Wheat--America's grain of choice. Its hardy, glutenous consistency

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Wheat--America's grain of choice. Its hardy, glutenous

consistency JoAnn Guest

May 29, 2007 07:12 PDT

 

Wheat--America's grain of choice. Its hardy, glutenous consistency

 

Wheat--America's grain of choice. Its hardy, glutenous consistency

makes it practical for a variety of foodstuffs--cakes, breads,

pastas, cookies, bagels, pretzels and cereals that have been puffed,

shredded and shaped.

 

This ancient grain can actually be very nutritious when it is grown

and prepared in the appropriate manner.

 

Unfortunately, the indiscretions inflicted by our modern farming

techniques and milling practices have dramatically reduced the

" quality " of the commercial wheat berry and the flour it makes.

 

You might think, " Wheat is wheat--what can they do that makes

commercial varieties so bad? " Listen up, because you are in for a

surprise!

 

It was the cultivation of grains--members of the grass family--that

made civilization possible.1 Since wheat is one of the oldest known

grains, its cultivation is as old as civilization itself. Some

accounts suggest that mankind has used this wholesome food since

10,000 to 15,000 years BC.2 Upon opening Egyptian tombs

archeologists discovered large earthenware jars full of wheat

to " sustain " the Pharaohs in the afterlife.

 

Hippocrates, the father of medicine, was said to recommend stone-

ground flour for its beneficial effects on the digestive tract. Once

humans figured out how to grind wheat, they discovered that when

water is added it can be naturally fermented and turned into beer

and expandable dough.

 

Botonists have identified almost 30,000 varieties of wheat, which

are assigned to one of several classifications according to their

planting schedule and nutrient composition3--hard red winter, hard

red spring, soft red winter, durum, hard white and soft white.

 

Spring wheat is planted in the spring, and winter wheat is planted

in the fall and shoots up the next spring to mature that summer.

Soft, hard, and durum (even harder) wheats are classified according

to the strength of their kernel.

 

This strength is a function of the protein-to-starch ratio in the

endosperm (the starchy middle layer of the seed).

 

Hard wheats contain less starch, leaving a stronger protein matrix.

 

With the advent of modern farming, the number of varieties of wheat

in common use has been drastically reduced.

 

Today, just a few varieties account for 90 percent of the wheat

grown in the world.

 

When grown in well-nourished, fertile soil, whole wheat is rich in

vitamin E and B complex, many minerals, including calcium and iron,

as well as omega-3 fatty acids.

 

Proper growing and milling methods are necessary to preserve these

nutrients and prevent rancidity.

 

Unfortunately, due to the indiscretions inflicted by contemporary

farming and processing on modern wheat, many people have become

intolerant or even allergic to this nourishing grain.

 

These indiscretions include depletion of the soil through the use of

chemical fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals, high-heat

milling, refining and improper preparation, such as extrusion.1

 

Rather than focus on soil fertility and careful selection of seed to

produce varieties tailored to a particular micro-climate, modern

farming practices use high-tech methods to deal with pests and

disease, leading to overdependence on chemicals and other

substances.

 

IT STARTS WITH THE SEED

Even before they are planted in the ground, wheat seeds receive an

application of fungicides and insecticides. Fungicides are used to

control diseases of seeds and seedlings; insecticides are used to

control insect pests, killing them as they feed on the seed or

emerging seedling.7 Seed companies often use mixtures of different

seed-treatment fungicides or insecticides to control a broader

spectrum of seed pests.8

 

PESTICIDES AND FERTILIZERS

Some of the main chemicals (insecticides, herbicides and fungicides)

used on commercial wheat crops are disulfoton (Di-syston), methyl

parathion, chlorpyrifos, dimethoate, diamba and glyphosate.9

 

Although all these chemicals are approved for use and considered

safe, consumers are wise to reduce their exposure as much as

possible. Besides contributing to the overall toxic load in our

bodies, these chemicals increase our susceptibility to neurotoxic

diseases as well as to conditions like cancer.

