Healthy Grains: 25 Reasons Einkorn Tops the List

Valeria learned the hard way about the importance of including only the most nutritious and healthy grains in her diet.  Her struggle led to her discovery of Einkorn, and may give hope to others who are struggling with their health.

When she first moved from Russia to the United States, Valeria was excited about the hassle-free American style of cooking. She was awed by the colors and packages in supermarkets and wholeheartedly embraced this new way of life.

After a few years, this new way of life stopped being so awe-inspiring. The arrival of fatigue, dangerously high cholesterol, and debilitating migraines put a serious damper on her excitement.

After going on medications, Valeria decided to try a better way.  One that would get her off medications and back to the health and vitality she felt before she started eating the “American way”.

Discovering Health

In Russia, Valeria remembers eating a larger variety of nutrition-rich grains and the preparation was different, so after reading Wheat Belly, she decided to see if wheat was her problem. She went off the grain to see if her migraines went away and her cholesterol got back to the healthy range. Miraculously, they did!

But there were other things about the wheat-free diet that Valeria wasn’t enchanted about. “I felt like I was run down a lot, getting tired easily and getting sick often, like if my immune system was down. That really bothered me and didn’t seem right.” That’s when she decided to try einkorn. She has returned to the Russian way of fresh, natural cooking, but now uses einkorn and rye in her recipes instead of wheat, and there has been no resurface of her nasty migraines or the symptoms she experienced on the gluten-free diet. Her vibrancy has returned, and she not only isn’t looking back but even blogs about the lifestyle that works so well for her.

Unfortunately, Valeria’s story is all too common. Modern wheat seems to be creating a lot of big health problems that many people are finding in painful ways such as celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or migraines in Valeria’s case. So, is there anything we can do about that without borrowing the DeLorean from Doc Brown? Is “grains for health” a dying motto? We’ve done research on a lot of different grains and have found a lot of encouraging information.

Turns out, there is such a thing as healthy whole grains, and you’ll find einkorn at the top of that list. It’s better than a time machine. Einkorn is the world’s most primitive wheat – the only wheat unmodified by man since it was created so all these health and nutritional benefits come straight from Mother Nature.

Einkorn is making its return to our diets because of its ease on the digestive system, nutrient density, and appealing flavor. It boasts higher nutrient contents than many different types of wheat. See table below. These nutrients contribute to many of its health benefits. So, while we’re trying take care of our gut, other benefits are on the way as well.

Brief Comparison of Einkorn and Major Types

See full article comparing Einkorn to other types of wheat.  Or, see the full chart with references.

 

#1 Improved Digestion

Break it down

You simply can’t talk about einkorn health benefits and not talk about digestion though it really deserves an article of its own. Many people with a wide range of gluten intolerance claim to be able to eat einkorn without problems. Why is that? I’m going to try to do what our digestive system is supposed to do and break it down. As I’ve mentioned, einkorn is the only grain that has never been hybridized. Long ago, humans started hybridizing wheat in order to get more yield and a softer finished product. We created the gluten monster. Gluten is naturally occurring, so why is it all of the sudden giving us grief? Because we’ve altered wheat so that it has too much gluten for our bodies to handle. Einkorn is the wheat that existed before we modified it beyond recognition. It does have gluten but less of it. As important than the quantity, though, is the quality of the gluten in einkorn. It’s different enough from the gluten in modern wheat that even some celiac patients claim they can handle it (we always recommend that people with celiac disease consult their doctor before trying einkorn). For more thorough information about the digestibility of einkorn, see “3 Reasons Einkorn May Be Easier To Digest Than Other Types of Wheat.”

#2 Weight Loss

Et tu brute?

