"Spelt is the best grain, warming, lubricating and of high nutritional value. It is better tolerated by the body than any other grain. Spelt provides the consumer with good flesh and good blood and cofers a cheerful disposition. It provides a happy mind and a joyful spirit. No matter how you eat spelt, either as a bread or in other foods, it is good and easy to digest."

Analysis of Hildegard's Quote:

The secret of Spelt lies in the concept of bio-availability. Being highly water-soluble, all of the nutritional value of Spelt tends to be readily absorbed by the body, with a minimum of digestion.

Her quote reveals perceptions as to the nutritional value and the contribution of nutrition to good health.

A partial list of diseases and conditions which seem to be related to diets that rely on highly refined and processed foods include:

Coronary Heart Disease, Hyper-tension, Obesity, Adult Onset Diabetes Various Cancers, esp. those of the digestive tract and Cirrhosis of the Liver

Work on discussion of need for dietary fiber (lower cholesterol)

A "holistic" approach to medicine suggests that the whole body must be treated, not the specific ailment or symptom. Diet is an important component to this approach.

Deconstruction of the quote.

"(Spelt is) warming"

If one were to take the approach that carbohydrates represent the stored energy of the sun, then this energy is freed by digestion. With the ease of digestion of spelt we find it to be a most satisfying meal. (The fact that my favorite preparation is a spaghetti sauce with a nice touch of cayenne and a splash of Tabasco certainly helps-Ed.).

Hildegard's approach to health relied heavily on the ancient Greek system which viewed the body as controlled by the four "humors"; body-choler (yellow bile), blood, phlegm, and melancholy (black bile).

Good digestion results in a good balance of body fluids and she believed that the Spelt germ helps to absorb excess bile and therefore helps provide a sunny disposition.

The high solubility of Spelt's nutrients ensure quick action to boost metabolism. While it's difficult to prove, anecdotal evidence is that the by ease of digestion Spelt can help to remove wastes from the system, thereby cleansing toxins.

"(Spelt is) lubricating"

Spelt has a balanced blend of fats, with a bias towards polyunsaturated fats. Combined with the superb fiber content, this balance helps lower or control cholesterol. Fatty acids are vital to the nervous system lending a line of defense against stress and the related symptoms of depression and fatigue.

"and is of high nutritional value."

Though Hildegard did not have access to our modern laboratories, she guess well as to the complement of nutritional components of Spelt. See the comparison table, nutritional profile.

Spelt is a good source of vitamins, in particular the B Complex. B Vitamins help control the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Spelt contains more Vitamin B-1 (Thaimine), pantothenic acid and niacin than wheat, with comparable levels of B-12 (Riboflavin).

"(Spelt) is better tolerated by the body than any other grain"

Studies at the Hildegard Institute in Germany have demonstrated that many with sensitive digestive systems have found Spelt to be easily tolerated.

"Spelt provides its consumer with good flesh"

Spelt is an excellent source of nutrition for those looking to increase physical fitness and strength. Though the strain used is different, Spelt is often used to boost the performance of racehorses. Our strains are closely related, the difference being breeding to improve use in breads and other baked goods (Though raw spelt kernels are tasty all by them selves - Ed.).

"and good blood and confers a cheerful disposition"

Spelt is rich in mucopolysaccharides, which are known to assist in blood function, boosting the immune system. Once again if we look to Hildegard's reference to the four humors, the ability to absorb or counterbalance black bile we see the secret of good health, "If humans did not possess the bitterness of bile and the darkness of black bile, they would always be healthy." The fiber in Spelt should serve to ensure healthy control of cholesterol.

"It provides a happy mind and joyful spirit"

Neurotransmitters are important in determining mood and mental activity. Two important building blocks, phenylalanine and tryptophane, are well represented in Spelt's nutritional profile. Dopamine and the hormones adrenaline and noradrenalin are produced from phenylalanine, while tryptophane is a stimulant to the production of serotonin, important to moods and alertness.

"No matter how you eat spelt, either as bread or in other foods, it is good and easy to digest."

Spelt makes a fine, "Old World" bread with a wonderful taste, sweet and slightly "nutty" in flavor. Even white spelt flours are essentially whole grain flours. In contrast to wheat flours, the essential ingredients and vital nutritional components of spelt are retained in the kernel until just before milling. In contrast, white wheat flours must be "enriched". Much of the nutritional value in wheat is lost in the milling process.

Further Quote : "When someone is so weakened by illness that he cannot eat, then simply take whole spelt kernels and boil them vigorously in water, add butter and egg (and a pinch of salt). This will make the food tastier and the patient will want to eat it. Give this to the patient and it will heal him from within like a good healing salve."