Ancient Grains Blog

Selecting The Correct Mill For You

1/18/2015

Milling your own flour is a big step towards better health. When we decided to change our eating habits I was skeptical would we stick with it. This is what I considered, the mill had to be easy to use, not huge in size since my kitchen is not that large and the clean up had to be simple. The cost was a consideration but if it was not convenient and easy to use it did not matter what it cost. Milling fresh flour was a decision that I don't regret and we would never go back to eating processed flour it has changed our lives and health for the better.

There are basically 2 type of mills:

1. Hand Mill
There are some fine hand mills on the market and to be frank they are pricy, a couple of hundred dollars but they will mill excellent flour and oily products like nuts. Now if you are into toned arms and have endless hours to make your baked good this might be the perfect option of you. What I have found from friends that bought a hand mill is they have no energy left to bake bread after milling the flour. I will say their arms are in better shape than mine will ever be.

2. Electric Mill
Electric mills are wonderful machines and there are a variety of options and price ranges. You need to ask yourself; are you only going to be milling grain, or are you interested in milling corn, beans and your own peanut butter. This decision will make a difference in what type of mill you are going to buy.

Impact Mill
These have 2 flat stainless steel heads with concentric rows of "teeth" that spin at a high speed. When the grain drops into the mill it's hammered into flour. These mills are very fast, efficient and do a great job. My first mill was an impact type mill but they will not handle oily products or larger grains like corn or beans. So if your only going to do smaller grains like wheat this type of mill will work for you.

Burr or Stone Mill
These are the most common. They have two grinding plates, one fixed and the other rotated by a power source. The grain is fed into a gap between the burrs, which are grooved to aid the shearing and crushing of the grain. Composite stone burrs are constructed by pressing natural or artificial stones (and sometimes metal cutting blades) in a bed of cement. Metal burrs/plates, some of which are flat and some cone-shaped, are constructed of hardened cast steel or other metal. Basically, stone burrs tend to crush the grain, and metal burrs tend to break and shear it. Currently I use a stone mill, it will mill anything that I want to mill from grain, corn to beans. It's fast, easily cleaned but it's larger than my impact mill the trade off is worth it. I have my mill on a rolling file cabinet so all I do is roll it to the kitchen to mill. Now I mill more than the average person since I sell flour to others.

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Fonio The Next Super Grain

1/18/2015

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Fonio is a new grain on the market in the United States but this is a very old grain cultivated in West Africa for thousands of years. Fonio is a kind of millet that has a nutty flavor – a cross between couscous and quinoa in both appearance and texture. It’s gluten-free and nutritious because of two amino acids, cystine and methionine, which make it a favorite for those who are gluten intolerant or have celiac disease.

Culinary Uses of Fonio Grains
There are many uses for this ingredient, and it's considered one of the best tasting cereals. It can be used instead of rice or other grains and also added to regular flour to boost the nutritional value. Flour from this crop may also be used for making cakes and fritters. Traditionally it's eaten as couscous or gruel (thick or thin) along with baking flat breads.
Children and the elderly primarily consume it, since it can be easily digested. Those on diets will find it has a pleasing taste and Fonio is low in fat which is a bonus.

Health Benefits
Fonio has the smallest seeds of all the species of millet. It's both nutritious and one of the world's fastest growing cereals, reaching maturity in as little as six to eight weeks. It's a crop that can be relied on in semi-arid areas with poor soils, and unreliable rainfall.

Due to its high fiber content, this grain is recommended for people suffering from digestive problems. Fonio is a favorite with diabetics because of it's insulin secreting properties. It's also richer in calcium, magnesium, zinc and manganese than other grains.

This grain also contains high levels of methionine and cystine, amino acids essential to our health which our body cannot produce on its own. These nutrients are missing in today's major cereals. Methionine is an essential amino acid which helps the liver to process fat. Cystine is a major constituent of the proteins that make up hair, nails and skin, and is involved in the detoxification processes of the body.

Moderate Glycemic Index
Foods that are slowly absorbed produce only small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin and therefore have a low GI rating. Choosing low GI foods is important for those with diabetes because these foods can help even out blood glucose levels. Fonio has an overall lower glycemic index (GI =66) compared to Sorghum (GI =72) and rice at (GI = 95).

This is a grain that is been used for thousands of years but is new to the U.S. I'm sure we will be hearing more about it in the future.