Time to start that diet

So many things in this world make us fat, but from the time we were little, we trusted in whole wheat. We fed our kids sandwiches on whole wheat bread and thought “Supermom. Keeping it slim.” Then we find out that wheat has been contributing to our weight gain our entire lives. Such treachery would not be tolerated in our friends and nor should it in our food. I, for one, am upset about this development. It makes me want to throw up my hands and go eat a milkshake if it doesn’t matter anyway! At least my milkshake never pretended to be good for me. Einkorn is here to pick up the pieces of our broken hearts and make us believe in healthy grains again. In citing the deep and abiding problems with wheat, Dr. William Davis lists weight gain as one of the main problems. He cites example after example of people diagnosed with celiac disease and other issues who, when eliminating wheat, lost a bunch of weight on the side. And if we don’t care to do that? Is there something between the standard American diet and die-hard paleo? Of course there is. Dr. Davis himself mentions that einkorn spikes the blood sugar less quickly than modern wheat which can help with weight.

Cheryl Najafi, CEO of Everyday Dishes and author of Mother Daughter Dishes and You’re So Invited, mentioned another reason einkorn can help with weight. She calls it the leptin trigger. Leptin is the substance in our bodies that tells us when we have enough nutrients and can stop eating. Modern wheat does not trigger leptin as fast because when we were trying to improve upon Mother Nature’s wheat, we ended up with something that made delightfully soft bread but was mostly fluff and little substance. Because it doesn’t provide the nutrients we need, our body doesn’t know to tell us when to stop eating. In this way, modern wheat products are addictive and before we know it, we’ve eaten the entire box of doughnuts and our cells still don’t have anything to work with. Einkorn hasn’t been meddled with and so is still packed with nutrients and skips the fluff. “You literally cannot eat as much of it,” says Cheryl. When we’ve eaten enough nutrients, our body signals us to stop, so we can get full on much less and have happy tummies and happy cells. This is another way einkorn contributes to weight loss. We simply don’t have to eat as much to feel satisfied.

#3 Nutrient Absorption

Knock, Knock

Our body needs certain vitamins and minerals to function correctly. Does that shock you? No. Everyone knows that, and most people know what foods are better than others, but unlocksimply putting nutrient dense foods in our mouths is only half the battle. It does no good to put nutrients at the door if we’re not going to unlock it for them. Einkorn is a good way to unlock that door. First of all, it’s better to get nutrients from food. Vitamins and minerals from food are much more potent and are naturally in levels our body knows what to do with. Second, because einkorn doesn’t wreak havoc on our digestive system like modern wheat, our intestines are in better condition to absorb the nutrients that come through. Third, einkorn has 50% less phytic acid than regular wheat. Phytic acid inhibit absorption of nutrients and can even lead to nutrient deficiencies. So not only is einkorn nutrient dense, it’s in a form that our bodies can actually let in the door and use.

#4 Anti-Inflammatory

“The Secret Killer”

secret killer

Inflammation: The Secret Killer

We humans are most afraid of what we can’t see. Our children are convinced there is a monster in the closet not because of what they can see but because of what they can’t. The worst part of a scary movie is the moment before the bad guy appears. Once he’s in sight we all relax a little bit. So, Time Magazine really got our attention with their cover when they called inflammation the secret killer. People since then have also called it the silent killer. Secret, silent – it’s a killer that attacks with such stealth that we never see it coming until it’s too late. We all know what the word inflammation means, but not as many of us know exactly what we’re talking about in reference to our bodies. Inflammation is part of the body’s immune response. When a foreign and unwelcome substance enters the body, inflammation is a sign that our body is sending help. That is a good thing. However, chronic inflammation is what we’re worried about. It’s triggered by certain foods and has been linked to a multiplicity of diseases including cancer, diabetes, heart attack, and even Alzheimer’s. What happens is our bodies get tricked into thinking there is an infection and it sends help. There isn’t anything for the immune system to attack, so it unleashes itself on your body tissue. There are some vitamins and minerals that research shows can help reduce inflammation. Magnesium and Vitamin B6 are two of these that einkorn is high in. One-hundred grams of einkorn contains 26-28% of the necessary magnesium for women and 35-36% for men. Vitamin B6 is a strong presence in einkorn as well. Einkorn contains 38% of the RDV for vitamin B6. These two nutrients are linked to lower indicators of inflammation and can help us avoid the secret killer.

