January 15th, 2009
The Spin on Spelt
I am betting that many of you have been offered spelt as a “gluten-free option” or “safe for the gluten intolerant” at one time or another. Maybe you even know someone who eats spelt and says that they do so because it doesn’t cause them any problems like other gluten … that they eat it from time to time without issues.
My mother-in-law presented me with a loaf of spelt bread when we started passing the food this past Thanksgiving. She’d bought it at an arts and craft fair from an “artisan bakery” home business because it was labeled as “safe for the gluten intolerant.” When she held that loaf of bread out to me, after making that statement … well, it was a very awkward moment. I swallowed hard and told her that it was really sweet of her to go to the trouble of purchasing special bread for me, but spelt bread was actually not gluten free and, therefore, not safe for me.
Another, more distant memory comes to mind … shortly after I went gluten free, we decided to head out early for our beach vacation. We decided to go halfway and stay at a bed and breakfast (B&B). This B&B was well established and had been under the same management since it had opened many years earlier. Of course, when I made the reservation, I asked the owner if he was familiar with preparing gluten-free breakfasts. He assured me he was. There were about a dozen of us at breakfast and food was prepared buffet style, but the foods were in individual serving dishes with separate serving utensils, all placed well apart from each other. I happily ate my serving of frittata and watermelon with no issues. As the owner cleared my plate, he apologized for having just run out of spelt and not being able to make spelt pancakes for me instead. An alarm went off for me, but I was new enough to being gluten free that I had just this little inkling of doubt about my own knowledge. (I thought to myself, “Is spelt really gluten free?”) Because I was suddenly unsure, I said nothing. Of course, as soon as I got to our beach house and surfed the Net, I confirmed that spelt was NOT gluten free. I immediately emailed the owner. I thanked him for our stay and let him know (very nicely) that spelt was not gluten free. He never replied. (NOTE: This information is not a generalization about B&B owners. We are huge fans of B&Bs and stay at them several times a year. It’s extremely rare for me to have an issue with any food prepared for me.)
Not long after that, I attended a general presentation on celiac by a top gastroenterologist. One particular slide still sticks out in my mind … it was a chart of the entire gluten “family” and spelt was clearly a member of the family tree. (It was an excellent, detailed chart, but I’ve never seen it since despite repeated efforts to locate it.)
Currently, an article from Bloomberg news about Newman’s Organics spelt pretzels has been making the rounds on the celiac listserv and other gluten-free forums. Basically, the news is that Newman’s Organics spelt pretzels contain undeclared wheat. Admittedly, the article, which states both Newmans’ Organics viewpoint and the FDA’s viewpoint, is a bit confusing (but, unfortunately, isn’t that often the case with labeling and distinctions regarding gluten?). These spelt pretzels are labeled and marketed as wheat free, but the FDA states that spelt and wheat both belong to the genus Triticum and as such, spelt must be labeled as wheat. (By the way, there’s a great analysis of spelt on the Celiac Sprue Association site.) Newman’s Organics CEO says the packaging will change per the FDA’s direction, but as of today, Amazon is still selling these pretzels as wheat free—a week after the article was published. However, for Vitaspelt pretzels, the ingredients show “spelt (wheat) flour.” (I am not faulting Amazon, it is reporting the information that the manufacturers have provided.)
Bottom line #1: Spelt contains gluten and if you are gluten free, you should not be eating any products that contain spelt. Finally, if you want to see how dramatically spelt can affect someone who needs to be gluten free, please read the story of Allison. Allison’s story was first featured in Gluten-Free Living magazine a few years ago. I’ve never forgotten it and often share it with folks to show them how dramatic the effects of gluten can be on one who has celiac/gluten intolerance. (And, frankly, every time I read Allison’s story I think about how many people are suffering needlessly because they remain undiagnosed.) Now her story is one of the many moving and enlightening personal stories at the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness site.
Along similar lines, an individual wrote in to the glutenfree.com newsletter recently regarding Ezekiel bread. She reported that Robin McGraw (better known as the wife of “Dr. Phil” McGraw) had stated on a recent episode of “The Doctors” that Ezekiel bread was part of her gluten free-diet. The individual who wrote in knew that Ezekiel bread was not gluten free, but wanted to alert readers to the misinformation. She asked all readers to write to the producers of “The Doctors” show so they would be compelled to issue a correction of some sort.
If you are not familiar with Ezekiel bread, typically, its ingredients include sprouted wheat, sprouted and malted barley, and spelt—so it’s a real evil gluten triumvirate. However, many say that it is either gluten free or that it has such a minimal level of gluten that it does not bother them. Rationale for eating it is offered; e.g., “the sprouting process, through enzymatic activity, changes gluten to a more digestible or tolerable state”. Bottom line #2: Ezekiel bread contains gluten. If you are gluten free, do not eat it.
