Spelt (Grain)

(Meijer Organics Spelt Bread)

Spelt has high water solubility, so nutrients are easily absorbed by the body making it easy to digest. It is high in protein (significantly higher than wheat), higher in B complex vitamins, and spelt is high in both simple and complex carbohydrates. These complex carbohydrates are an important factor in blood clotting and stimulating the body's immune system. Spelt is a suberb fiber resource. Spelt's nutty flavor doesn't just taste good, it has so many other nutritional benefits that are amazingly good for you! Keep reading to find out more about how spelt’s nutrients contribute to lower risk of cardiovascular (heart) disease, type II diabetes, and can lessen occurrences of migraine headaches. 

Spelt is more difficult to process than modern wheat varieties, making it a little more expensive to purchase. Spelt's husk protects it from pollutants and insects which allows growers to avoid using pesticides, unlike other grains. The husk needs to be mechanically separated from the kernal before milling (this is done after it is thrashed and harvested). The spelt is stored in good, low moisture conditions in order to protect the kernal, retain nutrients, and maintain freshness. Over decades, modern wheat has been drastically changed to be easier to grow and harvest. This in turn increases yields, maintains a high gluten content in the wheat to produce high-volume commercial baked goods. On the other hand, spelt has preserved many of its original traits and continues to remain highly nutritious and full of flavor. And spelt can make fantastic breads and delicious pastries.

Health Benefits Of Eating Spelt 

(Spelt grains)

How does it help? Spelt has the right combination of nutrients: Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Manganse, Niacin, Thiamin, and Copper.

• Intake of spelt in sufficient quantity reduces the risk of atherosclerosis.
• Spelt contains niacin that protects the body against cardiovascular risk factors.
• The niacin present in spelt reduces the level of cholesterol and lipoprotein. It may also inhibit free radicals from oxidizing LDL, which turns harmful to blood vessel walls after oxidation. Niacin also plays a significant role in reducing the aggregation of platelets.
• Spelt contains rich amount of fiber, which can help reduce the LDL cholesterol levels. Fiber binds with bile acids and comes out from the body in the form of feces. Since bile acids are removed, cholesterol is reduced considerably.
• Spelt is a rich source of magnesium, which is a co-factor for several body enzymes. It plays an integral role even in the enzymes that used in the secretion of glucose. As a result of this, spelt substantially lowers the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
• Consuming spelt can help women prevent the formation of gallstones, owing to its rich content of insoluble fiber.
• Spelt can reduce the risk of childhood asthma considerably.
• The fiber present in spelt also has a protective action in women, against breast cancer.
• Spelt is rich in a special type of phytonutrient, called plant lignans. Plant lignans are considered to be highly effective in providing protection against breast and hormone-dependent cancers and also heart diseases.
• Eating spelt can help protect the body against conditions like ischemic stroke, insulin resistance, diabetes and obesity. 
• Spelt has a Glycemic Index of 30, which is low and a huge health benefit. This kind of food produces only small fluctuations in our blood sugar levels, and reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes. It is a key to long term health and assists sustainable weight loss as you feel fuller for longer.
• MIGRANE HEADACHES: Eating foods with Riboflavin (spelt is one of those foods) has been shown to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. Eating as little as two ounces of bread or other baked good made with whole grain spelt will provide 76.5% of your daily value (DV) for Riboflavin. 
• TYPE II DIABETES: Spelt and other whole grains are a rich source of magnesium. Magnesium has been shown to lower your risk of type II Diabetes. Whole grains offer special benefits in promoting healthy blood sugar control. Daily consumption of low-fat dairy foods was also helpful, lowering risk of type 2 diabetes by 13%. Get the benefits of both spelt and dairy by enjoying a glass of low-fat milk with a sandwich made with spelt bread. 
• BREAST CANCER: Fiber supplied by whole grains offered the most protection from breast cancer. Pre-menopausal women eating the most whole grain fiber (at least 13 g/day) had a 41% reduced risk of breast cancer, compared to those with the lowest whole grain fiber intake (4 g or less per day). 

(Cereal Mixture of Spelt)

The grain is so nutritious and so substantial that boiled spelt or spelt cereal was once used as a revitalizing meal for the sick or feeble. 

(Spelt Pasta)

Consumers who tend to be cynical about the value of amino acids in our bodies should check out a partial list of the tasks they assist with:

Reducing joint inflammation

Preventing hair, skin and nail disorders

Lowering cholesterol

Reducing liver fat

Protecting kidneys

Reducing bladder irritation

Relaxation

Stress and depression reduction

Relieving migraine headaches

Assisting the immune system

Reducing the risk of artery and heart spasms

Calcium absorption

Collagen formation

Antibody, hormone and enzyme production

Transmission of signals between the nerve cells and the brain

Maintaining alertness

Memory improvement

Digestive and intestinal tract functioning

Muscle coordination

Mental vigor

Manufacture of other essential biochemical components

Environmental Benefits

Spelt is a relatively low yielding crop so doesn’t take as much from the soil as more modern crops. It is therefore a more sustainable crop on a long term basis. Being low yielding it also thrives without the application of fertilizers even on relatively poor soils. Spelt is also very resistant to frosts and other extreme weather conditions and the grain’s exceptionally thick husk protects it from pollutants and insects. As spelt is a pure, original grain and not biologically modified in any way it is very resistant to the crop diseases that often plague modern crop varieties and grows quite successfully without the application of herbicides, pesticides or fungicides.

Spelt is stored with the husk intact so it remains fresher over a much longer period than other grains. It has been claimed that spelt’s hull is so strong that it can protect the grain from virtually every type of pollutant, even radioactive fallout.

(Spelt)

High in Protein

Complete Protein: contains all the essential amino acids needed by the human body

High in Vitamins

High in Complex Carbohydrates

High in Fibre

Great Flavour

Easily Digested

(Spelt Bread)

Amino acids in spelt and the role they play in our health.

Amino acids are most often referred to as the ‘building blocks’ or chemical units that make up the protein in our bodies. These proteins are what build our muscles, tendons, organs, glands, nails, and hair. We need a steady supply of amino acids in order to grow, repair and maintain all the cells in our body.

Our bodies can produce 12 of the 20 amino acids. We call these the nonessential

Leucine, an amino acid plentiful in spelt, helps build muscle.

amino acids. The other 8 – referred to as ‘essential amino acids’ – have to come from our food. If we don’t get enough of even one of these essential amino acids from our food, the protein in our body starts to degrade.

Worse yet, our body doesn’t store excess amino acids for later use, the way it stores fat and starch. So we need to make sure we get them from our food, everyday.

Spelt contains a combination of both essential and nonessential amino acids. 

Four Essential Amino Acids:

Glutamic Acid, essential for memory and learning

Proline, essential for the production of collagen, which contributes to the structure of your tendons, bones, skin, membranes and other tissue

Leucine, which helps build muscle

Aspartic acid, essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system and hormone balance

Amino Acids mg/g fresh weight
                                                           Wheat               Spelt
Cystine                                              1.10                   1.35

Isoleucine                                         4.40                   5.60

Leucine                                             6.00                   9.00

Methionine                                       2.40                   4.00

Phenylalanine                                  5.00                   7.00

Threonine                                         5.50                   5.60

Lysine                                                2.90                   2.75

Tryptophane                                     1.20                   1.80
                                                            
Valine                                                 4.20                   5.80

Source: biodistributors.com