#5 Cancer Prevention

The Upper Hand

On childhood playgrounds, a common way to begin picking teams used to be to take a baseball bat and each team captain alternate putting hand over hand until they reached the top. The last one holding the bat gets the “upper hand” and gets to pick first. Well sometimes I feel we’re fighting a similar battle of chance with cancer, putting hand over hand wondering who will end up on top. We hope the good things we do for our body will outdo the bad things all around us. So many things are linked to cancer and we can’t possibly avoid all of them. It’s the world we live in. But if there is any way to take the upper hand in the cancer battle, it’s through our food. Antioxidants are substances that prevent the damage of our cells that lead to cancer. This probably isn’t news to most people. Everyone’s talking about antioxidants, and some scientists at the Hacettepe University in Turkey decided to investigate how einkorn measures up in this area. They tested einkorn and emmer compared to modern wheat and found significantly higher levels of the antioxidant lutein in einkorn. This is one way einkorn can help us take the upper hand before cancer does.

#6 Healthy Immune System

The Best Defense is a Good Offense

Our bodies are miraculous in their intricacy. Isn’t it incredible how we have a built in national guard to defend the home front? However, like any military force, our immune system will weaken if we don’t take good care of it. Our defense strategy often consists of ripping our national guard (immune system) to shreds and then, when we’re attacked by the enemy (an illness), we draft untrained soldiers (antibiotics) to come in and open fire. And we just hope for the best. Antibiotics are not our best defense. They not only destroy the disease, but destroy all the good bacteria in our bodies as well. It does no good to bring in soldiers who can’t tell the allies from the enemy. Better to take care of our trained soldiers from the beginning and avoid the enemy attack at all. Einkorn is high in Vitamin B6 and zinc, both of which play crucial roles in strengthening our immune system. It also has some Vitamin A. It’s not an excellent source, but it has more than modern wheat by over 300 IU’s. All in all, if we’re going to have grain in our diets, einkorn is one of the best grains to build up our natural defense system and take control before the invasion comes.

#7 Healthy Skin, Hair, and Nails

Inner Beauty

skin

For Beauty on the Outside, Einkorn on the inside

When my mom told me to focus on inner beauty, she probably wasn’t thinking about what was going on in my cells, but still. Beauty really does start from the inside (In more ways than one). What we eat has a huge effect on our hair, skin, and nails. All the cosmetics in the world won’t make up for the damage a poor diet can do. Einkorn is rich in several of the nutrients that our bodies need to make our outsides healthy and beautiful. Einkorn is high in protein, iron, and manganese. It’s no secret that protein and iron are necessary for hair, skin, and nails, but manganese is really important too. Manganese promotes skin’s elasticity for that smooth, vibrant look we all want. For example, manganese helps with healthy hair. A manganese deficiency can even cause changes in hair pigment. We want shiny hair with rich color. Einkorn provides almost 200% of the Manganese RDV for men at almost 250% for women, and has modern wheat beat by quite a lot in protein and iron content. So, beauty may be only skin deep, but it starts deeper with tiny nutrients. Einkorn is all too happy to provide them for us.

#8 Healthy Eyes

Clean Windows

eyes

Have you ever heard that eyes are the windows to the soul? It’s unclear exactly where it originated. I’ve heard anything from Shakespeare to Cicero to the Bible. Regardless of its origin, we have all been drawn to or wary of a person because of their eyes. They’re one of our most powerful features. It’s sad to see someone’s soul windows clouded with cataracts or swollen, red, and irritated. Vision is one thing, but I’m talking about simply the health of our eye tissue. Einkorn can help with that. Lutein is a vitamin that can help prevent macular degeneration and cataracts. Einkorn drastically outdoes modern wheat forms with this carotenoid. On average, einkorn has about 550 more µg’s than modern wheat per 100g. That’s contributes to a 10% difference in percent of RDV from wheat to einkorn. That is one of the most significant differences but especially in how it relates to clean and beautiful windows to our souls.

