Is fortified wheat that big of a deal?

[reality]

For the longest time I’ve avoided wheat because of the gluten devil, however I have recently been experimenting eating wheat products lately to great effect, better than other starch surprisingly.
iron fortification of wheat is a big problem however in the UK wheat is also fortified with calcium, which to my understanding will help block iron absorption. Calcium will also balance out the phosphorus, in addition to helping glucose utilisation...So the added calcium could be beneficial in making refined wheat a good source of carbs... as well as a source of calcium

thoughts?

 

[ecstatichamster]

I think reduced iron is very toxic. I buy organic flour and make bread and the flour is free from reduced iron. Can you get that?

 

[Perry Staltic]

I think reduced iron is very toxic. I buy organic flour and make bread and the flour is free from reduced iron. Can you get that?

That's what I recommend. For one very big reason because it eliminates, or minimizes, the risk of wheat contaminated with glyphosate. Possibly not a problem in the UK, but in the US and Canada wheat is frequently sprayed with the stuff when it's ripe in order to dessicate the plants and make them easier to harvest. In other words, the grain is directly contaminated with the stuff.

 

[reality]

I think reduced iron is very toxic. I buy organic flour and make bread and the flour is free from reduced iron. Can you get that?

Possibly yes, I will look into that

however do you think the added calcium would reduce that iron absorption?

 

[ecstatichamster]

Possibly yes, I will look into that

however do you think the added calcium would reduce that iron absorption?

reduced iron is really nasty. So I’m not sure that the calcium will do much.

 

[Lizb]

For the longest time I’ve avoided wheat because of the gluten devil, however I have recently been experimenting eating wheat products lately to great effect, better than other starch surprisingly.
iron fortification of wheat is a big problem however in the UK wheat is also fortified with calcium, which to my understanding will help block iron absorption. Calcium will also balance out the phosphorus, in addition to helping glucose utilisation...So the added calcium could be beneficial in making refined wheat a good source of carbs... as well as a source of calcium

thoughts?

Stoates do unfortified flour

 

[ecstatichamster]

I make my own bread because I can soak my own flour (non iron fortified) and that makes it more digestible. If you soak a long time the gluten is gone completely but the bread won't rise, so I don't go that far.

 

[akgrrrl]

The question must be first asked, "why did the wheat flour need to be fortified to begin with?" Mentioned already,but needs fully fleshed out is the topic of pesticides sprayed on nearly all monocrop, gmo wheat in America. At ripeness, planeloads of Monsanto Roundup (glyphosate) is applied to defoliate the wheat, saving millions of dollars. Cutting/threshing by mechanization is eliminated (wear and tear on machinery so less maintenance, man hours, fuel, etc) but the ripe kernals are saturated with a deadly poison that, by FDA standards renders it unfit for human consumption. (This statement is easily researched, glyphosate in newborns was found long ago)
Its quite easy to suspect that the recent decades of supposed "gluten intolerance" is simple reaction to poisoning by pesticides/defoliants. And therefore not a stretch to see that the solution to sell inedible poisoned grain would be the additions of synthetic vitamin/mineral compounds at production. Thus, "enriched flour".

 

[akgrrrl]

Postscript:
For years before Einkorn reached production, the only flour I would buy was a brand of red winter wheat from Montana, wherein the fall species stayed in the field until a hard frost defoliated it naturally.
In addition, the varieties defoliated by pesticide often lay in the field with several mornings of dew soaking the plants, creating dangerous molds and mildews.

 

[akgrrrl]

Soaking flour in cultured products as kefir, buttermilk, yogurt/water mixtures for a few hours or overnight greatly enhances its digestibility and absorbability of all nutrients .

 

[tankasnowgod]

however do you think the added calcium would reduce that iron absorption?

Iron and calcium compete for absorption, so it might.

But another issue is, iron promotes bacterial growth like no other substance. So if it doesn't get absorbed (and a large percentage won't, anyway), you will be promoting things like SIBO and larger bacteria populations in the colon. Keep in mind that the iron used in fortification doesn't have any of the natural protections you would get from plants or animals, making it quite different than eating a bunch of spinach, or a steak.

 

[gaze]

is all fortified iron "reduced iron" ? like is there any chance in the UK they use a different form?

 

[tankasnowgod]

is all fortified iron "reduced iron" ? like is there any chance in the UK they use a different form?

