You might have seen pasta made from einkorn when shopping in the “healthier pasta” area. Although it isn’t marked as gluten-free, many people find this pasta made from ancient grains more palatable than wheat. That is the potential of einkorn, one of the first varieties of grain to be farmed, which is resurging among American farmers.
Einkorn wheat in a nutshell
Einkorn wheat is different from regular hard red wheat, used to make a lot of flour and bread in the United States. It is one of the grains that existed in ancient Biblical times. The “our daily bread” of those days included significantly more protein, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber than the bread we eat now. Additionally, it was free of corn syrup, synthetic vitamins, preservatives, and artificial additions. Ancient grain bread wouldn’t have contributed to the ailments we have today.
But why did large-scale agriculture go away from einkorn wheat in the first place if it is such a wonderful grain? It’s a difficult crop to grow, to begin with, and it requires more effort to produce and harvest than conventional wheat, and its head is smaller, adding an extra stage to the milling process and raising production costs.
It is a very tall wheat, perhaps chest-high, and the taller it gets, the more challenging it is to harvest mechanically. However, einkorn flour has a nutty flavor, promoting the taste of baked items.
What separates einkorn from modern grains?
Genetics
In general, modern grains are not very healthy for us. Modern semi-dwarf wheat was introduced with several issues. In general, as compared to ancient grains like emmer, spelled, and einkorn, modern grains are lower in minerals and higher in anti-nutrients like gluten and phytic acid. Gluten content in modern wheat is also substantially higher.
Modern wheat is genetically significantly different from einkorn. Einkorn has only 14 chromosomes, compared to the 42 in modern wheat. Additionally, that ease results from a weaker gluten structure, which is more prone to breakdown since it is more fragile. Einkorn bread is suitable for some gluten-sensitive people.
Glyphosate levels
The quantities of glyphosate in ordinary wheat and einkorn are another significant distinction. US-grown wheat is frequently sprayed with glyphosate to help it dry more quickly before harvest. From 2004 to 2017, glyphosate use in wheat fields increased by over 30%. It can be harmful to the earth and detrimental to our digestive health. Einkorn is grown in nations with stricter pesticide regulations.
How to use einkorn flour
Einkorn comes in various forms, and it can be found in the form of pasta, crackers, packaged cookies, all-purpose einkorn flour, einkorn baking mix, and entire einkorn wheat berries. Bakers can successfully replace modern all-purpose flour with einkorn flour.
In recipes, you can substitute whole grain einkorn flour for standard whole wheat flour. However, it would be best to make certain modifications to account for the various densities. Instead of using cup measurements to measure the flour, weighing it is a good idea. Occasionally, a recipe’s liquid content needs to be decreased by roughly 15-20%.
