I’ve been purchasing organic white wheat and spelt in bulk for many years to grind into fresh flour. My family fortunately does not have any wheat allergies or problems digesting grains provided they are traditionally prepared.
For those of you who do have wheat issues, you’ll be encouraged to know that my husband used to have allergy and digestive issues with wheat when we first got married, but no longer does thanks to rebalancing the gut environment with traditional cooking, raw dairy, and a few months on the GAPS Diet.
Having a lot of experience dealing with wheat allergies, I can say that there certainly is a huge difference between modern processed wheat and what you produce yourself at home.
I remember when I was breastfeeding my youngest child, if I ate so much as a mouthful or two of processed wheat at a restaurant in the form of a sandwich, slice of pizza or a bread roll, she would spit up for one or sometimes even two days!
If I ate wheat at home that I ground myself and either sprouted, soaked, or sour leavened, however, she never had any problems with spitting up, a huge testament to the radically improved digestibility of wheat that is prepared using the wise preparation methods followed by ancestral cultures.
Given my success over the years with incorporating traditional methods of wheat preparation in my home, you may be surprised to learn that I’m switching the type of wheat I use.
What’s more, I’m switching 100%.
I still have about half of a large bucket (15 lbs or so) of organic spelt to use up and a small amount of organic soft white wheat before the switch is complete, but my goal is to have my family completely transitioned to einkorn wheat within another month or two.
Here are the 4 reasons why I am making the wholesale change to einkorn:
Reason #1: Einkorn Tastes Better
My first experience baking with einkorn occurred after one of my blog sponsors generously sent me a goodie basket of, among other things, einkorn flour and wheat berries. I was delighted when I ground the einkorn into flour and saw how light and white it was.
I am not a fan of bran and am not of the food philosophy that all that fiber is actually good for you (folks just think they need a lot of fiber as they are so constipated from all the processed foods they eat!), and seeing that einkorn, the most ancient and unhybridized form of wheat, has less bran compared with modern wheat was encouraging to me.
My family went completely wild when I made soaked waffles for the first time using the fresh einkorn flour. Ever since I made those waffles with einkorn, my family has been begging me to use only that flour.
Like any Mom, I’m a sucker for kids who love my cooking and tell me so on a frequent basis, so I made the decision to switch to einkorn completely for all my home baking.
Reason #2: My Family Digests Einkorn Better Than Even Spelt
My husband’s stomach is my canary in the mine. If something is not easy to digest, he can tell and lets me know right away. As he has fully recovered from a wheat allergy, he knows which forms of wheat and which preparation methods sit best in his stomach and which do not.
While my properly prepared grain dishes made with wheat or spelt digest fine for him, once he tried the einkorn, he could tell that his digestion was even lighter for the experience, possibly because einkorn is so low in gluten.
Better digestion means better absorption of nutrients, so einkorn surpassed the competition in that category.
Reason #3: Einkorn is Different from Modern Wheat
The first thing I noticed when I ground einkorn into flour for the first time was how much smaller a grain of einkorn is compared with a grain of modern wheat. They are about half the size!
In addition, the telltale crease on one side of a grain of modern wheat is absent from a grain of einkorn. The reason for the differences is that over the centuries, humans have gradually changed the genetics of wheat by selecting those seeds at harvest time that suited the goal of higher yields and more gluten which worked well for larger farms and larger scale agriculture, production, and distribution of wheat products.
Reason #4: Einkorn is The Purest Form of Wheat Available
Einkorn is like most plants in that it is a diploid meaning it contains 2 sets of chromosomes. About 2,000 years after einkorn wheat, emmer wheat was created by the hybridization of 2 wild grasses. Consequently, emmer has 4 sets of chromosomes. Kamut and Durum wheat are both descendents of emmer.
Spelt is the result of hybridization between cultivated emmer and another wild grass and so contains six sets of chromosomes. Modern wheat is a descendent of spelt.
Note that while extensive hybridization of wheat has occurred over the millenia, there is currently no genetically modified wheat on the market.
As you can see, einkorn is the purest and most ancient form of wheat available as it only has 2 sets of chromosomes and is naturally very low in gluten!
Where to Source the Best Quality Einkorn
The only downside of einkorn is that it is not yet widely available as it is too new to the American market. After searching around, I was delighted to see that my blog sponsor carries organic einkorn at the best quality and price I could find.
What’s more, my sponsor’s organic einkorn wheat berries are grown and packaged on one secluded and pristine farm in Tuscany. It is very important to rotate crops on this farm because in the hills, yields are low and the land must stay fertile.
What this means is that this particular source of organic einkorn comes from fields that were used for pasture for five years prior as well as a year of cultivation of chick peas, lentils or fava beans. This ensures that there is no risk of cross-contamination with other types of grains and that each year’s crop of einkorn comes from truly fertile earth.
Have you tried einkorn wheat yet? If so, what observations have you made about this ancient, nonhybridized wheat?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
|
|
{ 180 comments… read them below or add one }
It’s yummy!! Getting it is the hard part!!!
I just learned of this grain. I hope to plant it next year.
Not easy to grow and the yield is low. It is a hulled wheat and grows best planted that way. The way you buy it is without the hull, so sprouting my be difficult.
Where do you get the seeds? Or you do pay the huge amount listed on a few websites?
It’s not gluten-free though.
Yes, it is gluten-free!
No. It is NOT gluten free!
From einkorn dot com:
If you’re asking yourself whether Einkorn flour contains gluten, the answer is “Yes, it absolutely does!”…but I have a secret to tell you. And I should probably disclose that this is not something your “everyday family doctor” is going to tell you. Here’s the secret: not all wheat gluten is created equal.