The vast majority is "ferrous sulfate," I would say well over 95%, maybe very close to 100%. You could always check the ingredient labels to be sure, but I see it listed always as "Ferrous Sulfate." The Weinberg book "Exposing the Hidden Dangers of Iron" mentioned some "new" types of iron for fortification, like iron bound to EDTA. But that book came out in 2004, and I haven't seen anything like that since I started checking labels for iron.

It's basically all small iron shavings. You can extract it by making a simple slurry and using a magnet in a plastic glass. Like so-

 

[yerrag]

Postscript:
For years before Einkorn reached production, the only flour I would buy was a brand of red winter wheat from Montana, wherein the fall species stayed in the field until a hard frost defoliated it naturally.
In addition, the varieties defoliated by pesticide often lay in the field with several mornings of dew soaking the plants, creating dangerous molds and mildews.

Is Einkorn the wheat variety that isn't hybridized, the type that doesn't cause gluten sensitivity?

I've made my own bread before using a grain mill to mill organic red winter wheat grains and it seems fine.

I'm not gluten-sensitive, but commercial bread is just a big hassle because it's spiked with iron. Though I can live without bread, I would miss eating it so I need to go back to making it myself with my breadmaker.

Especially now that I need to experiment going iron-free. Doing a watermelon fast now. Then considering water fast. Then dry fast. And maybe milk and cheese fast so I get some protein that doesn't have much iron in them.

I suspect I may need to cut out dietary iron in order to keep it from feeding microbes that may just grab iron conveniently from the blood stream, coming from food, before the body sequesters the iron away using lactoferrin and using internal histidine to effect storage in ferritin stores ( to keep iron away from microbes using it to multiply). If only therapeutically.

 

[akgrrrl]

Is Einkorn the wheat variety that isn't hybridized, the type that doesn't cause gluten sensitivity?

I've made my own bread before using a grain mill to mill organic red winter wheat grains and it seems fine.

I'm not gluten-sensitive, but commercial bread is just a big hassle because it's spiked with iron. Though I can live without bread, I would miss eating it so I need to go back to making it myself with my breadmaker.

Especially now that I need to experiment going iron-free. Doing a watermelon fast now. Then considering water fast. Then dry fast. And maybe milk and cheese fast so I get some protein that doesn't have much iron in them.

I suspect I may need to cut out dietary iron in order to keep it from feeding microbes that may just grab iron conveniently from the blood stream, coming from food, before the body sequesters the iron away using lactoferrin and using internal histidine to effect storage in ferritin stores ( to keep iron away from microbes using it to multiply). If only therapeutically.

Yes Einkorn was found only a few years ago. Not hybridized, extremely low gluten. It doesnt behave like your other wheat for a bread machine. If your recipe called for 1 cup of milk (for instance) I would soak the flour in a cup and a half of milk the night before, and even before that--- sour that milk for 20mins with a Tb of lemon juice or vinegar. Buttermilk, yogurt, and kefir cultures can serve as well, just making sure liquidity is similar to that original 1 cup ( or whatever your recipe that works for you...
Einkorn is actually a triticale. And it takes up fat and liquid much slower than "regular" wheats

 

[yerrag]

Yes Einkorn was found only a few years ago. Not hybridized, extremely low gluten. It doesnt behave like your other wheat for a bread machine. If your recipe called for 1 cup of milk (for instance) I would soak the flour in a cup and a half of milk the night before, and even before that--- sour that milk for 20mins with a Tb of lemon juice or vinegar. Buttermilk, yogurt, and kefir cultures can serve as well, just making sure liquidity is similar to that original 1 cup ( or whatever your recipe that works for you...
Einkorn is actually a triticale. And it takes up fat and liquid much slower than "regular" wheats

So Einkorn is itself a hybrid then. But one with less gluten being a cross between wheat and rye, which has little or no gluten (referring to rye). Interesting.

Thanks for sharing that it is a triticale. I had to look that up. It makes sense that using Einkorn to make bread would involve a different process.

 

[akgrrrl]

So Einkorn is itself a hybrid then. But one with less gluten being a cross between wheat and rye, which has little or no gluten (referring to rye). Interesting.

Thanks for sharing that it is a triticale. I had to look that up. It makes sense that using Einkorn to make bread would involve a different process.

