Spelt- a healthy alternative to wheat

In the last post, I spoke about WHY everyone should take gluten out of their diet.

This post will be focused on HOW to avoid wheat, rye and barley and what to substitute them with!

Many people, myself included, find they can enjoy small amounts of 'ancient' grains such as kamut and spelt without any digestive discomfort. 

Note: If you have been diagnosed as Coeliac, you will need to stick to grains/seeds that are completely gluten free- many ancient grains do contain 'some' gluten.

What is Spelt?

Source: www.natureslegacyforlife.com

Spelt itself is very similar to wheat, however it has lower gluten content and higher protein. It is considered 'ancient' because Spelt hasn’t changed since biblical times. It remains unaffected by concepts such as ‘agribusiness’, ‘cross-breeding,’ ‘hybridization’ and ‘genetically modified’ – words that have come to dominate our modern food supply especially when it comes to wheat, corn and soy.

What can you do with Spelt?

You can use spelt flour instead of wheat flour to make breads, pasta, biscuits, crackers, cakes, muffins, cereals and pancakes. In addition to spelt flour, spelt is also available in its de-hulled, whole grain form (often referred to as spelt berries), which can ground at home in a thermomix or high powered blender to make any of the above from home ground flour, or prepared in whole form, cooked and eaten like rice.You can purchase many pre-made spelt products such as pasta, crackers and breads at health food stores or specialty delicatessens.

We are getting married next month, and I have requested our cake maker to use spelt flour instead of wheat. It really is, in most instances, a direct substitute (for wheat) and tastes delicious!

Fancy some recipe ideas?

Click here for some Spelt inspiration and make the change from wheat to spelt for your digestive comfort and others.

Gluten, Wheat and Grains. Does anyone really need gluten?

Gluten intolerance is a label that people have clung to a lot in recent years. Whether your label is self diagnosed, or medically diagnosed, there are ways to live a gluten free life without missing out on anything!

What is GLUTEN?

Definition: a mixture of two proteins present in certain grains, especially wheat, rye, and barley which is responsible for the elastic texture of dough.

Why is it such a problem?

Because the wheat that is available today in the commercial setting is NOTHING like it used to be a few hundred years ago. 

The modern-day commercially available wheat based products are often refined (as opposed to whole grain), with many emulsifiers, preservatives, sugars and salts added into the product to add shelf life and stability to a product. 

Refined grains and packaged foods act like "anti- nutrients" because they lack the nutrients they had prior to being processed, they leach those nutrients from  the body in order to break down, and assimilate food. This sets up a vicious cycle as the body craves more nutrients (often Magnesium), the person eating the refined foods continues to eat more of the same sweet, refined foods they are craving, leading to over consumption of all the WRONG foods. 
Did somebody say obesity epidemic? Type II diabetes? These are NOT due to genetics. These are diet and lifestyle related diseases that are treated by one thing- diet and lifestyle changes!

Add to this, some companies such as Monsanto are attempting to grow genetically modified (GMO) crops which are not proven to be safe for human or animal consumption. I don't know about you, but if the insects that would normally eat a plant are dying because they eat a GMO plant, I would be steering clear of that plant.

Anyway, back to gluten.

The gluten protein itself is a known irritant to ALL humans. FACT. It doesn't matter if you are coeliac or not, gluten causes inflammation in your digestive tract.

The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) contains about 80% of your immune system. If you are constantly bombarding your GIT with gluten, guess what happens to your inflammation levels and your immune system? Yes, that's right- inflammation rises and the immune system goes into attack mode.

Source: www.glutenfreesociety.org

For some, the inflammatory effects (of gluten) may not be present as soon as you eat your white bread vegemite sandwich for morning tea, but long term inflammation and what we Naturopaths call 'leaky gut' has been linked to many chronic, degenerative diseases. These types of diseases may take a few decades to show up as 'symptoms' and even longer to gain a diagnosis from a medical professional. For other people, they may have symptoms almost instantaneously, especially if it is allergy related.

I really don't think it is worth eating refined gluten products. I equally don't believe in substituting the gluten-containing refined products for 'gluten-free' ones. There are many clients in my clinic who are just as reactive to soy and corn (common gluten substitutes) as they are to wheat and gluten.

The only way to gain balance in your health and GIT is to not only avoid gluten, but also to avoid refined foods. Eat foods as close to how they occur in nature as possible. Eat them in their WHOLE form and eat them with enjoyment. Eat seasonally and locally. Even better, grow your own!

If you are one of the people who does have GIT 'symptoms' (bloating, irregular bowel motions, burping, flatulence, bad breath), find a health care practitioner who will give you holistic suggestions for your condition. Simply going gluten free after being diagnosed gluten or wheat intolerant is not enough to actually heal your GIT.

I am a Naturopath and specialise in digestive disorders, dermatological conditions, hormonal regulation and much much more. The information above is not intended to treat or diagnose any medical conditions. If you have made dietary changes and have not noticed a difference in your health, I strongly advise you to seek professional advice.

Health is a top priority in my life. I believe prevention is truly better than a cure.