How about you? Have you been offered spelt or Ezekiel bread as a safe option on a gluten-free diet? Tell us about it. Even when we are knowledgeable individuals, sometimes when another person speaks with authority we can doubt ourselves. Sharing our stories will help us learn the lesson better so we won’t fall for the spin on spelt or forget what Ezekiel bread really is.
Shirley
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Comments
58 Responses to “The Spin on Spelt”
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This was highly informative. I have no problems with gluten but I am always interested in learning about information like this. Thank you.
Shirley,
My doctor just this week recommended spelt and he claimed to know all about celiac disease because his brother has CD and he himself is gluten free. Somehow, I doubt that he is gf. I hope his brother is not following his advice.
Hi, dear–I think this is your first time actually commenting on gfe, so first an official welcome to gfe! Just when I think you can’t tell me anything worse about this particular doctor, you share some other advice he has give you that is beyond horrid. And, frankly, beyond horrid is too nice a description. A better one would be criminal and malpractice worthy. And, no, I am not kidding. Such ignorance in the medical profession is why so many individuals with celiac remain undiagnosed OR if diagnosed, not well. He is definitely not gluten free if he is recommending spelt. It seems pretty clear that he is not seeing a doctor who is knowledgeable about gluten for his own treatment. A wise pediatrician once told me that “The physician who treats himself has a fool for a patient.” (That’s an old quote that I’ve seen attributed to more than one person.) I sincerely hope that his brother who has CD is seeing someone well-versed in celiac and its treatment. I am going to stop there, except please let anyone who eats spelt know that it is not safe for those with gluten issues of any kind. Did you read Allison’s story (linked in the post)? That alone should convince anyone of the damage that spelt can do to the body of someone with gluten issues.
Thanks so much for commenting, Lisa. I’m really looking forward to you finding a doctor who knows celiac and can take care of you properly, so you can heal as quickly as possible. Hugs,
Shirley
Good job, Shirley. As noble pig said, I don’t have gluten issues either, but am interested in the subject due to my friendship with you, and I’m just fascinated by the misinformation out there. It makes it hard for those with celiac disease to navigate already difficult dietary terrain. Kudos to you for being a strong voice of assistance.
Wow, I’m glad I’ve not fallen into the “trap” of thinking that Ezekial bread or spelt was gluten free! My foot would be itching me to death! That’s one of the signs that I’ve been “glutened”!
Brenda
noble pig–Thanks, Cathy! I think the more awareness the better. You never know when you might be able to help out a gluten-free person (especially someone newly diagnosed) with your new knowledge. Often it’s friends of GF folks who end up mentioning to others, hey, I have this friend who’s gluten free and … Your comments could one day help a person recognize symptoms and seek a diagnosis, help someone stay gluten free, or just learn to eat simply (i.e., GFE). You know I already love your blog (noblepig.com) because so many of your recipes are naturally gluten free or can be made so by small changes. Today your Sweet Potato and Linguica Sausage Soup (http://noblepig.com/2009/01/14/had-to-have-it.aspx) is GF as long as one ensures the chicken broth used is GF (or makes some from GF chicken bouillon or Better than Bouillon).
Nance–Thank you, dear! Being an educator, I know you’ll share any info gleaned here with others when it’s appropriate. Knowledge is power!
Brenda–I am so glad you didn’t! None of us like the apparent signs we’ve been glutened. (One day soon I’ll post on the myriad of symptoms of one being glutened and ask for input.) Thanks so much for visiting GFE and commenting.
You know I appreciate it!
Oh dear!! That is very true about spelt. Not at all gluten free! I have not been offered it, no. But my MIL did ask if I would “outgrow” celiac disease, even though I am a grown woman… and of course, the part about it not being something you can outgrow. I guess it is really hard for people to understand, but at least your MIL tried! that was nice of her.
Hi Heather! We all have our tales on surprising things folks have said to us. I am mostly sympathetic to those in the general public who don’t understand or don’t “get it” … it usually takes a while for those of us are GF to really “get it” ourselves, and we’re living it 24/7. Of course, I do think folks in food service have an inherent responsibility to be sure what they are serving folks is safe for them. It’s often a copout, but I prefer the companies or individuals who say, I can’t say this is a GF product and safe for you, than the ones who erroneously and irresponsibly, say it is safe.
