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By Kellene Bishop
Diatomaceous Earth photo c/o shadowridgedonkeys.com
So what’s in my buckets of wheat? Diatomaceous earth! Don’t worry. You don’t have to pronounce it. Just USE it.
What is diatomaceous earth? Well, it’s a HECK of a lot better than oxygen absorbers. It doesn’t suffocate wheat and it easily takes care of the weevil eggs that are inherent in all wheat. (The better the quality of wheat though, the less you have.) Oh, and it’s good for you too!
Let’s start with the wheat first though. Wheat is actually intended to be a living, breathing organism when you eat it. I’m sure you’ve heard or read of “the staff of life” before, right? It is actually living, just like a seed. So you actually WANT it to continue to breathe a bit. Just like anything else you want to sprout, you want this to essentially stay alive. So putting oxygen absorbers in it essentially sucks the life out of it. Eating “dead” wheat vs. ‘live” wheat is essentially the difference between eating freezer-burned produce and freshly picked. That’s not to say it’s a “no-no” to do so. It’s just not the best way to have your wheat. So how about using something in your wheat that not only is good for your wheat, but good for YOUR body too?
To put it in simple terms diatomaceous earth (DE) is actually the remains of fossilized algae. It’s found in deposits from seas and lakes all over the Western US and is usually about 1,000 years old when it is mined. This means that if you store it well, it has an unlimited shelf life! Yay!
Diatomaceous earth also helps with deworming. Photo c/o ehow.com
Diatomaceous earth contains silica, sodium, magnesium, and iron exclusively. Not that I’ll be making a DE casserole anytime soon, but it is perfectly ingestible. (Be sure you ONLY USE FOOD GRADE DE—not pool grade!) It is heat resistant (BIG PLUS), absorbs liquid, (another plus) and is a natural insecticide. It can also be used as a mild abrasive, blood clotter, and as a water filtration aid. It’s also is a solid combatant against mealworm, flea, tick, bed bug, ants, cockroaches, slugs, worms, and parasite infestations as well! (Just about every insect critter you can think of, actually.) Ideally you want your DE in a pure white color. The more gray it is, the more clay it contains. Understand that the food grade DE is not a chemical. It works in a purely physical manner (of which I’m not sure I want to go into here so that I don’t gross anyone out). Because of its ability to “deworm”, it’s commonly used to eliminate parasites and worms in livestock and pets. (I LOVE multi-purpose items, don’t you?) And it actually also has been known to enhance appetite in horses and cows. (Hmmm…maybe it will help 4 year-old picky eaters too?) Oh, and by the way, it also reduces the nasty smell of waste!
Now, let’s talk about human consumption for a moment. Food grade DE actually comes with a recommendation of 1 heaping tablespoon for humans DAILY in order to absorb endotoxins, e-coli, viruses, ethyl mercury, drug residues, as well as eliminate parasites, and regulates digestion. So there’s no need to worry about 1 tablespoon in your 5 gallon bucket of wheat. And yes, it’s perfectly safe for children and pregnant women. Diatomaceous earth has a negative charge and bacteria has a positive charge. So it’s actually great at eliminating bacteria in your body’s system—without eliminating the good bacteria in your stomach.
Just a spoonful of diatomaceous earth photo c/o earthworkshealth.com
You only need about a tablespoon of DE for each 5 pound bucket of wheat in order to successfully inhibit infestation. It actually adds 15 trace minerals to your wheat prior to grinding. Should you use it? Well, a study done by ACRES, USA showed that after 12 months of storage untreated grain had 16,994 insects in it. Compare that to treated grain which had a whopping 15. I vote YES! (There’s a litany of other benefits for the body that simply won’t all fit in this article.)
Here are the downsides to diatomaceous earth. You don’t want to get it in your eyes. It will irritate them by drying them. It’s also drying to your skin if you are in long-term contact with it. (I HATE that feeling.) It will also kill beneficial insects such as lady bugs and bees. So be sure you want to use it where you place it.
Ok. I’m off to buy some more DE. What about you?
Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.
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October 1, 2009 at 11:17 am
Wow great post Kellene. I’ve never heard of that stuff. Seems a lot better than oxygen absorbers! Thanks for the info!