I like to explain by comparing sucanat and aspartame sweeteners. Imagine pouring a perfectly sweetened blueberry syrup over your hot-off-the-stove pancakes for your morning breakfast. If that syrup is made from natural sucanat sweetener or aspartame, it’s going to taste great either way. However, inside your body, the aspartame is killing brain cells while the sucanat is an unmodified substance that most people’s body can process naturally, without any damage to the body.
Einkorn has an entirely different genetic makeup than modern wheat. Modern wheats have been hybridized through years and years and millions and millions of $$$ in research. The goal of hybridization has been to increase yields, fight against plant disease, pests, weather conditions, etc. and many are starting to wonder if this long history of hybridization is the explanation for the rising number of people with a high intolerance to gluten.
I’m not saying I have all the answers…that’s why I have this website and it’s why I am researching the history and nutritional properties of Einkorn.
Einkorn is differs from modern wheat in 3 important ways, all of which may contribute to gluten intolerance:
Most modern wheat is a hybrid of many different grains and grasses.
Einkorn has a 14 chromosomes , whereas modern wheat has a 42 chromosomes which changes the gluten structure
Einkorn is considered more nutritious than modern wheat, based on the higher level of protein, essential fatty acids, phosphorous, potassium, pyridoxine, and beta-carotene.
Is it any wonder that so many people today are plagued with allergies and even extreme sickness as a result of eating modern wheat?
Anyway, getting back to the original question of whether Einkorn flour contains gluten. Most people ask this question because they would like to start eating bread again. I hope my answer gives you some hope.
Additionally, I have met some doctors who are working with suffers of celiac and gluten intolerance to see if they can safely eat specific, tested sources of Einkorn. These patients are going through a healing regimen first to get to this point and the initial results are very promising.
Stay tuned…I think we’re on to something here.
I served the Einkorn pasta to my grandson’s fiancé as she has a real problem with gluten and after eating a modest amount, she said she had none of the normal repercussions that she normally gets….. then or later. We have transitioned over to this wheat and prefer it. I still have the other wheat but have a hard time going back to it as the Einkorn is so very delicious and much higher in protein than the hybrid wheat.
One of my concerns with grain flour is how quickly it goes rancid. Some grains go rancid more quickly than others…
Modern wheat was made with radiation and toxic chemicals, it’s even worse than modern GMO as they don’t know all the changes made: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSDkJEF9aBY
Suzanne, it’s not gluten-free but it IS safe for celiacs as the gluten is a fraction of what modern wheat contains.
This is not an accurate statement. Most celiacs cannot have any gluten whatsoever as they have strong reactions. Even if they have no symptoms – and some do not – the gluten is still causing their bodies to react and destroy their small intestine.
Celiacs need to be very careful and those who are not well versed in the condition should not be giving out advice. With all due respect.
Denise,
Are you a Doctor or a Nutritionist? Just wondering. It seems most Doctors make the kind of statement you are making but those educated primarily in nutrition say otherwise. I tend to not listen to Doctors for nutrition advice as they are usually more concerned with prescribing me pills.
Jon,
I am neither a doctor nor a nutritionist. I am someone with nine “auto-immune” conditions who has studied and read for years about nutrition. I am not under a doctor’s care – I am under MY care.
My statement stems from the fact that celiacs are so sensitive to gluten products that the reaction destroys their small intestines and can become life threatening. People who are gluten sensitive – myself – have a reaction, but it is not so serious.
Your remark was interesting – that I sound like a doctor – because most nutritionists who are aware of Einkorn and its value nutritionally also caution celiacs about eating it. More studies need to be done.
Personally, I believe it will be found similar to milk. Many people who are lactose intolerant cannot drink pasteurized homogenized “frankenfood” milk from the store, but they thrive on raw fresh unadulterated milk. Similarly, I believe that many people who have celiac and can’t eat gluten-containing products might be able to eat Einkorn, as it is original and not hybridized like modern wheat and other grains.
My reaction to the above post, which said that Einkorn contains so little gluten that celiacs can eat it, was because some celiacs are so reactive to gluten and gliadin that they can’t even consume products processed in a facility that processes wheat – even if the product doesn’t contain gluten.. Licia’s statement was irresponsible.
I am simply someone who has been forced by serious illnesses to become educated on health and nutrition and I share what I have learned while seeking to learn from others. I hope I have alleviated your concerns about me sounding “like a doctor”. Doctors would not like me.
Denise, thank you for your thoughtful and balanced comments.
Good grief! Please do not spread misinformation like this! It is most certainly NOT SAFE FOR CELIACS. Someone with an intolerance or sensitivity, perhaps. Celiac Disease no. As someone who has studied Celiac Disease for over 10 years I am offended that you would make such a reckless statement
my 6yo has a gluten sensitivity. when he eats it, he turns into satan’s spawn for 2 weeks. he CAN eat stuff that has touched wheat (like eat a burger that was on a bun). any advice/opinions on kids like this eating einkorn wheat?
My son, too!
GREAT post ! Thank you! We grind flour at home (and properly ferment the dough) but haven’t tried einkorn wheat yet. http://www.flickr.com/photos/luizazlatovic/3387449725/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/luizazlatovic/3388846818/
Great post Sarah! I have einkorn wheat pasta from Jovial. We really enjoy it. Do you think it’s ok to eat einkorn pasta because it is easier to digest than regular whole wheat pasta? We eat pasta about twice a month. Thanks
Sure, twice a month is fine in my view as it is not very often. Pasta is fine on occasion but is certainly no healthfood like it is perceived by the mainstream. We do pasta occasionally as well and yes, I do like the einkorn pasta. It has this slightly nutty flavor that is very enjoyable and so very different from conventional durum pasta.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: The 4 Reasons Why I’m Switching to Einkorn Wheat
Very interesting, can you comment on the issue of the pasta not being made from soaked/sprouted grains? Does it matter in this case? From having read Nourishing Traditions it seems that wheat in all forms needs some kind of soaking to make it digestible. How is Einkorn different? We’ve been buying the Essential Eating brand of sprouted pasta for our family – it’s super expensive but the only thing I can find that seems to be a healthy choice. Can you comment on that? Thanks.
emmer wheat is terrific too!
