/
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER
This episode is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Statements made by the guest represent his perspectives and should not be interpreted as universally applicable medical or nutritional recommendations. Consult an appropriately qualified healthcare professional before making significant dietary changes, especially if you have celiac disease, wheat allergy, diabetes, digestive disease, or another medical condition.
