Wheat is high in phytates - phytic acids. All grains, nuts, and legumes contain phytates. The phytates is what makes these foods difficult to digest and with the indigestion, comes bloating, gas, and burping Wheat contains a higher proportion of phytates, much more than any other grain. This is especially true of wheat that has been ground into flour and then baked using a fast rising yeast. The addition of rising agents puts the grain through a very rapid hurry-up-process. Adding yeast, baking powder, or other rising agents does not allow the grain to fully, slowly release its own enzymes, which take time to begin to develop a truly natural nutty tasting fermentation. Non-yeasted breads made by this long slow deliberate rising have almost 90% of phytates removed. If one uses a grain such as spelt which is naturally low in phytates, the resulting bread baked by this method will be very low in all acids, especially phytic acid. When consumed, the bread will have an alkaline reaction within the individual's body chemistry. The method used to convert grains into non-yeasted bread is called by many names. Some call it desem, levain, or sourdough, or stalking the wild yeast. By adding simple pure water to spelt flour, I utilize the abundant occurring yeast that naturally exists within my kitchen.
Phytic acid is a potent acid. As it exits the body through the intestines, the phytic acid molecule grabs much needed minerals from the body, almost stealing the calcium from the bones or the iron from the heme portion of the blood. These minerals cling for they are bound irresistibly to phytates. This is one reason I take great caution in eating wheat products.
As recently as the early 20th century, spelt was the grain of choice, grown abundantly by American farmers throughout the country. In their quest for greater efficiency, Spelt was eventually replaced by modern wheat. Modern wheat could be ground only once. Modern wheat is a "free hulled" grain, the outer husk or hull comes loose when harvested and falls loose in the field, while Spelt retains it's outer hull during harvesting. Because of its tough hull, Spelt required two grindings: one to get rid of its tough outer husk, and a second to grind the kernel.
This tough outer husk is in part responsible for spelt's superior texture and flavor. It helps to protects the inner kernel - shielding it from the sun and preventing the flavor and nutrients from leaching out.
On top of the contributions it makes to flavor, fiber, and protein, spelt is unique in that it's very easy to digest. It's such an easy grain to knead that bakers have to follow specific instructions when using it to bake bread, so as to avoid a glutinous mess. This easy mixability makes Spelt easy to digest.
Some individuals with wheat allergies are able to consume spelt. Oftentimes people allergic to wheat can manifest this as a sniffling or running nose after eating wheat products. The person can then become irritable, prickly, and bristly or the person can become more and more disturbed. Wheat, especially yeasted wheat products can produce depletion in the body’s minerals thus creating a chemical imbalance from within the very body, which is striving to find nourishment by ingesting the grains in the bread.
Spelt flour is a very ancient grain and as such, it has not gone through much manipulation in its farming methods. Spelt is such an early grain; one might say it is the great great grandmother of modern day wheat. This typically involves the use of pesticides and the removal of the husk during harvesting.
Spelt retains its outer husk right up until it is ready for milling, which ensures that maximum nutrients are retained and ensures ongoing freshness. Perhaps more importantly, the husk protects the spelt kernel from insects and pollutants and hence normally requires no chemical or pesticide treatment. When compared to wheat flour spelt contains more B1 and B2 vitamins, more iron, manganese, copper and zinc and has high water solubility thus ensuring these nutrients are easily absorbed by the body. Spelt contains special carbohydrates, 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. Spelt is also rich in amino acids (protein content is 10-25% more than wheat) and is high in essential fatty acids that cannot be synthesized by the body. The total fat content of spelt is less than 2% and spelt is also high in complex carbohydrates and fiber. This grain was originally grown in Europe more than 2000 years ago. Spelt is known by many names: dinkle in Germany, farro in Italy, l'epeutre in France. It remains much more a part of European culture than it is in the USA. The mystic Hildegard von Bingen who lived around 1025, used spelt to heal and nurture the sick.