I just bought one bag of the flour to try from Tropical Traditions (Jovial brand). The only thing I’m unsure about is how easily it can be used in the recipes I’m already making with modern wheat. I’ve done some reading, and it seems some recommend leaving the bread dough very, very wet – what is your take on it having worked with it?
I’ve found that it substitutes exactly the same as spelt.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: The 4 Reasons Why I’m Switching to Einkorn Wheat
that mill is beautiful !
Hi Sarah,
I’m assuming you still have to soak Einkorn flour before you use it- just like the other grains? Do you use the same ratio in recipes as you would with regular wheat?
Thanks,
Karen
Yes, no changes there.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: The 4 Reasons Why I’m Switching to Einkorn Wheat
What about sprouting? I ordered (3) 1 pound bags and opened and began the sprouting process, but they just turned mushy. It’s only been 24 hours though. Any advice on sprouting einkorn would be helpful. Thank you!!!
I just learned about einkorn and Jovial not long ago, I am very curious to try it.
Stephanie\’s last post: Cucumbers and lots of ladybugs
I really enjoyed the blog post and would like to try it! We also mill at home. However, when I tried to follow the link to your sponsor to buy some, I couldn’t seem to find it. Am I missing something?
@Jensie Here’s the link: click on “einkorn wheat berries”. Hope that helps. http://villagegreennetwork.com/marketplace/flours-grains-legumes/?pid=20
Please can you send me a link to the resource. The one above does not work.
That is a beautiful mill, Luiza Zlatovic! What brand is it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py8x2BdaWp8
Sounds different! However, I’m satisfied with my spelt and whole wheat and honestly I have no digestive problems. After learning the trick to sourdough I’ve been baking different flours and might try experimenting with einkorn wheat.
That’s exactly what I thought until I tried the einkorn. I was totally blown away by how fantastic it is. I’m not easily impressed either
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: The 4 Reasons Why I’m Switching to Einkorn Wheat
You are right Sarah! Einkorn surpasses all my expectations. It is so light and easily digestible. Looove it!
Ok, I feel like I must be missing the obvious, but I looked all over the page again and I still don’t see an einkorn wheat berries link.?
Jensie, the Resources links don’t work, and it’s not just you. Several people have mentioned this in the past, but it doesn’t seem to change (maybe Sarah doesn’t believe us). It could be the browser (I use Firefox), but it’s a mystery. All I get is a list of categories, but the categories are not real links; if I try to click on them I get nothing. You can Google einkorn and see if you have any luck; one place to buy some is einkorn.com. I’ve bookmarked them but haven’t bought anything yet so can’t give any opinion on their product or service. Good luck!
I can get the links just fine. I am using Firefox.
If you are getting the list of catergories, try scrolling down a little farther. Pleasant Hill Grain Company and Jovial Foods should be there.
Jovial.com
Problems with the Resources page are something in your browser that is blocking Javascript.
Disabling an ad blocker usually works but if not, try another browser or redownload the one you have and start with a fresh copy. All I can tell you is that it is 99.9% of the time an option in your browser that is causing the problem.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Dairy Precedes the Advent of Agriculture in Human History
Sarah, thanks for the suggestion. The ad blocker is actually my favorite thing about Firefox, so I’m going to leave that alone, but I’ll remember to use Explorer whenever I want to see something on your resource page. Mystery solved!
Hey Sarah, I love using firefox aswell; maybe you should revise the page so that it’s a little more ‘browser friendly’ for all of us who enjoy firefox, along with it’s ad-blockers =) I don’t know if that would be easy, but it sure would make it nice for us!
The Resources page works fine with Firefox .. that is the browser I use. It is not anything on my side … it is the individual options in Firefox that you have operating.
There is unfortunately nothing I can do to improve things on my side. You will have to adjust your Firefox options so that it works for you. Either reinstall Firefox to refresh everything if you can’t figure out how to change the options or try another browser.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Dairy Precedes the Advent of Agriculture in Human History
so if you are gluten intolerant, can you still use this wheat?
That’s a Salzburger grain mill, if I’ve ever seen one (ha ha, I’ve got the same one!)
Yes it is!
Is it advisable to sprout this grain as well? Or is soaking the flour good enough?
You really do need to soak, sprout or sour leaven einkorn even though it is low in gluten (there are other digestive issues which traditional preparation address not just the breakdown of gluten). If you want to occasionally eat the pasta unsoaked, that is probably fine if your digestion is good and strong. Just don’t make a habit out of it … the habitual approach should be proper preparation.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: The 4 Reasons Why I’m Switching to Einkorn Wheat
@ Helen: Isn’t it GREAT!?
What kind of waffle iron/maker do you use Sarah??
We love it! I am gluten sensitive and can eat it.
Denise, that is FANTASTIC to know! I feel that einkorn is going to become tremendously popular in the coming years as it is so very easy to digest even for those with a gluten sensitivity. I can’t wait to see some research on it after it is fully studied and compared to modern wheat strains, but for now, the observation of how awesome it is in my own home is sufficient to convince me to switch.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: The 4 Reasons Why I’m Switching to Einkorn Wheat
I like it!
@Laura @Michaela You will have to try a small amount and see. Everyone is so different in their level of sensitivity if they have one, it is impossible to predict.
Hi Sarah,
I second Karens question: does this flour need to be soaked as well?
Nevermind! I see the answer further up
I second Karens question: does this flour need to be soaked?
Is there any place to order this wheat in bulk?
It’s far too expensive. Otherwise, an interesting product.