Sources:
wikipedia.org
http://foodlorists.blogspot.com/2007/11/fonio-and-gluten-intolerance.html
“Fonio is one of the most nutritious of all grains” Lost Crops of Africa: Grains. Edited F. R. Ruskin

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Ancient Grain Einkorn

1/18/2015

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Einkorn is an ancient grain, and is known as the oldest variety of "wheat." Einkorn is also sometimes referred to as "farro" or "farro einkorn." Einkorn was first cultivated 5,000 to 10,000 years ago. It's classified as a "diploid" because it only has two sets of chromosomes. Modern wheat varieties are classified as "hexaploid," having six sets of chromosomes, due to a long history of hybridization. Einkorn is thought to have originated in the upper area of the fertile crescent of the Near East (Tigris-Euphrates regions), and is quite probably the main grain recorded in the earliest biblical history. Einkorn became widely distributed throughout the Near East, Transcaucasia, the Mediterranean region, southwestern Europe, and the Balkans, and was one of the first cereals cultivated for food.

Another ancient grain, Emmer, has four sets of chromosomes and was probably an early hybrid of wild Einkorn that was more suitable for a wider range of climates and geographical areas, particularly warmer climates. Emmer became the predominant wheat throughout the Near and Far East, Europe and northern Africa until about 4,000-1,000 BC. It was still cultivated in isolated regions such as south-central Russia into the last century, and even today remains an important crop in Ethiopia and a minor crop in Italy and India.

The oldest hexaploid grain and the predecessor to modern wheat is probably Spelt. Spelt was a hybrid of Emmer with more adaptability then Emmer. These three ancient grains are known as "the covered wheats," since the kernels do not thresh free of their hard coverings. Thus making them more labor intensive to mill. These ancient grains went through a long history of hybridizations to make them easier to mill and process into our modern day wheat. Also to make them more desirable for bread making with a higher gluten content. But due to gluten toxicity issues, many are reviving the ancient varieties of grains, and Einkorn being the oldest.

Nutritional Characteristics of Einkorn
The ancient grain Einkorn (triticum monococcum) is packed with nutrition. It's a rich source of the beta carotene lutein, a powerful antioxidant. Einkorn has the highest amounts of lutein of any other variety of wheat. Einkorn is also a rich source of tocotrienols and tocopherols, powerful antioxidants and forms of Vitamin E. Compared to modern wheat varieties, Einkorn has higher levels of protein, crude fat, phosphorous, and potassium.

Gluten and Toxicity
Since Einkorn is such an ancient grain and the only known diploid classified variety of wheat still known to exist today, there has been considerable interest in the issue of gluten toxicity. One way of measuring gluten toxicity is by the gliadin to glutenin ratio. Einkorn has a much more favorable ratio than modern wheat varieties. Einkorn has a gliadin to glutenin ratio of 2:1 compared to 0.8:1 for Durum and Hard Red wheat. While this lower gluten ratio may hold some promise for gluten intolerance disorders, it should be cautioned that Einkorn DOES contain gluten, and so those desiring to avoid all gluten are NOT recommended to consume einkorn.

References
1. Alternative Wheat Cereals as Food Grains: Einkorn, Emmer, Spelt, Kamut, and Triticale, by G.F. Stallknecht, K.M. Gilbertson, and J.E. Ranney - Center for New Crops & Plant Products, Purdue University

2. Carotenoids and tocols of einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum ssp. monococcum L.), by Alyssa Hidalgoa, Andrea Brandolinib, Carlo Pompeia, Roberta Piscozzi, DISTAM–Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Alimentari e Microbiologiche, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy - Journal of Cereal Science Volume 44, Issue 2, September 2006, Pages 182–193

3. Against the Grain, by Katherine Czapp, The Weston A. Price Foundation

4. Lack of intestinal mucosal toxicity of Triticum monococcum in celiac disease patients. by Pizzuti D, Buda A, D'Odorico A, D'Incà R, Chiarelli S, Curioni A, Martines D. Source Department of Surgical and Gastroenterological Sciences, Padua University, Italy - Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterol. 2006 Nov;41(11):1305-11.

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Indian Meal Moth

1/18/2015

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Pantry pests are a common problem, especially this time of year as the weather warms up. If you buy wheat berries, dry pet food or bird seed you need to be on the look out for this pest. Since I buy large quantities of grain I'm always on the look out for the Indian Meal Moth and if I spot one flying around the house I simply put out the traps.

The Indian Meal Moth, alternatively spelled "Indianmeal" Moth, is also referred to as the North American High-flyer, Weevil Moth, Pantry Moth; or sometimes just called the flour moth or grain moth. Whatever name you choose to call this little pest, you want to control it before it damages your cereals, seeds and grains. Below is information about the month from Colorado State Extension office.

Indian Meal Moth by W. Cranshaw
Quick Facts...

Indian meal moth is a small, grayish-brown moth common in many homes. The caterpillar stage feeds on nuts, herbs, coarsely ground grains, and other pantry items.
The first stage of control is to identify all potential sources of infestation in a home.
Infested materials should be discarded, promptly used up, or treated with heat or cold to kill insects found in the food. A thorough clean-out of all food sources is critical to managing Indian meal moth.
Storing items in insect resistant containers or in cold storage can prevent re-infestation.

The Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella) is the most common household moth that can reproduce in homes. It develops as a pest of various foods commonly found in pantries. The caterpillars can seriously damage susceptible food items and the adult moths can become annoying as they fly through the home.

Description
The adult is a small moth, about 3/8 inch long with a wing span of about 5/8 inch. The overall body color is generally dirty gray but the tip half of the wing is rusty brown or nearly bronze. This wing marking pattern allows Indian meal moth to be easily distinguished from other household moths.

The caterpillar stage is usually cream colored, sometimes with yellowish-green or pinkish shades, and has a dark brown head. Normally they stay associated with foods, but the full grown caterpillars, about 2/3 inch long, may be seen as they wander in search of a place to pupate.

Indian meal moths develop in many kinds of stored foods. Coarsely ground grains and cereal products are commonly infested. Dried herbs, dried fruits, and nuts are also highly favored. Pet foods such as dried dog food, flaked fish food, and bird seed can also become infested. Indian meal moth may also breed in ornamental items made of dried flowers or seeds.

The moths usually fly at dusk and through the night. Females lay tiny eggs (ca. 0.5 mm) on or near potential food items. The newly hatched caterpillars (larvae) seek out foods and begin to develop. As they feed they often produce silk that loosely binds to food fragments. In large, undisturbed containers feeding is concentrated on the surface as the larvae do little burrowing. However, caterpillars may occur throughout the product within small, loose packages typically found in household pantries. The caterpillars are capable of chewing through plastic bags and thin cardboard.

The rate of development is dependent on factors including temperature and food quality. Under optimum temperatures the caterpillars may become fully-grown in as little as a month; development typically requires a much longer period. When feeding is completed the caterpillars usually wander from the food and search for a place to pupate. They then create a loose cocoon covering within which they pupate and subsequently transform to the adult stage. Cocoons are most often located in cracks or confined spaces, such as the junction between walls and ceiling.

The adults emerge, mate and lay eggs. Since the moths do not feed they usually survive little more than a week. During this time the female may deposit over 200 eggs, laid either directly on food or in crevices adjacent to the stored foods on which they feed. Probably three or four generations can be completed annually in a home although all stages may be present as generations overlap.

Control of Indian Meal Moth
The first, and most critical, step is to identify all sources of infestation. The presence of some webbing is usually the most effective way to determine which items are infested.

This examination must be thorough as the range of materials potentially infested is so broad. First go through items in the pantry which may host Indian meal moth. They are commonly found in coarse cereal products (e.g, oatmeal, breakfast cereals), nuts, herbs and spices, dried soups, dried fruits and vegetables. Pay particular attention to items that have remained in the cupboard for long periods. Foods that are loosely sealed or are in thin wrapping are more likely to be infested than materials in insect resistant containers such as hard plastic or metal.

Indian meal moth may also be found in other materials around the home. Dried dog food and bird seed should be checked. Dried flowers and some craft items that include seeds may be infested. Areas where flour and other materials used in baking may have spilled can support Indian meal moth. Larvae are also known to occur in the stored caches of seeds and nuts that squirrels and other rodents may have around the home.

Infested material should be immediately discarded, used up, or somehow treated to disinfect. Treatments involve using heat or cold to kill any larvae and eggs that may be in the food. Cold treatment requires putting infested items in deep freeze for at least two or three days. Effectiveness of cold treatment may be improved by alternating freezing treatments with rewarming to room temperatures for a few days. High temperature treatments involve oven heating at around 120 to 140 degrees F for 20 minutes. (Somewhat longer intervals are needed if treated items are bulky, requiring longer periods to raise internal temperatures.) Injury to the food is possible with excessively high temperature treatments.

Since insects also can develop on spilled food, thoroughly clean areas where food was stored by vacuuming or sweeping up all spilled food. The thoroughness of the cleaning is important primarily to eliminate food for surviving insects to feed on. The nature of the cleaning agent (soapy water, bleach, etc.) is less important than the permanent elimination of the food.

Heat or cold treated objects are capable of being immediately re-infested as long as Indian meal moths remain in the home so extra care should be taken during this stage. Although adult moths may only live for a week or so, larvae that have recently pupated in hidden areas of the home may also be a potential source of re-infestation. Therefore Indian meal moths must be denied access to all food sources for the length of time that is required to complete the pupal stage plus how long the adult life span can be. A month should be adequate to cover this period.

In the interim, susceptible food items must be stored to prevent re-infestation. Place foods in tightly sealed containers. Food also may be stored in the refrigerator or outdoors until the moths have died out.

