Old Fashioned Wheat?

[so lucky]

On the Dr Oz Show today, the author of the book "Wheat Belly" was saying that modern wheat is bad for us, that it contains a chemical that makes you crave more carbs, and is the reason Americans are fat and have diabetes. Doesn't matter if the wheat is whole grain or not. All bad. Strong words. But he said the wheat has been genetically changed and hybridized to the point that it no longer resembles the wheat we had back in the 60's and before. So I was wondering if the old fashioned wheat is still available, but just not grown commercially, just like other heirloom plants. Or is the wheat of yesterday gone forever? Anyone have any knowledge about this?

 

[ninnymary]

so lucky, a while ago I read an article about this old wheat making a come back. I believe small farmers are growing it around the south eastern states. It is slowly becoming popular among some upscale bakers. Supposedly the modern day wheat is what is also causing a lot of people to be wheat gluten intolerant. My daughter has read the book and she said it was really good. She also said you can find the wheat online, not sure about the seeds though.

Hope this helps.

Mary

 

[seedcorn]

Wheat has not been changed. Hybrid wheat did not work, too expensive to produce with very limited results. No GMO wheat available. The protein or starch in wheat is essentially unchanged in 70 years. Varieties have been sellected for better resistance to blights, diseases, etc. other than that, no changes.

Wheat looks the very same as it did 70 years ago. Although author may be confused over bearded vs non-bearded. Another case of anyone that can write (with no knowledge) and stir up people over nothing.

Diabetes is on uprise because of all the sugar and carbs in modern day diets.

 

[catjac1975]

Spelt is supposed to be a more digestible form of wheat. It has a stronger flavor. I use the pastry form of it in my bread machine.

 

[catjac1975]

Not a wheat- it is a cereal.

 

[so lucky]

Wheat has not been changed. Hybrid wheat did not work, too expensive to produce with very limited results. No GMO wheat available. The protein or starch in wheat is essentially unchanged in 70 years. Varieties have been sellected for better resistance to blights, diseases, etc. other than that, no changes.

Wheat looks the very same as it did 70 years ago. Although author may be confused over bearded vs non-bearded. Another case of anyone that can write (with no knowledge) and stir up people over nothing.

Diabetes is on uprise because of all the sugar and carbs in modern day diets.

Seedcorn, I don't know wheat from popsicles. He just said the wheat is also much shorter and more compact nowadays. Does that make sense? Regarding bearded vs. nonbearded?

 

[so lucky]

so lucky, a while ago I read an article about this old wheat making a come back. I believe small farmers are growing it around the south eastern states. It is slowly becoming popular among some upscale bakers. Supposedly the modern day wheat is what is also causing a lot of people to be wheat gluten intolerant. My daughter has read the book and she said it was really good. She also said you can find the wheat online, not sure about the seeds though.

Hope this helps.

Mary

Do you know the name of the wheat?

 

[digitS']

Seedcorn, I don't know wheat from popsicles. He just said the wheat is also much shorter and more compact nowadays. Does that make sense? Regarding bearded vs. nonbearded?

That was all part of the "Green Revolution" - short varieties work better for machine harvesting.

Also, let's say a plant can make x number of ounces of starch. Y number of ounces of starch in the seeds and z number of ounces of starch in the stems. y + z = x, the total starch in the plant. Let's cut down on the starch going to stems and have the plant put that starch in the seeds. Wonderful! More human food! We don't eat wheat straw.

Is that somehow bad? I don't quite see how unless we are saying that we are losing varieties that are more suitable for hand-harvesting. Sacrificing them for something more suitable for the combine. Food quality? Unbalanced nutrition? I haven't a clue . . .

Steve

 

[Durgan]

Wheat has not been changed. Hybrid wheat did not work, too expensive to produce with very limited results. No GMO wheat available. The protein or starch in wheat is essentially unchanged in 70 years. Varieties have been sellected for better resistance to blights, diseases, etc. other than that, no changes.

Wheat looks the very same as it did 70 years ago. Although author may be confused over bearded vs non-bearded. Another case of anyone that can write (with no knowledge) and stir up people over nothing.

Diabetes is on uprise because of all the sugar and carbs in modern day diets.

Wheat belly sold a few books. Entertains the sheeple. People still buy supermarket bread, which is made with processed flour. The confectionery section of a supermarket is all junk food.

Sugar, sugar, sugar is the problem. All added sugar in all its guises.

 

[bobm]

In the good old days, there were the traveling snake-oil salesmen... nowadays we have the Dr. Oz TV show followed up by his email spams !