Instead of eating wheat Why einkorn is the better alternative for many people

Einkorn for people with wheat intolerance better than durum wheat and co

Those who suffer from abdominal cramps or bowel problems after consuming bread, pasta or other cereal-containing foods often think of celiac disease (gluten intolerance). But behind the complaints may also be a wheat intolerance. For those who suffer from it, it makes sense to resort to Einkorn.

Celiac disease or wheat intolerance?

People who suspect that they can not tolerate wheat often think quickly that they suffer from celiac disease (gluten intolerance). But complaints such as abdominal cramps or diarrhea may also be due to wheat intolerance. Anyone who suffers from this should, according to experts from the Bavarian Consumer Information System (VIS), live "wheat-free" the best way. Concerning Einkorn affected people do not seem to have to give up, as was shown in a study.

People who respond to bread with health problems do not necessarily suffer from celiac disease. Behind the complaints may also be a wheat intolerance. Einkorn could be the solution for those affected, as shown in a study. (Image: monticellllo / fotolia.com)

Einkorn contains less problematic protein molecules

Both modern and original wheat species, such as einkorn, emmer and spelled, naturally contain a group of protein molecules suspected to cause symptoms of wheat intolerance.

"The symptoms of wheat allergy can be present in the mouth, nose, eyes and throat (swelling, itching or scratching sensation), the skin (atopic eczema, urticaria), the lung (shortness of breath, asthma, baker's asthma) or the gastrointestinal tract (convulsions, nausea, vomiting, Flatulence, diarrhea), "explains the German Society for Gastroenterology, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases (DGVS) in a guideline.

A new study by the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) shows for the first time in a direct comparison that unlike bread wheat, durum wheat, spelled and emmer, einkorn contains no or significantly lower amounts of these proteins.

The researchers' findings were recently published in the journal "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry".

Protein molecules inhibit digestive enzymes

As the institute writes in a communication, the protein molecules are alpha-amylase-trypsin inhibitors (ATI), which are contained in particular in the cereal grain.

According to scientific findings, they serve to protect the plant seeds from predators.

The ATI inhibit the digestive enzymes (alpha-amylase and trypsin) of insects and humans and are also due to their special molecular structure itself difficult to digest.

In addition, recent studies have shown that they dose-dependently stimulate the release of pro-inflammatory messengers and so the innate immune system.

Medical data suggests that the enzyme inhibitors not only cause intestinal discomfort.

Also drowsiness, tiredness, joint and muscle pain, skin changes and depressive moods belong to the described symptoms.

Not least, the inhibitors are known as triggers for wheat allergies.

40 wheat varieties in comparison

How high the content of the enzyme inhibitors in each crop is determined on the one hand by the genetic material of the plant and on the other hand by environmental influences.

However, meaningful studies that directly compared the ATI content of different wheat species and varieties have so far been lacking.

"In our study, we compared a total of 40 modern and original varieties. Eight varieties per wheat species, "explains first author Sabrina Geisslitz from the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology.

"What's special is that all of the cereals examined have grown under the same geographical and climatic conditions."

Therefore, all measured differences are mainly due to differences in the genome of the plants and would have made a direct comparison of the wheat species or varieties in the first place possible.

The scientists examined all cereal samples using state-of-the-art analysis techniques.

The spelled and emmer samples contained an average of about four to six milligrams of ATI per gram of sample material even larger amounts of ATI than in the bread wheat and durum wheat samples.

In contrast, in five of the single-grain samples examined, none or only three of the samples detected very small amounts of these enzyme inhibitors.

Einkorn seems to be the better choice

"The result surprised us a bit. Compared to conventional wheat, all three of the original wheat species are considered equally digestible, "says Katharina Scherf, head of the Functional Biopolymer Chemistry group at the Leibniz Institute.

"However, with regard to amylase trypsin inhibitors, einkorn seems to be the better choice for people with wheat intolerance," says Scherf.

The team of scientists agrees there is still a great deal of research to be done - not only in medical terms.

For example, it would also be necessary to examine to what extent the choice of cereals or processing methods could help to improve the tolerability of cereal products such as bread. (Ad)