Gluten in Spelt

[Sharon_Brady@att.net]

I have been told that the gluten in Spelt is "more fragile" and therefore usually not a problem for those of us who can't handle wheat, barley, rye, etc.

Others say "gluten is gluten," or that there is less gluten in Spelt, but it will still cause problems. Well, I often see references to "corn gluten." So, if gluten is gluten, then I should have problems with corn.

What is the real deal about Spelt. So far, it doesn't make me have problems, but I only eat it sparingly.

[Maria1223]

what I have learned that gluten is gluten. but spelt is on our list that we can handle. Some people have trouble with corn, or rice & ect... so it is up to your body to tell you what you can or can not handle. I myself do better with soy milk than Lactaid milk some people would disagree with me. some people can't handle any kind of nuts. as most people will tell you that it is trial & error, not everyone is alike we all Have CD or something but we all have our likes & dislikes.
I hope that this little bit can help you

[aklap]

Hi Sharon,

Welcome to the board!!

"My Ma Ma always says...gluten is as gluten does". I know that doesn't make sense, but it popped into my head when seeing "gluten is gluten"

Currently Spelt is not listed as safe as it does contain gluten regardless of the amount. You may not feel the affects of it...but your body maybe reacting to it. There are some celiacs that have NO SYMPTOMS. So just because you don't "feel" it...doesn't mean that it's not affecting you.

Scroll thru this list of grains & flours..you'll see spelt is a NO NO: http://www.csaceliacs.org/gluten_grains.php

As for Corn Gluten...it's really term that is mis-used. Celiac.com explains the whys & wherefores:

http://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodid=189&p_catid=13&sid=91hH9H1FYJzOAIV-59105542589.57

While corn is considered GF and safe for celiacs...it still can cause issues.
Here is one site on corn allergy/intolerance: http://www.cornallergens.com/

Have you tried a google on "Corn gluten"? Take a look thru some of the entries...you'll see corn gluten is used as a weed control agent. Kind of makes you wonder...

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/greenline/99v4/gl9904.03.html


I hope this helps!!
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

[maria1223]

Al,
thanks for that tip I guess I have to go back & update my list.




maria

[skbird]

Oh boy, don't get me on my spelt rant. I used to love spelt and when I quit eating wheat I would get this wonderful wholegrain spelt loaf at the farmers market every week. But it is NOT ok on a gluten free diet. I was in a restaurant recently that offers gluten free rice bread panini (I have them wrap the sandwich in foil before grilling) and I ordered it, asking for the gluten free rice bread, but the sandwich came out on what looked like whole wheat bread. I asked and was told, "oh, it's gluten free, it's spelt!" and I had to hold myself back from giving a major lecture. Spelt is NOT gluten free.

It frustrates me to no end that lists and resources keep insisting spelt is safe for Celiacs and gluten intolerant people. Really bad advice.
_________________
Stephanie

[Yasmine]

It's also promoted for wheat allergy sufferers but in reality, it's *very* close to wheat in molecular structure. I ate some thinking it would be okay, but it sure did a number on my allergy.

Yasmine
_________________
Can’t have: gluten, dairy, all yeasts, citrus, grapefruit, mushroom, radish, garlic, cranberry, papaya, asparagus, celery, egg, soy, lamb, lobster, oyster, shrimp, peanut, orange, cane sugar, allspice, thyme, ginger, nutmeg, black and red pepper, sesame

[skbird]

Yeah, interesting that people promote kamut and spelt as an alternative to wheat for allergy, too. I think for people who have some problems with wheat, it theorhetically is a good alternative. But if you have a true allergy, or gluten intolerance, it's still not going to be good for you.
_________________
Stephanie

[WheatFreePDX]

FYI: I was on a no wheat, spelt only diet for 3 months and though spelt didn't seem to affect me, I got a blood test after the 3mo to screen for celiac & came back with a 46 EU anti-gliadin level. (I was eating oats but not rye or barley).
_________________
Diagnosed with celiac disease (bloodwork & biopsy). GF (again in my adult life) since March 2005.

[Guest]

Spelt is 5000 yr old wheat!!!. It is Wheat that didn't evolve at the same rate as the wheat you see in stores today!!!. Spelt should not be consumed by anyone allergic to gluten. Even if you don't really react to it it's still doing plenty of damage. As much damage as eating a slice of wheat bread.

[aklap]

I thought this would be a good place to put this

FDA Seizes 5,000 Cases Of Bread From Bakery

http://wcco.com/local/local_story_010232451.html

(AP) Minneapolis Federal authorities seized more than 30,000 loaves of bread from the French Meadow Bakery and a storehouse on Tuesday, accusing the company of mislabeling the products as wheat-free.

The products contain the grain spelt, which U.S. Attorney Thomas Heffelfinger said shares common proteins with wheat and is just as dangerous to those allergic to wheat.

The bakery said it considers spelt to be an alternative to wheat.

Wheat allergies are among the most common of food allergies and can be life-threatening, especially to children, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

"Mislabeling actually creates a serious health risk in a significant percentage of the population," Heffelfinger said.

