What is the difference between European wheat and American wheat?

In Europe, the principal strains of wheat are generally of the soft variety. Due to soil and growing conditions, the differences between American and European wheat extend further than gluten content. American wheat contains about 10 times more selenium, a trace mineral, than European varieties [source: Shewry].

Is wheat processed differently in Europe?

While there are six classes of wheat grown in the U.S., in the EU, two main classes are grown – soft wheat for use in flours and breads and durum wheat for pasta. Soft wheat tends to be grown in warmer, more temperate regions in the EU and tends to have a higher starch content compared to durum wheat.

What type of wheat is grown in Europe?

Besides soft and durum wheat, other species such as spelt, emmer and einkorn are also grown in Europe; the latter play a negligible role in commercial trade though. In both wheat production and trade, differences in quality within the dominant species of common wheat (soft wheat) are of great importance.

What is the difference between American flour and European flour?

Since most flour in America comes from hard, red wheat, and 70–80\% of it is winter wheat, American flour is typically much stronger than European flour, with much higher levels of protein (i.e. gluten).

What is wrong with American wheat?

Modern wheat breeding has increased in the protein parts that cause celiac disease, known as epitopes. Norman Borlaug, the Nobel Prize–winning wheat breeder, not only introduced higher-yielding wheat but inadvertently created a high-gluten wheat that humans have not evolved to digest. Modern wheat is making us sick.

Is European wheat better?

A huge factor in the quality of European wheat is not only the type of wheat that is grown, but in the way it is grown and harvested. A huge factor in the quality of European wheat is not only the type of wheat that is grown, but in the way it is grown and harvested.

Does American wheat have more gluten?

American wheat is higher in gluten. The majority of American wheat grown is hard red wheat, which is high in protein and thus gluten. In Europe, the majority of wheat grown in Europe is soft wheat, which is lower in gluten. Julia Child famously lamented trying to make French-style bread with American flour.

What kind of flour is used in Italy?

In effect there are two basic types of wheat grown and used in Italy: grano tenero (triticum aestivum) and grano duro (triticum durum). In English the latter is often called durum wheat. In theory, durum flour isn’t even called flour, it’s called semola, which is much more grainy than flour: think polenta.

What is European flour?

European breads are made with flours that are much softer than their North American cousins, and authentic Euro-style artisan breads are built on flours with protein content in the 10\% to 11\% range – similar to U.S. all-purpose flour.

What is the healthiest wheat?

Spelt is an ancient whole wheat that has been grown for thousands of years. Nutritionally, spelt is similar to modern whole wheat and a rich source of manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, B vitamins and fiber. However, it has slightly more zinc and protein, compared to whole wheat (26).

Why is American wheat bad for you?

Wheat raises blood sugar levels, causes immunoreactive problems, inhibits the absorption of important minerals and aggravates our intestines.

Does Europe import wheat from the United States?

While Europe does import American wheat, the vast majority of the wheat they grow is of the soft (read: lower gluten content) variety. One source said it’s roughly 10\% gluten.

How much gluten is in the wheat from Europe?

One source said it’s roughly 10\% gluten. If you’re gluten sensitive, the lower percentage in the wheat grown in Europe might account for some of the difference, though again: no guarantees it hasn’t been imported from the U.S.

Are all types of wheat the same?

Unless you’re a professional baker, you might think that all wheat is the same, but these two regions actually produce vastly different varieties of this crop. Around 60 percent of U.S. wheat production is of the hard red wheat variety; just 23 percent consists of soft wheat [source: Brester ].

What is the difference between red wheat and white wheat?

Red wheat has a slightly higher amount of protein which makes it better for more rustic, artisan, and generally harder bread loaves. In contrast, hard white wheat’s more moderate level of protein makes for softer loaves such as your typical pan loaves and dinner rolls.