Modern wheat is the end result of thousands of years of selective breeding, creating varieties that give exceptionally high yields. Production of older wheats such as spelt declined as farmers switched to modern cultivars, but by the late 20th century interest in these varieties rebounded. Many consumers believe spelt is healthier than modern wheat, and prefer to feed it to their families.
About Spelt
Spelt is one of the oldest cultivated varieties of wheat, dating back thousands of years. Its papery husks cling to the grains, rather than threshing away easily as they do in modern varieties of wheat. Accordingly most spelt flour is whole grain because "white" flour requires extra milling. Spelt is higher in protein than most forms of wheat, at up to 17 percent by weight. It's also higher in the B vitamins thiamine, niacin and riboflavin, and minerals including copper, manganese and zinc.
Introducing Grains to Infants
Researchers have devoted much study to how and when solid foods should be introduced to infants. Pediatricians recommend adding grains over a period of months, beginning with a simple rice cereal at 4 months. Rice is the least allergenic of the major grains. Between the fourth and seventh months you can also introduce oats and barley, adding only one new food each week and watching for adverse reactions. At the seventh month, you can begin adding spelt or wheat to your baby's diet.
Signs of Adverse Reaction
For most infants, spelt and wheat are safe, healthy nourishing foods. However, a small percentage of children have allergies or sensitivities to wheat and its relatives. Add no other foods during the first week you're feeding your child spelt cereal. Watch for changes in their stool, especially diarrhea. Bloating, colic and the sudden appearance of eczema or other rashes are all signs of a potential sensitivity. If these appear, wait three months before you attempt to reintroduce spelt. If the symptoms recur, take your baby to the doctor for testing and diagnosis.
Risk Factors
Some children are at higher than normal risk for sensitivity to wheat or spelt. If any older family members suffer from wheat allergies or celiac disease, this increases the likelihood of your child having a similar sensitivity. Children with Down syndrome, Williams syndrome or Turner's syndrome are also at elevated risk, as are children with Type 1 diabetes. There is a popular myth that because spelt is an older, less-refined grain it is safer than wheat. This is not the case, and celiacs or those with wheat allergies hould avoid spelt, kamut, farro and other ancestral wheats.
References
- On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen; Harold McGee
- Washington State University Extension: Spelt for Human Health and Nutrition
- Clemson Cooperative Extension: Feeding Your Infant
- Colorado State University Extension: Introducing Solid Foods to Infants
- SUNY Downstate Medical Center: A Teacher's Guide to Pediatric Nutrition; Section 2: Infancy
