Guide To Cereals

Gluten-free, suitable for vegetarian diets

Even if amaranth is not a cereal it has many of the features typical of this category of food.
Amaranth belongs to the Amaranthaceae family and is completely gluten-free given that it is not a cereal, which makes it suitable for people who suffer from coeliac disease.
It is an ingredient that is used worldwide and is widespread among the ancient peoples of Central America, but is still little known in Italy.
Amaranth is very rich in protein and, therefore, more than suitable for vegetarians.

Culinary uses:

• Excellent for gluten-free bread, pizza and pastry.

For the prevention of cardiovascular diseases

Barley is a cereal that originally came from Asia and belongs to the grass family and depending on the number of kernels can be cultivated both in spring and in autumn. Thanks to its numerous nutritional properties it is suitable for both children and adults, and precisely for this reason it is very widely used in the Mediterranean diet.
This cereal is 70% carbohydrate and about 10% protein, with a low fat content, less than 1.5%.
Even the trace mineral and vitamin content is decidedly high: barley is rich in potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, silicon, zinc and calcium, and vitamins E and B
It is precisely thanks to a good amount of vitamin B, that regular consumption of barley lowers the risk of heart disease.

Culinary uses:

• Barley flour is light and slightly sweet, and is used in baked goods because it makes bread soft, similar to cake, thanks to a very low gluten content.

A low-fat, high-protein wheat

This is the oldest type of wheat cultivated. Thanks to its numerous properties the Mediterranean diet makes widespread use of spelt and it is increasingly used in vegetarian and vegan diets: spelt is normally poor in fats, has a high protein content and is considered to be more digestible than many other cereals.
There are three different varieties on the market now, which are distinguished primarily by the size of the grain: dicocco, monococco and spelta.

Culinary uses:

• Excellent bread can be produced with this flour, which is very close in taste to white bread.

A cereal that has kept its original characteristics intact

It is mistakenly believed that the term Kamut denotes a certain type of cereal, whereas it is simply a trademark registered by the American company Kamut International.
Whereas, it is true that compared to other cereals it has higher amounts of trace minerals, in particular selenium, protein and vitamins. It is also considered more digestible than “ordinary” wheat probably because it has never been subjected to industrial hybridizations, and therefore, has maintained its original nutritional characteristics intact.
Therefore, Kamut flour can replace, entirely or in part, traditional durum wheat flour in the preparation of baked goods. It is ideal for long leavening, has a characteristic taste, smells like walnuts and is soft.

A valid alternative to maize

It is the fifth most important cereal in the worldwide agricultural economy.
The cultivation of sorghum is a valid alternative to maize, especially in areas where irrigation is poor and summer rainfall is low, making the cultivation of maize difficult.
The flour obtained from coarsely grinding this cereal can be used in baking.
Still very widespread in some poor areas of the planet (from north Africa to India), this food has recently been reassessed in Europe due to the absence of gluten, making it suitable for people who suffer from coeliac disease.
In the United States sorghum is fermented for the production of beer, while in Italy its cultivation is still of marginal importance.

Culinary uses:

• Fermented sorghum is used in the production of beer.
• Mixed with wheat flour it is ideal for the preparation of baked goods (bread, pastry, pancakes…).

• Il sorgo fermentato è utilizzato nella produzione di birra.
• Mescolato alla farina di grano è ideale per la preparazione di prodotti da forno (pane, pastafrolla, pancackes…).

Important source of folic acid and iron

This cereal originally came from Latin America, and arrived in Europe thanks to Christopher Columbus even if it was used for food starting only in the nineteenth century.
Maize is a gluten-free cereal, and is, therefore, suitable for those suffering from celiac disease. It is rich in folic acid and vitamin B1 and thus is suitable for pregnant women and for the preparation of baby food, starting from early childhood.
Maize also has good amounts of iron and other minerals and is, therefore, useful in cases of anaemia. 

Culinary uses:

• Zaeti, typical Venetian biscuits, with a characteristic yellow colour, can be made with maize flour.
• Maize flour, mixed with a small amount of white flour, can be used to make the well-known Pane di Meliga or Pane di Novara.