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5 Really Good Reasons to Make the Switch to Spelt Today
What is spelt, exactly? Have you ever wondered why you should bother with it? Isn’t it, after all, just another variety of wheat? The very thing that you are told to avoid.
Yet this often overlooked ancient grain offers numerous benefits to your health. Not just packed with nutrients it also has a unique, nutty flavour that sets it apart from the more neutral-tasting wheat. You’ll be pleased to know that spelt is a sustainable choice too! Stick around as we take a look at five of the most compelling reasons why you should make the switch.
Reason 1: Spelt is Rich in Nutrients
Despite its similarities to wheat, spelt has a lower gluten content and higher levels of protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Its gluten proteins are said to be easier to digest than the gluten in wheat.
Spelt contains an impressive array of minerals. Amongst them are iron and magnesium, both of which are essential to maintaining optimal health. Iron is critical for healthy blood, while magnesium helps regulate nerve and muscle function. But it doesn’t stop there – it also contains phosphorus, potassium, and zinc, all of which have important roles to play.
A rich source of vitamins, spelt is a great source of B vitamins and is higher in niacin (B3) than wheat. B vitamins are essential for maintaining energy levels, optimal brain function, and healthy cell metabolism. Niacin in particular is used by the body to turn food into energy and provides support for the digestive system. Spelt is also a rich source of vitamin K which helps the body to absorb calcium.
Reason 2: Easier to Digest than Wheat
When you consume wheat, the gluten proteins can be difficult for your body to break down, leading to discomfort and inflammation. Spelt, on the other hand, has a slightly different gluten structure that makes it gentler on the digestive system.
It could be worth giving spelt a try to see if you notice a difference in how you feel after eating it.
Reason 3: A Sustainable Option
Spelt is a low-input crop, requiring minimal resources such as water and fertilizers, making it more sustainable and environmentally friendly than conventional crops. A hardy crop, spelt can withstand various weather conditions and is more resistant to pests and diseases, reducing the need for chemical treatments.
Farmers are increasingly turning to spelt as a low-input, high-quality alternative to other grains, making it a promising option for a more sustainable agriculture industry.
Another exciting advantage is its ability to thrive in challenging soil conditions. Unlike other crops, spelt is highly resistant to drought and can produce a greater yield in poor soil. This makes it an ideal crop for small organic farmers who want to grow food sustainably without relying on chemical fertilizers or large quantities of water.
Reason 4: Spelt is a Tasty Alternative
This ancient grain has a mild taste that can be described as sweet and nutty, with a slightly earthy undertone. Slightly sweeter than wheat it offers more depth of flavour to your dishes. Whilst it is soft like wheat, and not dense like some other grains, it can be a little heavier.
Reason 5: A Versatile Grain
Wheat is everywhere. Granted, it is now in a lot of places that it really does not need to be, but the fact that we find it so difficult to live without stands testament to its versatility. Yet there is very little that you can do with wheat that you cannot do with spelt. It does, in fact, behave in exactly the same way. There are also a few uses for spelt that you may not consider for wheat.
An ideal grain for a healthy breakfast
Spelt makes an ideal alternative to wheat in healthy breakfast cereals, adding another dimension of texture and flavour as well as a nutritional boost.
This award winning granola contains wholemeal spelt
Our organic 5 grain porridge contains spelt
Healthy baking and cooking
Although not suitable for gluten free baking, many people are turning to spelt flour as a stand in for standard wheat flour. Completely interchangeable with wheat flour, it can be used everywhere from thickening sauces, to cakes and bakes. Keep it in the cupboard instead of all purpose flour. White spelt flour is ideal for this, but you can swap out a small proportion with the wholemeal variety to add nutritional and textural variety.
Take a look at our organic spelt flour, available in wholemeal and white.
Use whole grains in cooking
Most of us do not use wheat in any other form than flour. Whole spelt grains can be used in the same way as any other whole grain, such as rice or barley. Like barley, spelt is available in its ‘pearled’ form, meaning that the outer husk has been processed to make it easier to cook. In this form it can be added to soups, salads and stews. You can even use it to make a super healthy risotto.
Explore our award winning range of healthy whole grain breakfast cereals.
This article was reproduced on this site with permission from operafoods.com.au the “Breakfast Cereal Manufacturers”.
See original article:- 5 Really Good Reasons to Make the Switch to Spelt Today
Whole grain cereal is the heart of a healthy breakfast
If whole grains are, quite literally, the heart of a healthy breakfast then it makes sense to choose a healthy cereal to start your day. In our article ‘what is a healthy breakfast‘ we discovered that a nutritionally sound breakfast is made up of a portion of wholegrains, a portion of dairy, and a portion of fruit. In other words; healthy breakfast cereal.
But what are wholegrains exactly? Why are they so good for you? Let’s find out, beginning with the obvious question…
…what are cereal grains?
Grains, or cereal grains, are the edible seeds of certain grasses. In Australia, wheat is the most commonly grown grain followed closely by oats and rice. In many parts of the world, rice is more widespread than wheat. Other grains include rye, barley, corn, millet, and sorghum. There are many different varieties of wheat, with ancient strains such as spelt, emmer, and eikorn, regaining popularity.
Some other foods come under the heading of grains yet are not actually true grains despite being nutritionally similar and used in the same way. All of these grains, pseudo or otherwise, are used in healthy breakfast cereals.
What are whole grains?
Whole grains are unrefined grains that have their natural structure, and therefore their nutrients, intact. Refined grains, such as those found in white bread and pasta, have been stripped of their nutritious parts.
