Recently Published Study Confirms Antioxidant Properties of Kamut Khorasan Wheat

The study demonstrated that the animals fed the ancient Kamut Wheat breads had a better response to oxidative stress, thus indicating its higher potential benefits than modern whole grain durum wheat.

1/21/2011 --- Kamut International has just completed Phase 1 of an antioxidant evaluation on Kamut Brand khorasan wheat. The study, published in Frontiers of Bioscience, January 2011, was conducted by researchers at the Department of Food Sciences and the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Bologna in Italy to compare the antioxidant properties of modern wheat to an ancient grain, like Kamut Brand wheat.

“This published study represents the first of many, which we believe will eventually result in a scientific explanation of why people with sensitivities to modern wheat claim they feel better when they eat Kamut Brand wheat. In this initial paper, however, we focused on a nutritional property which has significant implications for everyone,” stated Bob Quinn, President of Kamut International.

The researchers, led by Alessandra Bordoni, M.D. Ph.D., and Andrea Gianotti, PhD, evaluated and compared the antioxidant effect of whole grain modern durum wheat bread (WB) and whole grain ancient Kamut khorasan bread in rats. Two different bread-making processes were also compared for the whole grain Kamut khorasan bread: baker’s yeast (KB) and sourdough (SKB). The concentration of all potential antioxidant compounds appeared different in the three experimental breads. Total polyphenols and in particular selenium, were significantly higher in the two Kamut Brand wheat breads than the whole grain durum wheat bread. Vitamin E and beta-carotene were in lower concentrations in KB compared to WB, but both compounds were increased in the SKB by the sourdough fermentation.

After feeding these different breads to rats for seven weeks, the rats were submitted to an exogenous oxidative stress. The rats fed the Kamut breads were better able to overcome the induced oxidative stress than those fed the modern durum bread. Those fed the SKB fared best of all.

The reduced risk of chronic diseases related to whole grain consumption is attributed in part to their high antioxidant content. The study demonstrated that the animals fed the ancient Kamut Wheat breads had a better response to oxidative stress, thus indicating its higher potential benefits than modern whole grain durum wheat. These benefits may also be stronger when Kamut bread is obtained by sourdough fermentation. The research is ongoing, evaluating in the rat liver the mechanisms related to the higher protective activity of ancient KAMUT khorasan wheat.

“This research study represents an important step for the explanation of the positive effects of ancient KAMUT khorasan wheat. On this basis, intervention studies on humans could lead to important results in terms of optimal nutrition,” commented the authors of the study.