Depends on what is important to you. Our family of six grossed $26,000 last year. I buy $5.00/dozen pastured eggs, grass-fed beef, $9.30/pound raw milk cheddar, and occasional $10/gallon raw milk. It’s all relative. I buy einkorn 10- 20 pounds at a time and pay $3.00 per pound with free shipping. It being a nutritional powerhouse, the cost is reasonable. I can’t tell you how much we love it and how wonderful it is to not have a reaction. I call it Jesus wheat, because He likely ate it!
!
Oh, I do like that … “Jesus wheat”. Very effective terminology.
I agree. The French spend so much more on their food than we Americans do. Americans are used to cheap, high calorie, low nutrient foods and that’s why most are fat as you tend to constantly overeat when the food is not nutrient dense.
I buy the best and always have bought the best even when $$ were tight. The best isn’t always the most expensive but sometimes it is. In the case of einkorn, yes it is twice the price of organic spelt but if you don’t eat an excessive amount of grains in the first place, it is very doable for a modest budget. You can always find other things to cut that are much less important than the nutrition for your body.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: The 4 Reasons Why I’m Switching to Einkorn Wheat
Denise, please tell us where you get it in bulk, and is it organic? Thanks!
That’s source is my sponsor
The best price for organic einkorn on the internet that I can find. Click Resources link in comment above 
I just bought 30 lbs myself. They are all in 1 lb bags (see picture in post), but that is the way it is for now. I’m sure organic einkorn in bulk will become available in the future. It is just way too new to the American market right now.
Don’t you just love being the leading edge of the healthy food movement!!!!
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: “No Brown” GMO Apple Fast Tracked for Approval
What Sarah said – that’s where I get it.
Denise that is amazing! It is wonderful you are taking such great care of your family. Would you mind sharing your secret because I don’t understand how that is possible with such a large family? You probably had little to no medical bills with such a nutrient dense diet!
Oh, Sarah! Where to begin? First, we just dedicated money to the things that have a good return. We rarely go out to eat, have only one magazine subscription, do not have cable, no cell phone contracts – landline through magicjack @ 19.99 /YEAR, and we use tracfones with double minutes ( jobs require it ). Rarely buy clothing retail anymore – we are die-hard secondhanders. I find a good product and I hunt it down at the best price – online or in the store. We have a garden – in very little space. When you commit to not buying junk food, there is more money for good food. And you need less of it because it nourishes so well. It has become second nature.
None of what we have chosen to exclude really benefits a good life and good health, nor do we need it.. Clean healthy food is so important to everyone – particularly to me. I am battling lupus, R.A., fibromyalgia, vitiligo, chronic fatigue, Epstein Barr, hypothyroid, Hashimoto’s, and a coagulation disorder. I am functioning because I have done nothing the “specialists” have recommended.
I presented at our local WAPF chapter meeting on Saturday, giving a little of my background, the importance of healthy foods, and the beginnings of a battle here in MT to get raw milk sales legalized. Raw milk is medicine for me. I have gone four months on just raw Jersey milk, my homemade Kombucha, and water. The milk cure. My pain goes away and I feel great. Now that we live here, I cannot access it except for $10/gallon. And the lion is beginning to roar! We have a rep who will draft a bill – we’ll see what happens. Lots of work ahead, but I want my milk!
I function well because I have good food for medicine. That is worth more to me than any cable show or latte. Priorities. Choices have consequences. I try to make good ones.
Denise, that totally makes sense. I would do the same if I had kids. Health is a bigger priority than having a cell phone plan or cable.
I am sorry you are suffering so much. I will pray for you to continue on your healing journey. Have you considered the GAPS diet? It helps with a lot of those autoimmune conditions. I am sure you have already healed a lot just from following WAPF principles.
Good luck with the raw milk battle in MT!
–
-Wheat – use sparingly!
You mention berries, but will I get the same benefit (for my family, not me) if I buy the flour already milled and then ferment the dough properly?
@Sandra no, I tried making waffles with the fresh flour I ground myself versus the einkorn flour that was already milled in a bag and there was no comparison with the fresh milled. Once you mill flour, the nutrition is basically gone in 3 days. It is worth the time effort to mill fresh.
Could I soak the berries for a day, drain, air dry on my dehydrator sheets (not run the machine) and then run through my Vita Mix instead of buying a mill?
Sandra, Do you have a Vita Mix dry container? The blades are slightly different than the wet container and you can use this to mill grain without needing to dehydrate anything.
Sarah,
Can you go into more detail about your husband’s wheat allergy and why he only had to be on GAPS for 6 months? How did he know that is all he needed to heal? I have a gluten intolerance and other food allergies I am trying to heal through GAPS. I have been on the diet since April, the full diet since the end of May. If everything goes according to plan, I could transition off at the end of November. How can I know for sure? Maybe you can write another GAPS post about this, detailing your husband’s digestion and how he is doing after? Also, the best way to transition off the diet. I know it’s a lot, but I know a lot more people are trying this or the SCD to heal their guts.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge with so many people!
~Sarah
It only took my husband a few months on GAPS, but it is very important to note that he had been eating traditionally prepared, nutrient dense fare for 8 years prior. He just needed a brief stint on GAPS to complete the healing that had already occurred so to speak.
YOu know it’s time to transition off of GAPS and begin reintroducing grains when you have no symptoms for many many weeks. My husband’s symptoms stopped within 3 days on GAPS so he in effect had no symptoms for months. Since 6 months was the minimum time recommended, that is when he went off it.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: The 4 Reasons Why I’m Switching to Einkorn Wheat
Thanks Sarah! I don’t know how much hope that gives me though. I was following a paleo/somewhat Weston Price diet including raw goat milk a year prior to starting GAPS. I was still eating starchy things like potatoes and rice occasionally when I would eat sushi. I am doing very well on GAPS but I do miss having grains and just being able to drink raw milk straight without fermenting it! I hope I don’t have to be on the full diet much longer than 6 months. I guess I just have to be patient
I would skip it for our family. Gluten is not at all good for us.