Yes, as I told MIL it was sweet of her to purchase the bread for me thinking it would be a treat. I guess I would have preferred that she had asked me about it beforehand. As it was, frankly, I felt like a bad person due to her reaction (which, obviously, I didn’t share) when I told her it was not GF. Anyway, that type of scenario is a discussion for another day … I know we’ve all been in similar positions. I really appreciate your input and I’m sorry that you’ve been through the same. Sometimes the questions are not as surprising as the fact that they are asked over and over again, right? Can’t you just have a little bit? A little bit won’t hurt you, will it? Here, take this cheesecake and just don’t eat the crust … that’s okay, right? We’ve all had these experiences. Thanks again for sharing your comments!
Ezekiel stuff. One of the local stores here carries their line and I had to smile (sarcastically) about their labels in terms of selling with quotes from the big book.
And yes, it was in the gluten free aisle. Can you spell ETERNAL PURGATORY?
H.Peter–Laughing and “crying” at the same time.
You bring up an excellent point! I, too, have seen Ezekiel and other gluten-containing breads, like spelt, in the gluten-free section of stores before. I always inform the store personnel, but as I rarely buy GF specialty items (and may not ever return to the store), I don’t know if and when the products get removed. Thanks for raising this point!
Great post, Shirley! Highly informative, and full of important info. Thanks for sharing this!
Cheers, Pete
Hey Pete, thanks so much! I really appreciate you stopping by since I know from your blog you’re on the road right now. (Good luck again on your ski mountaineering race! Fascinating activity to a southern non-skier like myself.) BTW, I found your post the other day on distillation (http://noglutennoproblem.blogspot.com/2009/01/distilling-facts-about-distillation.html) equally compelling.
This story made me smile and think back to the “olden days” around ten years ago when I was newly diagnosed. Waitresses would proudly tell me that an item didn’t have any wheat in it, “only flour”!
I was made to feel selfish for inconveniencing others with my odd desires to eat strangely. These days, everyone is way more knowledgeable about food intolerances and “funny” diets. We still have to be very careful and self-educated.
Lol. That’s like me telling people I have a pork intolerance and then being offered ham or bacon. I have to spell it out to them precisely or they don’t get the picture. My daughters have gluten intolerance (though not diagnosed with celiac). One has irritable bowel syndrome and the other hasn’t taken herself off to be properly diagnosed but is showing similar signs as the first – she finds she has an intolerance to rice (of all things), like my dad does.
I have dairy intolerance, and am diabetic so have issues with carbohydrate metabolism. I’ve contemplated going on a gluten free diet myself. I was put onto a ‘sugar free diet’ many years ago when I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia (before I became diabetic – it was basically a low GI diet with no sucrose sugar in the diet and low other sugars). It actually works well for me (when I stuck to it) – but whenever I tell people, doctors and dieticians included, they act shocked and tell me I have to have some sugar in the diet and then go all technical on me about the sugars in fruit etc. It’s been 24 years now since my first diagnosis with food and sugar issues – I hate it when the so called experts can get it all wrong. Many a time I get told I can eat this or that, knowing full well if I do it adversely affects my health. Hardly anyone can understand my pork intolerance.
Hi Diana–Yikes … I thought I had missed one comment on this post, but didn’t see yours as well until now. I’m so sorry to be a month late in replying! I know you were replying to Joan, but still wanted to thank you for sharing your experience and understanding with her and others reading. I’m glad you’ve found what works for you!
Shirley
Hi Joan-So glad you’ve decided to join the discussion! You have to laugh when you get responses like that, don’t you? (Okay, a little laughing and maybe some inward groaning at the same time. I still get some similar ones.) Ten years ago you must have faced a huge lack of knowledge though (a friend diagnosed 8 years ago shared his stories with me). You’re right … the increased awareness is a great thing, but we remain own best advocates for ensuring we eat safely.
Good post, Shirley. Spelt is wheat, no ifs, ands, or butts. There’s this notion floating around that it is somehow different than traditional wheat and okay for those on a GF diet. I’ve even heard people mention how easy it is to bake considering it’s a gluten-free flour. Argh!
Thanks for spreading the word.
Melissa
Melissa-Thank you! This is a critical myth to dispel (and how ironic that there’s a bit of word play going on there … maybe that’s a way to remember not to eat spelt–DISPEL SPELT!). As long as folks with gluten issues continue to eat gluten of any kind, damage continues whether one is aware of it or not. So many people say they don’t have symptoms when they eat “this or that”–even if they know the “this or that” contains gluten. I believe the symptoms are there most of the time, but they may not be the ones you have experienced before. They could be like those in Allison’s story. (Suddenly, you’re experiencing chronic back pain or body pain and a diagnosis of fibromyalgia is looming in your future.) And, last, statistics show that 40% of individuals diagnosed with celiac experience NO symptoms. No spelt is a must on the GF diet. Thanks again for adding to the commentary! Shirley
Excellent post!! When first diagnosed, I had confusion on orzo — it looked like rice (which is safe) but was really glutenous pasta (totally off limits). I wholeheartedly believe that when in doubt — research, research, research to make certain the food truly is gluten free! By the way, my mother told me that I would outgrow celiac disease as well… Even though I was in my 30′s when I was diagnosed!!
