Spelt is the best grain,
warming, lubricating and high of
nutritional value. It is better tolerated
by the body than any other grain. Spelt
provides the consumer with good flesh
and good blood and confers a cheerful
disposition. It provides a happy mind
and a joyful spirit. No matter how you
eat spelt, either a bread or in other
foods, it is good and easy to digest.... If someone is ill boil some spelt, mix it with egg and this will heal him like a fine ointment.... Spelt porridge, spelt bread and spelt coffee constitute the ideal breakfast.... Spelt is the food of the future.
--Hildegard von Bingen, 1133
One of the oldest
cultivated grains (since 5000 B.C.),
Triticum spelta, it's an ancient cousin of modern wheat (
Triticum
aestivum). Nutritionally, it has large amounts of B complex and 10 to 25% more protein content than the common
varieties of modern wheat. More popular in
Europe than the United States, spelt is known as
farro in
Italy and
dinkle in
Germany. The
Swiss probably introduced it to North America, and it was cultivated in the U.S. (
acreage peaked in
1909) but its tough
hull made processing difficult, and other varieties of wheat (bred for higher gluten content and easier
threshing) supplanted it. It is still grown for feed, and organic spelt is popular with natural food companies (you can find spelt pastas, spelt cookies, spelt flours and muffin mixes at
health food stores).
Though it does contain gluten, people with sensitivies and wheat allergies report being able to tolerate spelt without side effects-- but consult your doctor if you want to try it.
Spelt berries can be cooked like wheat berries.
Sources: http://www.spelt.com
http://www.purityfoods.com
http://www.geocities.com/wholistic_healing/HildegardsMedicine.html
http://www.michiganbrewing.com/renaissance.asp