 

Many of these pesticides function as xenoestrogens, foreign estrogen

that can reap havoc with our hormone balance and may be a

contributing factor to a number of health conditions.

 

For example, researchers speculate these estrogen-mimicking

chemicals

are one of

the contributing factors to boys and girls entering puberty at

earlier and earlier ages. They have also been linked to

abnormalities and hormone-related cancers including fibrocystic

breast disease, breast cancer and endometriosis.13

 

HORMONES ON WHEAT?

Sounds strange, but farmers apply hormone-like substances or " plant

growth regulators " that affect wheat characteristics, such as time

of germination and strength of stalk.11 These hormones are

either " natural, " that is, extracted from other plants, or

synthetic. Cycocel is a synthetic hormone that is commonly applied

to wheat.

 

Moreover, research is being conducted on how to manipulate the

naturally occurring hormones in wheat and other grains to

achieve " desirable " changes, such as regulated germination and an

increased ability to survive in cold weather.12

 

No studies exist that isolate the health risks of eating hormone-

manipulated wheat or varieties that have been exposed to hormone

application. However, there is substantial evidence about the

dangers of increasing our intake of hormone-like substances.

 

CHEMICALS USED IN STORAGE

Chemical offenses don't stop after the growing process. The long

storage of grains makes them vulnerable to a number of critters.

Before commercial grain is even stored, the collection bins are

sprayed with insecticide, inside and out.

More chemicals are added

while the bin is filled. These so-called " protectants " are then

added to the upper surface of the grain as well as four inches deep

into the grain to protect against damage from moths and other

insects entering from the top of the bin. The list of various

chemicals used includes chlorpyrifos-methyl, diatomaceous earth*,

bacillus thuringiensis, cy-fluthrin, malathion and pyrethrins.14

 

Then there is the threshold test. If there is one live insect per

quart of sample, fumigation is initiated. The goal of fumigation is

to " maintain a toxic concentration of gas long enough to kill the

target pest population. "

 

The toxic chemicals penetrate the entire

storage facility as well as the grains being treated. Two of the

fumigants used include methyl bromide and phosphine-producing

materials, such as magnesium phosphide or aluminum phosphide.14

 

GRAIN DRYING

Heat damage is a serious problem that results from the artificial

drying of damp grain at high temperatures. Overheating causes

denaturing of the protein26 and can also partially cook the protein,

ruining the flour's baking properties and nutritional value.

 

According to Ed Lysenko, who tests grain by baking it into bread for

the Canadian Grain Commission's grain research laboratory, wheat can

be dried without damage by using re-circulating batch dryers, which

keep the wheat moving during drying. He suggests an optimal drying

temperature of 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit).27

Unfortunately, grain processors do not always take these precautions.

 

MODERN PROCESSING

The damage inflicted on wheat does not end with cultivation and

storage, but continues into milling and processing. A grain kernel

is comprised of three layers: the bran, the germ and the endosperm.

 

The bran is the outside layer where most of the fiber exists. The

germ is the inside layer where many nutrients and essential fatty

acids are found. The endosperm is the starchy middle layer. The high

nutrient density associated with grains exists only when these three

are intact.

 

The term whole grain refers to the grain before it has

been milled into flour. It was not until the late nineteenth century

that white bread, biscuits, and cakes made from white flour and

sugars became mainstays in the diets of industrialized nations, and

these products were only made possible with the invention of high-

speed milling machines.28

 

Dr. Price observed the unmistakable

consequences of these dietary changes during his travels and

documented their corresponding health effects. These changes not

only resulted in tooth decay, but problems with fertility, mental

health and disease progression.30

 

Flour was originally produced by grinding grains between large

stones.

 

The final product, 100 percent stone-ground whole-wheat

flour, contained everything that was in the grain, including the

germ, fiber, starch and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals.

