Spelt: where’s it from and why is it good for you?

After worrying over it for some time, I finally bought a bread maker, a panasonic and it was not cheap, but I am loving it already. Many of you have come here in the past for some of my recipes and I seem to get a lot of searches to do with recipes for Spelt flour.

This article is not a recipe one but does sing the praises of spelt, not just for its health benefits but also its flavour and texture…if you want to learn more about spelt read on…

So I began making bread and used Spelt instead of Whole wheat, in fact an organic spelt flour from the UK, which is excellent. I just use it as a direct swap for white or brown flour in a recipe, the only adjustments I make are to put a little less fluid in, which seems to help. I think that spelt in bread proves faster, so I always use the fast bake method which speeds up the process in my bread maker.

Spelt is also known as “Farro” (Italy) and “Dinkle” (Germany). In Roman times it was “Farrum”, and origins can be traced back to early Mesopotamia…It is one of the original seven grains mentioned in the Bible…Spelt is mentioned in the book of Ezekiel in the old Testament. It was a major cereal crop for the Roman Empire and several recipes referring to spelt were written by the Roman epicurian, Apicius. In the 12th century the abbess Hildegard of Bingen wrote about the restorative qualities of spelt in her Causa Medica and Gerards Herbal, written in 1597, also refers to Spelt.

The exact history and origins of the grain itself are complex and confused. As there are no records of spelt being found naturally in the wild, its origins lie in early agricultural practices involving the intentional cross pollination of grasses by the earliest farmers. The parentage of spelt is attributed to a cross pollination between emmer wheat (latin name; triticum dicoccoides) and goat grass (aegilips squarrosa).

Spelt (Triticum spelta) is therefore only an ancient and distant cousin to modern wheat (Triticum aestivum). Spelt is one of the oldest of cultivated grains, along with another grain also gaining popularity today: Kamut… it is preceded only by the above named Emmer and another called Elkorn.

“The Spelt Cookbook: Cooking with Nature’s Grain for Life” (Helga Hughes)

Spelt has a tough hull, or husk, that makes it more difficult to process than modern wheat varieties. However, the husk, separated just before milling, not only protects the kernel, but helps retain nutrients and maintain freshness. Modern wheat has changed dramatically over the decades as it has been bred to be easier to grow and harvest, to increase yield, and to have a high gluten content for the production of high-volume commercial baked goods. Unlike wheat, spelt has retained many of its original traits and remains highly nutritious and full of flavor. Spelt contains more protein, fat and fibre than wheat. It also contains special carbohydrates called mucopolysaccharides, which play a decisive role in stimulating the body’s immune system, helping to increase its resistance to infection. Due to Spelt’s high water solubility the grain’s vital substances can, like liquid nutrients, be absorbed quickly by the body. Also, unlike other grains, spelt’s husk protects it from pollutants and insects and usually allows growers to avoid using pesticides.

Spelt contains 15 – 21% protein which is much higher than wheat. It’s also higher than wheat in complex carbohydrates, iron, potassium and the B Vitamins. Spelt is easier to digest than wheat products because of it’s higher solubility in water. Spelt also contains nutrients that aid in blood clotting and also stimulate the immune system. Due to Spelt’s high water solubility and fragile gluten, the grain’s vital substances can be absorbed quickly by the body with a minimum of digestive work. Spelt contains special carbohydrates which play a decisive role in blood clotting and stimulate the body’s immune system. It’s high fiber content aids in reducing cholesterol and heart disease.

Related posts:

Related posts:

1. Buckwheat pancake recipe
2. What to eat and drink during pregnancy?
3. Jonathan Spencer’s Recipe for Peppermint Creams
4. Jonathan Spencer’s Recipe for flapjack and Crunch

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