When it comes to eating grains, Americans are pretty boring. Our diets revolve largely around three major grains – corn, wheat and rice – and rarely do we venture from our culinary routine. We aren’t to blame, really, for our limited diet. The focus of American agriculture has been to produce grains for high yield and profit, not necessarily variety, interesting flavor or nutritional content.
But take a look around the shelves of your local health food store and you’ll see a different story. Alongside the familiar wheat, corn and rice products, you’ll notice foods containing amaranth, quinoa, spelt and kamut. While these grains may sound new, most of them have been cultivated for millennia in other parts of the world, earning them the name ‘ancient’ grains.
If you’ve never tried these ancient grains, you’re not alone. Most people have either never heard of them or don’t have any idea what to do with them. But there are a few good reasons why you might want to give ancient grains a try. One reason is that they’re nutritionally superior to conventional grains, containing higher levels of protein, vitamins and minerals.
Secondly, ancient grains offer culinary variety. With their interesting textures and flavors, they add pizzazz to your meals. And finally, incorporating different grains into your diet can help prevent food allergies and sensitivities, conditions that can occur if you eat the same, limited number of foods over and over. In fact, two of the most common allergenic foods in our culture are wheat and corn.
If the idea of buying a bag of some weird grain out of a bulk bin sounds too foreign and intimidating, you might want to try one of the many packaged products containing ancient grains, including breakfast cereals, hot cereal, pancake and waffle mix, crackers, bread, and boxed, ready-to-cook side dishes (think Rice-a-Roni, but more unique and without the additives.)
The following are four of the more common ancient grains you are likely to find on the market.
Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa)
Pronounced ‘keen-wah,’ this grain has been cultivated since 3,000 B.C. by the Incas. It cooks in 12 to 15 minutes and produces a light, fluffy side dish similar to rice. It is excellent as a breakfast cereal or added to soups and casseroles. Most quinoa, which thrives in high-altitude gardens, is imported from South America, but some is grown in the Rockies.
Bulk quinoa must be rinsed before cooking to remove bitter tasting saponins – substances that protect the crop from insects. Nicknamed the ‘Supergrain,’ quinoa contains all eight essential amino acids and is higher in protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron and several B vitamins than conventional grains.
The most common variety of quinoa is light tan in color, but many other color varieties exist, including red, purple and black. When quinoa is cooked, the germ pops out and makes a tiny white ring that encircles the grain, producing an interesting and attractive side dish.
New Moon carries red and tan quinoa grains, quinoa flakes (for hot cereal and baking,) pasta, boxed ‘pilaf,’ and breakfast cereals. Truckee Central Market (formerly Lisa’s Central Market) carries quinoa bread.
Amaranth (Amaranthus spp.)
A native to South America, amaranth was revered by the Aztecs. They believed that amaranth contained supernatural powers, which they hoped to embody by eating figures of the gods made out of the grain. Cortez and his men quickly put an end to that practice, feeling it smacked of sacrilege.
Amaranth contains 16 percent protein, which is almost 50 percent higher than conventional grains. Among its eight essential amino acids are lysine and methionine, which are missing or negligible in other grains.
The grain itself is tiny, like a poppy seed. Its nutty flavor and creamy texture make it an excellent breakfast cereal and a natural addition to soups and stews. Amaranth flour can be substituted for a quarter of the regular flour called for in recipes, but because it does not contain gluten, (the substance that provides elasticity and strength) it can’t be used by itself to make bread.
New Moon sells bulk amaranth and flour, as well as breakfast cereal and graham crackers containing the grain.
Kamut (Triticum turgidum turanicum)
Kamut seeds were rumored to have been found in an Egyptian tomb and brought back to the U.S. around 1949. While this romantic origin is unlikely, kamut is nevertheless thought to be related to an ancient wheat that was cultivated about 6,000 years ago. The name, in fact, means wheat in Egyptian.
Kamut made a debut at the 1960 Montana State Fair as ‘King Tut’s wheat,’ but was met with little enthusiasm. Today, kamut is garnering more attention, partly because it is often tolerated by people who are allergic or sensitive to wheat. (Please check with your doctor before experimenting with a potential allergen.)
Kamut has a rich, buttery taste and contains more protein and vitamin E than conventional wheat. Look for it in breakfast cereals and pancake and waffle mix.
Spelt (Triticum aestivum spelta)
The 12th century mystic, Hildegard of Bingen, was said to have written, ‘The spelt is the best of grains… it makes the spirit light and cheerful.’ But even in Hildegard’s times, spelt was not new. The grain is mentioned in the Old Testament and is believed to have been cultivated almost 9,000 years ago in Europe.
Spelt is in the same botanical genus as wheat and can be substituted for wheat in most recipes. Like the other ancient grains, spelt is nutritionally superior to wheat – it contains more vitamins and minerals and is higher in protein (though not quite as high as quinoa or amaranth.) People with wheat allergies and sensitivities are frequently able to tolerate spelt, but please check with your doctor before experimenting.
Spelt products offered at New Moon include bread, breakfast cereals, and flour. Truckee Central Market carries spelt bread.
How to cook ancient grains
Grain Amount of Grain Amount of liquid Bring to boil and simmer for:
Quinoa 1 part 2 parts 12-15 minutes
Amaranth 1 part 2.5 parts 18-20 minutes
Kamut berries 1 part 3 parts 1.5 hrs
Kamut flakes 1 part 2 parts 15-18 minutes
Spelt berries 1 part 3 parts 50-60 minutes
Spelt flakes 1 part 3 parts 20 minutes
~ After submitting this article, Linda buzzed off to the Yucatan. She reported back in an email that she found amaranth hot cereal at a restaurant, and amaranth trail bars, crackers and chocolate crisps at a local store.
