What is Einkorn? Is Einkorn gluten-free? Is Einkorn safe for me?

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February 10, 2023

What is Einkorn?

About 12,000 years ago inhabitants of Mesopotamia began to provide themselves with a more reliable food source, a divergence from their hunting and gathering ways. They invented farming!

And the very first wheat they grew? You could probably guess, Einkorn (Triticum monococcum). Not only did they supplement their well earned meat and wild flora diet with this unique complete food, they cultivated the first drought-tolerant, pest resistant and sustainable food source, organic einkorn wheat. This was the beginning of a new era for humankind.

Being the first farmed wheat, einkorn is the only non-hybridized species of wheat and is the only diploid variety. Unfortunately, by the Modern Age it had all but disappeared from the human diet, being replaced with hybridized modern grains. These modern wheats were created to be resistant to common farming challenges and increase yields for a growing population, fighting famine, and unfortunately for us, abandoning the ancient grains our ancestors relied upon.

Today’s hybridized wheat varieties have little to nothing in common with ancient grains, like einkorn. Einkorn wheat has a complete nutritional profile, providing an amazing source of fiber, richer in minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and protein than any modern wheat flour. Einkorn’s low antigen levels and single ‘AA’ pair of chromosomes makes it far more digestible and it is a great option for those with a gluten sensitivity.

Hybridized modern wheat molecules are more complex, the starches becoming more harmful, providing less overall nutrition, less digestible, thus rendering modern wheat far more harmful than healthy. Combined with modern farming methods requiring vast inputs of fertilizers and pesticides, the negative impacts on soil health, milling and food processing, plus a focus on a higher crop yield, modern wheat is a far stretch genetically and nutritionally from what our ancestors ate thousands of years ago. This doesn't paint a pretty picture for the future of our food, the planet and for us, but there is hope.

Einkorn has played an important role in the roots of farming, though it has been sidelined for centuries, the declining health of humanity and that of the planet makes giving einkorn a second chance well worth it.

Is Einkorn gluten-free?

First things first, not all glutens are the same. Yes, glutens, plural.

Gluten is a family of proteins found in many grains. There are as many glutens as there are varieties of wheat. While glutens give wheat products their structure, elasticity and allow them to rise, they also trigger an inflammatory response in the body.

Modern wheat’s (Triticcum aestivum) genetic makeup is complicated and consists of six sets of chromosomes, a hexaploid. On the other hand, einkorn wheat is simple, and has only two sets of chromosomes, a diploid.

The complexity of modern wheat bears a heavy load of glutens, like gliadins and glutenins, and more compounds that our bodies have not evolved to digest easily. Humankind’s first wheat, einkorn, contains much lower levels of these glutens making it far less inflammatory, in fact, making it more beneficial than its modern genetically complex relative.

So, if einkorn wheat does have gluten, what is so different about it?

Well, einkorn’s unique Gluten AA, found in simple diploid einkorn wheat, also has the lowest antigen (ATI) levels out of all varieties of wheat, including modern wheat and spelt.

How do ATIs relate to gluten? ATI (amylase trypsin inhibitors) are non-gluten wheat proteins that cause systemic inflammation in the body, not just in the bowels. While gluten has had the reputation for causing inflammatory bowel diseases, ATIs are another integral piece of the equation causing greater inflammatory harm.This means that the high levels of gluten in modern wheat also come with a heavy load of ATIs, all wreaking havoc on the body.

To put it simply… Gliadins + Glutenins + ATIs = Trouble

So, why eat einkorn if it still contains gluten?

Einkorn wheat has low levels of ATIs and simple diploid glutens, unlike other wheats, making it well tolerated even by those with gluten sensitivities. Einkorn contains up to 25% more highly digestible protein than modern wheat, along with beneficial levels of soluble fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and slow complex carbs that promote a decreased insulin response, resulting in lower blood glucose levels. The benefits of einkorn speak for themselves. Einkorn’s Gluten AA is not the enemy. ATIs and modern wheat glutens are!

Is Einkorn safe for me?

