Einkorn flour is an ancient grain that is rising immensely in popularity. People are finding that with a slew of health benefits those who are health-conscious about what they let their family eat are coming to prefer it. By learning how to use it in your baking and cooking you too can reap the benefits of cooking with einkorn flour.
Einkorn flour has a rich and detailed history and is known as an ancient grain, which means that it has changed relatively little over the course of its history and is still much the same now as it always was. Einkorn is purported to have been one of the earliest forms of cultivated wheat that humanity made use of and as such has been capturing the attention of bakers and health-conscious people alike. Many people are beginning to prefer it as an alternative to other wheat flour with its high nutritional profile and distinctly nutty flavor. One of the benefits of using einkorn as a substitute for other wheat flour is that it’s just as versatile as many other flour products. It doesn’t take much looking to find an einkorn bread recipe, a delicious pie recipe that uses einkorn flour or just about anything else that wheat flour can do.
Nutritional benefits of einkorn flour
So what exactly are the nutritional benefits of einkorn flour? We hear you say. Well, it has a higher protein content and is also relatively abundant in minerals like iron and magnesium, which are essential components of a nutritious diet. It also has more lutein and beta-carotene than most modern wheats, which means that it has some benefits for eye health. Einkorn also has a different gluten structure to that of modern wheat, which means that if you have very mild gluten sensitivities you might feel little to no discomfort when consuming products cooked with einkorn flour.
Einkorn flour is an excellent option for people who are looking to squeeze as many different nutrients into each meal as possible. In particular, families with young children can get the most benefit from einkorn flour usage as the rich nutritional profile is perfect for supporting the early stages of childhood growth and development.
Sourcing and sustainability
This is where it might get a little tricky for some people. Einkorn flour is, as you have read above, superior in just about every way to modern wheat, but it isn’t as easy to get your hands on. If you can find a local organically produced option near you, that’s fantastic and you should support that farmer. Most of us are likely to need to turn to online specialty retailers to supply us with organic einkorn flour.
The good news is that just about anywhere you get einkorn flour is a sustainable option. By choosing a sustainable option like einkorn flour you are helping to promote biodiversity and helping to set an example for future generations about the importance of mindful choices in what we purchase and consume. In this way, every meal you cook using einkorn flour is a meal cooked not only healthier but more sustainably.