Since the time of the Green Revolution, evidence correlating the increase of many chronic diseases to the consumption of modern-day hybridized wheat (MW), and its havoc-reeking gluten structure, are now largely considered irrefutable.

There are many chronic diseases linked to the consumption of modern wheat. Such as: ADHD, allergies and food sensitivities, anxiety and chronic stress, autoimmunity, chronic constipation or diarrhea, chronic fatigue, chronic headaches and migraines, depression, diabetes, epilepsy, focus and concentration problems, frequent colds or infections, hypertension and dyslipidemia (high blood fats), inflammatory conditions and diseases, including arthritis  insomnia  intestinal problems, including celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease, memory problems and mild cognitive impairment, frequently a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease, mood disorders, overweight and obesity, and Tourette’s syndrome. 

In 2015, a study published in the journal Nutrients revealed that gliadin, a protein found in gluten, is now associated (unknowingly in many cases) with increased gut permeability in all humans. This research was based on the groundbreaking discoveries of Dr. Alessio Fasano at Harvard, who unraveled the mechanism whereby gluten exacerbates inflammation throughout the human body. Increased gut permeability intensifies the production of the chemical mediators of inflammation. Systemic inflammation — meaning widespread inflammation in the body, including the intestines —
is also damaging for the brain.

Dr. David Perlmutter, author of the best selling book, Grain Brain, believes that gluten sensitivity represents one of the greatest and most under-recognized health threats to humanity. He discusses how the latest science points to the bane of gluten in triggering not just dementia but epilepsy, headaches, depression, schizophrenia, ADHD, and even decreased libido. 

Researchers have known for some time now that the cornerstone of all degenerative conditions, including brain disorders, is inflammation. But what they hadn’t documented until now are the instigators of that inflammation. And what they are finding is that gluten, and a high-carbohydrate diet for that matter, are among the most prominent stimulators of inflammatory pathways that reach the brain.

Foods that continually increase blood sugar the most ultimately lead to diabetes for many. Few realize that a slice of (MW) wheat bread has a higher glycemic index (71) than table sugar (68). 

The sequence is simple: Carbohydrates trigger insulin release from the pancreas, causing growth of visceral fat; visceral fat causes insulin resistance and inflammation. High blood sugars, triglycerides, and fatty acids damage the pancreas. Over time, the pancreas succumbs to the overuse it has taken from glucotoxicity, lipotoxicity, and inflammation, essentially “burning out,” leaving a deficiency of insulin and an increase in blood glucose. Result: diabetes.

We at Flourish believe there’s a better wheat alternative; one that offers numerous health benefits. In the early 2000’s, the original ancient form of wheat known as Einkorn, once thought to be extinct, was rediscovered in parts of Italy and areas outside of Turkey. Research has since shown that while Einkorn does contain gluten, it's lack of a particular chromosome found in modern wheat associated with inflammatory and digestive problems, has proven more tolerable to those with gluten sensitivities. Moreover, Einkorn contains a host of key nutrients including protein, fiber, essential fatty acids, vitamins A, B1, B2, B3 & B6, potassium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, manganese and antioxidants, lacking in its modern day counterpart. 

We at Flourish support and work with farmers of einkorn wheat, and have created a host of truly healthy and delicious food products, previously thought to be completely off-limits to so many. 

The gluten proteins produced by einkorn wheat are vastly distinct from the gluten proteins found in MW. Because 14 chromosome einkorn, containing the so-called A genome (set of genes), has the smallest chromosomal set, it codes for the fewest number and variety of glutens. 28 chromosome emmer, containing the A genome with the added B genome, codes for a larger variety of gluten. Forty-two-chromosome MW, with the A, B, and D genomes, has the greatest gluten variety, even before any human manipulation of its breeding. Hybridization efforts of the past fifty years have generated numerous additional changes in gluten-coding genes in MW, most of them purposeful modifications of the D genome that confer baking and aesthetic characteristics on flour. However, genes located in the D genome are also those most frequently pinpointed as the source of the glutens that trigger celiac disease.

Here’s why the number of chromosomes in your wheat might matter: All types of wheat contain gluten, however, einkorn’s more simple genetic makeup means that its gluten is weaker. As a result, some people with nonceliac gluten sensitivity find that they can tolerate einkorn.

Moreover, Einkorn contains a host of key nutrients including protein, fiber, essential fatty acids, along with vital micronutrients, vitamins A, B1, B2, B3 & B6, potassium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, manganese and antioxidants, lacking in its modern day counterpart. 

Several recent in vitro scientific studies showed that Einkorn cultivars own different gliadin and glutenin types, and such differences may influence the digestibility and, consequently, the immunogenic properties of wheat proteins. These genotypes possess a more digestible and thus potentially less toxic gluten. Such characteristics could play an important role to find a better-tolerated alternative wheat species destined to patients affected by wheat-related disorders.

The data from these studies show a lack of toxicity of Einkorn gliadin in an in vitro organ culture system, even suggesting the possibility of new dietary opportunities for celiac patients!

Similar to other fermented foods, like sauerkraut, kefir, pickles, and kombucha, sourdough bread is fermented by using probiotic cultures (lactobacillus) that greatly benefit your gut.  These cultures don’t survive the baking process, but lactic acid is created that helps decrease the levels of phytic acid in bread (an anti-nutrient found in plants to aid in their survival in the wild, however they interfere with the absorption of key nutrients, creating gut issues).