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Spelt

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	Spelt
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	Topics Spelt Topic Home Spelt (Triticum spelta) is a hexaploid species of wheatWheat Wheat is a grass that is cultivated worldwide.... . Spelt was an important staple in parts of Europe from the Bronze Age to medieval times; it now survives as a relict crop in Central EuropeCentral Europe Central Europe is the region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe.... and has found a new market as a health food. Spelt is sometimes considered a subspecies of the closely related species common wheatCommon wheat Common wheat is by far the most important wheat species in cultivation today.... (T. aestivum), in which case its botanical name is considered to be Triticum aestivum subsp. spelta. Evolution Spelt has a complex history. It is a hexaploid wheatWheat Wheat is a grass that is cultivated worldwide.... species known from genetic evidence to have originated as a hybrid of a domesticated tetraploid wheat such as emmer wheat and the wild goat-grass Aegilops tauschii. This hybridisation must have taken place in the Near EastNear East The Near East is a term commonly used by archaeologists, geographers and historians, less commonly by journalists and commen... because this is where Ae. tauschii grows, and it must have taken place prior to the appearance of bread wheatCommon wheat Common wheat is by far the most important wheat species in cultivation today.... (Triticum aestivum, a hexaploid free-threshing derivative of spelt) in the archaeological recordArchaeological record The archaeological record is a term used in archaeology to denote all archaeological evidence, including the physical ... c. 8,000 years ago. Genetic evidence shows that spelt wheat can also arise as the result of hybridisation of bread wheat and emmer wheat, although only at some date following the initial Aegilops-tetraploid wheat hybridisation. The much later appearance of spelt in EuropeEurope Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth.... might thus be the result of a later, second, hybridisation event between emmer and bread wheat. Recent DNADNA Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions for the biological development of a cellu... evidence supports an independent origin for European spelt, through this hybridisation. However whether spelt has two separate origins in AsiaAsia Asia is the largest and most populous continent or region, depending on the definition.... and Europe, or single origin in the Near East, is currently unresolved. Later history In the Middle AgesMiddle Ages The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three "ages": the clas... , spelt was cultivated in parts of SwitzerlandSwitzerland Switzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked Alpine country in Central Europe.... , TyrolTyrol The Tyrol is a historical region in Western Central Europe, which includes the Austrian state of Tyrol and the Italian regio... and GermanyGermany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in central Europe.... . Spelt was introduced to the United StatesUnited States The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., and America, is... in the 1890s1890s The 1890s were sometimes referred to as the "Mauve Decade," because William Henry Perkin's aniline dye allowed the widespread use ... . In the 20th century20th century The 20th century started on 1 January 1901 and ended on 31 December 2000, according to the Gregorian calendar.... , spelt was replaced in almost all those areas in which it was still grown by bread wheat. As spelt requires fewer fertilizerFertilizer Overview Fertilizers or fertilisers are compounds given to plants with the intention of promoting growth; they are usually app... s, the organic farmingOrganic farming Organic farming is a form of agriculture which avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, p... movement made it more popular again towards the end of the century. Nutrition Spelt contains about 57.9 percent carbohydrateCarbohydrate Carbohydrates are chemical compounds that contain oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon atoms.... s (excluding 9.2 percent fibre), 17.0 percent proteinProtein Proteins are large organic compounds made of amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined by peptide bonds.... and 3.0 percent fatFat Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water.... , as well as dietary mineralDietary mineral Dietary minerals are the chemical elements required by living organisms, other than the four elements Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitr... s and vitaminVitamin Vitamins are nutrients required for essential metabolic reactions in the body .... s. As it contains a moderate amount of glutenGluten Gluten is an amorphous ergastic protein found combined with starch in the endosperm of some cereals, notably wheat, rye, and... , it is suitable for bakingBaking Baking is the technique of cooking food in an oven by dry heat applied evenly throughout the oven or only from the bottom el... . In Germany, the unripe spelt grains are driedDrying (food) Drying is a method of food preservation that works by removing water from the food, which prevents the growth of microorgani... and eaten as , which literally means "green grain". Spelt is closely related to common wheatCommon wheat Common wheat is by far the most important wheat species in cultivation today.... , and is not suitable for people with celiac disease. Some people with wheat allergyWheat allergy Overview Wheat allergy is a type of food allergy.... or wheat intolerance tolerate spelt. Products Spelt flour is becoming more easily available, being sold in BritishUnited Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country and sovereign state that lies off the northwest coast... supermarkets since 2007. Spelt is also sold in the form of a coarse pale bread, similar in colour and in texture to light rye breads but with a slightly sweet and nutty flavour. Biscuits and crackers are also produced, but are more likely to be found in a specialty bakery or health food store than in a regular grocer's shop. Spelt pastaPasta Pasta is a type of food made from the flour of various grains, water, and sometimes eggs, which is mixed, kneaded and formed... is also available in health food stores and speciality shops. The raw grain when chewed releases trace amounts of gluten giving the mass a slight resilience, not unlike gum (whereas wheat becomes a sticky glutinous mass, similar to thick jam). The texture is slightly crunchy. The nutty flavour is more intense than it is in most breads and some prefer the raw substance to the baked goods. Dutch jeneverJenever Jenever, juniper-flavored and strongly alcoholic, is the traditional liquor of the Netherlands and Flanders, from which gin ... makers distill a special kind of gin made with spelt as a curiosity gin marketed for connoisseurs. BeerBeer Beer is one of the world's oldest alcoholic beverages, possibly brewed for the first time over 10,000 years ago, according t... brewed from spelt is sometimes seen in BavariaFacts About Bavaria The Free State of Bavaria , with an area of 70,553 km and 12.4 million inhabitants, forms the southernmost state... . Spelt matza is baked in IsraelIsrael Israel , officially the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia on the southeastern edge of the Mediterranean Se... for PassoverPassover Passover , also called ?? ????? is a Jewish holiday which is celebrated in the spring.... and is available in some AmericanUnited States The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., and America, is... grocery stores.