More than 3 million Americans are affected by inflammatory bowel diseases. About 20 million people are gluten-sensitive. And, an estimated 1 in 133 Americans have Celiac disease, meaning they are highly allergic to gluten.

If you have Celiac disease or are allergic to gluten, unfortunately einkorn is NOT the answer.

But, if you are sensitive to gluten or wheat, einkorn may work for your body.

Yes, einkorn does have gluten, but it breaks down easily and does not have remotely the same ratios of glutenin and gliadin that common wheat has. Gluten AA, found in the genetically pure strain of einkorn, is highly digestible, unlike the family of glutens found in common wheat. Not all glutens are created equal! Glutens are a family of proteins with many subgroups determined by which grain they derive from.

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Sources:

Revival Einkorn vs. Other Wheat Adapted from Nutritional Qualities of Grain. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, A. Brandolini et al, 2008, FJ Zhao et al, 2009
Antigen Levels Chart S. Geisslitz et al, 2018

*Content graciously provided by Revival Einkorn: https://revivaleinkorn.com/blogs/news

Health and Nutrition

Farming Practices

Here's the untold story of raw milk. Raw or pasteurized? It should be your choice.

Raw milk has been a highly contested issue in modern history. Is it a healthy nutrient-dense “cure-all” for nourishing your body, or is it a dangerous vector for spreading life-threatening disease? The two camps are split. It is a complicated issue with mixed battles of bad science vs. personal testimony, morals vs. politics, education vs. advertising, and big agri-business vs. small farms. Let's dive in...

Warning: Fat Holds Toxins. Carnivore and keto folks should watch out.

