Spelt is a cereal native to Central Asia. Ancestor of wheat, there are three kinds of spelt. The small spelt is grown in the South, it is tender and eaten like rice. Its nutritional value is greater than the second one cultivated in the North of Asia, the large form of spelt, less tasty and less digestible.

We find writings that speak of spelt dating to less than 9000 years before Christ, and there exist some mentions in the Bible. This seed was known and cultivated by the people of ancient Egypt.

Its nickname “wheat of the Gauls” and resulting from its use by the Gauls at the time. Wheat being rare, it was the spelt that held an important place in the diet of the Gauls. Thus it was the food base of the original Latin peoples.

Then spelt popularity declined with the arrival of other crops such as wheat, corn and rice. Grown mainly in southern Europe, such as Italy, today spelt resurfaced thanks to its dietary qualities. Spelt therefore slowly takes a place in trade in organic farming.

Benefits of spelt

Spelt is a cereal known for its nutritional and dietary qualities. It contains all eight essential amino acids to the human body.

This seed is contains several minerals such as zinc, iron, copper, magnesium, giving it anti-stress properties. Its amount of calcium per 100 g is about as much as in two glasses of cow’s milk. There are also B1 and B9 vitamins.

Spelt is an excellent food for effort through its high content of protein and carbohydrates; the latter, being special, promotes intestinal transit and stimulate the immune system to increase resistance to infections.

Finally, this cereal has not undergone varietal selections such as wheat because it consists of a high quality gluten. Thus, it allows a better tolerance of this molecule by gluten allergy sufferers.

Use of spelt

Spelt is an ancient variety of wheat that is easily digestible. Ii is found as plain spelt milk or flavored with chocolate, hazelnut, almond…

Properties of spelt milk

Spelt milk contains vitamins B, D and E, calcium, iron and magnesium. Gluten intolerant people must be aware that this milk contains gluten.

Spelt milk nutritional values 

Calories: bringing 45 to 60 kcal per 100 ml (depending on brand), spelt milk has a caloric value relatively close to that of cow’s milk (1/2 with respect to full skimmed milk).

Protein: it is modest with only 0.5 to 1 g per 100 ml depending on the brand.

Fat: the spelt milk contains approximately as much fat as cow’s milk (half with respect to skimmed milk, with a higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids).

Carbohydrates: spelt milk contains more than cow’s milk with 8 g per 100 ml, the majority of it being simple sugars.

Calcium: spelt milk contains calcium and there are versions of spelt milks with enriched calcium.

In summary: spelt milk has a similar nutritional value of hazelnut milk and almond milk, so it’s not the best substitute of milk.

NB: Unlike other plant milks, spelt milk contains source of gluten, so be careful with intolerances.

How to make homemade spelt milk?

Ingredients:

• 1 litre of water
• 100 g of spelt flakes
• 1 piece of vanilla (2 cm) or a teaspoon of vanilla powder
• 1 teaspoon agave syrup or other (or sugar cane) bio
• A pinch of salt

Preparation:

1. Put the water in a blender and add the spelt.
2. Blend at least 2 minutes.
3. Pour the mixture in a nut milk bag.
4. Twist and press all the liquid out the nut milk bag.
5. In a clean bottle of glass pour the spelt milk.
6. Let cool and store in refrigerator.

Tips:

This milk can taste better after having rested for 2 hours. After that period, if the taste is a bit bland, you can always adjust by adding syrup, vanilla or cinnamon.

Contrary to pulp from oatmeal or rice, spelt pulp doesn’t have a thickening property. But you can still use it advantageously in hummus, guacamole, or mixed with 50 g of whole meal flour to make cakes and pancakes.

You can also mix spelt and oat to 50-50 for different milk. Oats will make this drink a slightly thicker milk.

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Oats come from Asia. As there are many species and subspecies, and oats are botanically very similar to other grasses, their origin and evolution remain unclear. However, oat is believed to be the species with the greatest economic importance, or A. sativa, or oats common, and A. byzantina or red oats, are both from a region that includes Asia Minor, Transcaucasia, Iran and Turkmenistan trays.

It seems that oats have appeared much later than corn in human food. The first oat uses were strictly medicinal. Oats have not been cultivated before the turn of our era. It is probable that the Celts and Germans cultivated oats since 2,000 years ago. From its domestication center, oat spread into Eastern and Northern Europe settling spontaneously in fields of wheat or barley.