Hi Maureen–Welcome to GFE! Thanks so much for your input and the reminder on orzo. Orzo contains gluten, but arborio rice is gluten free. (Both were kind of lumped together in my head … all those o’s. LOL) Arborio rice is used for making true risotto, but not all risotto is GF because sometimes barley is added, or pasta like the orzo you mentioned is used. Thankfully, not all of the GF diet is this confusing! As far as our moms, they mean well … they really do–I guess in a perfect world, we could grow out of everything that causes us difficulty.
Thanks again for stopping by … hope you’ll visit and comment often. I’ll go check out your GF blog now.
Shirley
If you are looking for more data on spelt, Tricia Thompson, The Gluten Free Dietician, just posted an excellent write-up on her blog over at diet.com. You can check it out here.
Shirley
I was just diagnosed with a wheat allergy/intolerance in January, so I am still learning. (I cut out all gluten and feel a million times better.) I have run into a lot of misinformation – Spelt is often offered up, since most people don’t know that it is a wheat product, albeit a less hybridized and lower gluten form of wheat. I have also been offered coucous, sprouted bread, semolina bread (sorry, fancy name for a kind of wheat), and pita bread (!). Ultimately, we have to be our own keepers. I am fortunate in that my husband is willing to tolerate my grumpiness as I experiment with making my own bread and he is willing to drive all over hell’s half acre to find things for me to eat.
Hi, Stephanie! I am so glad you are feeling so much better so quickly–love that! You will feel better and better.
Thanks so much for commenting and sharing your experiences and giving even more examples of products that are NOT gluten free. Yes, we have to take care of ourselves for sure and the learning curve is steep at first, but soon we know this stuff like breathing.
Your husband sounds like a gem! While most people don’t miss bread more and more as time goes on and are just as happy with the occasional slice of GF bread, Karina, the Gluten-Free Goddess, just posted a recipe on her site that people are raving over. So be sure to check out her bread recipe. Personally, I stay satisfied with the occasional muffins, popovers, and the like. Also, the whole focus of my blog is showing folks that they really don’t have to go all over to get specialty items to eat GF. Again, that takes a little learning though. I hope you’ll check out my blog and find recipes that require basic ingredients that you like.
Thanks again for sharing … look forward to seeing you here at GFE!
Shirley
I knew that Spelt contains gluten. However, I am finding it difficult to uncover how much gluten Spelt has, especially compared to wheat. If you have & can share this information, I would greatly appreciate it:)
Amy Jo–Hi and welcome to gfe! I have to be frank here, since spelt is a form of wheat, even if an ancient/related form, asking how much gluten is in it is irrelevant to me. That would be like asking how much gluten is a loaf of any other gluten-containing bread. Whatever the number in parts per million (ppm), it’s too much and gluten-containing products are just off the table as far as I’m concerned. For everyone who needs to be gluten free and thinks they don’t react to spelt, I’ll just share again one of the links I believe I shared above: Allison’s Story from NFCA site. I firmly believe there are other individuals who are celiac/gluten intolerant who continue eating spelt and then end up down the road with some serious condition (e.g., cancer) that they don’t believe is related to gluten at all. They would be mistaken as the body’s reaction to gluten manifests in many ways. In any regard, since spelt contains gluten, any amount is too much. I’m one who reacts to even the mainstream products on the market today that are being promoted as gluten free at 20 ppm, so spelt will not be part of my diet. I’m sure you could do further searching to get the information you are looking for.
Thanks for commenting and best of luck,
Shirley
I just stumbled onto this article by doing some searching and wanted to leave a comment. My wife and I have pretty severe reactions whenever we eat wheat, even minute amounts like what would be found in a meatball or on a fried chicken wing (that we thought was not breaded, but it had a very, very light coating that was not noticeable). However, we have been able to use spelt without any problems (and so have a few friends of ours, but not all…we know many wheat allergy and gluten intolerant people), so I think our problem is more of a wheat allergy than a true gluten intolerance. But, being relatively new to this all, we’ve still playing it as safe as we can and buying GF products whenever possible, but using organic spelt flour to make baked goods like bread, biscuits, cakes, and cookies. We don’t make them too often, but we’ve been using spelt for about 3 years now and we have yet to react to it. But, we accidentally consumed a small amount of wheat flour when we dined out and didn’t realize it was in the seasonings, and we noticed immediately and spent the next 2 days in agony. My understanding is that the proteins in spelt are simpler and easier to digest than those found in regular wheat, so some people can tolerate spelt so long as it’s a wheat allergy and not a true gluten intolerance. Given how pervasive wheat is in food products, even in things like taco seasonings and nacho cheese sauce, it’s not surprising that allergy/intolerance issues are becoming more prevalent like they’ve happened with soy, and likely will happen with corn due to HFCS among other things. I just wanted to share our story.
