COMPARATIVE CHARACTERISTICS BETWEEN CULTURES: COMMON WHEAT, EINKORN AND SPELT

Abstract

Over the past few years in Bulgaria there is an increasing interest in organic production of healthy cereals einkorn and spelt. Typical for them is that they are unpretentious to the soil, resistant to major diseases and pests occurring in cereals. Einkorn and spelt are considered the most ancient types of wheat today and now they are perceived as healthy food. They are distinguished from ordinary wheat in the following parameters: higher percentage of protein; greater amount of fiber, minerals and vitamins /twice higher contents of Vitamin A; vitamins B; calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc and others/; they do not contain cholesterol. They outmach the common wheat in the content of selenium and antioxidants, the amount of gluten is minimized. It does not cause allergic reactions in people suffering from celiac disease /in which the specific protein is not digested, in this case - gluten/. The reason for this property is the content of only 14 chromosomes as opposed to 28 in the common wheat and 42 in the modern types of wheat, which makes it easy to assimilate. Because of the hard shell flakes the grain of einkorn does not absorb harmful substances from soil /eg heavy metals/ which is a problem in modern wheat varieties.

This article examines the energy and nutritional qualities of those cereals and the possibility einkorn and spelled to be an alternative in agricultural production - both in crop and animal husbandry.

Key words: wheat, einkorn, spelt, energy nutrition