Is Einkorn Flour Gluten Free?
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.
Tasty Pancakes with Blueberry Syrup
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’ve often wondered why so many people are getting sick from wheat these days. This is the best answer I’ve heard.
Thanks for your post. Over-hybridization is just one of the theories out there, but the others are more controversial. But yes, it does seem to fit: The desire for more profits leads to development of varieties that focus on yield and plant disease. I’ve never heard of a strain being developed that focuses on better nutrition.
Stan,
As an organic grower, I am always looking for new varieties that seem to have promise for both taste and health. You might be interested to know that the University of Idaho has recently developed two varieties of barley that are particularly high in beta-gluten, the component most related to heart health. This was an intentional part of their breeding program, but is also the exception to the rule. However, I entirely agree with you that almost all university-based and industry-based plant breeding programs have focused on yield almost exclusively. And we do know that both taste and nutritional content have suffered as a result.
Very interesting! Thanks for the info. Although I think you meant to spell “beta-glucans” instead of “beta-gluten”.
As an einkorn researcher and artisan baker, it is exciting to see more interest in the US. Einkorn is an important alternative to over-bred modern wheats. It is delicious and safe for most gluten sensitivities. I collected many populations of einkorn in the Fertile Crescent and Europe, and offer einkorn flatbreads and flour for sale. We welcome cooperation to bring this ancient grains to American consumers seeking a high nutrition delicous alternative grain.
We have just received a small package of einkorn seeds that we will be growing in test plots this coming season. We are a certified organic farm that specializes in heritage grains and Einkorn is on our list of target grains to produce in commercial quantities.
For the past ten years, I have been collected einkorn in the Golan Heights near Syria, France, Hungary, Germany and more. Am baking delicious einkorn products now. Be great to share the grains, breads and flours. It is important that celiacs have access to this food. Do you also offer einkorn? I welcome cooperation and exchange.
Kindly,
Eli Rogosa
Even though I agree almost entirely with the Stan’s post and plan to try growing some einkorn this coming year, there is one part of this post that is factually wrong and is misleading. There are no current varieties on the market that are genetically modified. Modern wheat varieties are grown from traditional wheat breeding programs. Although Monsanto has applied to market genetically modified wheat, that application has been denied, at least for now. We don’t know what will happen in the next round, but because wheat is so closely related to other grains and to grasses, there is good reason to believe that regulators will not allow this in the near term at least.
There is enough confusion about genetic modification in the popular press. We should all be careful not to contribute to this confusion.
Good point with being careful on how we choose our words to avoid confusion. Gene-splicing = artificial genetic modification or genetic engineering, while hybridization = natural genetic modification. But most people associate the use of the term “Genetically Modified” to mean gene-splicing. Would you agree? I’ll change the wording of the post to better follow common vernacular.
And, thanks for the info on Monsanto. I had thought about mentioning it, but decided to try to work it into a later post. Please keep us updated on that issue. Do you have your seed for planting Einkorn yet?
Hello,
For wheat to go from 14 chromosones to 42 chromosones whether you exploit a natural hybridization processes or a laboratory one the result is the same. The resultant wheat has been gentically modified.
To believe all natural hybridization is good because it is natural is like saying all natural hemlock is good because it is natural.
The end result is the same whether you get there quickly or slowly.