Einkorn is an ancient grain that has recently gained popularity for its many benefits. It is also known as triticum monococcum and its history goes back thousands of years. Einkorn is a type of wheat and it contains a lot more vitamins, trace minerals, protein, antioxidants, and fiber than regular wheat. It’s one of the original ancient grains that has evolved over time to what we now know as modern wheat. Even though it’s really old, einkorn wheat is much better in many ways.
A study was published in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology using 324 different grains showed that people who ate einkorn wheat had less allergic reactions to this wheat compared to other grains. This could be because einkorn has less gluten while the wheat that you consume today has have increased the amount of gluten by 300%. But einkorn wheat contains a different type of gluten making einkorn less likely to cause gluten intolerance.
Benefits Of Einkorn Wheat
1. Substitute For People With Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is a serious autoimmune disorder that can occur in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. A study in 2006 in the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology they showed that organic einkorn wheat does not create intestinal toxicity like regular wheat. This means people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance can enjoy breads and other wheat products made of einkorn wheat.
2. Einkorn Is Tasty
Taste is one factor you just cannot ignore when it comes to food. Fortunately, einkorn wheat tastes great and most people find it tastes better than regular wheat. It tastes nuttier and softer than regular wheat. You can use it for any regular wheat recipe like baking bread, making pastries, and other uses can be created with organic einkorn wheat.
3. It’s Very Nutritious
Einkorn wheat contains more B vitamins, fructans, unsaturated fats, protein, iron, zinc, phosphorus, potassium, and fiber than our modern wheat varieties. Whether you’re gluten tolerant or not, the taste combined with einkorn’s nutritional value makes it a great food for people looking at healthier alternatives to wheat.
- Einkorn wheat contains up to 4 times the powerful antioxidant beta-carotene making it important for great health.
- It has up to twice the amount of Vitamin A which helps to prevent DNA damage.
- Compared to regular wheat, einkorn wheat contains up to 5 times the amount of vitamin B-6.
- With up to 4 times more lutein than regular wheat, it helps prevent macular degeneration.
- It contains almost 1/3 more protein compared to regular wheat.
4. Great For Eye Health
A study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that sprouted einkorn wheat contained more lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene than regular wheat; all of which help to prevent macular degeneration and keep your eyes healthy.
5. Easy To Digest
Einkorn wheat is easier to digest than modern wheat making it great for anyone who has GI problems. And athletes who are looking for lots of carbs and need something easy to digest might try einkorn wheat.
6. Has More Phenolic Acid
Phenolic acids are readily absorbed through the walls of your intestinal tract, and they are beneficial to your health because they work as antioxidants that prevent cellular damage due to free-radical oxidation reactions. Studies done in the Journal of Food Science and Technology showed that even processed einkorn wheat used for baking retains more antioxidant compounds than modern wheat making it a superior food.
7. Low Glycemic Index
Glycemic index is a number associated with a particular type of food that indicates the food’s effect on a person’s blood glucose level. A study done at Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine at the University of Denmark showed that einkorn wheat did not create the same glycemic response as regular wheat. So switching to einkorn may help manage type 2 diabetes better.