Some of the products contain Kamut, a similar grain.

The FDA warned French Meadow last April to relabel its loaves, but the company kept its original wheat-free labels anyway, according to papers filed in federal court.

French Meadow co-owner Steve Shapiro said the company has sold millions of loaves of spelt bread for 16 years with only one allergic reaction reported. But he said the company will change the labels once the new wording is approved.

"Spelt is an ancient grain. People with wheat allergies can tolerate spelt," Shapiro said.

Under recently revised Food and Drug Administration labeling rules involving allergens, bread containing spelt and Kamut cannot carry labels describing them as "wheat-free" or "wheat-alternative."

Bea Krinke, a professor at the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health, was surprised to hear that French Meadow had been labeling its spelt and Kamut bread that way.

"Spelt is a primitive form of wheat," said Krinke, a registered dietitian. "I would tell people who were allergic to wheat to avoid spelt as well."

The bread will remain frozen until the case is settled. Heffelfinger said none of the products already on food store shelves across the country will be recalled because the bread likely would exhaust its shelf life by the time a recall could be issued.

The products include: HealthSeed Spelt Bread, Spelt Bread, White Spelt Bread, Cinnamon Raisin Spelt Bread, Spelt Bread with Wild Rice, 100% Kamut Bread, Spelt Pizza Crusts, Spelt Bagels and Spelt Garlic Texas Toast.
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

[Cybergran10]

I hate to tell you this Spelt is just as deadly as wheat to a Celiac. Where ever you read that didn't understand Celiac disease. Unless you are just allergic to wheat then maybe it would be ok. I wouldn't try it there are many grains that are celiac safe and I wouldn't like to see you aggrivate your condition. Judy
_________________
When life gives you lemons make lemonaide

[Kathie]

Man I wish I had a scanner, just got the CSA Lifeline (Volume XXVI No.1, 2006, pg. 20) a couple of days ago and there is a whole page on spelt, checked the website but I couldn't find a link so here goes:

Spelt is a subspecies of wheat. The genus-species of modern bread wheat is simply "Triticum aestivum" Spelt wheat is a subspecies belonging to "Triticum asetivum speltoides"..Thus, there is no basis to say spelt is different from "wheat". The proteins in spelt are essentially identical to those in modern bread wheat; only the amounts are slightly different. Protein sequences are known to be toxic to persons with celiac disease and have been identified at the gene level in spelt wheat. Scott Beah PhD., Research Chemist for the USDA-ARS in Manhattan, KS.

"Gluten" is the inclusive term for a complex mixture of storage proteins found in grains. There are more than 50 different protein components in hexaploid wheat. When a person with Celiac Disease becomes exposed to specific amino acid sequences of some storage proteins, the immune system is stimulated to attack the body. All members of the Triticum family contain the amino acid sequences

The two major wheat species used for food production are bread wheat and durum wheat. However, other triticums were cultivated and consumed historically and are still marketed today. They include splet, emmer, and einkorn.

Common Name ---- Specific Name------------ Genomes
Wheat(bread)--------Triticum aestivum--------------- -A B D
Durum (pasta)-------Triticum turgidum var durum----A B
Spelt------------------Triticum aestivum var spelta----AA BB DD
Emmer----------------Triticum turgidum var diccum---AA BB
Kamut-----------------Triticum turgidum, ssp. turanicum---AA BB

A, B and D genomes of cultivated wheat are derived from related wild grass species of the genera Triticum and Asgilops and therefore encode the related proteins. "Consequently, it is not valid to expect any cultivated or wild wheat species to be nontoxic to those suffering from Celiac disease despite claims to the contrary."

Donald D. Kasarda and Renato D'Ovidio authored an article detailing the subject of spelt in 1999. The article is "Deduced Amino Acid Sequence of an a-Glaidin Gene from Spelt Wheat Includes Sequences Active in Celiac Disease" found in Cereal Chemistry, 1999, 76:548-551

1. The universal recommendation of medical professionals and celiac support organizations is to eliminate ALL forms of wheat from the diet of people with celiac disease.
2. The members of the Triticum family do not contain the same percentage of the storage proteins. A reduced level of "gluten" in spelt may not produce any visible symptoms in some celiac patients, but ingestion of those specific amino acids can still produce damage.
3. The only know treatment for celiac disease is a diet free of wheat, barley, rye and oats and their derivatives. Regular medical visits and periodic lab test help monitor the health of a person with Celiac Disease.

Whew, ok Now I need a nap. Hope this clears up the question. Oops, also to learn more about wheat varieties you can visit www.grainfields.com/alternativegrains



PS, please forgive any spelling errors, my fingers have dyslexia, not my brain.
_________________
CD by Biopsy 3/25/88

[rinne]

aklap, you are amazing, thank you for the resources you post.

As to that bakery, I find it horrifying that they would continue to mislabel a product that does harm to people.

I also fell for the spelt is better than wheat, the less gluten marketing strategy, for a short period of time but soon realized by body was reacting just the same as when I ate wheat.