Wheaty
Indiscretions: What Happens to Wheat From Seed to Storage
By
Jen Allbritton, Certified Nutritionist
Wheat--America’s grain of choice. Its hardy, glutenous
consistency makes it practical for a variety of foodstuffs--cakes,
breads, pastas, cookies, bagels, pretzels and cereals that
have been puffed, shredded and shaped. This ancient grain
can actually be very nutritious when it is grown and prepared
in the appropriate manner. Unfortunately, the indiscretions
inflicted by our modern farming techniques and milling practices
have dramatically reduced the quality of the commercial wheat
berry and the flour it makes. You might think, "Wheat
is wheat--what can they do that makes commercial varieties
so bad?" Listen up, because you are in for a surprise!
It was the cultivation of grains--members of the grass family--that
made civilization possible.1 Since wheat is one of the oldest
known grains, its cultivation is as old as civilization itself.
Some accounts suggest that mankind has used this wholesome
food since 10,000 to 15,000 years BC.2 Upon opening Egyptian
tombs archeologists discovered large earthenware jars full
of wheat to "sustain" the Pharaohs in the afterlife.
Hippocrates, the father of medicine, was said to recommend
stone-ground flour for its beneficial effects on the digestive
tract. Once humans figured out how to grind wheat, they discovered
that when water is added it can be naturally fermented and
turned into beer and expandable dough.2
Botonists have identified almost 30,000 varieties of wheat,
which are assigned to one of several classifications according
to their planting schedule and nutrient composition3--hard
red winter, hard red spring, soft red winter, durum, hard
white and soft white. Spring wheat is planted in the spring,
and winter wheat is planted in the fall and shoots up the
next spring to mature that summer. Soft, hard, and durum (even
harder) wheats are classified according to the strength of
their kernel. This strength is a function of the protein-to-starch
ratio in the endosperm (the starchy middle layer of the seed).
Hard wheats contain less starch, leaving a stronger protein
matrix.3
With the advent of modern farming, the number of varieties
of wheat in common use has been drastically reduced. Today,
just a few varieties account for 90 percent of the wheat grown
in the world.1
When grown in well-nourished, fertile soil, whole wheat is
rich in vitamin E and B complex, many minerals, including
calcium and iron, as well as omega-3 fatty acids. Proper growing
and milling methods are necessary to preserve these nutrients
and prevent rancidity. Unfortunately, due to the indiscretions
inflicted by contemporary farming and processing on modern
wheat, many people have become intolerant or even allergic
to this nourishing grain. These indiscretions include depletion
of the soil through the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides
and other chemicals, high-heat milling, refining and improper
preparation, such as extrusion.1
Rather than focus on soil fertility and careful selection
of seed to produce varieties tailored to a particular micro-climate,
modern farming practices use high-tech methods to deal with
pests and disease, leading to overdependence on chemicals
and other substances.
It Starts with the Seed
Even before they are planted in the ground, wheat seeds receive
an application of fungicides and insecticides. Fungicides
are used to control diseases of seeds and seedlings; insecticides
are used to control insect pests, killing them as they feed
on the seed or emerging seedling.7 Seed companies often use
mixtures of different seed-treatment fungicides or insecticides
to control a broader spectrum of seed pests.8
Pesticides and Fertilizers
Some of the main chemicals (insecticides, herbicides and
fungicides) used on commercial wheat crops are disulfoton
(Di-syston), methyl parathion, chlorpyrifos, dimethoate, diamba
and glyphosate.9
Although all these chemicals are approved for use and considered
safe, consumers are wise to reduce their exposure as much
as possible. Besides contributing to the overall toxic load
in our bodies, these chemicals increase our susceptibility
to neurotoxic diseases as well as to conditions like cancer.10
Many of these pesticides function as xenoestrogens, foreign
estrogen that can reap havoc with our hormone balance and
may be a contributing factor to a number of health conditions.
For example, researchers speculate these estrogen-mimicking
chemicals are one of the contributing factors to boys and
girls entering puberty at earlier and earlier ages. They have
also been linked to abnormalities and hormone-related cancers
including fibrocystic breast disease, breast cancer and endometriosis.13
Hormones on Wheat?
