I am certainly in a conundrum concerning all the things I am learning about today's wheat. Internet research can be so handy but also so conflicting. I have seen some references to the fact that wheat has been genetically modified but that information is not consistent across all sources, to say the least. Some say it is genetically modified, while others claim it to be hybridized. Now I can handle a bit of hybridization in my food. That is no different than the dozens of apple varieties that we now have available. But genetic modification scares the tar out of me.
Our family has taken all soy from our diets, and all commercial corn products. We no longer use Canola oil at all either, all because the vast majority of these commercial US crops grown are GMO crops. I believe in my heart of hearts that we are going to find lots of serious problems in humanity because of the genetic engineering. Years ago, the first crop to be genetically modified was a type of tomato. It did not last long on the market for it was shown to be carcinogenic (cancer causing), but how many had to die for that to be proven? So as of now, there are no genetic engineered tomatoes, just to ease your mind. But we still tolerate soy and corn and Canola being genetically engineered in order to increase crop yields and help the farmers make more money... but is it safe?
The one way to make sure you are not eating something that is genetically engineered is by making sure it is Certified Organic, at least in the USA. (Canada and other countries have their own guidelines so I cannot speak for them). I don't know about you but when I read the list of ingredients and do my shopping, I find it difficult to discern between what is safe and what is not. There are preservatives, GMO issues, pesticide exposures, toxic chemicals, additives, artificial flavorings, etc. This is why I make so many of our foods and household staples from scratch with the purest of ingredients that I can find and as much of it organic as I can afford.
But even with all that being said, I cannot quite get a grip on whether wheat is a a good alternative for us or not. I admit that part of it is convenience and taste. So much of our food includes this grain in some form and I love my home made wheat bread! No one in my family has a gluten intolerance at this time but the numbers of people out there with celiac disease or gluten intolerance is on the rise. Whether that is due to genetic engineering, hybridization that resulted in increased gluten in our wheat, or commercial processing of the grain to extend the shelf life of flour, I am just not sure. I know that when I eat foods with wheat flour in them, I feel sort of bad in my stomach. I can't explain it and I don't profess it to be "bad" or "seriously limiting", but the feeling is there nonetheless. That is, in part, what has spurred this search and discussion.
Even if wheat itself has not changed significantly over the last few decades due to selective breeding or genetic modification, it is still suspicious to me that wheat flour can sit on a shelf for a long time waiting for us to buy it without having been somehow changed in the processing to account for that. Wheatberries used to be dried and stored whole and ground just prior to use by the housewife with a resulting short shelf life. I am reading a lot about ground wheat flour going "rancid" if not stored in the refrigerator or freezer and yet there it sits on a shelf in a paper bag for me to use in the kitchen.
After learning about the sprouting of nuts and finding out how much better they taste and feel in my gut when I eat them, I also began reading and hearing about "sprouted wheat". That is a process of soaking the wheatberries for 12 hours or more and then drying them thoroughly before grinding them just prior to use. Just like any seed, wheatberries contain enzyme inhibitors and a substance called phytic acid which blocks the absorption of other nutrients in our gut. With a diet high in commercially processed wheat products, I have come to believe that we may be sicker and carry more fat in our midsections. I do think that is true... but again, I do not want to completely give up wheat at this time if I can avoid it.
My newest venture will be to buy wheat in it's seed form (organic will be my preference for this staple) and soaking it to "sprout" it. Sprouting allows the seed to begin it's germination cycle, thereby releasing more nutrients and stopping the actions of the enzyme inhibitors and phytic acids present in the seed prior to sprouting. Once sprouted the wheatberries can be thoroughly dried out in a low oven or my overworked dehydrator. Once dry, I intend to grind those grains myself each week... just enough to make what we need, keeping it in the refrigerator or freezer for maximum freshness.
And why put all our eggs in one basket? Why not add some barley flour, spelt, buckwheat, quinoa flour, acorn flour, or even bean flour to mix with my wheat flour, adding additional nutrients to our breads and cookies. From what I read, each of these other flours can be substituted for up to 1/4 of the regular wheat flour called for in our traditional recipes without consequence.
Would you lend your comments to this blog please? I would appreciate hearing others opinions or experiences with milling their own grains or sprouting grains, or even baking gluten free. As of now the question remains, to wheat or not to wheat.
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