Spelt husk

Spelt husks are the coverings of spelt grain kernels. Spelt, which Hildegard von Bingen already considered very valuable and which still forms an important part of Hildegard medicine today, belongs to the hulled grain varieties. Hulled grains are contrasted with hull-less grains, which include wheat and rye.

Hildegards Tipp:

• Valuable Bitter Substances According to Hildegard von Bingen
• A recipe based on 800 years of monastic knowledge
• Used by 4,000 alternative practitioners
• The Best in Natural Medicine: Organic & Vegan

Spelt husks tightly enclose the grain. The lemma and palea are fused with the fruit. The husk protects the grain so that the kernels are not exposed to the weather in the field. Sun, wind, and rain, as well as snow and cold, affect spelt less due to the protective husks. Other environmental influences can also be repelled by the spelt husks. These include pests that damage the grain on one hand and grain diseases on the other. Hulled grains like spelt are therefore much less sensitive to environmental influences than hull-less grains and are particularly well suited for organic farming.

As practical as the husks are during cultivation, they become cumbersome after harvest. The spelt husks themselves are inedible. They must be removed from the kernels in a complex process before the grain can be further processed into flour or grits – the dehulling process. In the grain mill, spelt is freed from the husks in a separate grinding step. This is done by increasing the distance between the millstones. In modern operations, rubber roller peelers or vertical grinders separate the spelt husks from the grain.

Because of this additional step in the milling process, spelt has been considered less productive and was increasingly displaced by other grains. Only recently has this hulled grain experienced a renaissance due to a growing awareness of healthy nutrition and has returned more frequently to our fields.

Spelt husks have low nutritional value. However, their crude fiber content is quite high. Therefore, they are difficult to digest. As animal feed, the husks are rather unsuitable.

The ingredients of the spelt grain itself are comparable to those of related wheat. Due to the sufficient gluten protein present in spelt, it is just as good for baking as other grains.

Spelt husks are air-permeable and loose. Therefore, they are ideal as a natural filling for pillows and neck rolls. The husks can also be used as additives for scented and herbal pillows.