What is spelled, how is it different from other cereals and how is it eaten?

Doctors constantly insist on the need to introduce various cereals in the daily diet of children and adults. Such well-known cereals as millet, rice, barley and buckwheat have the most beneficial effects on the body, contributing to the improvement of the digestive system and many other organs. However, few people have heard of another cereal - spelled. Meanwhile, this culture in ancient times was a constant guest on the table.

Spelled is considered a wild-growing barefoot relative of wheat, visually it looks like a red-brown ear, and when cooked it has a spicy taste with unobtrusive nutty notes. Such whole-grain cereals have several names - spelled, kamut and two-grained, although this is not entirely true. These plants are very similar to each other. However, spelled is the precursor of spelled and contains another chromosome set. However, this difference does not affect the appearance, taste or agrotechnical features.

The first mention of the wild spelled dates back to the times of ancient Babylon and Egypt - then this product was part of the daily diet of both rich nobles and the poor. In Russia, this unique product was most popular at the end of the XVIII century.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the product was also quite famous; for several decades it was believed that this was just a separate type of wheat. However, scientists later found out that this was not true - during the Soviet years, spelled appeared in the well-known collection Cultural Flora of the USSR as an independent plant. To be precise, it is more likely the progenitor of modern wheat, it was from her that most of the known varieties were derived.

For many years, spelled was forgotten by our compatriots - this is due to the peculiarities of its cultivation. The plant gives very few grains, and besides, they are harder to clean and thresh, which is why the plant ceased to grow at the state level - the more productive "relatives" took the place of the grass. A new round of interest in spelled appeared relatively recently - when healthy lifestyle, principles of proper nutrition and wellness industry came into vogue. Most nutritionists consider it the only product, the use of which has reached our times in its original form.

Nowadays, active work is underway aimed at reviving this unusual culture. Breeders of Bashkortostan and Dagestan are working to change the varietal characteristics in order to increase yields while maintaining the maximum nutritional value. Today, the product can be found on the shelves of large supermarkets - the sale of cereals comes under the designation "Kamut".

By the way, this product is in great demand in Italy and India, it is even called “black caviar of cereals”, which better than any words indicates the importance of the product. The description of this cereal has its own characteristics:

• the plant is characterized by resistance to prolonged drought;
• ears are not showered even under the most adverse atmospheric conditions;
• grain has a protective film;
• from cereal do not produce flour on an industrial scale due to the technological complexity of threshing ears, production, as a rule, exclusively limited quantities;
• products made from half-flour are becoming stale rather quickly.

If more, then the wheat useful elements are inside the seed, and separated from the whole white flour almost does not carry any vitamin and mineral value.In spelled micro-and macronutrients necessary for man are evenly spaced and are present even in crushed cereals, which are initially freed from any solid shells.

It is believed that the homeland of spelled are Mediterranean countries, since the earliest and most frequent references to it are found in Turkey, Egypt, Armenia and Babylon. Many archaeologists believe that culture appeared in the VI-V millennium BC. The oldest grains of this grass were found in the valleys of the Ararat mountain complex, and a little later they were found in the Caucasus and in Russia.

Today, culture is grown in America, as well as in Turkey, Iran and India. On the territory of our country it is cultivated in the southern regions of Dagestan. Spelled has its agrotechnical features. It does not tolerate contaminated soils, so its germination is possible only in ecologically clean land. Spelled does not accumulate carcinogens and does not absorb the components of fertilizers and fertilizers. All this makes culture an extremely attractive product for those who are trying to enrich their diet with healthy and environmentally friendly food.

Many people compare spelled with wheat, however, in its vitamin-mineral composition, the first cereal is much richer than its great-great-great-granddaughter. Spelled contains much more magnesium, calcium, iron and zinc, the product is rich in vitamins B, A and E. All these components have the most beneficial effect on the functioning of the nervous system, the growth and development of bone and muscle mass, the strengthening of vascular walls, as well as improvement visual acuity and increased immunity.

Spelled - is a real pantry of proteins, it contains 18 essential amino acids that the body can not get along with food of animal origin. Such a composition can not boast of any other croup.

This is extremely useful for full growth and development, since it is amino acids that are the main building material of organs and tissues of the human body. Nutritionists recommend including spelled dishes in the menu, because groats have a balanced composition of BJU, as well as vitamins and mineral components.

In recent years, the number of visits to doctors of children suffering from asthma and allergies has increased significantly. The reason for this unfavorable ecology and poor quality of food presented in stores. With such illnesses, products containing gluten are banned, so almost all grains are banned. Polba of this unpleasant component, provoking the development of autoimmune pathologies, does not contain, which is why such cereal can be consumed without fear of complications.

The product has accumulated a lot of phosphorus and calcium - this makes cereal indispensable for people of mature age, who quite often face osteoporosis and other age-related changes in the skeletal system. Cereal gluten has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract, so the product should be included in the diet of patients with celiac disease.

Frequent use of the product allows you to get rid of many diseases:

• croup boosts immunity;
• improves resistance to viral and bacterial infections;
• normalizes intestinal peristalsis, eliminates the problem of constipation, gas formation and abdominal distention;
• increases hemoglobin, prevents the development of iron deficiency anemia;
• strengthens the musculoskeletal system;
• normalize metabolism;
• contributes to the regulation of the endocrine system;
• regulates the amount of glucose in the blood;
• improves eyesight, as well as the condition of hair, nails and skin;
• removes excess cholesterol.