Hi John–Welcome to gfe. Everyone has to make his/her judgment. The fact is: Spelt is wheat. It’s considered an ancient member of the wheat family per my understanding, meaning that it has not been hybridized like other wheat. While I appreciate you being willing to share your story, respectfully, it hasn’t changed my opinion. Not having a visible reaction does not mean it’s not harming your body. People can go along eating gluten with no visible symptoms and suddenly have another serious condition, like cancer or an autoimmune disease. It’s stated that 40% of those with celiac have no symptoms, yet their small intestine was being damaged during that time. And, often, the folks who say they have no symptoms don’t realize that they are having symptoms. Perhaps their reaction to other gluten exposure is sudden vomiting or diarrhea, but when they eat spelt, for example, they have insomnia, need to take a nap in the afternoon, or have brain fog. They don’t associate the latter symptoms with the ingestion because they already have a set of defined symptoms in their head, but they may well experience issues and not realize them. Or again, they might not experience any symptoms, but it really doesn’t matter if one experiences symptoms or not … wheat is wheat, gluten is gluten. Spelt has been tested for gluten levels and they are there. Bottom line: It should not consumed by anyone with a gluten or wheat health issue. There are many theories on why celiac/gluten intolerance is becoming more prevalent … Standard American Diet, environmental triggers, GMO wheat that contains more gluten, etc. Probably the same is true of the other allergens you mentioned. It all points to the need for eating real food, which is naturally gluten free—meat, seafood, fruit, veggies.
Best,
Shirley
Wow!!
Very very one sided..
Bill–As Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan once said, “You are entitled to your own opinion, but you are not entitled to your own facts.” There can be no sides with the discussion on spelt. It may be in your interest to sell spelt to as many folks as possible being with Purity Foods, which sells Vita-Spelt; however, spelt contains gluten and is not safe for anyone who is celiac, gluten intolerant, or gluten sensitive. There are countless sources that accurately report that spelt is a form of wheat.
Best,
Shirley
When someone has experienced the terrible affects of allergies and intolerances then they can sound one sided in their views. However she has a good reason to be. I too suffer from food intolerances, and often the symptoms are not immediate or severe. I find with my dairy intolerance that the body takes so much and then I start getting symptoms akin to the flu, sore throat and swollen glands. I’m not gluten intolerant (to my knowledge) but too much wheat will send my sugar levels up high (I’m diabetic). Presently I’m seriously considering going on a gluten free diet just to see if it would make a difference to my sugar readings. I’ve always considered my diabetes to be secondary to some other underlying cause – Considering the changes I’ve already made to my diet that should have helped me to control my sugars, but haven’t, I can only assume I’m still consuming too much of the foods I’m meant to avoid (it’s really hard to break old eating habits, especially as cheese is one of my comfort foods).
Whether Spelt contains gluten, I do not disagree.
Whether there is a difference in the gluten of different forms of grain, that is not so clear.
As far as your distinction of what is and is not wheat, I have to ask,
Is Kamut wheat?
Is Rye wheat?
Why are they not labeled as wheat and Spelt is?
You should know the answer to that.
Also, I would be interested to see your “Countless Sources”.
Hello Micah–I am glad that you agree that spelt contains gluten. So much misinformation prevails on that topic and, clearly, that misinformation was the driver for my post. To answer your questions, I’d say rye is not wheat. As far as whether kamut is wheat or not, I’d refer you to Kamut brand’s web site and several of their pages. From their home page: “Welcome to the official site for KAMUT® brand khorasan wheat. Here you can find a variety of information about this ancient wheat, which is produced with passion, fairness and respect for the earth.” Their origin and taxonomy page identifies kamut as wheat and even talks about spelt being wheat. The Classification page is also clear on the wheat lineage, and again spelt is shown as spelt wheat. You can see that here. Admittedly, the makers of the Kamut product do confuse things a bit with this page. Ehow states that “Kamut is the trademarked name for the wheat cultivar QK-77. The exact classification is uncertain, but it is probably a hybrid of Triticum durum and Triticum polonicum. Kamut is a large grain that requires more time to soften than other durum wheats, making it ideal for slow cookers.”
