Why is wheat bad for you?

Wheat has been linked to digestive problems,  allergies, obesity and heart disease because of the ways in which it increases blood sugar, creates immunoreactive complications, restricts mineral absorption and irritates the intestines. Experts suggest that these problems are caused by a change in the way that wheat is produced.

Over the past 5 decades, wheat has been genetically modified to make it easier to grow. Part of this adaptation has been to add toxic compounds, such as sodium azide. Other compounds, like gluten, are difficult for the human digestive system to process. Grains are a common cause of symptoms, possibly because from an evolutionary point of view they have only recently been introduced into the diet of Homo Sapiens, partly because grains are so widely eaten and people tend to sensitive to foods eaten most often.

The main problems arise for several possible reasons.

•  Did you know whole wheat is full of sugar? Yes, Its high glycemic index is responsible for increasing blood sugar, sometimes to dangerous levels with the risk of heart disease and strokes. 
•  They contain endogenous opiate mimics which may be a problem in susceptibles eg autistics.
• This chronic spike in blood sugar and insulin can increase visceral fat around your belly. This abdominal fat manufactures excess estrogen in both men and women and can lead to breast cancer in women, “man boobs” in men.
• Wheat is the only plant food that generates an acidic by-product, which can affect your body’s PH level. You need to maintain a healthy PH level and non-acidic environment in your body so you don’t pull calcium from your bones. Bones that have become calcium depleted are ripe for fractures and osteoporosis.
• Common cause of problems associated with allergy such as fatigue, IBS, migraine, depression, skin disorders, asthma and “candida”.
• Skin is our largest organ and part of our immune system. But did you know that excessive amount of wheat can advance aging and cause wrinkles? Wheat has also been linked to skin inflammation and psoriasis.
• Wheat and baldness are linked. It seems that eating wheat can fuel a certain type of baldness, alopecia areata. This is the non-heredity kind, a type of hair loss that occurs in patches, usually from the scalp. Dr. Davis says he has patients who quit eating wheat products and regrow hair in their bald spots where skin once had inflammation.
• They contain lectins – see Lectins
•  Most are grown with pesticides and have high levels.
• Bran is high in phytic acid which binds and inhibits absorption of minerals such as iron and zinc.
• They are shallow rooting annual plants, often grown year in, year out on the same patch of land. They are markedly deficient in trace elements.
• And it doesn’t seem to matter what type of wheat. Organic, sprouted or stone ground, it’s still wheat. Wheat in and of itself triggers high blood sugar, visceral fat and inflammation. 
• Elimination of wheat from your diet can help with fewer mood swings, better moods, deeper sleep and better concentration. But caution!  If you decide to take yourself off wheat, be careful. Some folks experience withdrawal symptoms that include brain fog, irritability and extreme fatigue.

Grains are a major source of carbohydrate and so cause all the problems of eating food with high glycaemic index. Please refer to Hypoglycaemia. They are digested in the gut to form sugars which may worsen a hypoglycaemic tendency or feed a yeast overgrowth. There is also a theory that wheat protein (gluten) is digested into short chain proteins which have endogenous opiate like effects (endorphines) and this upsets normal brain chemistry making one lethargic and slow.

However this diet addresses the issue of grain allergy and means no wheat, barley, rye and oat. Because a Western diet is so dependent on grains, especially wheat, this is not easy. A grain free diet is not the same as a gluten free diet. Gluten is simply the protein in grain. Many people reacting to grains have problems with the starch (associated with fatigue) and possibly lectins (associated with muscle pain) in the grain.

Gluten appears in a number of grain products, and is a compound of the two immunogenic anti-nutrients, gliadin and glutenin. These are responsible for intestinal permeability and immune system inflammation, which has in turn been linked to a range of autoimmune diseases, from celiac disease to rheumatoid arthritis and irritable bowel syndrome.

Whole grains are not exempt from the potential risk factors of wheat. This is because they contain lectins that can lead to inflammation, autoimmune disease and resistance to insulin. The hulls of grains also contain phytates, which are not only impossible for the human digestive system to process but also inhibit mineral absorption.

Eliminate processed foods and start cooking from scratch again.Create simple salad dressing from extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and spices. Avoid fast-food restaurants and convenience foods in the grocery stores. You’ll save money and your health.

Why do some grains have gluten and others do not?

Gluten is combination of specific proteins that is only found in the seeds of wheat, rye, barley and spelt. Other grains, such as corn and rice, contain different proteins to serve the same functions.

Gluten consists of the proteins gliadin and glutenin, which bind to starch in wheat and related seeds. The substance nourishes the seeds as they start to grow. Harvested seeds from wheat retain the gluten, and it remains in flour and other processed products made from the seeds. Corn, oats, rice and millet are not close relatives of wheat and do not have the gluten protein combination inside their seeds. Occasionally, products made of these grains become contaminated with gluten during processing, but the actual plants and seeds are always gluten-free in their natural state.

Gluten is different from other proteins found in seeds because of its pliability. This makes gluten-rich flours ideal for using in yeast breads. As the yeast produces gas, the gluten stretches, allowing the bread dough to rise and creating a texture with air pockets.

For some people, gluten causes health issues such as gastrointestinal distress and a decrease in the ability to absorb nutrients from food. Celiac disease is a severe form of gluten sensitivity.

Is enriched wheat flour bad for you?

Enriched wheat flour is not necessarily bad for one’s health, but it does lack a number of nutrients and fiber found in whole wheat flour. It may have negative effects on a person’s glycemic index due to a lack of fiber as well.

Enriched wheat flour is commercially produced whole wheat flour. The commercial manufacturing process removes the bran and the germ of the wheat berry, leaving behind a starchy endosperm. This wheat flour lacks a number of vital nutrients, including magnesium, iron, zinc, calcium and the B vitamins. It also lacks fiber, which helps digestion and helps lower the glycemic index of the wheat. A lower glycemic index means that whole wheat flour does not raise blood sugars as much as enriched white flour.

In order to help counter some of the negative effects of removing all of the nutrients, the flour is enriched by adding iron, calcium and the B vitamins back into it; however, not as much of these nutrients may be returned to the flour as were removed from it.

If looking for a wheat flour that is the healthiest, consider purchasing a whole wheat flour. This still contains much of the bran and germ that provide more nutrients, fiber and protein.