Scientific Study of KAMUT® Brand Khorasan Wheat: Good News

It turns out that bread made with KAMUT® Brand Khorasan Wheat is not jut good tasting but good for you too.

Kamut International has just completed  a study that compares the antioxidant properties of modern wheat to an ancient grain, like KAMUT® Brand wheat. The study was conducted by researchers at the Department of Food Sciences and the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Bologna in Italy and appeared in Frontiers of Bioscience, January 2011.

‘This published study represents the first of many, which we believe will eventually result in a scientific explanation of why people with sensitivities to modern wheat claim they feel better when they eat KAMUT® Brand wheat. In this initial paper, however, we focused on a nutritional property which has significant implications for everyone,”said  Bob Quinn, President of Kamut International.

The research evaluated and compared the antioxidant effect of whole grain modern durum wheat bread (WB) and whole grain ancient KAMUT® khorasan bread in rats. Two different bread-making processes were also compared for the whole grain KAMUT® khorasan bread: baker’s yeast (KB) and sourdough (SKB). The concentration of all potential antioxidant compounds appeared different in the three experimental breads. Total polyphenols and in particular selenium, were significantly higher in the two KAMUT® Brand wheat breads than the whole grain durum wheat bread. Vitamin E and beta-carotene were in lower concentrations in KB compared to WB, but both compounds were increased in the SKB by the sourdough fermentation.

After feeding these different breads to rats for seven weeks, the rats were submitted to an exogenous oxidative stress. The rats fed the KAMUT® breads were better able to overcome the induced oxidative stress than those fed the modern durum bread. Those fed the SKB fared best of all.

The reduced risk of chronic diseases related to whole grain consumption is attributed in part to their high antioxidant content. The study demonstrated that the animals fed the ancient KAMUT® Wheat breads had a better response to oxidative stress, thus indicating its higher potential benefits than modern whole grain durum wheat. These benefits may also be stronger when Kamut bread is made with sourdough fermentation. The research is ongoing and will evaluate the mechanisms in rat livers related to the higher protective activity of ancient KAMUT® khorasan wheat.

KAMUT® Brand khorasan wheat can be found in over 2,000 healthy, organic food options including breads, pastas, flat breads, cereals, pizza, soups and chili’s. It can also be purchased as grain or flour for cooking and baking. Its naturally sweet, nutty flavor turns simple recipes into highly nutritious, flavorful meals. KAMUT® Brand wheat makes it easy to incorporate highly nutritious whole-grains into family-favorite recipes that can be found on the website http://www.Kamut.com.

About KAMUT® Brand Khorasan Wheat

The mission of Kamut International is to promote organic agriculture and support organic farmers, to increase diversity of crops and diets, and to protect the heritage of a high quality, delicious ancient grain for the benefit of this and future generations. KAMUT® is a trademark of Kamut International and it stands for guaranteed standards that are verified by tests from every field.

4 thoughts on “Scientific Study of KAMUT® Brand Khorasan Wheat: Good News

    1. John,

      It’s not whether the grain is “whole” (it comes from the plant that way), it’s how the grain is processed. If all the bran is maintained when the grain is milled, it is considered “whole” – if some of the bran is removed while processed, it is not whole grain.

      For example, some Kamut® Brand Khorasan Wheat is sold “semi-pearled” where a small portion of the bran is removed in processing and it cannot be labeled “whole grain.”

      If you have questions about a particular product made from Kamut® Brand Khorasan Wheat, you might go to their website, http://www.kamut.com, and reach out to them via the Contact page.

      Gail N-K
      GoodFood World

  1. I am trying to determine if yur Kamut Flakes (that we have been eating for years) contains wheat gluten.
    We are trying to eliminate gluten from our diet became it is gmo modified.
    Can you comment on this?
    Sincerely,
    Beverley England
    Canada

    1. Beverly,

      KAMUT® khorasan wheat is an ancient form of wheat, so it does contain wheat gluten. All KAMUT® is organic, that is part of the trademarking requirement.

      If you are concerned about GMOs, you should always eat organic products. Organic certification does not allow the use of any genetically engineered product or ingredient.

      To date, there is no GMO wheat on the market in the US. You can safely eat KAMUT® khorasan wheat if you want to avoid GMOs in your diet. If you have been diagnosed celiac, you should avoid wheat in any form.

      Gail N-K
      GoodFood world

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