I thnk I’ve just shared several sources and I listed several in my post and in replies to comments, but I know the debate rages on and is detailed here on this food allergy website.
The bottom line remains that those who have gluten issues should not consume spelt … or kamut or rye, and the other forbiddens, like barley and oats (the latter should only be consumed if certified gluten free).
Shirley
Hi Shirley
I didn’t know that oats had gluten in it too? Maybe that’s what I’m doing wrong in my diet (assuming I may have a gluten intolerance), I have oats/oats based meusli for breakfast every morning. Though it’s my night time meals that seem to be going wrong as I have hight sugar readings in the mornings before breakfast.
I must start looking at other breakfast options.
The raw foods diet is looking to be my best option so far – but how to change to salads when the garden isn’t very productive at the moment and the shops are too far away.
Lentils and chick peas are a good option. Can you make cakes and breads using lentils or chickpeas. Carrot and celery sticks for snacks can at least take the edge off my cravings, and help me avoid eating bread/sandwiches and cheese.
Hi Diana–The fact that gluten is in mainstream (i.e., non-certified gluten free) oats is a surprise to many and, likewise, one of the ways that gluten continues to sneak into many “gluten-free” diets. Kelly at The Spunky Coconut makes a lot of baked goods using white beans. I’ve made amazing baked goods with both black beans and chickpeas. Unfortunately, none of those recipes are on my blog yet though. Remember that some green foods and other veggies can keep a very long time. Cabbage is one. Spinach and romaines usually keep quite some time. Just offering some more ideas for you for those times you do make it to the store. Have you heard of the book Mastering Leptin? It’s a book that has some eating rules that are designed to reverse diabetes, speed weight loss, etc. It might be worth a read to figure out how to resolve your glucose issues. Last, in regard to your reply to another reader, there are many, many who have never been diagnosed with gluten intolerance, but do indeed have it. While some will make a commitment and go 100% gluten free to see if that works for them, it can takes months to get clear results and some folks get worse before getting better. So I actually recommend Enterolab’s Gluten Sensitivity Test. Getting the test results can give one the validation needed to commit to a 100% gluten-free diet.
Shirley
All the reading I’ve done about spelt, over a period of 26 years, has told me that it is most definitely a wheat. My husband had a wheat intolerance when I first met him and I checked out all my options as to what he could and could not eat. Now my daughter has a wheat intolerance. My sources have come from numerous books initially, a nutritionist, and on the internet since it had become available. Not any of the literature that I’ve read about spelt has said that is is not wheat and all literature has said that it is. Spelt is one of the original wheat grains that was around in ancient times.
I go with Shirley on what she says about rye. It is a grain, but it is not wheat.
Is wheat vodka a problem for people who have an intolerance to wheat or gluten? I’ve read that the distillation process removes all traces. Is that true?
Hi Matt–Welcome to gfe.
Distilled alcohol is considered to be safe for those with celiac/gluten intolerance. The gluten protein is supposed to be removed during the process. Many drink distilled alcohol with no issues.. Still others say they have reactions to grain-based alcohol despite distillation. So those folks choose to go with grain-free alcohol, like tequila, potato and grape vodka, etc. For either, any gluten added after the distillation problem would be a concern. Thankfully, the latter doesn’t happen very often. Read more on all here and here.
Best,
Shirley
Hi Shirley,
About 3 years ago when I started having digestive problems, I worked with a naturopathic doctor that told me to go off all gluten but told me that Ezekiel products were all right because they have no flour in them. So this is a common misconception.
I have had a lot of health problems in these last 3 years and have never entirely gone off gluten (and have especially eaten my Ezekiel bread). I tested negative for celiac. I had my gallbladder out about 6 months ago (which did stop my gallbladder pain), and after that I realized that I was having trouble eating the Ezekiel bread and cereal. And I now seem to have very dramatic reactions to gluten. So I am now going seriously off gluten. Thanks for a wonderfully informative blog–I am considering how to do gfe living with having 5 kids (including several teenagers) and a husband who are not gluten free.
Thanks, Linda
Hi Linda–Your comment got buried in all the ones for our holiday event. I’m so sorry to be so late in replying.
I’m very disappointed that you were under the guidance of a medical professional staying that Ezekiel was safe for you. Gall bladders issues are another sign of gluten intolerance/celiac. That’s true of organ issues in general. Our bodies are attacking themselves in their quest to attack gluten and defend themselves from what they see as a foreign invader.
Thanks so much for the kind words on my blog! Have you taken a look at the Getting Started with GFE tab? There are great tip sheets there for getting started and serving meals that the whole family will love. No “weirdness” in taste or texture is the key to converting family members and, of course, just keeping us, the gluten-free eaters, happy, too. Also, it’s very likely that others in your family have unrecognized gluten issues as it is genetic. Living gf as a family might head those off or resolve them.