Sounds strange, but farmers apply hormone-like substances
or "plant growth regulators" that affect wheat characteristics,
such as time of germination and strength of stalk.11 These
hormones are either "natural," that is, extracted
from other plants, or synthetic. Cycocel is a synthetic hormone
that is commonly applied to wheat.
Moreover, research is being conducted on how to manipulate
the naturally occurring hormones in wheat and other grains
to achieve "desirable" changes, such as regulated
germination and an increased ability to survive in cold weather.12
No studies exist that isolate the health risks of eating
hormone-manipulated wheat or varieties that have been exposed
to hormone application. However, there is substantial evidence
about the dangers of increasing our intake of hormone-like
substances.
Chemicals Used in Storage
Chemical offenses don’t stop after the growing process.
The long storage of grains makes them vulnerable to a number
of critters. Before commercial grain is even stored, the collection
bins are sprayed with insecticide, inside and out. More chemicals
are added while the bin is filled. These so-called "protectants"
are then added to the upper surface of the grain as well as
four inches deep into the grain to protect against damage
from moths and other insects entering from the top of the
bin. The list of various chemicals used includes chlorpyrifos-methyl,
diatomaceous earth, bacillus thuringiensis, cy-fluthrin, malathion
and pyrethrins.14
Then there is the threshold test. If there is one live insect
per quart of sample, fumigation is initiated. The goal of
fumigation is to "maintain a toxic concentration of gas
long enough to kill the target pest population." The
toxic chemicals penetrate the entire storage facility as well
as the grains being treated. Two of the fumigants used include
methyl bromide and phosphine-producing materials, such as
magnesium phosphide or aluminum phosphide.14
Grain Drying
Heat damage is a serious problem that results from the artificial
drying of damp grain at high temperatures. Overheating causes
denaturing of the protein26 and can also partially cook the
protein, ruining the flour’s baking properties and nutritional
value. According to Ed Lysenko, who tests grain by baking
it into bread for the Canadian Grain Commission’s grain
research laboratory, wheat can be dried without damage by
using re-circulating batch dryers, which keep the wheat moving
during drying. He suggests an optimal drying temperature of
60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit).27 Unfortunately,
grain processors do not always take these precautions.
Modern Processing
The damage inflicted on wheat does not end with cultivation
and storage, but continues into milling and processing. A
grain kernel is comprised of three layers: the bran, the germ
and the endosperm. The bran is the outside layer where most
of the fiber exists. The germ is the inside layer where many
nutrients and essential fatty acids are found. The endosperm
is the starchy middle layer. The high nutrient density associated
with grains exists only when these three are intact. The term
whole grain refers to the grain before it has been milled
into flour. It was not until the late nineteenth century that
white bread, biscuits, and cakes made from white flour and
sugars became mainstays in the diets of industrialized nations,
and these products were only made possible with the invention
of high-speed milling machines.28 Dr. Price observed the unmistakable
consequences of these dietary changes during his travels and
documented their corresponding health effects. These changes
not only resulted in tooth decay, but problems with fertility,
mental health and disease progression.30
Flour was originally produced by grinding grains between
large stones. The final product, 100 percent stone-ground
whole-wheat flour, contained everything that was in the grain,
including the germ, fiber, starch and a wide variety of vitamins
and minerals. Without refrigeration or chemical preservatives,
fresh stone-ground flour spoils quickly. After wheat has been
ground, natural wheat-germ oil becomes rancid at about the
same rate that milk becomes sour, so refrigeration of whole
grain breads and flours is necessary. Technology’s answer
to these issues has been to apply faster, hotter and more
aggressive processing.28
Since grinding stones are not fast enough for mass-production,
the industry uses high-speed, steel roller mills that eject
the germ and the bran. Much of this "waste product"--the
most nutritious part of the grain--is sold as "byproducts"
for animals. The resulting white flour contains only a fraction
of the nutrients of the original grain. Even whole wheat flour
is compromised during the modern milling process. High-speed
mills reach 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and this heat destroys
vital nutrients and creates rancidity in the bran and the
germ. Vitamin E in the germ is destroyed--a real tragedy because
whole wheat used to be our most readily available source of
vitamin E.