#9 Increased Energy

Don’t Stop Me Now

don't stop me knowA coworker once played “Don’t stop me now” by Queen incessantly for six months just to drive me crazy…we’re talking multiple times a day. So when I was thinking about how einkorn helps with energy, Mr. Fahrenheit traveling at the speed of light came unbidden to my head. I’m sure we’d all appreciate that kind of energy whether we’re chasing around a bunch of kids all day or trying not to fall asleep in front of the computer at the office. Thank goodness for red bull and monster, right? Wrong! Energy drinks provide fast energizer-bunny energy that sets us up for a major crash not to mention all the other ways they are horrible for our bodies. There are better ways to pick ourselves up, and a good diet can do it. Food is meant to give us energy. Isn’t that kind of why we started eating it in the first place? It’s the fuel to keep us running. Our ancestors worked harder than we do physically and they weren’t so chronically exhausted, and you can be sure they weren’t chugging red bull. They were just eating and sleeping well. Aside from being a carbohydrate and providing quick energy, einkorn is also a great source of riboflavin, phosphorus, and thiamin, all of which are necessary to being energized. All these nutrients are important in turning the protein, carbs, and fats we eat into energy our body can use. Einkorn is higher than modern wheat in phosphorus and thiamin but significantly so in riboflavin. Maybe with einkorn as your staple, you’ll be dancing to “Don’t stop me now” too.

#10 Improved Vision

Seeing is Believing

vision test

Protect your Vision

Take it from someone who has worn glasses since the age of nine, poor vision can be very limiting and frustrating. Luckily, our modern technology allows us to have glasses or contacts that remove much of the inconvenience. I’d still like to be able to see what time it is in the morning without getting two inches from the clock. Other factors contribute to poor eyesight besides diet, but there are foods we can eat to improve our vision or at least keep it from worsening. Einkorn is a good source of lutein and an excellent source of zinc both of which our eyes need to see properly. Zinc is found in large amounts in the macula portion of the retina, and studies are showing improved night vision in people who get enough zinc. If zinc is our vision’s offense, lutein is the defense. It protects our eyes from damaging UV rays, and in high levels has been shown to improve vision and slow macular degeneration. Even if you don’t have vision problems yet, making einkorn your wheat staple can help you maintain that most delicate organ.

#11 Better Brain Function

I think, therefore I am.

braindescartesDescartes understood what thinking means for our being. For him, the ability to think resolved the complex existential question. What sets humans apart from other animals is the sophistication of our thinking. Our brains are truly incredible in their ability to remember, grasp abstract concepts, and imagine what it would be like to be in another’s situation. But do any of us fully appreciate all our brain does for us? From breathing, to speaking, to walking, to passing tests, to converting food into energy, to avoiding pain, our brains are absolutely necessary to everything. It does many of these things without our needing to focus. We don’t have to tell ourselves to keep breathing. Our brain just takes care of it. The brain is a complex organ that needs our attention. Luckily, einkorn is high in lutein. Being the main carotenoid in the brain, lutein helps with learning and improved visual processing. In fact, studies show that increases in lutein leads to improved memory and can boost brain performance even in age-related areas. I think Descartes would approve of einkorn as an enhancer to our thinking and, thus, our very existence.