Whole grains are made up of three layers; bran, endosperm, and germ. The tough outer skin is the bran. Bran is full of fibre and also contains vitamins and minerals. Under this fibrous layer lies the endosperm. This is the starchy part of the grain that has little in the way of nutritional value beyond the carbohydrate energy it provides. As we see in our nutritional primer on superfoods, carbohydrate is an essential nutrient yet has more value when it comes with the rest of the plant parts that nature provided. If you want to understand more about nutritional value then this article ‘what are superfoods’ is a great introduction to the basics.
At the core of the whole grain lies the germ, the nutrient packed part from which the plant grows. Think germination, right? It makes sense that this is the nutritional store of the plant. The germ is filled with vitamins, healthy fats and valuable phytochemicals.
Why are grains good for you?
As we have seen, whole grains have more nutritional value than refined grains. But what does this mean in terms of health benefits for us?
Bran – the benefits
The fibre in bran slows down the breakdown of starch, which leads to better blood sugar control. That means steady blood sugar levels without the spikes or slumps. Fibre also helps to lower harmful cholesterol, and helps to move food through the bowel.
Bran is also rich in minerals such as iron, copper, zinc and magnesium, as well as a wide variety of beneficial phytonutrients. We look at these in more detail a little later in this article.
Germ – the benefits
As the energy source of a growing plant, the germ contains energy dense unsaturated fatty acids such as Omega-3. Essential fatty acids play a key role in our biological functions, not least of which is the uptake and absorption of fat soluble vitamins. Vitamin E is one of these and it is no accident that grains happen to contain lots of it. Often known as the beauty vitamin because of its role in skin health, vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant. It also plays a role in heart health, lipid balance, hormones, fertility and immune health. Incidentally, milling of flour can cause up to an 80% loss of this vital nutrient.
As well as powerful phytonutrients that can vary from grain to grain, germ is also a rich source of B vitamins. This group of vitamins plays a number of important roles in the body, yet are mainly concerned with metabolism and maintenance of healthy cells.
Endosperm – the benefits
The starchy part of the grain isn’t all bad, it is just better as nature intended. Aside from the energy value of its carbohydrate content, the endosperm can contain some protein with vitamin B and minerals in small amounts.
Whole grains in breakfast cereals
Here’s a closer look at some of the whole grains in our breakfast cereals, and the specific benefits of each.
Quinoa
Quinoa is a pseudograin. Easy to digest, and gluten free, it is a complete source of protein with all the essential amino acids that are vital for tissue growth and repair. Rich in the beneficial fatty acids oleic acid and alpha-linoleic acid, quinoa can help lower LDL cholesterol. A good source of antioxidant vitamin E, it also contains the antioxidant flavonoids quercetin and kaempferol (both examples of phytochemicals).
Our five grain porridge contains quinoa.
Spelt
Spelt is a true grain. A variety of ancient wheat, it is high in fibre and has more protein than modern wheat. It is also said to be easier to digest than modern wheat, and although not gluten-free it does contain less gluten.
Spelt is high in fibre, and is rich in soluble fibre that helps lower LDL cholesterol and blood sugar regulation. It is a good source of B vitamins, in particular B3 which aids in energy metabolism and the synthesis of fatty acids. The mineral profile of spelt includes copper, iron, zinc, magnesium and phosphorus.
Our spelt and agave nut crunch is made with spelt.
Rice
Rice is a true grain. It is also gluten free. Brown rice is the unrefined whole grain, whilst white rice has had the husk (or bran) polished away. Rice contains phytosterols that have shown to help with hormonal balance.
Rice has a rich mineral profile that includes selenium, which has been shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer, and magnesium which can help to lower the risk of diabetes.
Our hinterland bircher muesli is made with rice bran.
Oats
Oats are a true grain. They are considered to be a true superfood and as such form the basis of many healthy breakfast cereals. A nutrient powerhouse, oats contain more soluble fibre than any other grain. Easy to digest, they also contain a natural sedative.
Barley
Barley is a true grain. High in fibre, it is far better at controlling blood sugar than wheat is. Barley is also considered a prebiotic as it helps to feed good bacteria in the gut. Helpful for lowering LDL cholesterol, barley is a good source of magnesium and manganese.
Our fig and apricot bircher muesli contains barley.
Buckwheat
Buckwheat is a pseudograin. Like barley, buckwheat is a prebiotic that helps feed good bacteria in the gut. Packed with both insoluble and soluble fibre, buckwheat is also a good source of amino acids. Gluten free, it contains the plant chemicals quercetin and rutin; both powerful antioxidant flavonoids.
Our gluten free maple nut crunch is made with buckwheat.
Triticale
Triticale is a true grain. A hybrid of wheat and rye, it is higher in fibre and protein than either and offers better blood sugar control. With a rich mineral profile, triticale is said to be good for the circulation with its combination of iron, copper and folic acid contributing to healthy red blood cells.
Our toasted cranberry granola contains triticale.
We will be looking at triticale in more detail in an upcoming article.
Remember – whole grains foods are not always healthy
Including foods that contain whole grains is an excellent start, but just because it contains whole grains doesn’t necessarily make it a healthy choice. Many of the foods that we buy are marketed as wholegrain but contain enough refined sugars to cancel any health benefits out. We recommend that you always check the label and take the other ingredients, particularly sugar, into consideration. Breakfast cereal manufacturers can be especially guilty of over emphasising the wholegrain content of products. You may find our article on low sugar cereals useful.
Don’t forget to check out our range of healthy cereals available to buy in bulk online. The more you buy, the more you save!
This article was reproduced on this site with permission from operafoods.com.au the “Gourmet granola manufacturer”.
See original article:- Whole grains are the heart of a healthy cereal