Aaron, myself, and a couple other team members went to Tennessee to participate in Meatstock 2025 last weekend. It's a carnivore/keto party in the Smoky Mountains. Boy, we learned a lot and met a lot of wonderful people, both people who healed through food as well as doctors and experts that help people heal. One person we had the pleasure of meeting was the amazing Dr. Kiltz. He's a carnivore. He's also a doctor who specializes in fertility. And can you guess how he helps many of his patients? Yup, through food. He's a big supporter of the carnivore and keto diets. He suggests getting 70-80% of your calories from fat, 15-30% from protein, and 0-10% from carbs. Dr. Kiltz spoke at a dinner we attended. And something he said shocked us -- "Don't worry about grass fed, regenerative, and all that natural stuff. It's the fact that you're eating fat that matters." 😳 Woah woah woah. Hold up a sec. We, of course, had a conversation with Dr. Kiltz about this. I mean, why are people having health issues in the first place? Sure, some of it could be genetics. Some of it's definitely environmental. But, a lot of it is likely the food we're eating. It's processed food laden with seed oils and carbs and sugar and yucky additives... but also the farming practices that result in toxic stuff hidden in plain old ingredients. Dr. Kiltz agreed and elaborated on his statement. What he's saying is that, if you're eating a standard American diet, the biggest and fastest impact you can make comes from altering your diet on a macro level - fat, protein, and carbs. But the granular stuff you can't see or count matters too, especially once you're making progress. OK, I get it. But then I thought some more... Toxins accumulate in the fat. So, if you eat animal-based foods (especially the fattier ones) and are looking to limit (or eliminate) that awful toxic stuff, farming practices matter. Like a lot! So, unsurprisingly, I went into research mode. Here's what I learned. Which toxins accumulate in fat and why? Not all toxins accumulate in fat. Some are stored in bone, muscle, organs, etc. But, there are certain toxins that a body stores specifically in fat. They include: Dioxins and furans (PCDDs/PCDFs) - These are persistent pollutants, resistant to breakdown, that are generally creating by burning things like plastic and chemicals and garbage. They can also be created as byproducts of industrial processes.PCBs - That's short for polychlorinated biphenyls, which are synthetic chemicals that were used to make various consumer products, from paint to glues to lubricants to coolants to batteries. They were banned in 1979, but because of their inability to breakdown, they remain as toxins in our environment.Pesticides & Herbicides - This includes previously banned pesticides (like DDT) that are still present in our environment. This also includes pesticides used today, like organochlorine and organophosphate pesticides. Certain Toxic Heavy Metals - Mercury, lead, cadmium, and aluminum are known for accumulating in fat. The reason the above toxins collect specifically fat (AKA adipose tissue) is because they are lipophilic. Liophilic is when a substance is "fat loving" and can bond with or dissolve in fat. Other toxins are hydrophilic, meaning they are "water loving" and can bond with and dissolve in water. These include bentazone, glyphosate, imidacloprid, flouride, and arsenic. They do not accumulate in fat. What can an overload of toxins do to your body? I like to think about toxic overload like a cup. Our bodies can process a little of it. But, when the cup is overfilled with stuff like pesticides, toxic heavy metals, mold, carcinogens, etc, that's when problems happen. Our bodies are pretty good at handling stress. That's why toxic overload can be confusing. It may take a long time - months, years, or decades - for the problem to arise. Then, once the problem happens, it's hard to pinpoint the cause. And then, healing time is often lengthy (and sometimes the damage can't completely be undone). When it comes to toxins, the response really depends on the body. The list of issues that can arise is exhaustive. They include fatigue, headaches, digestive problems and leaky gut, brain fog, anxiety and depression, increased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, hormone imbalance, mast cell overreaction, histamine responses, bloating and inflammation, trouble sleeping, skin conditions, liver damage, obesity, and more. Where can toxins in animal-based foods come from? When it comes to farming, there are few places that toxins can be introduced to animals. This can be from toxins resistant to breaking down from decades ago or toxins being used or produced today. This can be on the actual farms or in the facilities that prepare food for sale: Air: Toxins can vaporize and float in the air. Animals can breathe it in or it can settle on top of soil or water. Water: This is especially true with city water, which often has chemicals added to it or may run through old pipes. But, as we all know, water pollution varies from area to area.Soil: This can come from the local area or a non-farming activity that happened on the land previously. This can also be from past farming practices or current ones. Slaughter and butchering: Did you know an antimicrobial is required by the USDA when processing meat? Processors can choose harsh chemicals like bleach or opt for more natural ones like citric or lactic acids or vinegar.Recipes: Think beef jerky or lunchmeat. They have ingredients. First off, anything that's less than 1% doesn't need to be listed on the package. And then, of course, there's the hidden stuff depending on the quality of the ingredient.Packaging: Even what our food comes in can leach chemicals into our food. I mean, think about microplastics in bottled water! When toxins enter your food, you can't see them. You can't taste them. You can't smell them. This is why knowing more about how your food is produced is important. How can farming practices decrease the levels of toxins? Well, there are bunch of ways toxins can get into food from farming. Here are some ways that farms can decrease toxins in the final food: Choose A Clean Location: If a farm is located right next to or downstream from a factory or city, toxin levels will likely increase. Farms should ideally be far from cities or factories. Have Clean Water: If contamination is persistent in your area, you'll likely know it. And, you can always test the water, too.Improve Soil Health With Regenerative Farming: When soil is dead and unhealthy, toxins break down at their normal speed. But, with regenerative farming that creates robust microbiology, toxins can break down faster.Fertilize Naturally: There are plenty of chemical fertilizers out there. But, compost and manure from natural chemical-free sources are just as good… if not better.Limit, Eliminate, Be Considerate With Pesticide And Herbicide Use: A grand majority of farms still use pesticides and herbicides regularly. Yeesh. Even the organic ones can contain yucky stuff. With things like fruit, it's kinda necessary to some extent. But, especially with pasture raised animals, they're simply not needed (even though some farms still choose it).Choose Naturally Formulated Feed: This is the idea of the ingredients in the ingredients. You can have the most pristine land, air, and water, raising beef. But, if you feed them GMO corn sprayed with glyphosate and grown in contaminated soil... well... those toxins are introduced. Farms can make sure they're feed ingredients are pure and the sources the ingredients come from are chemical-free.Eliminate Vaccines: Yup, vaccines contain toxins. And especially when injected, they can harbor themselves in fat. Aluminum is a common ingredient in vaccines. And, did you know that animal vaccines can contain Thimerosal (AKA mercury)? That's been banned in human vaccines. When animals are raised outdoors and to be naturally happy and healthy, vaccines aren't necessary.Be Mindful With Anyone Who Processes Your Food: This can be a challenge, especially if you're in an area with more conventional farms. Farms can ask the hard questions and ask for changes like what antimicrobials are used (apple cider vinegar is allowed by the USDA), what the ingredients are, and where the ingredients are sourced from. At Miller's Bio Farm, we try to reduce your toxic intake as much as possible. Here's a few notable things we do (among the many): All of our small farms are 60+ miles from any major city.Our pastures are never sprayed with pesticides or herbicides. We love the biodiversity!Our pastures are fertilized with manure and more manure!Our farms that raise our animals regenerate their soil year after year. The idea is to improve the quality of the soil, and that includes the microbes that can help break down toxins.Clean well water is used for the animals to drink and for processing our meat and all of our products. Our beef, pork, and lamb are washed with organic apple cider vinegar. Our chicken is air chilled. Our turkey is washed with water and only water.None of our animals are fed corn or soy. And, our feed is chemical-free.Our farmers do not vaccinate their animals. Our chicken and turkey and lamb is 100% vaccine free. The only way a vaccine could be given to a cow or pig is if the animal was bought in and previously vaccinated. We make sure that no animal has received an mRNA vaccine. None of our products have yucky stuff like nitrates/nitrites, additives, fillers, etc. It's simple natural food. We always vet our processors before working with them to make sure they're up to our natural standards. We'd love to supply you with clean foods and hope you join the movement! Do you eat a lot of fat? Whether you do or not, what toxins make you most worried? I'd love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us 😊 ----- References: Carnivore Diet Macros and How to Achieve ThemAdipose Tissue as a Site of Toxin Accumulation Pesticide residues in animal-derived food: Current state and perspectives Impact of pesticide exposure on adipose tissue development and function10 Powerful Nutrients Found Only in Meat

