Kokova Magazine

Often better tolerated by those who are intolerant to wheat, Spelt is an ancient form of wheat, which is naturally high in fibre and gentle on the digestive system due to its unique gluten structure.

With many health benefits to be gained from eating Spelt we are being urged to include this grain in our diets as it has been proven to help contribute towards a healthy body and in particular a healthy bowel, actively helping to protect against bowel cancer.

Nutritionist and chef, Jessica Andersson from fresh food delivery bag service Jessica's Recipe Bag, has created a selection of tasty and accessible spelt recipes for all the family.

Having recently teamed up with a number of high profile chefs including Tom Aitkens and Heston Blumenthal, as well as Sharpham Park* to promote the benefits of Spelt Jessica says: -

I'm passionate about sourcing high quality and healthy ingredients for our customers and therefore feel very excited to support both Sharpham Park and Bowel Cancer UK in their attempts to spread the word about spelt.

Over at Jessica's recipe Bag they are trying to further raise awareness of the goodness of spelt so during February they will have a whole week of spelt recipes in their recipe bags**.

We caught up with Jessica to find out a bit more about this ancient grain and see why we should all be giving it a try.

Spelt is a primitive form of wheat which fell from favour when mass farming techniques came about in the 19th Century. Modern wheat, although less resistant to disease, was favoured due to the fact that it was higher yielding, easier to thresh and possessed higher levels of gluten. The gluten in modern wheat is also tougher and less likely to get broken down in kneading than spelt gluten giving it a greater rising ability.

Consumer choice for fluffier, lighter bread has promoted the use of this high gluten product still further but this may have contributed to a growing population with wheat intolerance, or worse still gluten sensitivity and coeliac disease.

As wheat is less resistant to disease, it requires greater levels of pesticide and fungicides and therefore means this grain and its products are high in pesticide residues. Equally spelt with its strong husk is naturally protected from insects, pollutants and disease.

The chemical bonds holding the gluten protein together in spelt are more fragile than those found in modern wheat making it more easily digested. This means that although spelt contains gluten it is generally better tolerated in wheat-sensitive individuals.

Compared to wheat, spelt has a better nutritional profile. It has around double the amount of protein and contains all eight essential amino acids, making it a complete protein.

It is also a very good source of a number of B vitamins including riboflavin (vitamin B2) and niacin (vitamin B3), both of which are required to for energy. It is also a good source of iron and zinc, making it a good choice for vegetarians.

Spelt is an excellent source of complex carbohydrate and fibre which, along with its high protein content, makes it an excellent low glycaemic index food. This helps to control blood sugar levels by ensuring a slow release of glucose into the bloodstream. This in turn helps to maintain energy levels.

Spelt, unlike other grains, contains a special type of carbohydrate known as mucopolysaccharides. This has been found to stimulate the immune system and play a role in blood clotting.

The complex carbohydrates, fibre and levels of niacin in spelt may help to increase HDL (good) cholesterol whilst lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol.

*Sharpham Park is an organic food farm based near Glastonbury in Somerset. The farm specialises in growing and milling spelt, a nutritious and healthy ancient grain, and rears rare breed White Park cattle, red deer and Hebridean and Manx Loghtan sheep

**Order no later than Tuesday the 19th for delivery of the spelt special bag on the 25th February 2013