The differences between American & European wheat/gluten. (2024)

FAQs

The differences between American & European wheat/gluten.? ›

“Wheat grown in the U.S. [tends to be] higher in gluten, whereas there are several more varieties of wheat grown in Europe that are lower in gluten. So they may not cause issues in those who are gluten-sensitive,” Melissa Groves Azzaro, RDN, LD, told GoodRx

The primary distinction between American wheat and European wheat lies in their gluten content. American wheat, with its prominent red wheat variety, contains higher levels of gluten, which has been linked to gut-related issues like bloating, and inflammation.

It is true that they have different varieties of wheat in Europe and some are lower in gluten than others, however they are still nowhere near safe for people with celiac disease. An important thing to point out is that Europe has about the same prevalence of celiac disease as the United States.

Gluten allows the gas generated by the yeast to be trapped in bubbles. The stronger the wheat the smaller the bubble and more water can be added. French flour is 'softer' and contains less gluten. It will contains grains only grown in France.

It is crusty and not squishy like American Bread. European bread is typically made with a higher protein content flour and may undergo longer fermentation periods, resulting in a chewier texture and more complex flavors.

Only spelt and spelt flours have higher values. The greater the proportion of wheat in the product, the higher the gluten level.

A: Although emmer and einkorn are technically wheat, it is a very simple low gluten grain. The gluten structure of emmer and einkorn are quite different than modern gluten. Many of our customers who have wheat sensitivities have had great success with emmer and einkorn.

Wheat grown in the United States is typically high in gluten content, since the majority is hard red wheat. Much of Europe's wheat is a softer, lower gluten variety.

It could stem from changes in the way grains are grown or the ubiquity of gluten in today's foods. The only thing that's known for certain is the serious toll gluten takes on the lining of the small intestine in people with celiac disease.

There is a difference in the wheat used to make European flour-based products, such as bread, pizza, and pastries. European wheat has a lower protein/gluten content, which makes it more digestible for those with NCGS.

Why is European flour better? ›

In Europe, the majority of wheat grown is soft wheat, lower in proteins and thus lower in gluten content. Fact: American wheat is covered in glyphosate. Glyphosate is a herbicide (main ingredient in Roundup) used on American wheat to kill bacteria, dry out and prepare the wheat crop for harvest.

The flour with the lowest amount of gluten in it is cake flour containing only 7-9% gluten. It is of course used in cake, but also muffins and delicate cookies. All-purpose flour has 8-11% gluten in it. It can be used to make things like waffles, pie crusts, pastries, and cookies.

Soft wheat has a lower gluten content (between 9% and 11%) and is often used in all purpose flour and pastry flour which gives a more crumbly texture. Soft flour is usually divided into cake flour, which is the lowest in gluten, and pastry flour, which has slightly more gluten than cake flour.

“Wheat grown in the U.S. [tends to be] higher in gluten, whereas there are several more varieties of wheat grown in Europe that are lower in gluten. So they may not cause issues in those who are gluten-sensitive,” Melissa Groves Azzaro, RDN, LD, told GoodRx Health.

German bread is unlike any other bread known to Europe. It is dark, chewy and dense, composed mainly of whole grains, such as rye, spelt, and millet. Wheat is taking a back-seat compared to other countries, where it is the dominant grain, resulting in lighter, whiter and starchier (and less healthy) bread types.

This means that Italian wheat isn't necessarily less glutenous by default. Instead, a reason why gluten is different is because the type of wheat used and how it's cultivated plays a pivotal role in determining its gluten content and quality.

Gluten is a protein found in grains, such as wheat, barley and rye. Some people are allergic to wheat, but that is not the same as a gluten allergy. Gluten allergy is a misleading term commonly confused with wheat allergy, or sometimes celiac disease.

Wheat is the principal food grain produced in the United States. The three primary varieties of the grain domestically sown are winter wheat, spring wheat, and durum wheat. Winter wheat varieties are sown in the fall and usually become established before going into dormancy when cold weather arrives.

Gluten is a general name for the proteins found in wheat (wheatberries, durum, emmer, semolina, spelt, farina, farro, graham, KAMUT® khorasan wheat and einkorn), rye, barley and triticale – a cross between wheat and rye. Gluten helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together.