I have been using Jovial einkorn flour for about 6 months. I bought one bag after doing quite a bit of research, to test it out. My son & I aren’t celiac, but we do have a gluten intolerance with some pretty bad effects (gastro-intestinal, migraines, sinus issues). We were able to digest the einkorn wheat with no side-effects. I use it for bread, muffins, pizza dough, pancakes – it has worked beautifully! There is a terrific recipe/tutorial for sourdough on the Jovial website.
For our family, I put einkorn in the same category as raw dairy. We can’t tolerate conventional dairy any better than we can conventional wheat, but the real stuff we don’t have any problems eating. So, Yesterday I loved being able to watch my son eat a big stack of blueberry pancakes, washed down with a large glass of milk.
This has been our family’s experience with the Jovial einkorn flour – Your mileage may vary.
Excellent points Becky. It pays to buy the best for the foundational foods, and I believe wheat is one of these. Wheat in its natural state like what einkorn is a beautiful thing.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: “No Brown” GMO Apple Fast Tracked for Approval
Hi Sarah, have you used the rye to feed your sourdough starter and would you continue to do that? And then add the einkorn instead of spelt when you are ready to bake. If this is the way you traditionally prepare your wheat. Or how would you change doing the sourdough?
To chime in – I love the einkorn sourdough. I do not follow the directions on Jovial though – too hard and work intensive and it is so thick. I use the traditional method of flour and water and it is so good! I did not use any rye – just the einkorn flour.
I followed the directions on gnowfglins.com I just did not discard half each time – I used it. Poured it right into a pan heated with lots of coconut oil and cooked like a pancake on both sides. And ate it! No way am throwing out ANY $3/pound flour. Geez!
Also as to the expense of different foods. My philosophy is that you should focus on purchasing the real foods and maybe even eat a little less than to purchase non-real foods or not good for you foods. We think we need to eat so much but we really are a nation that overeats. We can get by with alot less food if it is nutrient-dense. I am so much more satisfied after a nourishing meal.
Very interesting.. I read all the comments and I’m intrigued… I’m doing GAPS right now for my gluten sensitivity (I’m not celiac) and currently I can’t have any grains (whether GF or not). I’m hoping to maybe use this flour to do a sourdough bread and try that after I’ve healed.
@Carrie read one of the the last comments on the blog from a woman whose family is very intolerant of gluten with terrible symptoms from consuming it and what they’ve experienced with einkorn.
Dr. Davis did an experiment with this, and I think he still opted to skip it due to blood sugar concerns, even though he did not get all of the same side effects of modern wheat. I am sure it would be fine for me on occasion, but I would be scared to even attempt it with the boys.
Do you know if Einkorn is considered soft or hard wheat, i.e., can it be used for bread and/or baking?
R
Einkorn is very soft but I think it would make an amazing sourdough (haven’t tried that yet). I was surprised at how much less noise my grinder made when it was being ground into flour.
I made brownies with it over the weekend with einkorn flour (for my birthday, happy birthday to me!) and they were TO DIE FOR.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Top 10 Reasons to Feed Your Pet Raw
I got some Einkorn flour a couple weeks ago, and use it sparingly. Yesterday, I made pizza dough using the recipe on Jovial’s website. WOW!!!!!! Since I don’t have a stand mixer, I made it by hand. It was the MOST BEAUTIFUL dough I have ever handled! I loved it. The taste was sensational, and the after-effects of eating it made me feel great! Like Sarah, I will be making the switch. It does rise faster, and it seems I did not have to use as much flour to get a good texture.
Do you know a place where I can buy sprouted einkorn flour?
The recipe, please!!
how is this for gluten problems?
Sarah – did you soak or sprout the flour?
@Meredith I did not soak or sprout the flour since it was a special treat only for a birthday party.
@Chris many folks who have issues with gluten eat einkorn fine. However, if you are celiac, you will need to avoid as it does have gluten even though it is very low.
Do you still need to soak or sprout with this type of wheat?
@Esther here’s the recipe – I have made it with sprouted flour in the past but haven’t sprouted einkorn yet (stay tuned though). http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/superbowl-sunday-chewy-chocolate/
I used einkorn to make a wonderful crumble on top of Mulberry crisp… absolutely delicious!
Do you think it is still necessary to soak or sprout the einkorn? If so, which is better to do in your opinion? Do you ever sprout, dehydrate, and grind your own flour? Sorry for the questions, I’m just very interested
good move
I tried to get to your blog sponsor but was having trouble. Guess I’ll try again later.
I will someday look forward to maybe trying this if/when I can reincorporate a little wheat back into my diet. I think my husband (who does not appear to be allergic to wheat) would LOVE for me to get some and make him some bread
Great post!
I tried the einkorn spaghetti and it was awesome. Nothing else comes close.
Wow, I haven’t heard about this grain. Thanks for sharing. I love using Spelt and look forward to trying einkorn in my mill
Happy Baking!
I would love to try some, but we use way too much wheat to buy it from them.
way too expensive for making your own breads etc.
Would it be better to purchase the Einkorn wheat berries or the already milled Einkorn flour? I read that the milled Einkorn flour has removed 80% of the germ and bran. Is the milled flour unbleached? What are your thoughts on which one to buy? Thanks
OK, sold on the flavor and low gluten, but… what does the number of chromosomes have to do with “purity”? Apples have 34 diploid chromosomes, and can’t be hybridized by normal means – every apple variety is, technically, a mutation, so let’s all be scared of heirloom apples now, yes? Plants hybridize and mutate in nature all the time, and the “original” form of a plant may actually be less suited for human consumption.