#12 Heart Health

Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

heartWe can’t talk about our brains without talking about our hearts. Elton John’s admonition not to go breaking his heart wasn’t referring to the damage bad food does to the heart, but the principle still applies. The heart is the brain’s partner in body function, decision, and understanding. Aside from being the organ we pin our feelings on, it’s also the organ responsible for getting nutrients to our whole body. H Jackson Brown Jr. said, “Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye.” This is true both in abstraction and in food! We see an aesthetically beautiful doughnut and our heart sees a danger sign. An occasional splurge is not going to cripple our hearts, but generally we need to eat in such a way that our heart can keep doing its job as long as possible. Einkorn is high in several heart-healthy nutrients – lutein, potassium, and vitamin B6 to name a few. Evidence suggests lutein can prevent clogging in carotid arteries and reduce plaque build-up throughout the cardiovascular system. Potassium can improve blood pressure and heart beat regularity. Vitamin B6 aids in the prevention of heart disease and heart failure. Einkorn is a great source of lutein and vitamin B6 and has a respectable amount of potassium. Along with the other elements of a healthy diet, einkorn can help us keep our pump running.

#13 Hormone Health

Blame Game

How many of us have blamed poor decisions on hormones? Whether it’s teenage idiocy or pre-menstrual psychosis, we all could find a bone to pick with our hormones. Well, give them a break. They’re natural and necessary. They are the messengers that boss our cells around, the overseers that direct the work that goes on in our bodies. Hormone imbalance can have serious consequences if it goes beyond the normal fluctuation. The high protein content in einkorn can help to make sure our hormones are being produced as they should. Hormones, like everything else, are made of proteins and they need it to do their job. If we’re so crazy with our hormones in working order, imagine what we’d be like without them. Better eat your einkorn.

#14 Reproductive Health

The Big Adventure

reproductionIn the 1991 movie, Hook, the grown-up Peter Pan comes back from Never Land to hear Wendy say “All your adventures are over.” He realizes the truth and says, “To live, to live will be an awfully big adventure.” I think we can all agree that life is the biggest adventure of all – twists and turns, moments of intense joy and pain, success and failure. One of the most beautiful things about the body is its ability to create life. If you think about it, that’s pretty incredible. Each person has the power to create a human that wasn’t here before – to give that human the biggest adventure. Even if children aren’t the goal, a healthy reproductive system is important to our function and sense of wellbeing. Einkorn is high in zinc and higher than other grains in Vitamin A. The bodies of both males and females need these nutrients to keep the reproductive system functioning whether to produce a child or just to avoid problems. For females, zinc is necessary for proper production of eggs, maintenance of follicular fluid levels, and regulation of hormones. A zinc deficiency in males can cause chromosomal issues and development problems in sperm. Whether you want to create life or just enjoy the adventure more fully yourself, einkorn can help.

#15 Improved Enzyme Function

The Elves and the You-Maker

In 1806, the Brothers Grimm were just starting to collect the folktales that would make them famous, and this is when they produced the famous story, “The Elves and the Shoemaker.” We all know versions of this story. The original was about a poverty-stricken shoemaker and his wife. After giving pretty enzymesmuch all he has to people in worse situations than he, he is rewarded when elves complete his work for him. This enables him to make the money he and his wife need so much. Disregarding the Grimm’s classic bad ending, this story reminded me of our own little helpers – enzymes. They are the catalysts responsible for all our biochemical reactions. So, like the shoemaker, we are rewarded for “good deeds.” When we feed our body well, we promote enzyme health, and they take care of everything else. So, what do our little helpers like? Among other things, they like zinc, protein, and vitamin B6. Einkorn is an excellent source of all of these things. Enzymes are made of protein and need it to do their job. Over one-hundred enzyme reactions require vitamin B6 and more than three-hundred need zinc. For all the little reactions that make you you, enzymes are there and will work best with the right nutrients.

#16 Improved Metabolism

To make a long story short

Metabolism is the word we use to describe the reactions that keep our bodies running. A slow metabolism has been linked to fatigue and weight gain. So we want to shorten the long story of our metabolism so that we have sufficient energy, and our bodies do what they’re supposed to. As we already mentioned in the enzyme section, zinc is crucial to our metabolic processes. One-hundred grams of einkorn provides 20% of the zinc RDV for men and 28% for women. It’s best to get nutrients we need from foods we eat anyway. Eating einkorn as our main grain can help us get nutrients to help our bodies function without making an unsustainable life-style change.