October 1, 2009 at 11:43 am
DEFINITELY better than oxygen absorbers. And costs a LOT less too. I purchased some 1200 CC oxygen absorbers for 75 cents each a few months ago. I just got a 50 pound bag of Food Grade DE for only $24! That’s great not just for my wheat, but for pest control and my own personal nutrition.
October 1, 2009 at 12:44 pm
I don’t know what cc they are, but you can buy oxygen absorbers from the LDS Home Storage Centers for eight cents each.
October 1, 2009 at 12:57 pm
The ones from the cannery are 200 cc.
Um…did everyone miss the part of the article that talks about LIVE wheat vs. DEAD wheat??? Why are we still even talking about oxygen absorbers??
October 1, 2009 at 11:23 am
I’ll have to go out and look into it. I assume you sprikle it on after the bucket is full?
October 1, 2009 at 11:40 am
yes, you can just sprinkle it on the top.
October 1, 2009 at 11:25 am
My one question is how long can you store wheat using that method? Seems like the stuff has an expiration date of almost forever or at least a decades if stored with oxygen absorbers and such. Does using this stuff compare with that?
October 1, 2009 at 11:42 am
Wheat stores for a very long time. But LIVE wheat that you can sprout is tough to store long term without taking precautions. Remember that oxygen absorbers inhibit sprouting. The DE has an unlimited shelf life. Thus you would be dramatically strengthening the shelf-life of LIVE wheat.
Keep in mind that there WAS indeed some DE in the pyramids (not purposefully, of course) This may be part of the reason why it sprouted after so long.
October 1, 2009 at 11:53 am
I just learned about DE afew weeks ago! It’s great that we can use something that’s safer and edible! Thanks Kellene for sharing this indepth article with us.
October 1, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Say I put a tablespoon in a 6 gallon paid of wheat in mylar. When I open it later and take out, say, 1 gallon of the wheat, should I add more DE before re-sealing the bag? Won’t the oxygen still have an effect on the wheat?
October 1, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Nope. Oxygen doesn’t negate the effects of the DE in the wheat. You’re not killing the oxygen in the wheat. You’re killing the bugs. In fact, you can use a duster to spray dE around your home and soundly defeat the insect that may be getting into your home as the weather gets cooler this time of year.
October 1, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Any recommendations on where to buy some cheap (but food grade) DE?
October 1, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Your best results will be found by using the internet. That’s what I had to do to find a local retailer.
October 1, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Hi Kellene
That is so awesome!! I am so glad you posted now because I was about to go buy the wheat from costco that has no oxygen-dead. I have tried to sprout the no-oxygen wheat (older wheat) with no luck, so I am thrilled to understand how to store it. I have been collecting white buckets from the bakery to store wheat etc in. I am not 100% sure they are air tight. They used to have frosting in them, so I hope so, but who knows.
I am planning to use DE with my quinoa too. This may be a weird question, but I just bought a huge box (40 lbs of dried potatoes). I am planning on putting them in smaller containers. Would it be yucky to put some DE in there? Does it have a taste? Just a random question.
October 1, 2009 at 5:55 pm
I would put about a teaspoon or even only a 1/2 teaspoon in it. It has a taste, but you’ll never notice it when you cook them.
October 1, 2009 at 5:43 pm
For people in Utah and Southern Idaho Azure Standard (http://www.azurestandard.com/) sells DE for $17.05 for a 50# bag plus shipping. Shipping various according to dollar amount of your order. They deliver to specific locations at drop points along their route and go as far south as St. George. They also have lots of other products (both bulk and not) at great prices. Their grain and bean prices are about the best I’ve found anywhere. October’s internet order deadline is 3:00PM on Tuesday, October 6th. (But try not to wait until the last minute.)
I have ordered from them and have been very satisfied.
October 16, 2009 at 12:05 pm
FYI…This DE is not food grade per Azure.
How terrible will it be if it was sprinkled on beans, rice, etc. and canned?
How terrible will it be if it was ingested?
