Six GlutenFree Ancient Grains Oldways and the Whole

Six Gluten-Free Ancient Grains Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Gluten-Free Ancient Grains • Who needs gluten-free grains? • Guide to six gluten-free ancient grains: Amaranth, Buckwheat, Millet, Quinoa, Sorghum, Teff • How whole grains benefit health • Nutritional advantages of gluten-free ancient grains • Culinary tips for gluten-free ancient grains Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

What is Gluten? • A type of protein found in wheat, rye, barley and triticale (a wheat/rye hybrid) • Gives baked goods the “elastic” ability to stretch and rise • A small number of people are sensitive to these gluten proteins Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Who Needs Gluten-Free Grains? • Celiac – about 1% of the population have an auto-immune disorder called celiac disease, and can’t digest grain glutens • Gluten sensitive – 1 -6% of people may have “non-celiac gluten sensitivity, ” a less serious reaction to gluten grains • The rest of us – about 95% of the population – can enjoy GF grains simply because they’re delicious and healthy, and add variety. Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Who Needs Gluten-Free Grains? More variety in grains is better for everyone. We don’t just eat carrots and think we’re “done” with vegetables; try ALL the grains out there! Gluten Free doesn’t mean Grain Free! Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Which Grains are Gluten Free? Gluten-Free Grains with Gluten Amaranth Barley Buckwheat Rye Corn Triticale Millet Wheat, all forms Oats ** Quinoa Rice Sorghum Teff Wild Rice ** Oats are naturally GF but may be cross-contaminated. Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Amaranth © Kurt Stueber Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Amaranth History • It’s a pseudo-cereal (not a true grain) • Native to Latin America and Mexico • Spanish invaders banned cultivation to suppress local culture • Spread to Africa and Asia – India, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia • Now being encouraged in Asia and Africa as ideal crop for poor farmers (thrives with poor soils, no irrigation, little weeding; nutritional star) Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Amaranth Food Culture • Mexico: Used for tortillas before corn. Today in “alegría” (Spanish for joy) a street-food made of popped amaranth with honey • Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Vietnam) and Africa (Congo, Nigeria, E. Africa): amaranth greens are enjoyed widely • Caribbean: callaloo (amaranth leaves) used in pepperpot soup • Uganda: amaranth widely grown since 2005 – promoted to provide food security Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Amaranth Facts & Fun • Amaranth’s name comes from the Greek meaning “one that does not wither” • Also sometimes called “Chinese spinach” • In Swahili it’s called mchicha which means “vegetable for all” • In Yoruba (in Nigeria) it’s called arowo jeja meaning “we have money left for fish” Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Buckwheat © Thomas Björkman Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Buckwheat History • It’s a pseudo-cereal • Buckwheat’s origins were in SE Asia (ca. 6000 BC); it came to Europe by ~4000 BC • Buckwheat farming declined in the US with the advent of nitrogen fertilizer (when wheat & corn became easier to grow) • Biggest market for buckwheat is in Russia, Ukraine, Poland Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Buckwheat Food Culture • • • Ukraine: salamakha, a thin porridge France (Brittany): galettes** Canada: plourdes** Japan: soba noodles Russia: kasha, blini** N. Italy: black polenta ** many forms of thin pancakes Child enjoying a popsicle made from buckwheat cereal and chocolate almond milk Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Buckwheat Facts & Fun • • It’s related to rhubarb, not wheat Name comes from “beech wheat” Bees love it: buckwheat honey is prized Buckwheat hulls are used in heattherapy microwavable pillows • French & Spanish names (sarrasin, grano saraceno) indicate Moorish origin Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Millet © Estrilda Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Millet