In the early seventeenth century, oat was introduced in North America, where it founnd a land and a climate that suited it particularly. In Canada, it was first cultivated in the East, but almost half of the global harvest is now produced in the western provinces. However, from the 1910s, when many more oats were planted in Canada than any other cereal, until the 1970s, the production continued to decline, following the fate of the horse carriage and stroke, for which oatmeal was the fuel of choice.

Since the 1970s, the trend was reversed, however. The nutritional qualities of this grass have been widely publicized and consumers were becoming more health conscious.

Oat milk is an asset to health

Unlike the British and the American who consume a lot of oats in the form of cereals, cookies, porridge or milk, this cereal has long been relegated to food for farm animals in France. But times change, the labeled “organic” feeds, “vegan” or “gluten free” take up more and more space in the shelves of our supermarkets…

Like it or not, the tips of these lifestyles “healthier” often tend to arouse our curiosity. It is with this in mind that oats, particularly about what do we do with their milk, gradually become a new essential for kitchens and bathrooms.

Oats, a cereal rich in nutrients

Oats are known for their high protein and fiber¹ as well as iron, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, B vitamins, vitamin E and vitamin A. They are low in sugar, fat and calories. Highly antioxidant, this cereal can help reduce the rate of (bad) cholesterol in the blood², boost the immune system, reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and improve skin quality (excellent cure for acne) and hair.

Oat milk: an excellent substitute for cow’s milk

We get this vegetable milk by infusing oatmeal in the water and then filtering the mixture after it has been boiled. There is also oat milk powder to rehydrate. One can find it as a ready to drink beverage in some specialty grocery stores. There are many recipes on the internet to prepare oat milk and to obtain tastes and textures for lactose-free milk, excellent people intolerant for cow’s milk. Caution however since, contrary to popular belief, the oat milk is not “gluten free”. It can be drunk, then soak your cereal or cook with it. It is a very good alternative to cow’s milk or milk from other animals.

A natural hair care with unsuspected resources

Advent of “no poo”, the “low poo”, shampoos and hair conditioners… the concept of hair care, especially shampooing, is changing at a time when the beauty sphere is trying to chase a maximum of harmful compounds from our favorite products. Oat milk is an ingredient of choice for hair care at home. It can be used to rinse the shampoo or integrate it with a conditioner or homemade mask. The testimonies of those who have already tested these methods are clear: the hair is stronger, softer and shinier through restorative properties and detangling thanks to oat milk.

How to make homemade oat milk?

Ingredients for a bottle of 1 litre

• 1 litre of water (or + according to the desired consistency)
• 100 g of oats
• 1 pinch of salt

Preparation

1. Soak the oat flakes a night before (or at least a few hours before) in cold water.
2. Once the time is up, drain without rinsing. Transfer to a saucepan, cover with a liter of water and add a pinch of salt. Cook at low temperature uncovered for about 40 minutes.
3. Drain in order to recover the cooking water and set aside the cooked oat flakes (okara)* to incorporate them into a dessert.
4. Once the cooking water is cooled off, add 400 ml of water, transfer to a blender and mix until you have a milky mixture.
5. If the mixture is too thick for your taste, feel free to adjust by adding a little more water.
6. Pour into a bottle (preferably glass) and keep it in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days.
7. Stir before use.

Tips

* You can reuse the oats (sometimes called “okara”) after cooking and filtration of the juice as porridge or you can integrate then in desserts.

References

1. Rasane, P., Jha, A., Sabikhi, L., Kumar, A., & Unnikrishnan, V. S. (2015). Nutritional advantages of oats and opportunities for its processing as value added foods – a review. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 52(2), 662–675. http://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-013-1072-1
2. Onning G1, Wallmark A, Persson M, Akesson B, Elmståhl S, Oste R. Consumption of oat milk for 5 weeks lowers serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in free-living men with moderate hypercholesterolemia. Ann Nutr Metab. 1999;43(5):301-9.

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It is believed that domestication of quinoa was done at the same time as that of the lama, 6000 years to 7000 years ago in the Andes of South America, the plant and animal living in mutual dependence since a long time.

As a sacred plant of the Incas – they called it chisiya mama, literally “mother grain”-,  quinoa has contributed to the expansion of this great civilization. However, the Spaniards considered the native grain with contempt and prohibited its culture in favor of that of wheat and barley. Over the next four centuries, it declined, persistent only in uncultivated regions and far away from the decision-making centers of the Spanish administration.

