FACTS SPELT vs. WHEAT While many people have compared Spelt to commercial strains of wheat, it is markedly different. All grains of this family are derived from grasses, some, such as Spelt, are closer to the earliest cultivated crops in the western world. Spelt's origins can be traced back to approximately 5,000 BC in the area now know as Iran. Spelt (Triticum spelta) is a distant cousin to modern wheat (Triticum aestivum). Perhaps a better description would be that spelt is a great uncle of modern wheat. Modern wheat varieties have been bred to be easier to grow and harvest, to increase yield, as well as to have a high gluten content for the production of high-volume commercial baked goods. Spelt, on the other hand, has retained much of its original character. It retains a sturdy husk or hull which remains with the kernel, as opposed to modern wheat varieties which have been bred to lose their husks when harvested (free threshing). This hull protects the Spelt grain from pollutants and insects. Furthermore, unlike other grains, spelt is not normally treated with pesticides or other chemicals., Spelt is stored and shipped with its protective hull intact; it is separated just before being milled into flour. Leaving the husk on the grain not only protects the kernel, but enhances the retention of the nutrients in the kernel and improves freshness. ( back )

 

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