Blacksmith Wheat

Blacksmith wheat

We milled a small amount of a speciality black wheat for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in June 2022. It was very popular and we plan to mill some more in the summer of 2022.

The new Blacksmith variety of wheat has been traditionally bred and grown by Owen Davies in Lincolnshire. Stoneground and wholemeal, it retains its colour when baked giving a fantastic chocolate-purple colour to breads, pastry and cakes.

Black wheat is a variety of pigmented wheat developed by crossing purple and blue wheat. The anthocyanin present in the outer layer is responsible for the black colour of the wheat grain. It consists of numerous nutritional and bioactive compounds including phenolic compounds, anthocyanins, carotenoids, phytic acid essential amino acids, dietary fibres, vitamins and minerals.

Bread Buns made from Blacksmith wheat

Black wheat has higher protein content, dietary fibre, calcium, Vitamin K, total flavonoid and phenolic content, and antioxidant activity than the conventional yellow wheat.

In studies consumption of whole Black wheat has led to prevention of cardiovascular disease, inflammation, cancer, diabetes, obesity, ageing and large bowel protection.

Gluten strength is enough for the development of bakery products.

Information from: Trends in Food Science & Technology Volume 112, June 2021, Pages 780-794 Composition, characteristics and health promising prospects of black wheat: A review