In the 1970s, Westerners were aware of the need to change their eating habits and discovered the precious grain of the Incas, whose protein content, and especially the quality of the latter, surpassed that of conventional cereals. So its consumption gradually increased in Europe and North America, while in South America, apart from some remote areas, there was the opposite phenomenon.

Quinoa is now grown in other countries, including the United States and Canada, and experiments are underway to grow Quinoa in Europe. However, some argue that the Quinoa Real, which is produced in the hostile climate of the Bolivian Altiplano is by far the best.

An oil-rich grain

When compared to other grains, quinoa has a relatively high oil content, which is another element of its important nutritional characteristics¹. Quinoa oil content is an average of 5.8% of its mass in its natural state. Quinoa has essential fatty acids (linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid) 55% to 63% of lipids present in its oil. Despite the high levels of these essential fatty acids, which cause oxidation, oil extracted from quinoa is relatively stable because of its high levels of vitamin E.

Protein

Quinoa contains about 15% protein, rich in essential amino acids². It is said of an amino acid that it is essential when the body cannot produce thisamino acid on its own, and it must be supplied through diet. Quinoa is gluten free and therefore interesting for people who suffer from celiac disease.

Nutrients in the quinoa

Quinoa is an excellent source of manganese for women and a good source for men, although their needs are different. Manganese acts as a cofactor of several enzymes that facilitate a dozen different metabolic processes. It also helps prevent damage caused by free radicals.

Quinoa is a good source of iron for men and also for women, although their needs are different. Each cell in the body contains iron. This mineral is essential for transporting oxygen and the formation of red blood cells. It also plays a role in the production of new cells, hormones and neurotransmitters (messengers in the nerve impulse).

Quinoa is a good source of copper. As a component of several enzymes, copper is necessary for the formation of hemoglobin and collagen (protein for the structure and tissue repair) in the body. Several copper-containing enzymes also contribute to the body’s defense against free radicals.

Quinoa is a source of phosphorus (see our listing Awards nutrient phosphorus). As the second most abundant mineral in the body after calcium, phosphorus plays a key role in the formation and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. In addition, it participates among others in the growth and regeneration of tissue and helps maintain normal blood pH. Finally, phosphorus is one of the constituents of cellular membranes.

Quinoa is a source of magnesium. Magnesium is involved in bone development, construction of proteins, enzyme action, muscle contraction, dental health and functioning of the immune system. It also plays a role in energy metabolism and in the transmission of nerve impulses.

Quinoa is a source of zinc. Zinc participates including immune reactions, manufacture of genetic material, to taste perception, in wound healing and development of the fetus. It also interacts with the thyroid hormones. In the pancreas, it is involved in the synthesis (manufacturing), with the reservation and release of insulin.

Quinoa is a source of vitamin B2. This vitamin is also known as riboflavin. Like vitamin B1, it plays a role in the energy metabolism of all cells. Moreover, it contributes to growth and tissue repair, to production of hormones and to red blood cell formation.

Quinoa specificity

Quinoa milk may be hard to find. It is distinguished by its high lubricity. This grain is ideal for sweet recipes (milkshakes, puddings, pancakes), but its rather special taste can disturb some people.

How to make homemade quinoa milk?

Ingredients for a bottle of 1 litre

• 1 litre of water
• 100 g of quinoa
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Preparation

1. Soak the quinoa all night.
2. Drain and rinse the quinoa.
3. Boil 500 ml of water. Then add the quinoa and cook it for 15 minutes.
4. Put the quinoa in a blender and add 500 ml of fresh water. Blend 3 minutes until you have a smooth texture.
5. Filter the mixture using a nut milk bag. You can accelerate the process by gently squeezing the nut milk bag.
6. Pour in a bottle of glass the quinoa milk.

Tips:

In the fridge, you can keep your quinoa milk for 3 to 5 days maximum.

References

1. Ogungbenle HN. Nutritional evaluation and functional properties of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) flour. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2003 Mar;54(2):153-8.
2. Nanqun Zhu , Shuqun Sheng , Shengmin Sang , Jin-Woo Jhoo , Naisheng Bai , Mukund V. Karwe , Robert T. Rosen , and Chi-Tang Ho. Triterpene Saponins from Debittered Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) Seeds. J. Agric. Food Chem., 2002, 50 (4), pp 865–867. DOI: 10.1021/jf011002l

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History of rice

Researchers estimate that rice cultivation in China, India and other tropical countries of Asia must have started there over 10 000 years ago, and probably even before. Recent data obtained by radiocarbon dating indicates that the cultivation of millet in the north of China and that of rice in the south were contemporaneous with those of barley, emmer and einkorn in the Middle East. This would indicate that the western and eastern civilizations have evolved in much the same way and at the same pace.