Although Indian meal moth can be eliminated, re-infestation are always possible through accidental reintroductions on infested food. Consideration should be given to how bulk foods are stored. Bulk seeds and other commonly infested foods (e.g., bird seed, dog food) should be stored in outbuildings away from the pantry area. Foods in pantries should be stored in containers that are tight-fitting enough to prevent entry by the minute early stage larvae and must be thick enough to prevent it being penetrated by the chewing of late stage larvae

Use of insecticides within the pantry area is not recommended and will normally give little, if any, additional control in the absence of a thorough clean up and treatment of infested materials. Some household insecticide may allow crack and crevice treatments near food storage areas, but these must be restricted to these site.
Never apply insecticides in a manner that allows direct contact with food, food preparation surfaces or food utensils.

There are available traps for Indian meal moth that are baited with an attractant known as a sex pheromone. This is the chemical used by the female Indian meal moth to attract males. Such traps are very useful for identify “hot spots” of infestation. However their ability to control Indian meal moth is highly doubtful, despite occasional claims to this effect by suppliers. This is because the traps only capture males, and usually only a fraction of these. As mated females are not captured, they will continue re-infestation.

Colorado State University Extension entomologist and professor, bioagricultural sciences and pest management. 4/03. Reviewed 3/08.

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Genetically Modified Organisms or GMO's

1/18/2015

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I get asked the question at the Farmer's Market often, "Are the grains I use in my breads non-GMO"? All of my grains I use in my baked items are Organic or Certified Chemical Free. Organic products must be GMO-free by definition and are certified by a third party. All of my wheat comes exclusively from North America; GMO wheat is not approved for sale or is there commercial production in North America.

What are GMOs?
Genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, are organisms whose genetic makeup was not created through traditional cross-breeding methods (hybridization) or naturally in the wild. This manipulation of DNA is known as genetic engineering, so GMO foods are often called “genetically engineered.” GMOs are found extensively in major crops grown in the United States, like corn and soy but not wheat.

The wheat we harvest and consume today is the result of many years of traditional (selective) breeding by farmers and scientists, where the desirable traits of two different wheat plants (of the same species) are combined in a new hybrid by mating different parent varieties. Before humans began to facilitate this hybridization, the process happened naturally when different varieties of wheat cross-pollinated; hybridization has been going on, so far as agricultural historians are able to track, for nearly 10,000 years.

Traits identified as desirable in wheat include better drought tolerance, fuller seed heads, better baking quality and shorter stalks, among others. Continuing hybridization has led to wheat varieties that use fewer resources (fertilizer, water, fuel) and yield more wheat per acre.

As of 2013, no GM (genetically modified) wheat has been approved for release anywhere in the world. There have been 34 field trials of GM wheat which have taken place in Europe and 419 have taken place in the US as of 2013. Modifications tested include those to create resistance to herbicides, create resistance to insects and to fungal and viruses, tolerance to drought and resistance to salinity, heat tolerant. increased content of gluten to aid bakers, and to improved nutrition.

That is why you don't see claims on flour that it's non-GMO, not to say this will not happen in the future. Wheat is a major export for the U.S and the countries that buy the wheat from us do not want GMO wheat, so as of right now it's not profitable for the farmers to grow genetically modified wheat.

References:
King Arthur Flour
wikipedia.org

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Feekeh Ancient Way To Process Wheat

1/18/2015

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Freekeh (pronounced “free-ka”)
Freekeh is the name of a process and not a variety of wheat but, often Durum wheat is used to make Freekeh. You may see Freekeh referred to as freekah, frikeh, fireek, or farik. This process captures the wheat grains at a state of peak taste and nutrition. It's produced by harvesting grains while still soft, young and green, then sun dries, roasts, polishes and cracks the wheat. This gives a slightly smokey flavor to the grain. Freekeh is very popular in the middle east and used in a variety of dishes.

Freekeh can be used in a variety of ways:

As a side dish (prepared and served like rice).

As an ingredient in soups and stuffing's.
Served with greens with a dressing as a salad.
To make vegetarian burgers.
Freekeh flour, semolina, and bran make fantastic breads, pastries, and pastas.

Health Benefits
People have enjoyed Freekeh since ancient times. Now modern researchers have started to discover that green wheat retains more proteins, vitamins, minerals and has many health and nutritional benefits.

Complex Carbohydrate so it has a low glycaemic index which makes it excellent for diabetics.
Greatly improves bowel health due to the high fiber of the whole grain. It has four times the fiber of brown rice.
Good prebiotic with large numbers of biofidobacterial and lactobacilli. Prebiotics are needed to feed the probiotics in your system. Prebiotics...More Information
Great for weight loss, it fills you up and since it has so much fiber it cleans you out.
Freekeh is rich in Zeaxanthin and Lutein (implicated in the prevention of age-related macular degeneration).
Grains that have been through the Freekeh process have a higher protein quality.

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Selecting The Correct Mill For You

Fonio The Next Super Grain

Ancient Grain Einkorn

Indian Meal Moth

Genetically Modified Organisms or GMO's

Feekeh Ancient Way To Process Wheat

Grain Education

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