Kamut flour is made from Khorasan wheat, which is a relative of durum wheat.
Khorasan was grown in Ancient Egypt. According to one early story of this wheat’s origin, an American airman in Egypt after the Second World War took a handful of the grain from an ancient tomb. He gave some to his friend who sent them to his father, a wheat farmer in Montana. The crop of wheat he grew from the seeds was given the name King Tut’s Wheat and it became a popular but short-lived trend that was quickly forgotten.
In 1977, another wheat farmer named T. Mack Quinn came along and cultivated some of the seeds with the help of his son Bob. This story of the wheat’s Ancient Egyptian origin is now believed to be little more than marketing copy and the company no longer stands by it.
The more likely story is that Khorasan wheat and has been cultivated by small farmers in Egypt throughout history. Unlike modern wheat, it retains its nutrition. Modern wheat has been bred to deliver higher yields while sacrificing nutrition.
In 1988, Kamut flour began showing up in health food products. In 1989, the first bread made with it showed up.
The Kamut name is a registered trademark held by T. Mack Quinn since 1990. Kamut is the Egyptian word for wheat and Egyptologists say it means the soul of the earth.
Farmers who want to cultivate Kamut must do so in keeping with the standards set forth by Quinn’s company Kamut International Ltd. To bear the Kamut trademark, wheat must be organic and 99 percent free of modern wheat varieties among other standards.
These days, the state of Montana is a leading producer of Khorasan wheat with 70,000 acres dedicated to it. The Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan are also major producers. More than 2,000 products are made with Khorasan wheat.
Kamut flour flavor profile
The flavor of Kamut flour is commonly described as buttery and nutty. It is considered to be somewhat sweeter than flour from common wheat, but its flavor is light enough that you can use it just as you would use any other type of wheat flour.
Health benefits of Kamut flour
The Khorasan wheat that makes up Kamut flour is vastly more nutritious than typical wheat. Here are some of the nutrients Kamut flour contains:
- Amino acids: Kamut flour has almost 2/3 more amino acids compared to common wheat.
- Fatty acids: You will get more fatty acids from Kamut flour than you will from common wheat flour.
- Minerals: Kamut flour is a great source of minerals as well. You will get more iron and zinc from it than from common wheat flour.
By adding Kamut flour to your diet, you may prevent or help to treat certain health conditions like:
- Heart disease: Kamut flour is rich in fiber, which makes it effective for lowering cholesterol and fighting heart disease.
- Constipation: The fiber in Kamut flour helps food to pass through the gut more quickly.
Health concerns
Like all wheat flour, Kamut flour contains gluten, which means that you shouldn’t consume it if you have celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
Common uses
Kamut flour works well in bread dough and is considered especially suitable for pita bread. It works well for making pasta as well.