Best of luck! Send me an email if you need further help … nag me if it gets lost and you need an immediate answer.
Shirley
Great post Shirley! A family friend was giving his gluten-intolerant son spelt bread for YEARS thinking that he was doing the right thing. I told him multiple times that it wasn’t gluten-free but it really took him a long time to change his thinking. Once we’ve decided upon a thing it seems like it’s just crazy difficult to learn that we’ve been wrong all along… I’m sympathetic, but I’m not THAT sympathetic. A part of me just feels like: GET IT RIGHT PEOPLE. Get it RIGHT!
Hi Lillian–We chatted so much on Twitter on this topic that I thought I’d replied to you. Thank you for sharing your friend and his son’s story even though it’s very hard to hear. Sadly, this dogmatic stance that spelt is safe is erroneously repeated time and time again, and even here in comments. Many times I believe that it’s the old unwillingness to let go of products that folks have gotten used to (like Ezekiel bread) that taste “normal.” The price is way too huge though, and I understand your reluctance on being sympathetic. The gluten-free diet cannot be done halfheartedly. It has to be done 100% as you and most of us know. Thanks for taking the time to comment!
xo,
Shirley
Thank you for this. I just got a bread machine that does GF bread and it had a spelt recipe in the GF section. So I searched about spelt. I had some from when I was told spelt was a different kind of wheat and was OK. So thanks for confirming what I figured was the case.
And thanks for your site. I will come often, I think. Really appreciate what you do, and will tell others. So many of my clients are probably gluten intolerant and don’t know it.
Hi Diane–I’m so glad you found my site for validation that spelt is not safe. Thanks so much for your kind words, too! I hope that your clients will find my site helpful. There are lots of easy and delicious recipes here at gfe, whether one is gf or not. Sometimes that introduction can be a good way to start someone’s journey down the gluten-free road.
Thanks again, Diane!
Shirley
I can’t speak for all who have celiac’s disease, but I know of two (my daughter and the daughter of a friend) who can eat spelt with no gastrointestinal pain or other adverse effects.
My naturopath theorizes that the increase in gluten intolerance may be due to the fact that all the regular red and white wheat in this country has been genetically modified to make it pesticide-resistant. Spelt, on the other hand, is the same in nature as it has been for centuries.
So give spelt a try and see if it works for you.
Susan–I am publishing your comment, but very reluctantly. This type of advice that you are dispensing is exactly why I wrote this post. I know you believe what you are saying, but what you are saying is potentially life threatening to those with celiac and gluten issues. Did your read Allison’s story that I linked to in my post? There are a couple of important points to note here. First, no visible reaction does not mean there are not adverse effects. Second, there may be symptoms, but they may not be recognized as such. (Again, please read Allison’s story.) Third, maybe there are no symptoms, but “suddenly” 6 months after eating spelt “with no gastrointestinal pain or other adverse effects” the person consuming spelt has a bone density scan and osteopenia is revealead or a blood test reveals anemia. Would that be tied back to the spelt? It’s doubtful, but the spelt—i.e., the gluten, genetically modified or not—could well be the cause of such issues. The person continues eating spelt because the symptoms are not ones they would expect to be gluten symptoms. Fourth, even IF (not an if that I can validate) spelt is unchanged, the person with celiac/gluten issues already has a condition where gluten in ANY form will impact them. Spelt is gluten and it will impact them. Your advice is akin to telling someone to play Russian roulette with their life. I urge all my readers to listen to the experts on celiac/gluten intolerance/gluten sensitivity, and they all say DO NOT EAT SPELT!
Shirley
My 4 year old daughter is what I would describe as “spirited”, she is “more”, and on a daily basis gets very intense. In talking with other parents who have children with possible sensory issues it has been advised that these children try a gluten free diet because the “leaky gut” from the gluten can cause wires in a person’s brain can become crossed and muddied. For breakfast and lunch my daughter has bread so I wanted to, for starters, try gluten free bread so my husband stopped at Meijer and was hard pressed to find anything “gluten free” but came home with spelt bread. Lol, I was confused because it says on the label that it is wheat, but my husband assured me that it is free of gluten?! Of course I was skeptical because of it being labeled as a wheat product and in looking it up I found this article. Thank you
I could you tell me what brands of bread are gluten free? Thanks 
Hi Mandie–Welcome to gfe!
