Everything you want to know about einkorn.

Einkorn is the oldest cultivated wheat on earth — humans have been eating it for more than 10,000 years. Unlike every wheat variety you find in grocery stores today, einkorn has never been hybridized for industrial yield. Modern wheat was selectively bred over decades to grow fast, produce more per acre, and survive long supply chains. Einkorn wasn't. It grows slower. It yields less. And because nothing was changed to make it more convenient for the food industry, it kept its original nutritional profile. The grain that fed ancient civilizations is the same grain we grow today — no genetic modifications, no crossbreeding for tonnage, no shortcuts. That's not nostalgia. It's a meaningful difference in what ends up in your body.

The differences are substantial and independently verified. Our einkorn was tested by the Utah State University Center for Human Nutrition Studies — one of the leading nutrition research institutions in North America. Here's what they found, per 100g of grain: Protein: 14.98g in einkorn vs. 10.94g in modern wheat — that's 37% more. Vitamin B3 (niacin): 5.97 mg vs. 1.14 mg — 424% more. Vitamin B7 (biotin): 12.0 µg vs. 2.4 µg — 400% more. Beta-carotene: 13.45 µg vs. 0.0 µg — einkorn has it, modern wheat doesn't. These aren't marginal improvements. They're the result of choosing a grain that was never engineered away from its natural state. Same crop. More nutrition.

Many people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity find they tolerate einkorn much better than modern wheat — and there's a structural reason for that. Einkorn has a different ratio of gliadin to glutenin proteins compared to modern wheat. Its gluten is closer in structure to what humans ate for thousands of years, before industrial hybridization changed the protein composition. The result is a protein profile the body is more accustomed to working with. For those with non-celiac wheat sensitivity, it's worth trying — especially since our einkorn is also completely pesticide-free. Some people who react to conventional wheat may be reacting to the chemicals, not just the gluten itself. Glyphosate residues are common in conventionally grown grain. Ours tested not detected by SGS Canada. That's two meaningful differences from what you'll find on most grocery store shelves — and both of them may matter.

Einkorn is not gluten-free — it does contain gluten. But what most people don't know is that not all wheat is genetically the same, and that difference matters more than most nutrition conversations acknowledge. Modern wheat (Triticum aestivum) is hexaploid — it carries six sets of chromosomes, built up through centuries of crossbreeding and agricultural modification. Einkorn is diploid — just two sets of chromosomes, the same genetic structure it has carried for 10,000 years without modification. That simpler blueprint produces simpler, smaller gluten proteins. The gliadin proteins in einkorn belong exclusively to the ancient A genome, rather than the complex mix of A, B, and D genome proteins found in modern wheat. Many people find this older, more elemental protein structure far easier for the body to process and digest. The gluten behaves differently — it's not absent, but it's fundamentally different from what modern wheat contains. If you have celiac disease, please be advised: einkorn still contains gluten. For everyone else navigating wheat sensitivity, that genetic difference is worth understanding.

Better Grain einkorn is grown in Alberta, Canada. We farm ourselves, and we also work with a select group of partner farmers who grow einkorn for us — every one of them held to the same strict protocols: regenerative farming practices and zero synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides. No exceptions, whether the grain comes from our own fields or a partner's. The Alberta prairie is uniquely suited to growing einkorn. The climate is cold enough to naturally limit pests and disease pressure, which means we don't need chemical interventions to protect the crop. The soil is managed regeneratively — treated as the foundation of everything, not something to extract from. Healthy soil grows nutritionally dense grain. That's not just a philosophy. It's the mechanism. Every farm in our network operates by the same standard. When you trace Better Grain einkorn back to its source, it leads to Alberta farmland held to a single, uncompromising set of practices.

Yes — 100%. We use zero synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides. Not reduced. Not minimized. None. This is a hard commitment we don't negotiate. We also back it with independent testing. SGS Canada — one of the world's leading inspection and testing companies — tested our grain for glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide in North American agriculture. The result: not detected, below the 0.01 PPM detection threshold. That's the lowest detectable limit. We're not just claiming to be pesticide-free. We've had it verified. This matters because glyphosate residues are found in most conventional wheat products, and some researchers believe those residues — not gluten itself — are part of why so many people feel unwell after eating wheat. Our grain is clean. Tested and confirmed.

Einkorn berries are the whole grain — de-hulled, ready to cook or mill. They're available now. Einkorn flour is stone-milled from those same berries — it's in development and we'll announce when it's ready. Both products are the exact same grain. The difference is just how far we've taken the processing for you. Berries give you the most flexibility: you can mill them fresh at home with a grain mill, cook them whole like farro or wheat berries, or sprout them. Flour is more convenient for baking. If you already own a home grain mill, berries are an excellent choice — you get the freshest possible flour every time. We also offer bulk einkorn in 25kg bags and 1-ton totes for bakeries and larger buyers.

There are a few ways to use einkorn berries, depending on what you're after. Mill them into fresh flour using a home grain mill — this is the most nutritionally complete option, since freshly milled flour retains oils and nutrients that degrade after milling. Cook them whole like farro or wheat berries — simmer in water or broth for about 45–60 minutes until tender, then use in grain bowls, salads, soups, or as a side. Soak and sprout them for added digestibility and a mild, sweet crunch in salads or on toast. Einkorn has a flavor you'll notice immediately: nuttier and naturally sweeter than anything milled from modern wheat. It's a real grain with a real taste. Give it a bit more time than you'd give rice, and it delivers something genuinely different.

Yes. We supply wholesale in two formats: 25kg bags and 1-ton totes. Our wholesale customers are primarily artisan bakeries in Alberta and British Columbia — specifically operations that mill their own flour in-house, run sourdough programs, or focus on heritage grain baking. These are bakers who care deeply about ingredient quality and want a grain with a verified story behind it. We're not a commodity supplier. If you're looking for the cheapest einkorn per pound, we're probably not your best fit. If you want Alberta-grown, lab-tested, pesticide-free einkorn from farms held to strict growing protocols — and you want a real relationship with the people behind it — reach out through our contact page. We'll talk pricing and availability directly.

A few things set us apart, and none of them are marketing claims. Traceable Alberta origin — every batch of Better Grain einkorn comes from farms in Alberta that follow our strict protocols. You know where it was grown and how. Lab-verified nutrition — our grain was tested by the Utah State University Center for Human Nutrition Studies. The numbers are real and published, not estimated from generic databases. Independent pesticide testing — SGS Canada confirmed zero detectable glyphosate. Not claimed. Tested. Strict farming protocols — every farm we work with must use regenerative practices and zero synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides. No exceptions, no compromises. Better Grain exists because we believe farming can change — that going back to ancient grain is a correction, not a trend. This isn't commodity einkorn. It's grain with a traceable story and the test results to back it up.