If you have stepped inside a health food store or local farmers market, you may have heard or seen the ingredient “Einkorn”. It has gained much popularity over the last decade due to more individuals in society educating themselves on the flaws of our food supply, specifically with the wheat in our country. I often educate patients on how much the wheat crop has changed for the worst in our country and how going gluten free is far beyond just a trend and more of a necessity these days. This has been a crucial part of our treatment process as we navigate reducing inflammation and healing the root of their health issues. However, for many who are generally healthy and have balanced microbiomes, there are ways around needing to be fully gluten free and one of the keys is einkorn!
So, what is einkorn? Einkorn is a wild ancient form of wheat that has never been modified or hybridized so it is in its purest form, as it has been for hundreds of years. As far as gluten goes, since it is a type of wheat, it does contain gluten however, it is a much lower content, making it easier to digest, and well tolerated by many gluten sensitive individuals. An important note is that einkorn is NOT gluten free and should NOT be consumed by Celiac disease patients.
What are the benefits of consuming einkorn? The main benefit is that the texture and taste are very similar to regular wheat, so it very easy to bake with, especially when it comes to bread, which is a great benefit as we know gluten free bread can often fall short of living up to real thing. The only think to note is that the amount of liquid in recipes made with einkorn vs wheat needs to be reduced by roughly 15-20%, therefore, it is recommended to find recipes more specific to einkorn and to not simply swap einkorn for wheat right away without changes the liquid ratios. Another benefit to using einkorn is that it is loaded with vitamins and minerals including iron, manganese, and zinc, making it a great nutrient-dense swap for wheat.
Where should I buy einkorn? Most grocery stores now carry einkorn flour in the baking section, specifically the Jovial brand which is imported from Europe, making it an even better option due to their higher standards of food processing. Additionally, we now sell einkorn in our office that is tested for pesticides and quality and imported from Europe. Bags can be purchased at our front desk any day of the work week!
If you are looking for more nutrition support or are interested in more specific diet recommendations unique to you, reach out to our front desk and book a nutrition consultation with me so we can get started on helping restore joy through nutrition!
Sanctuary Functional Medicine, under the direction of Dr Eric Potter, IFMCP MD, provides functional medicine services to Nashville, Middle Tennessee and beyond. We frequently treat patients from Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and more... offering the hope of healthier more abundant lives to those with chronic illness.