YES! The book Wheat Belly talks all about the how you cannot get real wheat any more, it has been hybridized a hundred times over. He mentioned Einkorn & one other wheat in his search for something true to it’s original state where it was actually good for us to eat .
i love their pasta & it digests well
The issue of chromosomes just indicates the unhealthy genetic modifications wheat has gone through in the last 40 years. Our bodies don’t know how to handle these synthetic changes. I use Jovial Einkorn exclusively when making pizza dough and bread. My family loves the nutty flavor and although we are all wheat free (except for ancient wheat) my husband and daughter have none of the modern wheat related issues with this substitute. True celiacs might have issues, worth a try to find out though!
Wowsers – it’s expensive!
Far too expensive for a food that’s nutritional value is questionable at best. I’d rather spend that kind of money on grass-fed beef, wild salmon, etc…
If you take advantage of the discounts, it is much cheaper than buying anything prepackaged at the grocery store. You can get quite a lot out of 1 bag of Einkorn.
Interesting point Mati. But I think your comparing apples and wheat (hee, hee). I’m no expert (are you?) but my first thought is that the fleshy part of apples that we eat does not contain the reproductive components that are in a grain of wheat. Plus, wheat has a number of anti-nutrients that need to be addressed through fermentation or sprouting. Apples don’t have this issue. Two very different foods.
I’d love to try it, but I don’t think it’s available in Canada (especially on the prairies, hard to get things here!)
Sarah, I just got my wheat berries and pasta so I haven’t tried any yet. What is the best way to long term store the bags of wheat berries? Do I need to be concerned of getting weevils or anything ( in long term storage of some of this) if so do you have a link for properly storing it? Was also looking into the other wheat grains you were getting that come in the 7 gallon Buckets (from this video http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/video-grain-grinding-101/) . Are those set for long term storage also?
Einkorn does have gluten in it – if you have glueten intolerance issues I would refrain from it and for those who do go the Einkorn route make sure you soak and sprout to release enzyme inhibitors and release nutrients for easy assimilation
This was all included in her article. I have a serious gluten intolerance and I don’t react at all to Einkorn. Digests beautifully.
We are a family of six and are in the process of converting to Einkorn. I order it in bulk from Jovial. Of course it is more time consuming to have to bake everything rather than just pick up a loaf of bread, but Einkorn is incredibly healthy for you and the taste is incredible. Yes, the cost is high, but what do you spend your money on? We don’t have cable, don’t go out to eat, compost for our garden, raise chickens for our eggs and otherwise try not to spend a lot of money. The food we are eating in this country is making us sick and sometimes, killing us. I encourage you to just try to stop eating all traditional wheat products and only eat einkorn sparingly and see how much better you feel.
My Eikorn wheat berries won’t sprout. The net says 2-3 days. It’s been 3 full days after a night of soaking. Do your berries sprout???
They won’t sprout likely. Einkorn is a hulled wheat and is planted that way. It is de-hulled for sale. It sprouts poorly without the hull and is not available really with the hull.
Has anyone tried a breakfast “porridge” using einkorn berries that were cracked into a Scottish oatmeal consistency then soaked overnight?
Hmmm…
Yes and it is delicious. The whole family loves it. We put in butter, a bit of honey and a splash of cream. We use big bowls!
I was looking for where to buy the eincorn????
Your resource guide does not work
Sarah, I am interested in switching to Einkhorn but I have never used anything but All Purpose or whole wheat flour from the supermarket. I don’t know where to start. Can I use this flour just like AP? Should I grind my own? I’m seeing comments about sprouting and soaking and haven’t got a clue. Can you give me some direction?
I found the Einkorn flour here:
http://www.jovialfoods.com/products/einkorn-flour.html
And it is really good! I made buttermilk pancakes this morning with it, by mixing and soaking a base mixture of 1 cup of Einkorn flour to two cups of cultured buttermilk overnight, with no ill effects.
I have gut problems, and am going through holistic treatment for it, and Einkorn wheat was recommended to me, so thank you so much for telling us about it! Do you know anywhere that sells finished products using only Einkorn wheat though?
Oh, and by the way, yes there is a lot of genetically modified wheat on the market. In fact, almost all of the non-organic wheat in America is genetically modified now. As well as some/most (depending on the crop) of the non-organic canola, corn, potato, soy, sugar beets, cotton, jatrofa, golden rice, papaya, alfalfa, zucchini, summer squash, and some others crops.
There is a difference between GMO wheat and hybridized wheat. Our wheat on the market today is hybridized. Though Monsanto is trying to get GMO wheat on the market – it is being tested in Australia – it is not currently consumed by the public.
Scientists conducting the studies have warned that GMO wheat is causing liver failure and death in clinical trials of animals and that it should NOT be released into the food supply. But GMO wheat has not been approved for sale or consumption by humans. I have studied hours on the subject and just did a radio show on it and am quite sure of this.
Article reference: http://www.naturalnews.com/037170_GM_wheat_liver_failure_GMO.html
Can I sprout it?
Three members of my family are ‘borderline’ celiac. At the very least, we all get very ill from consuming wheat – all modern wheat including spelt.
We can ALL tolerate emmer flour with absolutely no noticeable side effects. I’m talking unsoaked, unsprouted right out of the bag
I just look around the web for recipes made with ‘whole wheat’ flour and then sub in the emmer. I have made Christmas cookies, pizza crust, butterscotch jumbles and a handful of other items using it and have had good luck. The only think I couldn’t make was, ironically, a loaf of sandwich bread. The emmer worked great for a banana quick bread, though.
Do you know about the glycemic index of the einkorn? I am borderline diabetic, and my doctor wants me to follow a low GI diet. Thanks!
If anyone knows as to a retailer in canada that markets Einkorn wheat or the finished products, please post a reply. Einkorn is amazing, incredible taste, and you don’t feel gross after eating it like the modern hybridized wheats. I’ve ordered some from the U.S. so far… but it’s already expensive price is killer by the time shipping is paid too. Hope somebody knows of a canadian distributor.