 

Without refrigeration or chemical preservatives, fresh stone-ground

flour spoils quickly. After wheat has been ground, natural wheat-

germ oil becomes rancid at about the same rate that milk becomes

sour, so refrigeration of whole grain breads and flours is

necessary.

 

Technology's answer to these issues has been to apply

faster, hotter and more aggressive processing.28

 

Since grinding stones are not fast enough for mass-production, the

industry uses high-speed, steel roller mills that eject the germ and

the bran.

 

Much of this " waste product " --the most nutritious part of

the grain--is sold as " byproducts " for animals. The resulting white

flour contains only a fraction of the nutrients of the original

grain.

 

Even whole wheat flour is compromised during the modern

milling process. High-speed mills reach 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and

this heat destroys vital nutrients and creates rancidity in the bran

and the germ. Vitamin E in the germ is destroyed--a real tragedy

because whole wheat used to be our most readily available source of

vitamin E.

 

Literally dozens of dough conditioners and preservatives go into

modern bread, as well as toxic ingredients like partially

hydrogenated vegetable oils and soy flour. Soy flour is added to

virtually all brand-name breads today to

improve rise and prevent sticking.

 

The extrusion process, used to

make cold breakfast cereals and puffed grains, adds insult to injury

with high temperatures and high pressures that create additional

toxic components and further destroy nutrients--even the synthetic

vitamins that are added to replace the ones destroyed by refinement

and milling.

 

People have become accustomed to the mass-produced, gooey,

devitalized, and nutritionally deficient breads and baked goods and

have little recollection of how real bread should taste. Chemical

preservatives allow bread to be shipped long distances and to remain

on the shelf for many days without spoiling and without

refrigeration.

 

HEALTHY WHOLE WHEAT PRODUCTS

Ideally, one should buy whole wheat berries and grind them fresh to

make homemade breads and other baked goods. Buy whole wheat berries

that are grown organically or biodynamically--biodynamic farming

involves higher standards than organic.34

Since these forms of

farming do not allow synthetic, carcinogenic chemicals and

fertilizers, purchasing organic or biodynamic wheat assures that you

are getting the cleanest, most nutritious food possible.

 

It also

automatically eliminates the possibility of irradiation31 and

genetically engineered seed. The second best option is to buy

organic 100 percent stone-ground whole-wheat flour at a natural food

store.

 

Slow-speed, steel hammer-mills are often used instead of

stones, and flours made in this way can list " stone-ground " on the

label. This method is equivalent to the stone-ground process and

produces a product that is equally nutritious. Any process that

renders the entire grain into usable flour without exposing it to

high heat is acceptable.

 

If you do not make your own bread, there are ready made alternatives

available. Look for organic sourdough or sprouted breads freshly

baked or in the freezer compartment of your market or health food

store. If bread is made entirely with l00 percent stone-ground whole

grains, it will state so on the label.

 

When bread is stone ground

and then baked, the internal temperature does not usually exceed 170

degrees, so most of the nutrients are preserved.28 As they contain

no preservatives, both whole wheat flour and its products should be

kept in the refrigerator or freezer. Stone-ground flour will keep

for several months frozen.28

 

Sprouting, soaking and genuine sourdough leavening " pre-digests "

grains, allowing the nutrients to be more easily assimilated and

metabolized. This is an age-old approach practiced in most

traditional cultures.

Sprouting begins germination, which increases

the enzymatic activity in foods and inactivates substances called

enzyme inhibitors.1 These enzyme inhibitors prevent the activation

of the enzymes present in the food and, therefore, may hinder

optimal digestion and absorption. Soaking neutralizes phytic acid, a

component of plant fiber found in the bran and hulls of grains,

legumes, nuts, and seeds that reduces mineral absorption.32 All of

these benefits may explain why sprouted foods are less likely to

produce allergic reactions in those who are sensitive.1

 

Sprouting also causes a beneficial modification of various

nutritional elements. According to research undertaken at the

University of Minnesota, sprouting increases the total nutrient

density of a food.