It’s probably in Southeast Asia that rice has been domesticated. It was in China that agricultural techniques were developed to irrigate rice, which will then be adopted in all countries that produce this cereal.Rice is cultivated in the Philippines, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, India and Sri Lanka.

Europe and America

Brought to Europe via Greece with the troops who accompanied Alexander the Great on his expedition to India around 340 BC, rice subsequently spread across southern Europe as well as in some North African regions. However, until the end of the Renaissance, rice production was marginal in Europe. Medical authorities have decreed that the wet and marshy lands were highly favorable to malaria areas. This disease also takes its name from “bad air” because it was believed attributable to unhealthy fumes from marshy places.

Rice then followed the normal channels: Brazil with the Portuguese, South and Central America with the Spaniards. In the US, it has grown for the first time around 1685 in what is now South Carolina. It was introduced by slaves brought from Madagascar. It then established in Louisiana and California in the twentieth century. It is produced today in 112 countries in almost all latitudes and altitudes. The fact remains that 95% of world production is grown in Asia, where rice is also predominantly consumed, and represents for many the first staple, representing sometimes up to 60% of the diet.

Source of energy and protein

As it provides twice the energy and protein per hectare than wheat or corn, rice can feed a proportionately higher number of people. Some see it as one of the reasons for the rapid growth of the Asian population compared to that of Europe and the Americas populations.

Today we cultivate two rice species, Oryza sativa, or Asian rice, Oryza glaberrima and or African rice, but the Asian species is the only one to be cultivated on a large scale in countries with favorable weather. Even in Africa, the indigenous rice is grown only marginally in the west of the continent, where conditions are not favorable to the establishment of irrigated crops.

Rice milk properties

Rice milk is ideal for times when our body does not tolerate almost anything (eg gastroenteritis, indigestion, vomiting, diarrhea, and postoperative). Digestibility is 100%. It has a cooling effect on the body and at the same time provides energy thanks to its high carbohydrate content. Rice milks are an alternative to cow’s milk to elaborate desserts, sides, pancakes…

Nutritional information of rice milk

The majority of the rice milks market contains 1% of safflower oil that gives this drink a greater coherence and it also brings oleic acid and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Rice milk is ideal for people who cannot take gluten, since they often have an intolerance for lactose or other nutrients in cow milk. Its levels of calcium and protein are modest, so we must compensate for this weakness by ensuring to take it from other nutrients through our diet.

Rice milk may also be enriched with calcium. It represents opportunities for people who are lactose intolerant or vegan. Such enriched rice milk products allow them to have a drink that may provide soy proteins and for additional unsaturated fatty acids and calcium.

Rice milk for health

Rice milk has nothing to do with rice water which is obtained by boiling the rice. Did you know that the rice water with a lot of starch stops diarrhea?

By contrast, during fermentation of rice milk, the opposite occurs because “it breaks” starch and we get a product that tends to settle more, and put some order in the intestine.

Precautions

Replacement of cow milk with rice drinks:

Some people less attracted to dairy products may be tempted to replace cow’s milk with rice drink, the color and consistency resemble a little. Although some rice beverages are fortified with calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B12 and vitamin D, it should be borne in mind that these drinks contain less protein than cow’s milk or soy beverages.

According to the Canadian Nutrient File, a cup (250 ml) of cow’s milk contains 8.5 grams of protein, a cup of fortified soy beverage contains 11.6 g, while a rice drink cup contains only 0.4 g. We cannot consider rice drinks as a good source of protein.

For children, Health Canada also points out that rice drinks, whether fortified or not, are not appropriate substitutes of breast milk, infant formula or pasteurized whole cow’s milk during the first two years.

How to make homemade rice milk?

For 1 litre:

Ingredients

• 1 litre of water
• 100 g of rice

Instructions

1. Soak the rice several hours or overnight in three times its volume of water.
2. Once the rice is soaked, rinse it well.
3. Put it in a small saucepan, cover with cold water about 1 cm more than the level of the rice and bring to a boil.
4. Boil for 3-4 minutes until the rice is tender, then drain and rinse the rice with cold water.
5. Put the rice in a blender and add 1 litre of cold water.
6. Blend 4 minutes.

Tips

Wait several minutes before keeping the rice milk in the refrigerator. This drink can be kept till 3-4 days in the fridge.

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