History • 2 main strains: from Africa and from Asia • Chinese and Koreans ate millet long before rice • In Egypt around 3000 BC, millet flat bread was eaten • Millet grew in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon • Millet porridge (puls) was a common food of the poor in the early Roman Empire Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Millet Food Culture • • • W. India: Millet + Sorghum make rotla bread Balkans: Boza is a fermented millet drink Africa: Uji is a millet breakfast porridge India: Roti flatbread is often made with millet Italy: Millet was used for polenta before corn Hunza (Pakistan): Millet is used to make cereal, soups, chapatti bread • Ethiopia: injera bread is sometimes made with millet instead of teff Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Millet Facts & Fun • Birdseed is often mostly millet • Millet grows in about 65 days on poor soils • In China, the characters for “millet” and for “mouth” put together make the word “good” Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Quinoa © Kurt Stueber Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Quinoa History • It’s a pseudo-cereal • Its origin is in the Andes, over 6000 years ago • Was sacred to the Incas who called it chisaya mama – “Mother of all Grains” • Was brought to the US in the 1970 s Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Quinoa Food Culture • In the Andes, quinoa is used for soups, bread and for chicha, a beer made from fermented quinoa • Traditionally, a quinoa “plaster” was used to heal bones • Natchez Indians, in the lower Mississippi Valley, may have cultivated a related food Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Quinoa Facts & Fun • Saponins, the outer bitter coating on quinoa, make the grain resistant to pests. Rinse before eating! • NASA has a history of promoting quinoa for longduration space flights • Inca warriors ate balls of quinoa and fat • It’s related to beets, spinach, and chard • Its color can be ivory, brown, red, or black • The little “tail” is the germ of the grain • Its botanic name Chenopodium means goose foot Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Sorghum © USDA Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Sorghum History • Sorghum is native to the tropics and sub -tropics • Its origins were in the African savanna • Muslims spread it to the Mideast • 80% of it is grown in Africa and Asia where it’s too hot and dry for other crops Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Sorghum Food Culture • US South: sorghum molasses (made from a juice from the stalks) • Mideast: cous-cous, porridge, flatbread • Bangladesh: kichuri (boiled like rice) • Botswana: lehta wagen (the top staple) • Nigeria: oka baba (boiled like rice) • E. Africa: uguli porridge • Honduras: sorghum tortillas are common Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Sorghum Facts & Fun • In Africa, sorghum is used to create a dye for making red leather • It’s increasingly used in the U. S. for ethanol • Broomcorn is a variety of sorghum introduced to the US by Ben Franklin • Sorghum provides a starch used for adhesives and papermaking • It’s also known as milo and as guinea corn Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Teff © Rasbak Much enlarged! Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Teff History • Teff is native to NE Africa • Teff has been found in 4 th-Dynasty Egyptian pyramids; some accounts say teff came from “The Land of Punt, ” a fabled trading partner to Egypt • Teff spread to India and Australia Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Teff Food Culture • In Ethiopia teff is used to create injera, a sourdough flatbread, as well as porridge, and a fermented alcoholic drink Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Teff Facts & Fun • The name means “lost” in Amharic: teffa • It’s also called “lovegrass” • Its tiny seeds are suited to a nomadic lifestyle – it’s easy to carry to new lands • It’s mostly bran and germ – nutrient packed • Color: ivory, tan, red, brown. Lighter color considered more elite in Ethiopia, but red teff contains the most iron • Ethiopian homes are often made of teff straw Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