 

For example, sprouted whole wheat was found to

have 28 percent more thiamine (B1), 315 percent more riboflavin

(B2), 66 percent more niacin (B3), 65 percent more pantothenic acid

(B5), 111 percent more biotin, 278 percent more folic acid, and 300

percent more vitamin C than non-sprouted whole wheat.

 

This phenomenon is not restricted to wheat. All grains undergo this

type

of quantitative and qualitative transformation. These studies also

confirmed a significant increase in enzymes, which means the

nutrients are easier to digest and absorb.33

 

You have several options for preparing your wheat. You can use a

sour leavening method by mixing yogurt with

freshly ground wheat or quality pre-ground wheat from the store. Or,

soak your berries whole for 8 to 22 hours, then drain and rinse.

 

There are some recipes that use the whole berries while they are

wet, such as cracker dough ground right in the food processor.

Another option is to dry sprouted wheat berries in a low-temperature

oven or dehydrator, and then grind them in your grain mill and then

use the flour in a variety or recipes.

 

Although our modern wheat suffers from a great number of

indiscretions, there are steps we can take to find the quality

choices that will nourish us today and for the long haul. Go out and

make a difference for you and yours and turn your wheaty

indiscretions into wheaty indulgences.

 

http://www.arrowheadmills.com/products/ancient-grains.php

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SPELT AND KAMUT

Spelt is a distant cousin to modern wheat and one of the oldest

cultivated grains. Current research indicates few differences

between hard red wheat and Canadian spelt. Researchers have also

found evidence supporting the claim that spelt may be easier for

humans to digest than wheat.4

 

Modern wheat has been altered over the

years through breeding to simplify its growth and harvesting,

increase its yield and raise its gluten content for the production

of commercial baked goods--

 

all of which has rendered modern wheat

more difficult to digest. Spelt, on the other hand, has not been as

popular in our food supply and has therefore retained many of its

original traits.5

 

Kamut is also an ancient relative of modern wheat, durum wheat to be

exact. Actually, " kamut " is an ancient word for wheat.

 

Similar to

spelt, this grain has been untouched by modern plant-breeding

techniques that have been imposed on wheat.6

 

 

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IRRADIATION

Wheat and wheat flour were some of the first foods the Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) approved for irradiation.15 A 1963 ruling

applied to imported grains.

 

In 1968, the FDA approved irradiation

for US wheat berries and flour to control insects.16 Irradiation is

the practice of using either high-speed electron beams or high-

energy radiation to break chemical bonds and ionize molecules that

lie in their path.17

 

According to proponents of this technology,

irradiation can provide more food security for the world by

eradicating storage pests in grain, killing fruit flies in fruit,

preventing mold growth, delaying ripening, preventing the sprouting

of potatoes, onions and garlic, and extending the shelf life of

meat, fish and shellfish – all without health consequences. However,

research tells us something quite different.

 

One particularly interesting study on the dangers of irradiation was

published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition18 in 1975.

Ten children were divided into two groups of five.

 

Before the trial

started, blood samples were taken and examined for each child. The

diets given to each group were identical except the wheat for the

experimental group had been irradiated two or three days earlier

with a dose recommended for grain disinfestation.

 

After four weeks,

the examination of blood samples showed abnormal cell formation in

four of the five children given irradiated wheat. No signs of

abnormal cell development appeared in the control group.

 

One particularly disturbing cell type found in the experimental

group was polyploid lymph. Lymph is a vital component of the immune

system, and these abnormal varieties occur routinely in patients

undergoing radiation treatment.

 

In fact, the level of these abnormal

lymph cells is often used as a measure of radiation exposure for

people accidentally exposed to radiation.19 After six weeks, blood

samples were taken again and a sharp increase of polyploid lymph

cells was seen when compared to the level at four weeks. Because of

concern for the children's health, the study was terminated.