#17 Bone Health

Lean on me!

bonesBill Withers might not have been thinking about bones when he sang “Lean On Me”, but I’d like to see him hold somebody up without them. I mean, seriously, Imagine what we’d be without bones. Now that you’ve got the image of Harry Potter with no bones in his arm into your head, let’s remember that this does not usually happen. However, poor bone health can be extremely debilitating. There are a few things in life that are unavoidable and relying on our bones is one. Can you think of anything more integral to our existence? We don’t generally think of grains as being particularly good for our bones, but einkorn is very high in a micronutrient that our bones need very much – manganese. A manganese deficiency can cause bone malformation. When we have enough of it, it plays a key part in the mineral density of the spinal bone. It has been shown to slow the process of osteoporosis and is especially important for post-menopausal women. We’ve all seen elderly people whose bones seem to break with a gust of wind. Bone weakness is a very hard thing to undo, so we need to begin now to take care of our skeletal system. One-hundred grams of einkorn provides nearly 200% of our adequate intake for manganese, and our bones will thank us for that.

#18 Muscle Strength

Who needs pre-workout?

Obviously no grain is going to replace going to the gym. Einkorn won’t magically make our muscles big, so don’t get ahead of yourself. However, it can help in the strengthening process. First of all, einkorn is actually a very good protein source, outdoing modern wheat types by several grams per 100G of einkorn. That much einkorn can provide 36% of our RDV for protein. For a grain, that’s excellent. But einkorn is also an excellent source of thiamin. One sure sign of a thiamin deficiency is muscle weakness. It’s very important to muscle contraction. One-hundred grams of einkorn contributes 42-45% of the thiamin we need daily. So, we should think about an einkorn sandwich before pumping iron. It can provide a leg up at the gym without all that caffeine from pre-workout powder. If we take care of our body, it takes care of us.

#19 Nerve Health

“Have a Little Compassion on My Nerves”

Mrs. Bennett from Pride and Prejudice understood how important our nerve health is. It’s something we should think about. When I was little, after having been burned on the stove, I said I wished we didn’t have any nerves so we couldn’t get hurt. My mom told me that nerves were to protect us. If I hadn’t felt pain when I touched the stove, I wouldn’t have moved my hand and it could have severely damaged my skin possibly beyond repair. So, while no one wants pain, it’s easy to see why we want our nerves to be in great working condition. The ability to feel greatly enhances our existence and it can cause problems when nerves are damaged. For the same reason einkorn is good for our muscles, it’s good for our nerves. The high concentration of protein and thiamin will help our feelers feel. The main part of thiamin’s function is to provide energy, especially for our nervous system. We need thiamin for our nerves to properly send signals to the brain. By simply switching to einkorn, we can get much of our needed thiamin from food we already eat anyway. That way our brain always knows what’s going on in the rest of our body, so if we need to move our hands from a hot stove, we can do so with minimal damage.

#20 Cell and Tissue Health

The next level

We are each one person, but we’re made up of tissues and trillions of cells. If we’re not functioning well at a cellular level, we can’t expect to function well at any level. Our cells frequently get damaged by the way we live. To be repaired and maintained, one of the things they need is phosphorus. Einkorn provides over 40% of our RDV for phosphorus. Ask any business. The base level productivity is very important to the function of the whole. Being the second most abundant mineral in our body, phosphorus is especially important for our cell membranes. If our cells are happy, we’re happy.