Does varying yolk color affect the flavor of honest eggs?

As you know, we don't add any color to our feed. This is why our pastured corn & soy free eggs are called "honest yolk eggs". "Color" includes unnatural stuff like dyes as well as natural stuff like marigold and paprika. Nearly all egg farmers nowadays do this... even the natural ones. Why? People demand consistent color yolks, thinking it means a certain quality. Little do most know, yolk color is superficial now. At Miller's, we know this for a fact. Curiosity made us to send our eggs for testing, and there was zero nutritional difference in our orange vs yellow yolk eggs. What mattered most was the farming practices and quality of the feed, and our eggs came out on top for most tests. We really love having varying yolk color. It's an indicator of what the birds are eating. It tells our farmers how their pasture is doing. If the plants are too mature, not diverse enough, it's too wet or dry, or if chickens aren't eating the pasture, we'll see that with the yolk color! Now, we've had an array of responses since we removed the color from our feed. One baffling one is --- the light colored yolks don't taste as good as the dark colored yolks. Is this true? I mean, removing the color is only a superficial change. It shouldn't affect the flavor. Well, we needed to find out. So... we did a blind tasting on the farm a few weeks ago. Here's what that looked like: The results? The whole team agreed -- all eggs tasted the same! The biggest factor affecting egg flavor was the yolk to white ratio. The more yolk, the more flavor. It's spring, and our hens are out on pasture 100% of the time. An egg develops for about 6 weeks inside a chicken, so it takes some time. But... you should start to see darker yolks now. Have you noticed a change in yolk color? Have you noticed a flavor change? Would you prefer consistent colored yolks or honest yolks? I'd love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us 😊 PS: The egg shortage is 100% over, and we have plenty of eggs now!! That means egg bundles are back!

What is Einkorn? Is Einkorn gluten-free? Is Einkorn safe for me?

What is Einkorn?

Is Einkorn gluten-free?

Is Einkorn safe for me?

More from the blog

Here's the untold story of raw milk. Raw or pasteurized? It should be your choice.

Warning: Fat Holds Toxins. Carnivore and keto folks should watch out.

Does varying yolk color affect the flavor of honest eggs?

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