 

It was argued that the main culprit in the increase of cell

abnormalities was the fact the wheat was " freshly irradiated. "

 

Therefore, a subsequent study looked at the effects of feeding wheat

that had been irradiated and then stored for 12 weeks. The polyploid

cells took a little longer to show up--six weeks instead of four.

After the irradiated wheat had been withdrawn, it took 24 weeks

before the blood of the test children reverted to normal.

 

To verify their results, the researchers continued with experimental

animals and found the same results in both monkeys and rats--a

progressive increase of polyploid lymph cells and a gradual

disappearance of these cells after withdrawal of the irradiated

wheat.20 ,21 ,22 ,23

 

Thus, the dangers of irradiated foods are

evident, whether the food has been freshly irradiated or stored for

a period of time. Other long-term health implications from eating

irradiated foods include lowered immune resistance, decreased

fertility, damage to kidneys, depressed growth rates, as well as a

reduction in vitamins A, B complex, C, E and K.24

 

 

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NUTRIENT LOSS FROM REFINING OF WHEAT29

Thiamine (B1) 77%

Riboflavin (B2) 80%

Niacin 81%

Pyridoxine (B6) 72%

Pantothenic acid 50%

Vitamin E 86%

Calcium 60%

Phosphorous 71%

Magnesium 84%

Potassium 77%

Sodium 78%

Chromium 40%

Manganese 86%

Iron 76%

Cobalt 89%

Zinc 78%

Copper 68%

Selenium 16%

Molybdenum 48%

 

 

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GENETICALLY ENGINEERED WHEAT

Genetic Engineering (GE) is the process of altering or disrupting

the genetic blueprints of living organisms--plants, trees, fish,

animals and microorganisms. Genes are spliced to incorporate a new

characteristic or function into an organism.

 

For example, scientists

can mix a gene from a cold-water fish into a strawberry plant's DNA

so it can withstand colder temperatures. So far, the most widely

used GE foods are soy, cotton and corn. Monsanto hopes to

commercialize Roundup Ready Wheat sometime between 2003 and 2005.

This crop will join the company of a number of crops engineered to

resist the Roundup herbicide.

 

Proponents of GE claim that this " technology " will make agriculture

sustainable, eliminate world hunger, cure disease and improve public

health--but have they factored in the enormous risks? When surveyed,

most consumers do not want to eat genetically modified foods, and

even commercial farmers are wary.

 

Wheat farmers are scared of the

Starlink corn fiasco. Iowa farmers planted one percent of their 2000

corn crop as Starlink, a genetically engineered corn approved only

for animal consumption.

 

By harvest time, almost 50 percent of the

Iowa crop tested positive for Starlink. Product recalls, consumer

outcry and export difficulties have ensued. This mistake resulted in

the recall of hundreds of millions of dollars of food products and

seeds.

 

In regards to exporting, our overseas consumers say they will

not accept any wheat that has been genetically engineered. For this

reason, Monsanto has put the development of GE wheat on temporary

hold.25

 

 

 

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USING WHEAT IN BAKING

When deciding which wheat berries to use for baking, the main

categories to consider are hard and soft.

 

Hard wheat is higher in

protein, particularly gluten, making it more elastic and the best

choice for making breads.

 

Gluten traps carbon dioxide during the

leavening process, allowing the dough to rise.

 

Durum wheats, used

mostly for pasta, are even harder.

 

Soft wheats are lower in protein

and are more appropriate for cookies, crackers, soda breads and

other baked goods.

 

http://www.edenfoods.com/issues_important_macro.html

http://www.edenfoods.com/issues_whatsnew_new100wg.html

http://www.edenfoods.com/issues_whatsnew_030602.html

http://www.edenfoods.com/issues_important_ruinsoil.html

http://www.edenfoods.com/issues_important_geodanger.html#Hagelin

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/