Spelled: benefits and harms to the body

The mention of spelled can be found in the works of Alexander Pushkin, Ivan Goncharov, Alexei Tolstoy, as well as in an older source – the Bible. However, at present, not everyone knows about the existence of such a cereal crop. It is more popular among those who follow the figure or follow a diet for medical reasons. 

Spelled is the progenitor of modern wheat, its wild ancestor. It has a slight nutty flavor to it. Today, not only cereals are prepared from spelled, but also bread, various pastries and even yogurts. 

We talk about the benefits and harms of spelled for the body in our material.

The history of the appearance of spelled in nutrition

Presumably spelled originated in the Mediterranean, where a mild climate prevails with hot summers and an abundance of precipitation in winter. Archaeological studies show that this cereal was cultivated as early as the XNUMXth century BC in the vicinity of Mount Ararat. 

Spelled was considered the most valuable culture in Babylon, Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece. The Romans also highly appreciated her, who sacrificed spelled products during one of the most sacred rituals – the marriage ceremony.

In Our Country, spelled first appeared, according to various sources, in the XNUMXth or XNUMXnd century BC, but gained the greatest popularity in the XNUMXth century. Spelled porridge was a favorite and affordable dish in those days. A little later, cereals began to be used as a side dish, it was in this form that it came from our country to Europe and the USA, where it is still considered a native product. 

This type of wheat is unpretentious, resistant to bad weather, weeds and pests, does not require special care and grows on its own – that is why spelled was so popular in the central and northern parts of Our Country. And yet, in the XNUMXth century, it gradually began to be replaced by modern wheat. Why did such an easy-to-grow product give way to the palm? 

The thing is that the spelled ear itself is fragile, and the grains protected by adherent scales must be threshed out of it. The combine cannot cope with this task, it only breaks the ears and grinds the grains into dust, therefore, on an industrial scale, the yield of spelled is low. At the beginning of the XNUMXth century, new varieties of wheat with a hard ear and coarse grain were bred by breeding, which replaced the wild cereal and are massively cultivated to this day. And yet, in recent years, spelled has attracted more and more attention and is gradually regaining popularity, because it is an incredibly useful and even unique product.

Composition and calories

The calorie content of spelled is low, so it is worth paying attention to losing weight and athletes. Today, there are various diets based on spelt, adhering to which extra pounds can be lost precisely due to body fat, and not due to muscle mass.

The benefits of spelt

The main advantage of spelt is the preservation of all useful properties even with very fine grinding. The cereal contains vitamins K, E, PP, as well as B vitamins (B1, B2, B6, B12), and the amount of protein reaches 32% and includes 18 amino acids necessary for human health. In addition, spelled contains nicotinic and silicic acids, which have a beneficial effect on the nervous system and maintain vascular health, and folic acid, which is valuable for pregnant women. The culture is a real storehouse of fatty acids, fiber, macro and microelements – phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, selenium.

Gastroenterologist Julia Lerner explains: 

– Thanks to this unique composition, spelled improves the functioning of the digestive system, reduces the level of bad cholesterol, strengthens the muscular apparatus, stabilizes the hormonal background, and helps strengthen the immune system and the nervous system. Dishes from this cereal are useful for people with diabetes, as the microelements contained in it control the release of insulin and glucose in the body, reducing blood sugar spikes. The presence of folic acid in the composition has a positive effect on the health of the reproductive system of women. And for men, spelled is useful for the content of nicotinic acid, which contributes to the production of testosterone. The high level of fiber in spelled improves the digestion of food and normalizes the digestive tract. In addition, fiber prevents the accumulation of dangerous cholesterol, which reduces the risk of developing hypertension.

Spelled harm

Despite the undeniable benefits of spelled for the body, there are a number of contraindications to the use of this culture.

– Like wheat, this cereal contains gluten, so its use is dangerous for people with individual intolerance to this substance and celiac disease. It is also not recommended to include spelt in the diet in the presence of allergic reactions to cereal products, in the acute period of intestinal disorders, peptic ulcer, in case of a diagnosis of intestinal obstruction, – comments Julia Lerner. – Spelled dishes should be given in limited quantities to children under 3 years of age, as diarrhea, bloating, indigestion and abdominal pain may occur due to the high fiber content.

The use of spelled in cooking

The first dish that comes to mind at the mention of spelled is, of course, porridge. Spelled is also used in the preparation of soups and side dishes – from simple to atypical risotto and poke for our cuisine. Pancakes, pies and bread are baked from spelled flour. Spelled goes well with meat and vegetables, so it is suitable for both meat-eaters and vegetarians. Raw foodists can also use sprouted spelt as an independent dish or add it to salads.

Spelled porridge with mushrooms

Spelled porridge is an understandable and common dish. In Our Country, porridge was cooked in cast iron ovens without any additives.

Cut the onion into medium cubes, fry in 2 tablespoons of oil until golden brown, then add the washed and dried spelled and simmer for another 5 minutes. 

At this time, wash and coarsely chop the champignons, fry them separately in the remaining oil and combine in a saucepan with spelt. 

We completely fill the products with water, add pepper, salt and coriander to taste and leave to simmer over low heat under the lid until cooked (about 40 minutes). 

Spelled flour pie with chanterelles

Pie dough based on spelled flour goes well with both sweet and hearty fillings. But a particularly unusual and memorable combination will be the nutty aroma of spelled flour and the spicy rich taste of chanterelles.

To prepare the dough, the butter must first be frozen. 

We put flour, salt and chopped butter in a blender, knead well, then add 200 g of sour cream and scroll a few more times. We roll the dough into a ball, wrap it in a film and put it in the refrigerator for 40 minutes.

At this time, prepare the filling. We sort the mushrooms and fry in a pan until golden brown. After cooling the mushrooms, add the remaining sour cream and egg to them, salt to taste.

We roll out the dough, put it in a greased form and make the sides. Pour everything with mushroom filling and send it to the oven (180 degrees) for 40 minutes. 5 minutes before readiness, you can sprinkle grated cheese on top.

How to choose and store spelled

As with buying any other cereal, when choosing spelled, first of all, you need to pay attention to the integrity and tightness of the package, the amber color of the grains and the expiration date. It is best to store cereals in a dark, cool place in a closed container, ideally in a glass container in the refrigerator. In any case, the container must be protected from moisture and direct sunlight. 

To prevent the appearance of insects, you can put a clove of garlic, lemon peel, hot pepper or bay leaf in the container, and a bag of salt will help get rid of moisture.

The shelf life of spelled is 12 months, but it is better to store it no more than 8 months. The storage temperature should not exceed 20 degrees.