Haven’t Heard of Spelt?

Don’t worry! You are certainly not alone! With modernized Wheat being the predominant grain in the United States and then the Gluten Free Craze hitting the streets with its alternative cereals and seeds – Spelt has definitely not had its fair share of time in the spotlight.

Spelt is an ancient grain. It is nutritionally superior to modernized wheat in its vitamin, mineral, protein and amino acid content as well as its overall digestibility. See below to see just how Spelt stacks up against Wheat.

Spelt in comparison to wheat(s)

• Approximately 30% higher in Thiamin (Vitamin B1)
• Approximately 25% higher in B6
• Approximately 45% higher in Vitamin E
• Higher in unsaturated fatty acids (mainly Linol acid and Linoleen acid) which are important for regeneration of nerve cells.
• It is higher in water solubility, making it easier to digest and aiding in the nutrients being more easily absorbed by the body.
• Approximately 10-25% higher in protein, promoting fitness strength, muscle expansion and endurance. Many endurance athletes find spelt to be invaluable during training.
• It has a higher percentage of Amino Acids
• It has a higher level of L-Tryptophan which in turn promotes and aids in the production of serotonin.

You have probably stumbled upon us because you have heard that Spelt is the better grain choice – whether for digestibility or for an alkaline diet or for its powerhouse nutrient content – so why isn’t Spelt more commonly known?

First, Spelt is a tough grain to grow in the United States because it isn’t native here. It will likely always have a lower yield compared to Wheat just because of that fact. And a low yield crop generally means a low profit to a farmer.

Secondly, Spelt has a naturally occurring tight outer hull that is really tough to remove. In fact, it requires specialized and expensive equipment to do so and most farmers just don’t want to have to fight that battle.

Thirdly, the gluten in Spelt grain is different enough from modernized wheat that it makes it tough to bake with. Spelts gluten is more water soluble which ultimately means that Spelt dough needs a little extra babysitting or supervision, making it less than ideal for mass producing.  

Finally, all of these factors combined generally makes Spelt significantly more expensive to work with. It requires skilled farmers, millers and bakers, extra time and labor - particularly if you do not mass produce with it.

For companies that do mass produce Spelt products, you will likely see extra ingredients like “vital wheat gluten” and other dough conditioners to help make the dough travel through machinery easier.

Spelts Comeback!

Modernized Wheat definitely took over in grocery stores and for a few decades, Spelt was all but forgotten. As wheat and wheat gluten grew in manufacturing, so seemingly, did the rise in wheat sensitivities.

In the 1980s, Spelt made its comeback through word of mouth testimonials when people with varying degrees of gluten and wheat sensitivities tried it and discovered they could eat it with no adverse affects!

It was through these testimonies that Spelt bread began to make its way into the lives of people across the United States. In fact, this is still happening and we can’t tell you how much we enjoy reading the endless testimonies from people who consume our products!

The Berlin Natural Bakery Difference

If you check our labels you will see minimal ingredients because we bake in small batches (100 loaves at a time) to accommodate the fragile nature of the gluten in Spelt. Think of it this way – we bake our Spelt breads the old fashioned way which means we are able to use only a few, easy to recognize, quality ingredients.

Small batch baking ultimately yields the highest quality and consistency as well as spectacular flavor and texture that you will find in every bite!

Over the last 30+ years, we have done our research, we have heard from our customers (many who have been with us for decades!) and we have tried to stay plugged into the natural health food industry - not so that we can jump on the current trends but so that we can stay open to learning and growing and discovering just what is important to you and your family.

We have done and we still do our absolute best to ensure that when you buy products with the Berlin Natural Bakery label that you can do so with confidence.

Check out these testimonials if you would like to learn more!