#21 Kidney Health

Clean up This Mess

Every day, our kidneys filter 120 to 150 quarts of blood. That’s 30-37.5 gallons! They pull out the things we don’t need and get rid of them. That’s quite the purification system. In some places, drinking water that hasn’t been purified can lead to some scary sickness. The same holds true for us when our built in filter isn’t working. Kidney problems can be very painful and debilitating. Ask anyone who deals with kidney stones. There is evidence to suggest that Vitamin B6 can prevent kidney stones. Dr. David Williams, author of Reversing Digestion Misery, cited a study in which “149 people who had previously had kidney stones took 300 mg of magnesium and 10 mg of B6 daily for periods ranging from 4-1/2 to 6 years. Before taking the magnesium and B6, they averaged 1.3 stones per year. During the period in which they took the supplements, the average fell to 0.1 stones per year.” There are a lot of things that contribute to kidney health and the research is limited, but einkorn is one of the things that can help us get the nutrients we need to keep our filters running smoothly.

#22 Blood and Circulation Health

Public Transportation

blood

Help the System

Our hearts pump about 2,000 gallons of blood a day. This blood travels through roughly 60,000 miles of blood vessels delivering oxygen and nutrients to our cells. That has got to be the longest and most complex and effective transportation system in the world (and I’ve lived in Europe). One important nutrient to this process is iron. Without enough iron, our body cannot make enough of the red blood cells that carry oxygen to our cells. Nothing in our body can function without oxygen, so iron is a big deal for our transportation system. Einkorn offers about 57% of the needed iron for men and about 25% for women. For our buses to arrive on time with the right cargo, try einkorn.

#23 Arthritic Pain Relief

The Sky is the Limit

We tell our children that they can do anything and to dream big. Movies and books and famous people tell us the sky is the limit. And we believe it… that is until we’re in pain. Ever twisted an ankle and noticed how difficult even the smallest tasks become? Imagine skylimitwhat it would be like if you were constantly in pain. Chronic pain is extremely limiting to our activity and our potential. Those with arthritis understand perfectly what I mean. Many things available to deal with it come with severe trade offs, but we do what we have to in order to get rid of pain. It’s debilitating and agonizing for those who suffer from it, and something must be done. Some nutrients can limit the pain and stiffness that arthritis causes. Niacin, or Vitamin B3, is one of those. It helps to decrease swelling and contributes to better mobility in the joints. By FDA standards, einkorn is considered an excellent source of niacin. So, the sky really can be the limit.

#24 Improved Memory

Stop Blaming the Dog

memory

Keep your Memories Intact

Everyone knows dogs don’t eat homework, but humans forget things (Where was I going with this?). Our brain is like a muscle and can be strengthened and nourished to perform its function better. Niacin (Vitamin B3) is a vitamin that can help us with that. A study published in Psychopharmacology found that those who were given 421.5mg of Niacin a day showed 10%-40% improvement in memory compared to the placebo group. The subjects were healthy and from three different age ranges. They were tested in sensory-register, long term, and short term memory. I think we could all use that kind of memory boost. Einkorn is considered an excellent source of niacin based on the RDV for the vitamin, and 100G of einkorn provides us with 19-22% of the niacin we need daily. That means the dog is off the hook and we can still stay on top of everything.

#25 Improved Sleep

Sandman Unemployed

sleepThanks to niacin again, night time just got a whole lot better. Sleep is absolutely necessary to proper function. Vince Lombardi said, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” None of us are our best selves when we’re tired. We become our cruelest, laziest, and unhappiest. The majority of humans do not get enough sleep, and the sleep we do get isn’t great. The quality of our sleep is very important. I’m sure we’ve all had the experience of sleeping for plenty of hours and still feeling exhausted. We need good sleep not just more. Healthy eating can help in this area. Our body converts niacin into niacinamide which activates receptors in the brain that help us sleep. Obviously, einkorn can’t be our only source of niacin to get this kind of result, but it can certainly help. Getting the vitamin through our diets is better than supplementation, and we can reap great, sleepy rewards.

References:

“Health Benefits of Manganese.” Organic Facts. Organic Information Services, 02 July 2008. Web. 25 Feb. 2016.

Hendrick, Bill. “B Vitamins Reduce Stroke, Heart Disease Deaths.” WebMD. WebMD, 15 Apr. 2010. Web. 03 Mar. 2016.

