A wheat kernel has three parts—the bran, the germ, and the endosperm. In the process of making white flour, the bran and germ are removed. However, the bran and germ carry many of the important vitamins and minerals that make grains nutritious—including fiber, protein, antioxidants, vitamin B6, and magnesium. What is left behind after the nutrient stripping is a simple source of carbohydrates, and little else.

Scientists have linked the consumption of foods made from refined grains to a host of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Additionally, a growing portion of the population is being diagnosed with Celiac disease, an immune disorder where one’s small intestine is damaged every time they eat gluten (a set of proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye). Many more have general issues with digesting gluten, identifying as gluten intolerant.

Some of these phenomena can be attributed to the rise in use of ungerminated grain and fast-acting baker’s yeast in mainstream grain products. Ungerminated grains are ones that have not been soaked or sprouted before being processed. Soaking and sprouting releases enzymes from the grain that break down the proteins and carbohydrates in the kernel, making the final product easier to digest. Similarly, the use of fast-acting baker’s yeast replaced the practice of long slow fermentation—the use of a natural levain or a sourdough starter in the breadmaking process. Fermentation helps to break down the carbohydrates in flour—preventing future blood sugar spikes—and it also helps to enrich the natural flavors of the grain and make important nutrients easier for our bodies to absorb.

The grains used in most U.S. food products come from only a handful of varieties, and they are usually planted next to each other in giant rows that stretch on for miles. These farming operations are called monocultures—meaning that only one crop is planted throughout the same field. Monocultures are a problem because if a pest, weed, or disease is introduced to the field, it can more readily spread from one plant to the next and end up decimating entire fields. To prevent this from happening, farmers are encouraged to spray chemical herbicides and pesticides on their crops. While this practice kills off pests and weeds, it also leads to chemical-resistant crops and destroys the living organisms in our soils.

The benefit of growing ancient and heritage grains is that many are regionally adapted to thrive in specific climates and soils. This increases crop resilience and decreases the need for farmer reliance on chemical inputs, allowing soil bacteria and other organisms to flourish and build healthy soil. For water-scarce regions like Colorado’s Front Range, grains are a particularly attractive crop to grow because they do not rely on heavy irrigation.

Cheap food is attractive to consumers, but a low price does not represent the true cost of what it takes to create a loaf of bread or a box of pasta. We pay for our cheap food after the fact, in rising health care costs and the loss of healthy land and soil. Ancient and heritage grains provide an opportunity for a new kind of food system—one that abundantly gives rather than consistently takes.

In addition to human and environmental health, the grain revival movement emphasizes community empowerment. By supporting ancient and heritage grain production on a local scale, more money stays in local economies. It also promotes a more transparent food system—one based on strong relationships between every player in the grain chain.