I’m so glad you found my article. I sincerely believe that the gluten-free diet can help your daughter. Gluten and leaky gut can play a role in so many conditions. The results of a gluten-free diet can be amazing in many cases. I hope it will be with your daughter! FYI, gluten-free breads are found in the freezer section of the grocery store and usually with other gluten-free items. Some brands are Rudi’s (my favorite), Udi’s, Enjoy Life, Ener-G (great for using in stuffing and casseroles, not my fave for sandwiches and such), and more. Note that some of these companies also make gluten-full products, so be sure the product says gluten free. I tend to advise that bread be removed from the diet for a bit so that there’s no comparison of the gf bread to regular bread. They can be pretty different in most cases. You might want to take a look at Getting Started with GFE. It’s a tab under my header and there are tip sheets there for getting started gluten free with meal ideas, treat ideas, etc. I think you’ll find it helpful. Also, take a look on my sidebar at Essential Posts for posts with other helpful tips. Please email me if you have any more specific questions.
Best of luck!
Shirley
I think there is great confusion between those suffering from gluten sensitivity and fructose malabsorption. Someone who has celiac disease should never eat spelt no matter what the process is as it contains gluten. My own research and testing with my physician and naturopath, I came up that I was suffering from fructose malabsorption. Many FM sufferers have problems with fructans – short chains of fructose found primarily in wheat and onions. I had great problems with gluten free products and many of the subsitutes are not good for FM. Many individuals who suffer with problems with fructans find that the baking method of spelt sourdough breads are tolerable as the sourdough reduces the amount of fructans in spelt to a small amount. This is being discussed on FM blogs. Sourdough process does not lower fructans in wheat breads and still remain intolerable for myself.
Hi Maureen–After rereading your comment several times, I’m not sure if you are stating that only those with celiac need be concerned about spelt. Perhaps I am misinterpreting that part of your comment, but I want to emphasize that anyone with gluten issues of any kind—from gluten sensitivity to non-celiac gluten intolerance to celiac disease—should not be consuming spelt. EVER.
I know a handful of folks with both gluten issues AND fructose malabsorption. You’re right that highly processed gluten-free products and substitutes are not good for them. Really, they’d not good for anyone on a gluten-free diet. These foods contribute to ongoing inflammation (with its own multitude of side effects), problems with glucose levels (often pushing the pre-diabetic over the edge into diabetes), and much more. Whole, real foods, and recipes made from them are always the best.
Thanks for your input, Maureen. I didn’t know about the discussion on spelt in regard to those with FM alone, but please keep sharing the fact that spelt is NOT safe for those who eat gluten free.
Shirley
Absolutely Shirley people with celiac disease AND gluten sensitivity should not eat spelt. There is much buzz about spelt in the FM world and some may be making the mistake of confusing FM and gluten/celiac problems. There was infomation that spelt sourdough bread has lower gluten levels, but that is NOT good enough for celiacs and gluten sensitivity. Spelt sourdough bread may be appropriate for those with solely FM and others who wish less gluten in a whole grain product. It is only the sourdough levain that makes the difference of lowering fructan and gluten levels acting as a fermentation process. The information coming forward has stated that spelt flour and pastas still contain high levels of gluten and fructans. Also sourdough levain wheat products show no improvement in levels of fructans and gluten.
Thanks very much, Maureen. Let’s keep the folks with gluten issues and/or FM safe. No spelt, thank you very much. I really appreciate your insight!
Shirley
Hi, Great info here.
I am not allergic or test positive for celiac.
However, I eat no wheat.
I do feel that I’m sensitive to wheat. It immediately affects my IBS. I do not avoid all the condiments and things that may be gluten free.
Would you happen to know if spelt agrees with people who are just sensitive to wheat?
Thanks!
Linda M.
Hi Linda–Welcome to gfe!
Unfortunately I can’t offer you much more than I’ve already stated. I would not recommend that anyone who has either wheat or gluten issues of any kind eat spelt. There are many others who agree with me. Here’s a post from Alison at Sure Foods Living on spelt: http://surefoodsliving.com/2009/03/is-spelt-safe-for-a-wheat-free-or-gluten-free-diet/ Not surprisingly, you’ll see the same type of comments of agreement and disagreement on her post.
All the best,
Shirley
OK, another question, though I think I know the answer: What about kamut? I assume it’s a kind of wheat, like spelt, and so is off limits. I just found around 40 lbs. of kamut grains that I had bought (along with spelt) when I found out I could not eat wheat but was mistakenly led to believe I can eat spelt and kamut.
Diane–A quick Google search will show that kamut is an ancient wheat. It’s much like spelt in that regard and also in the sense that some folks who are wheat intolerant (NOT those with gluten issues) say they don’t have issues with kamut. BUT I would NEVER advise anyone with gluten or wheat issues to eat kamut. That 40 lbs of kamut might make a great donation to your local food bank.
Stay safe and healthy!
Shirley