The use of cereal is not limited to its therapeutic features.Spelled is often included in diets to reduce excess weight. Krupa is optimal for those who seek to get rid of unwanted pounds without harming their body. Spelled porridge is full of complex carbohydrates, which give the necessary feeling of satiety and energy for a long time. At the same time the product is very well absorbed, when it is consumed, there is no feeling of heaviness in the stomach. After a meal of cereal, the body will not require another, more high-calorie food.

In addition, group B vitamins in the structure of the product contribute to the maximum absorption of fat, improve peristalsis, which also plays a significant role in the fight against obesity. Germinated spelled is an excellent source of volatile production, which strengthen the immune system and heal the body as a whole. The product has practically no contraindications, it is worth excluding from its diet only to those who suffer from individual intolerance to cereals.

Spelled tree does not have the ability to interbreed with other cereals, so over the millennia of its growth, it has managed to retain its original composition, which is much more useful than most modern cereal varieties. Spelled has a balanced composition of BJU, 100 g of the product contains 15 g of protein, 2.5 g of fat and 70 g of carbohydrates. This is a high-protein product that has a low calorie content.

If 100 g of raw grain contains 340 kilocalories, then during cooking, the indicator significantly decreases and stops at around 127 kcal. The product contains 40% vegetable protein, vitamins B, E and nicotinic acid, and is also rich in a variety of micro and macro elements. Nutrients are contained not only in the shell, as is the case with simple wheat, but throughout the grain as well.

Spelled contains much more gluten than simple wheat, however, this substance is well absorbed and soluble, which is why the product has an increased benefit to the body. Purely visually grains resemble pearl-barley, but differ in more red shade. The difference lies in the method of processing grain - when cleaning the grain, the grain completely gets rid of all the shells, only gluten remains in the flour, but the spelled is cleared with great difficulty from all its protective layers.

The advantages of spelled in comparison with other types of cereals are obvious:

• the plant is quite resistant, it does not break and does not crumble under any adverse weather conditions (rain, strong wind and even hurricane);
• spelled grains a little more than wheat;
• The grain inside the grain is fairly well protected, they have a dense inedible film, which reliably envelops them, saving them from diseases, pests, and preventing radiation and toxic substances from penetrating inside.

There are culture and disadvantages. The use of cereals in the form of porridge has exceptional benefits and nutritional value, while the flour in its baking parameters is significantly inferior to wheat, rye and buckwheat. Bread from such flour hardens quite quickly, and it is rather difficult to get this flour, because at the time of threshing, the scales, spikelets and flower fragments remain in the structure of the cereal.

The spelled is also sometimes called spelled, and some hostesses confuse it with barley, which is obtained from barley. However, the composition of the products is significantly different. Barley contains much more starch, but the concentration of useful minerals in it is much lower.

The recipes of spelled are long forgotten, but gradually this product restores its lost demand. However, despite the low popularity of the product, we still got some recipes for cooking spelled, and even experienced chefs have created many new ones, thanks to which you can prepare mouth-watering and exceptionally nutritious dishes. Spelled has a sweet-nutty flavor, so for cooks and housewives, it has become an excellent find, cereals are used in the preparation of mushroom soups, sauces, pastries, for breading meat and meatballs, and also added to minced meat.

Speln is often added to salads, and also stewed with beans. Some even replace it with rice in the pilaf.

This is an old Russian dish, in preparation of which is half a glass of yogurt and a glass of milk. Pour a glass of cereal with this mixture and let it brew for 5-7 hours. After the allotted time, all the ingredients must be mixed and poured into a saucepan, then put on a low heat and cook until the liquid has evaporated completely. If desired, you can add berries, fruits, sugar, honey and butter to the finished porridge.

Owners of multivarcs can cook an appetizing porridge in it - the principle of cooking is the same, however, the croup can swell in plain water, adding whey is not mandatory.

From the groats are quite tasty soups. The classic recipe involves the use of the following ingredients:

• croup - 100 g;
• cream - 3-4 tbsp. l .;
• bow;
• butter - 1 tbsp. l .;
• salt and spices.

To prepare the dish, boil the broth until it is cooked, fry the finely chopped onion in butter, and then add it to the finished meat broth along with the grits. After boiling it is necessary to add spices, salt and continue cooking for about an hour. When the soup is almost ready, you should pour in some cream, and then mix the entire contents of the pan using a blender. This soup is served to the table with chopped green onions.

Quite tasty macaroni is prepared from half-wheat flour, salt and water, such a product has the whole set of nutrients characteristic of whole grains, they are nutritious and rather high-calorie. The product is brewed on the same principle as regular pasta, however, the cooking time may vary slightly, as a rule, the approximate cooking time is indicated on the packaging.

In Armenia, spelled cooked original dish - sokhapur. This is a rather savory onion soup, which uses whole leeks, including green feathers. To make onions, they cut the onion into rings, and bake it in the green part a little in a dry frying pan until small tars appear; they will give the dish a baked taste. The remaining parts should be run in water (1.5 liters for 2-3 onions) and cook over medium heat.

While the onions are boiled, it is necessary to lightly fry the flour until a ruddy golden hue appears, then remove from the stove, pour in the hemp water in which the onions are boiled, stir until smooth, and then constantly pour the liquid to the liquid sour cream. Immediately after this, the flour mixture should be poured into a saucepan and mixed again, add chopped potatoes and cook until ready. Served with baked onions, sprinkled with tarragon or cilantro.

It can also be germinated - as evidenced by the reviews, it turns out very useful and vitamin product.

See the recipe for making spelled in the video below.