October 16, 2009 at 2:21 pm
That’s correct. Which is why I recommended Five Star. Theirs IS food grade and it’s nice and white. Preparedness Pro is trying to get everyone a better price on it, but for now, it’s $65 for a 50 pound bag for locals. They are looking into creating smaller containers of it so that it can affordably be shipped.
October 1, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Should DE be used when storing beans, rice, lentils and other similar items instead of oxygen absorbers?
For wheat already packed with oxygen absorbers is it already “dead” wheat if it’s been packed for a year or longer?
Thanks Kellene for all the info you give.
October 1, 2009 at 5:56 pm
I’ve migrated to using DE in all of my dry goods. Just not my brown sugar.
Yeah, it’s most likely dead, but I’ve sprouted some that was 2 years old with a oxygen absorber in it. It just depends on who well sealed the container was and how many cc’s the oxygen absorber was.
October 1, 2009 at 6:30 pm
That is really interesting information. When taking it for health benefits, how much do you take, and what all will it help? Also, it’s good to know about doing away with bugs in the house. It sounds like a great product. Thank you so much for the info.
October 2, 2009 at 5:41 pm
As the article recommends, 1 heaping tablespoon per day. Softer skin, nails, hair, better digestion etc. Also, bacteria cannot thrive in a mineral environment. DE gives you 15 trace minerals. Do a internet search for more info that what the article provided on health benefits to get a wider picture. I LOVE IT!
October 2, 2009 at 4:48 am
I know you indicated that you use it for all your dried goods, but do you use the same tablespoon for all the dry goods? I have some potato flakes, sugar, beans, pasta, wheat I’m getting ready to put in buckets. What do you think?
Thanks. This was timely.
October 2, 2009 at 10:36 am
Yes, a tablespoon is sufficient for a 5 gallon bucket. I would use less for a smaller container. You can just sprinkle it on top or you can mix it in. I wouldn’t use it in a powdered substance like sugar though.
The primary benefit is to use it when you want the food to be “alive.” Pasta and potato flakes are already dead and processed. Although it’s still better for you than a chemical oxygen absorber I guess as it will also keep the bugs out, not just alter the “life” of the food.
October 2, 2009 at 2:02 pm
I have been buying the big bags of flour at costco, do you suggest DE for that? I was thinking of buckets, lined w/mylar and oxygen absorbers. But if DE is a better option then im all for it!
Actually my father wants to just keep the flour in the bags as is, as we have very low humidity but I have my doubts. We have been buying a bag of pinto beans, rice, and flour (and toilet paper) every trip.
Is keeping these things in the orginal bags even an option?
October 2, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Yes, you can put DE in the flour. But if he wants to keep the flour as is, then I would sprinkle some DE around where the bags are stored.
October 2, 2009 at 7:03 pm
So if you put brown rice in mason jars and seal it with the food saver, do you need anything else like DE in there? How long will the rice last in the jars?
October 2, 2009 at 9:58 pm
Yes, you can put DE in there. The rice will last in the jars 3-5 years without the DE if you put it in the jars. I haven’t been using it long enough to know how long WITH the DE.
October 3, 2009 at 8:52 am
So would you recommend using mason jars or a #10 can for best and longest storage?
October 3, 2009 at 12:28 pm
I recommend mixing things up so that if you had a earthquake, other non-glass items may survive…if you have a flood, non-bagged items may better survive. With DE, I would actually be open to storing my regular rice in the buckets. But brown rice, I would still store in cans or jars.
October 4, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Thank you! What a time saver that will be to keep in the bags! Eventually we plan to have a root cellar, half with cement floor and half earth, to place all these things in. Rice and Pinto Beans ok to stay in the bags too? Sorry if you have already covered this.. I could not find it if you have 🙂
October 21, 2009 at 11:20 am
So, I bought some DE and I am ready to pack my wheat in my bakery store buckets. One question. In your article, you said we need 1 TBS per 5 gallon bucket of wheat, but later you said 1 tbsp for 5 pound bucket of wheat. I am assuming you meant to say bucket again. Is that right? If I am packing the wheat in a 2 gallon bucket, I would need about 1/2 tbsp?
Thanks!!!
October 21, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Yes, 1 TBSP for a 5 gallong bucket. For a 2 gallon bucket, I would use a 1/2 TBSP as you said. Good luck.