Literally dozens of dough conditioners and preservatives
go into modern bread, as well as toxic ingredients like partially
hydrogenated vegetable oils and soy flour. Soy flour--loaded
with antinutrients--is added to virtually all brand-name breads
today to improve rise and prevent sticking. The extrusion
process, used to make cold breakfast cereals and puffed grains,
adds insult to injury with high temperatures and high pressures
that create additional toxic components and further destroy
nutrients--even the synthetic vitamins that are added to replace
the ones destroyed by refinement and milling.
People have become accustomed to the mass-produced, gooey,
devitalized, and nutritionally deficient breads and baked
goods and have little recollection of how real bread should
taste. Chemical preservatives allow bread to be shipped long
distances and to remain on the shelf for many days without
spoiling and without refrigeration.
Healthy Whole Wheat Products
Ideally, one should buy whole wheat berries and grind them
fresh to make homemade breads and other baked goods. Buy whole
wheat berries that are grown organically or biodynamically--biodynamic
farming involves higher standards than organic.34 Since these
forms of farming do not allow synthetic, carcinogenic chemicals
and fertilizers, purchasing organic or biodynamic wheat assures
that you are getting the cleanest, most nutritious food possible.
It also automatically eliminates the possibility of irradiation31
and genetically engineered seed. The second best option is
to buy organic 100 percent stone-ground whole-wheat flour
at a natural food store. Slow-speed, steel hammer-mills are
often used instead of stones, and flours made in this way
can list "stone-ground" on the label. This method
is equivalent to the stone-ground process and produces a product
that is equally nutritious. Any process that renders the entire
grain into usable flour without exposing it to high heat is
acceptable.
If you do not make your own bread, there are ready-made alternatives
available. Look for organic sourdough or sprouted breads freshly
baked or in the freezer compartment of your market or health
food store. If bread is made entirely with l00 percent stone-ground
whole grains, it will state so on the label. When bread is
stone ground and then baked, the internal temperature does
not usually exceed 170 degrees, so most of the nutrients are
preserved.28 As they contain no preservatives, both whole
wheat flour and its products should be kept in the refrigerator
or freezer. Stone-ground flour will keep for several months
frozen.28
Sprouting, soaking and genuine sourdough leavening "pre-digests"
grains, allowing the nutrients to be more easily assimilated
and metabolized. This is an age-old approach practiced in
most traditional cultures. Sprouting begins germination, which
increases the enzymatic activity in foods and inactivates
substances called enzyme inhibitors.1 These enzyme inhibitors
prevent the activation of the enzymes present in the food
and, therefore, may hinder optimal digestion and absorption.
Soaking neutralizes phytic acid, a component of plant fiber
found in the bran and hulls of grains, legumes, nuts, and
seeds that reduces mineral absorption.32 All of these benefits
may explain why sprouted foods are less likely to produce
allergic reactions in those who are sensitive.1
Sprouting also causes a beneficial modification of various
nutritional elements. According to research undertaken at
the University of Minnesota, sprouting increases the total
nutrient density of a food. For example, sprouted whole wheat
was found to have 28 percent more thiamine (B1), 315 percent
more riboflavin (B2), 66 percent more niacin (B3), 65 percent
more pantothenic acid (B5), 111 percent more biotin, 278 percent
more folic acid, and 300 percent more vitamin C than non-sprouted
whole wheat. This phenomenon is not restricted to wheat. All
grains undergo this type of quantitative and qualitative transformation.
These studies also confirmed a significant increase in enzymes,
which means the nutrients are easier to digest and absorb.33
You have several options for preparing your wheat. You can
use a sour leavening method by mixing whey, buttermilk or
yogurt with freshly ground wheat or quality pre-ground wheat
from the store. Or, soak your berries whole for 8 to 22 hours,
then drain and rinse. There are some recipes that use the
whole berries while they are wet, such as cracker dough ground
right in the food processor. Another option is to dry sprouted
wheat berries in a low-temperature oven or dehydrator, and
then grind them in your grain mill and then use the flour
in a variety or recipes.
Although our modern wheat suffers from a great number of
indiscretions, there are steps we can take to find the quality
choices that will nourish us today and for the long haul.
Go out and make a difference for you and yours and turn your
wheaty indiscretions into wheaty indulgences.
The
Weston A. Price Foundation
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