(Jovial… open up a canadian outlet!!!)
Excellent article. Thank you! I grow einkorn on my 12 acre organic farm in Western Mass, have an einkorn-only bakery, Mystic Sheaf, and offer our MA-grown einkorn grain and flour on: growseed.org. Our flour is whole grain with all the goodness, fresh-milled for each order. We sell at bulk discounts of $5/lb + shipping to restaurants, coops or groups.
See: growseed.org Eli Rogosa: growseed@yahoo.com
PS: I would be pleased to sponsor your informative blog as well!
There is mention in this article about einkorn being $3 per pound and free shipping. Clicking on the link takes me to a $9.99 site. Where is the $3 per pound free shipping?
Thank you!
Mary
That is likely through Azure Standard. Their 25 pound bag is $72 and ships free to an established Azure drop Point. They only deliver in the western half of the U.S., though.
Mary, go to Jovial.com
Just made an einkorn sourdough bread loaf for my wheat sensitive family for the first time. We have been wheat free for years (including spelt). All but one could tolerate the einkorn and I think it will be simply a matter of time and all five of us will be enjoying the einkorn bread. Unfortunately we could not tolerate the noodles. We never thought wheat would be a part of our lives again. Super excited!
I just bought my EINKORN wheat Einkorn.com located in Sugar CIty, ID. There site is http://www.einkorn.com/ I purchased 15 lbs for $57.35 which included shipping. They also have other ancient grains for sale and they are organic. Plus bulk.
Lynn, since you are in ID, you could get a better deal from Azure Standard. They deliver in ID. Also,the amount you bought would have cost $45 from jovial.com – including shipping.
Denise, actually I bought the Einkorn from ID online. I actually live in OR, but never thought to check Azure Standard. We pick up from Azure most every Wednesday. Just ordered einkorn for Wednesday. Thanks for the tip.
Sure thing!
Why is Jovial’s einkorn inexpensive? Jovial is owned by Bio-Natur, a multi-national corporation that grows, mills and denatures their einkorn flour in Europe, then ships to the US. Their einkorn flour is sifted, denuded white flour that has a shelf life of over a year.
In contrast, the Heritage Grain Conservancy conserves hundreds of almost-extinct grains. I mill all my flour with my own hands each week, leaving all the bran and goodness in. It is alive. I advise you to freeze our whole, living flour to keep it fresh. I grow, mill and bake everything myself from my field to your table. I bake living einkorn sprout bread fresh for each order with my own hands. No machines are used in my bakery (except the flour mill). My husband, Cr Lawn, founded the only seed cooperative in the US .
If you want to buy from a multi-national corp, buy from Jovial. If you want to support an American organic family farm, the conservation of almost-lost species in our ‘eat it to save it’ program, and a one-woman artisan bakery on a farm – buy from Eli Rogosa!
Is this Eli the same as Eli Kafufman? If so, this is the family from MI with the small farm that has sent you a few emails.
How can we help to bring the price of this einkorn down? As you know, we are experimenting with growing it. Maybe there is a way we can help to bring your costs down so that everyone on this forum, and everyone that has yet to meet einkorn, can have easy-to-access and price-friendly einkorn!
Mary Lawton
Eli, when you can offer whole organic wheat berries for me from which to grind my own flour – which is what I do with the wheat berries from Jovial – for $3/pound and free shipping, I will buy from you.
Sometimes income dictates our actions and we are not bad people to buy what we can afford. I am delighted to be able to get this resource at a price my family can handle – we make about $30,000/year.
What you’re doing is great and I support USA when I am able, but sometimes it is just not possible. Much better for you to sell at an affordable price.
Also, I copied and pasted this directly from your website:
“Einkorn’s natural gluten may be safe for some wheat sensititives*. Why? It is not genetically modified like modern wheat. Einkorn evolved from pure wild einkorn from the dawn of agricultur.”
It is inaccurate, as there is not genetically modified wheat on the market today. Wheat is hybridized. There is a huge dofference. You might want to correct this misinformation, though I don’t believe it was deliberate on your part.
I am reading Wheat Belly by William Davis, MD, great informative book, which lead me to Heritage Grain Conservancy, which lead me (indirectly) to here. Love it! I’m so excited to try Einkorn wheat in my continuing efforts to get away from the ‘frankenfoods’ that overwhelm us today!
I have just started milling my own Einkorn flour and I must say I am not having very good luck with it. I have made pancakes using my own recipe and they were very stretchy and hard to flip. When they were cooked the texture was still stretchy. I then made chocolate chip cookies from a recipe on Jovial’s website and they looked nothing like their picture. Mine were very flat and they just peeled off my silicone baking mat. Again, a very weird texture. I think Jovial used their refined einkorn flour for the cookie recipe and that might be the difference. If anyone has any tips for me or help me with this problem, I would appreciate it very much.
Teresa,
I wish there were more recipes and tips out there for the freshly-milled wheat. I’ve had similar issues when using Jovial’s recipes, and later learned (from comments on the recipes) that they were designed for their flour, not the freshly milled wheat berries. :-/
I’ve had great success subbing flour in muffins, and have done half and half in other things, but can’t bring myself to experiment with using it completely because it’s so expensive for it to flop!
I used this recipe for pancakes and they were yummy http://www.einkorn.com/recipes/einkorn-blender-pancakes-2/
http://www.anorganicwife.com/2012/10/recipe-peanut-butter-chocolate-chip.html
Made these cookies and they looked just like the picture and were yummy
good luck
Sarah, do you sift the einkorn flour?
