Spelt flour has received a lot of attention recently, with regards to its gluten and FODMAP levels. In particular, there seems to be a lot of confusion in the health world about the FODMAP Friendly status of spelt flour, so we thought we would chime in with the answers to some common questions about spelt flour, to clear things up!
Q. 1 – Is spelt flour gluten free?
Spelt flour by nature is not gluten free, but does contain a lower amount of wheat than other flours. This is partially due to the processing by which it undergoes, to mill the spelt grain into flour form. However, it is important to remember that being ‘gluten free’ does not always equate to being ‘FODMAP Friendly’ by default! ‘Gluten’ refers to the main protein in certain grains, whereas ‘wheat’ refers to the sugar (or carbohydrate), where the FODMAPs may be found.
Q. 2 – Is spelt flour FODMAP Friendly overall?
Fructans are found within the wheat portion of spelt flour. These are the particular short chain carbohydrates (oligosaccharides) which cause the digestive issues associated with IBS type symptoms. Although high amounts of fructans are best avoided when embarking on a low FODMAP approach, there are certain ways to treat the wheat in ingredients such as spelt flour, to make the end product FODMAP Friendly.
Q 3 – Is bread made with spelt flour FODMAP Friendly?
It certainly can be, if manufactured correctly, and tested for verified FODMAP levels. Industry expert Andrew Bertalli, creator of the famous FODMAP Friendly Certified Alpine Breads range, is well versed in the handling of spelt flour – in fact, he uses it throughout many of this certified products!
‘Alpine Breads has been making sourdough breads for over eighty years and with this experience we have developed our FODMAP Friendly range of breads. Baking with certain flours in the normal process will not necessarily give you a FODMAP Friendly bread. However, over many years of developing my low FODMAP breads I have worked out how to break down the fructans that are present in certain grains, including spelt. The industry needs to benchmark so the consumer can trust what is being said, which is why my breads undergo accredited testing, to verify they are indeed FODMAP Friendly.’
– Andrew Bertalli, of Alpine Breads.
So there you have it, the lowdown on spelt flour! We hope this clears up any confusion you may have about the FODMAP levels within spelt flour, and its suitability within a low FODMAP approach to managing IBS type symptoms.
As always, look for our Certified FODMAP Friendly logo bearing products, such as the delicious range from Alpine Breads, to eat with confidence!
Don’t forget to download a copy of our new FODMAP Friendly App for a full list of approved foods and food products, including an easy supermarket guide on where to find these foods!
