Allergies, Bioavailability, Nutrition & Spelt

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What is Spelt?

Spelt is an ancient grain that is packed with complex carbohydrates,

high in protein and easy to digest.

 

Is Spelt wheat?

Spelt is the predecessor to wheat; therefore, the question should

be, " Is wheat spelt? " Should it not?

 

Does Spelt contain gluten?

 

Yes, but Spelt gluten is more fragile than that found in wheat,

thereby making it easier to digest.

 

Is white spelt refined like white flour (as opposed to whole wheat

flour)?

Our white flour is sent thru a finer milling process that removes

the bran

 

We do not bleach nor treat the flour in any other way. You will

notice that the nutritional profile is different between the two

flours.

 

Why is the whole grain pasta brown?

 

Spelt is a whole grain pasta, complete with germ and bran, unlike

white pasta which is mostly starch.

 

How do you know if you have a wheat allergy?

 

There are many symptoms ranging from " sniffles " to Anaphylactic

shock. Our best suggestion would be to try our products as a

substitute for wheat based products and see if there is an

improvement. Beyond this, we are not in a position to make

suggestions or recommendations.

 

Allergies, Bioavailability, and Nutrition

 

Some things to think about...

 

In order to establish healthier eating patterns, many nutrition-

conscious people are changing their eating habits to include more

grain.

 

For some people this works just fine. Others, though, have a range

of " borderline allergies " they aren't even aware of which under

ordinary circumstances cause them no trouble. Something like a

change in diet can, however, tip the scales and trigger a reaction.

 

From then on, it's all downhill. Even foods which previously caused

no trouble can suddenly be " in your face, " causing swelling,

sneezing, congestion, and the much-dreaded sinusitis. This is not an

uncommon syndrome – you probably know someone yourself who has gone

through most of life allergy-free, only to develop serious reactions

to a whole host of foods and airborne particles in mid-life.

 

Stresses such as these can sap your strength fast, leaving you with

less energy to fight major threats such as viruses, bacteria,

environmental toxins and cancerous cells.

 

Grain should be an important component of everyone's diet. But when

choosing grain, take into consideration two important issues:

 

1) Potential Allergies and 2) Nutrition.

 

Most persons with wheat allergies can eat Spelt,

 

probably because of the relative ease with which it is digested.

 

Even people with serious allergies who for years have avoided

bread, pasta, pancakes, muffins and many other delicious foods have

discovered they can enjoy Spelt.

 

The good news is it is every bit as flavorful as wheat-based

products, and way more nutritious.

 

Spelt provides a balanced source of protein because it contains all

of the eight essential amino acids – in fact two plates of Spelt

pasta provides you with all of your daily protein requirement.

 

Consider, also, that the energy in Spelt is " complex carbohydrates " .

From a nutritional standpoint, this long chain of energy-packed

molecules is important because it digests slowly compared, for

example, to table sugar and many other " refined " products. This

makes the energy in Spelt available over the long haul and accounts

for its use for " carbohydrate loading " by athletes before

competition.

 

So why is all of this true? Where does Spelt get its vitality

and " edge? "

 

Maybe the answer rests in the fact that Spelt is a natural grain –

one which has been around for thousands of years.

 

It hasn't been hybridized over and over again to make it yield more

per acre. It is naturally resistant to insect pests and diseases

such as the " rust " which so often pervades wheat crops. In fact, an

association representing wheat growers lists rust prevention and

increased yield as their main objectives – never once mentioning

either flavor or nutrition.

 

In short, Spelt is grain the way nature made it. It may or may not

be because we didn't try to fool Mother Nature, but the end result

is a grain that is more flavorful, more nutritious, and easier to

digest.

 

 

Spelt vs. Wheat

 

While many people have compared Spelt to commercial strains of

wheat, it is markedly different.

 

All grains of this family are derived from grasses, some, such as

Spelt, are closer to the earliest cultivated crops in the western

world. Spelt's origins can be traced back to approximately 5,000 BC

in the area now known as Iran.

 

Spelt (Triticum spelta) is a distant cousin to modern wheat

(Triticum aestivum). Perhaps a better description would be that

spelt is a great uncle of modern wheat.

 

Modern wheat varieties have been bred to be easier to grow and

harvest, to increase yield,

as well as to have a high gluten content for the production of high-

volume commercial baked goods.

 

Spelt, on the other hand, has retained much of its original

character.

 

It retains a sturdy husk or hull which remains with the kernel, as

opposed to modern wheat varieties which have been bred to lose their

husks when harvested (free threshing). This hull protects the Spelt

grain from pollutants and insects.

Furthermore, unlike other grains, spelt is not normally treated

with pesticides or other chemicals. Spelt is stored and shipped with

its protective hull intact; it is separated just before being milled

into flour. Leaving the husk on the grain not only protects the

kernel, but enhances the retention of the nutrients in the kernel

and improves freshness.

 

Nutrition Value

 

Spelt's uniqueness is also derived from its genetic makeup and

nutrition profile. Spelt has high water solubility, so the nutrients

are easily absorbed by the body.

 

Spelt contains special carbohydrates (Mucopolysaccharides) which are

an important factor in blood clotting and stimulating the body's

immune system.

It is also a superb fiber resource and has large amounts of B

complex vitamins. Total protein content is from 10 to 25% greater

than the common varieties of commercial wheat.

 

Athletes who want to carbohydrate-load before competition will find

that Spelt delivers a high level of " complex carbs " for their

nutritional needs.

Endurance athletes are finding the benefits of additional energy and

vitality with the addition of VITA-SPELT® products to their diet.

 

 

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