And Four More… Corn, oats, rice, and wild rice are also excellent gluten-free grains. Because they’re already more familiar to most people than the grains featured here, we haven’t included them in this presentation. Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Whole Grain Health Benefits Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Reasons for Health Benefits • Nutrients 3 -5 times the vitamins and minerals found in refined grains • Antioxidants Corn has almost twice the antioxidant activity of apples, while wheat and oats almost equal broccoli and spinach in antioxidant activity • Fiber Whole grain products offer 1 g to 4 g of fiber per serving. Fiber varies from 3. 5% in brown rice to around 17% in barley • Satiety (feeling full) Study: kids who ate processed cereal and white toast for breakfast ate 150 calories more at lunch than kids who ate the same breakfast calories from oatmeal and whole grain toast (Oxford Brookes University) Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

A Whole Grain Includes Everything Whole grains or foods made from them contain all the essential parts and naturally-occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed. If the grain has been processed (e. g. , cracked, crushed, rolled, extruded, lightly pearled and/or cooked), the food product should contain all the bran, germ and endosperm of the original grain seed, and deliver the same rich balance of nutrients. Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Nutrients in Rice: Brown vs. White Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Nutrition Comparison Protein Fiber 28 g Calcium 1000 mg 6. 3 5 25 192 1. 4 Amaranth 7. 22 7. 5 77 183 1. 13 Buckwheat 6. 63 5 9 230 . 65 Millet 5. 51 4. 3 4 98 . 816 Quinoa 6. 55 2. 9 30 370 1. 13 Sorghum 5. 65 3. 2 14 175 ? Teff 6. 65 4 90 214 4. 62 Daily Value Average, all whole grains Potassium Manganese 4000 mg 2 mg All values per 50 g dry (about 1 cup cooked) source: USDA SR 20 Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Complete Proteins • Foods containing all essential amino acids are called “complete proteins” • Most grains do not contain all essential amino acids – often lacking or low in lysine • Amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, teff come closer to providing complete protein than any other whole grains Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Culinary Tips for Ancient Grains Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Like all grains… Gluten-free grains… • Can be used for stuffings, side dishes, salads, porridge, polenta and pilaf • When cooking, they are fluffier if you leave them alone, creamier with more liquid and stirring • Can be cooked in broth for savory dishes, in water for sweet ones (like porridge) • Can be toasted first to bring out their flavor Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Unlike Some Grains… Amaranth, buckwheat, millet, quinoa and teff tend to be quick cooking (sorghum takes a bit longer). Quinoa cooks in 12 -15 minutes, in fact. How’s that for fast food? Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Cooking GF Ancient Grains For 1 cup of this Add this much Then cook for To end up with Grain Liquid Time Yield Amaranth 2. 5 cups 20 min. 2. 5 cups Buckwheat 2 cups 10 min. 2. 5 cups Millet 2. 5 cups 25 min. 3. 5 cups Quinoa 2 cups 15 min. 3 cups Sorghum 2 cups 50 min. 2. 5 cups Teff 4 cups 20 min. 3. 75 cups Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Amaranth • Earthy flavor, does best with other strong flavors • Toasting the grains mellows flavor • Serve promptly - can become gummy on standing. Great for risottos or adding body to soups, but not for fluffy pilafs! • Retains a crunch even when cooked Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Buckwheat • Very strong flavor “love it or leave it” • Try mixing with other grains as you grow accustomed to the taste • Makes great pancakes or crepes Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Millet • Very mild flavor; tends to take on other flavors • Particularly easy to digest • Mix with brown rice (1 part brown rice to 5 parts millet) for a side dish Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Quinoa • Rinse carefully to remove saponins • Mild, nutty taste (some say peanut like? ) • Marries well with Asian, Mediterranean or South American flavors • Cooking it like pasta (in extra water) cuts what some say is “grassy”flavor (try 1 cup dry quinoa, 10 cups water, cook 11 -14 minutes) Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Sorghum • Milder and more neutral than others • Increasingly used for baking as an allpurpose gluten-free flour (with appropriate additions) • Oven-cooking sorghum grain results in softer bran, and requires less attention (try cooking at 350°F for 50 minutes) Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

Teff • Ivory teff is milder than dark teff • Crunchy after cooking, like poppy seeds • Sprinkle cooked teff on veggies as a topping • Makes a good polenta, but doesn’t make a good fluffy side dish Oldways and the Whole Grains Council

The Oldways Whole Grains Council Helping people worldwide enjoy more whole grains www. Whole. Grains. Council. org Oldways and the Whole Grains Council