Einkorn is the original wheat. I think there are many samples show its been unchanged for thousands of years. If I remember correctly, Einkorn was in the carrying pouch and undigested stomach contents of Itzhi? The frozen human that thawed out in the Italian Alps 150,000 yrs old? Einkorn.
So, its a shorter plant. Less yield compared to gmo'd so not many growers. A family in Italy the Bartoluccis grow with other landholders in some sort of a co-op.That company-- Jovial Foods pasta and flour or the berries you may want to go online. So worth it to have super fine grind Einkorn. It has a sturdy warm flavor.
I cant exist without my
Einkorn sourdough waffle, real maple syrup
1 hour pizza, both sweets and savory
All purpose Einkorn Pie Dough

 

[AlaskaJono]

Just saw this great thread folks. I have always used spelt instead of wheat flour. Well for 25 years or more. Also in the US of A it is easy and relatively cheap to get buckwheat flour also. Anyhow, spelt is more nutty and tasty than wheat, has never been hybridized as far as I can tell (from internet sources) and has been used continuously in Europe, Germany particularly. Dinkel it is called there. Also can make pizza dough, pie dough, etc. . There is usually whole spelt and 'white' spelt, just a lighter version. Cheers.

 

[yerrag]

Einkorn is the original wheat. I think there are many samples show its been unchanged for thousands of years. If I remember correctly, Einkorn was in the carrying pouch and undigested stomach contents of Itzhi? The frozen human that thawed out in the Italian Alps 150,000 yrs old? Einkorn.
So, its a shorter plant. Less yield compared to gmo'd so not many growers. A family in Italy the Bartoluccis grow with other landholders in some sort of a co-op.That company-- Jovial Foods pasta and flour or the berries you may want to go online. So worth it to have super fine grind Einkorn. It has a sturdy warm flavor.
I cant exist without my
Einkorn sourdough waffle, real maple syrup
1 hour pizza, both sweets and savory
All purpose Einkorn Pie Dough

I'd like to order some to try. You make me imagine the possibilities with it. How different does it taste and feel from Res Winter Wheat?

 

[akgrrrl]

So Einkorn is itself a hybrid then. But one with less gluten being a cross between wheat and rye, which has little or no gluten (referring to rye). Interesting.

Thanks for sharing that it is a triticale. I had to look that up. It makes sense that using Einkorn to make bread would involve a different process.

Einkorn is the original wheat. I think there are many samples show its been unchanged for thousands of years. If I remember correctly, Einkorn was in the carrying pouch and undigested stomach contents of Itzhi? The frozen human that thawed out in the Italian Alps 150,000 yrs old? Einkorn.
So, its a shorter plant. Less yield compared to gmo'd so not many growers. A family in Italy the Bartoluccis grow with

I'd like to order some to try. You make me imagine the possibilities with it. How different does it taste and feel from Res Winter Wheat?

I was trying to avoid saying buttery, but it is soft and warm tasting. The fine milled flour bakes soft like winter white wheats.It is about the same weight as red winter wheat in a final product, but of course that depends on the grind used. Heres what I do and a recipe to try:
After buying berries online to grind myself, I also keep the Jovial flour and mix the two equally.
Einkorn Easy Pastry Dough
Meat pies, baked plain with cinnamon and sugar, baked savory crackers(added shredded cheese, herbs, etc) fruit pies, layered tarts of all kinds, and my fave sweet potato pie and buttermilk pie. Yummy.
Have 2 eggs and a stick of butter (half cup) at room temp
Have a sheet of cling wrap spread out on the counter to put dough on to refrigerate.
Put 2 cups of flour on a clean countertop.
Add to that pile 1/4 tsp fine salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup sugar unless for savory bake, then just a tsp
Zest of a half lemon (optional but so good)
Using clean hand, swirl the dry ingreds to mix, make a well in the center and crack eggs in it, beat with a fork. Dump butter on top and start squeezing the egg butter and flour to combine, 2 minutes. Rub hands together to shag off remaining bits of dough using more flour as needed. Sometimes if it seems dry, I just sprinkle water over the whole mess until its a ball and I can use a spatula to clean the cabinet and end up with a doughball to flatten onto the cling wrap. Refrigerate at least 30mins,this lets the Einkorn absorb the fat and liquid.
You can roll this out or pat it into a pan, to whatever thickness you like for whatever your purpose. For pies, I put it in a med hot oven for 8 minutes and then take it out and pour in the fillings and set for the bake. I really dislike soggy crusts.
So quiche and buttermilk pies I bake about 325 degrees because lotsa eggs; fruit pies, meat pies 350. Plain sugared or cracker type munchies I watch carefully at 350.
this is a hefty recipe for a 10 inch tart pan with leftovers to bake cinnamon cookies, or divide however you wish see pics.
I see a chicken pot pie in your future!