Author of wheat belly recommends to stay away from all types of wheat
Einkorn (T. monococcum) is NOT wheat. It has no genetic relationship to T. dicoccoides (wild wheat). Bill Davis is incorrect in grouping einkorn with wheat. Although monococcum is classified within the Triticum tribe, it evolved from wild einkorn – not wild wheat!
from Eli Rogosa, Heritage Grain Conservancy
so if einkorn is not wheat, what is it? What can we compare it to?
Jovial’s Einkorn flour is sifted. Isn’t that the same as the white flour on the grocery store shelves today? All the bran, germ, vitamins and minerals are removed after sifting. That is why we mill our own flour to consume immediately. Also, was wheat soaked in biblical days before making into bread? I am not sure of the purpose of this step before making bread, cookies, etc. Has anyone watched the videos on the BreadBeckers website? http://www.breadbeckers.com They are the reason I started milling my own flour. If anyone knows anything about wheat and milling your own, they sure do! Not once have I seen or heard anything from their recipes or website stating that you need to soak wheat before milling. I am confused!
Compare it to itself! Experiment for yourself! Try baking with einkorn flour to discover for yourself the taste, low-gluten baking quality and nutritional value . I grow many acres of diverse varieties of ancient einkorns that I collected from France, Italy, Germany, Bulgaria, Israel and more. Each has a unique quality. I even crossed the healthiest with the healthiest plants, to create a new local landrace that is well-adapted to New England. There are many more almost-lost ancient grain species that the heritage Grain Conservancy is restoring, esp from the Caucasus Mountains. Eli Rogosa, Heritage Grain Conservancy
Eli..what do you think about Red Fife. It is the only grain I can find up here in Canada. This farmer started growing it a few years back. It is suppose to be really good for people who need to eat gluten free. I find I am still reacting to it though.
https://sites.google.com/site/loisellema/linkssourcesinfo/hypoallergenic-red-fife
https://sites.google.com/site/loisellema/linkssourcesinfo/hypoallergenic-red-fife
I found this article concerning Red Fife
SPROUTING EINKORN – If you try to sprout einkorn grains, and they do not grow, but become mushy – you have dead, old seeds. No life in them. Procure fresh living einkorn seeds from a local farmer!
RED FIFE is a delicious facultative heritage wheat known as Halychanka in Galicia in its region of origin. The Heritage Grain Conservancy offers many more delicious heritage landrace wheats from Europe and the Mideast. They are easy to grow, higher in nutrition and lower in gluten than modern hybrid wheat.
Hi, What kind of grain grinder do you use? And do you have a link to buy one? Thanks! I ordered some Einkorn and am excited!!
I have a nutrimill. Reply if you are interested.
FYI: http://www.facebook.com/sproutedflour/posts/10152648160445029?comment_id=39551881¬if_t=feed_comment
I have a nutrimill. Reply if you are interested.
I am trying to sprout my einkorn berries I received from Azure. It’s been 4 days – and nothing. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Einkorn are naturally in their hull. They are a hulled seed. When they are planted they must be planted with the hull intact in order to sprout. The berries we get from einkorn are not in their hull and therefore have a low chance of sprouting.
Why don’t you just give up wheat altogether? Your body doesn’t need it. If wheat is so good why is it enriched? Read “Wheat Belly” by Dr Davis and change your life for the better.
Dr. Davis speaks positively of einkorn in Wheat Belly — at least that is what I read……you never want to overdo grains, but when you use them, einkorn is a great choice.
Does anyone have a recipe for sprouted einkorn bread that they can share? I can’t seem to find one from Sarah.
My recipes for Einkorn Sourdough Sprout Bread is posted on: growseed.org/einkorn.html
It is made with organic einkorn grown on my little 12 acre farm in Colrain, MA,
Contact me if you have any questions.
Kindly,
Eli
Recipes for Einkorn Sprout Bread are posted on: growseed.org/einkorn.html
Contact me if you have questions.
I’ve been reading that spelt is NOT a hybrid grain.
Where did you find your facts about spelt, so that I can get in on the info.
Thanks.
Glad to read Denise’s comment that because einkorn comes to us de-hulled it probably won’t sprout (I was trying to sprout mine), but now I’m confused because Eli states that if einkorn doesn’t sprout we have dead grains and this doesn’t sound good to me. Is there someone who can provide some clarification on this?
Denise, I have read even this morning of people who are successful in sprouting their einkorn grains. I just want to be sure I have good grains from jovial. What do you make of this? Thanks!
Elsha, here is the source of my information. Growing/sprouting conditions vary and some may be more successful than others. Keep experimenting. Unlike what Eli Rogosa said, the absence of the hull makes the difference and it does not mean the berries are bad. This paragraph is from einkorn dot com:
Can I use these einkorn berries for seed?
Einkorn Wheat Kernels in the Hull
Einkorn grows natively in a hull that does not separate from the kernel during harvest. To prepare einkorn for food, we use a dehulling process to remove the hull from the kernel. The result is einkorn berries ready to be ground into flour and used for baking.
This makes einkorn very unique among varieties of wheat. Experts say the hull protects the kernel from disease and rot. As a result of this dehulling process, however, some of the berries do not sprout as well as they would if they had been left in the hull.
If you plan to use the einkorn you purchase from our website as seed, you should first test a small amount to verify that it does sprout according to your expectations.
At some point in the future, we hope to offer einkorn seeds for sale. For now, they are so rare that it’s impractical to offer them for sale.
I just made my first loaf of sourdough Einkorn bread following the instructions on the Jovial website. I followed the instructions day by day, not really knowing what I was doing. It was different than sourdough made with rye or spelt. The bread is beautiful and delicious! The website says the bread gets less dense after a few times, but I think my first loaf is heavenly. I gave up grains over a year ago, not for any digestive problems but because of a bit of weight gain. I’m going to try Einkorn (1 slice a day at the most) and see if it works better for me than the sourdough spelt and rye that I had eaten in the past. Again, it was yummy with butter on it!
{ 3 trackbacks }