Loriaux SM, Deijen JB, Orlebeke JF, De Swart JH. The effects of nicotinic acid and xanthinol nicotinate on human memory in different categories of age. A double-blind study. Psychopharmacology. 1985;87:390-395.

“Lutein and Zeaxanthin for Vision.” WebMD. Ed. Alan Kozarsky. WebMD, 28 Feb. 2016. Web. 02 Mar. 2016.

“Niacin Improves Memory.” Life Enhancement. Life Enhancement Products Inc., Nov. 1996. Web. 25 Feb. 2016.

“Potassium: Heart Benefits and Side Effects.” WebMD. Ed. James Beckerman MD. WebMD, 3 Oct. 2014. Web. 03 Mar. 2016.

Serpen, Arda, Vural Gokman, Alptekin Karagoz, and Hamit Koksel. “Phytochemical Quantification and Total Antioxidant Capacities of Emmer ( Triticum Dicoccon Schrank) and Einkorn ( Triticum Monococcum L.) Wheat Landraces.” Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry (2008): 5285-292. American Chemical Society Journals. Web. 25 Feb. 2016.

Weil, Andrew, MD. “Lutein: Good for Your Eyes and Heart?” Dr. Weil N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2016.

Whitaker, Dr. Julian. “Benefits of Lutein.” Dr. Julian Whitaker. N.p., 17 Dec. 2015. Web. 02 Mar. 2016.

“Zinc for Vision.” WebMD. Ed. David Kiefer. WebMD, 27 Jan. 2015. Web. 02 Mar. 2016.

13 thoughts on “Healthy Grains: 25 Reasons Einkorn Tops the List

    1. Admin Post author

      Hi Joy, you can go here to our product page. We sell einkorn to consumers and other businesses. If you have more questions, you’re welcome to ask.

      Reply
      1. margaret cascio

        How do you balance calcium with the high phosphorus content of the wheat? And is 100 gram serving cooked wheat?

        Reply
        1. Admin Post author

          Hi Margaret, thank you for your question. We haven’t stressed too much about that specific thing. We eat a balanced, plant based, whole foods diet, so we get the nutrients our bodies need and many of those come from einkorn. 100 grams is referring to uncooked whole berries.

          Reply
        2. Jonathan

          Calcium is always balanced with Magnesium helping lower calcium in the body. So the high Magnesium in Einkorn will help with that.

          Reply
  1. Michael Riemer

    Interesting story. Thanks for putting it on the web.
    What I want to know, where can I buy the seeds, so I may grow it, or grind it up into flour.
    I live in the Philippines. So, information on shipping would be nice.
    Thank you.

    Reply
    1. Admin Post author

      Hi Michael, our berries are intended for food. The hulls have been removed so they don’t work well for seed. We do not sell einkorn seed. You may be able to find others on the internet who offer it.

      Reply
  2. Fern

    How does the carbohydrate makeup of einkorn compare with modern flours? Is it possible that it would be metabolized differently?

    Reply
    1. Admin Post author

      Hi Fern, 1 cup of whole grain wheat flour has about 87 carbohydrates. One cup of whole grain einkorn flour has about 51 carbs. So there is quite a difference. It’s grain so it’s still going to be high in carbs, but einkorn does not spike the blood sugar as quickly as modern wheat.

      Reply
  3. Sharon

    I am interested in your recipes and any information on the flour. I have it and would like more ways to use it. Thank you

    Reply
    1. Admin Post author

      Hi Sharon, I’d be happy to answer any questions you have about our flour. You can go here for our recipes. If you’re looking for something specific, just select one of the tags at the top. Thank you!

      Reply
  4. Suzy

    Great article! Very informative, and hopeful for us bread lovers. Please explain the difference between the AP and the whole wheat in terms of health (gf & ai) so I can know which to order. TIA

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Joy Essman Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *