It’s a staple of many diets.
We’ve been encouraged to eat it since we can remember.
The standard food pyramid recommends we eat a lot of it. So why are we even mentioning wheat?
Why is Wheat Bad For You
There are several reasons we bring up wheat at Weight Loss Ninja. But before we go any further, let’s clarify that we’re talking about wheat in general, which includes refined wheat and whole wheat.
Among the most alarming facts of this common food is that it’s high on the glycemic index(1). If you rack your brain, you may remember this index as a rating for how quickly foods are broken down upon consumption.
Essentially, the quicker the food is broken down, the more your insulin spikes, and the more likely you are to gain a couple pounds.
One of the main reasons why wheat is bad for you is that it isn’t the same wheat our ancestors ate.
In fact, the wheat we consume now wasn’t even around 60 years ago. You’ve probably already guessed by now; the wheat we consume today is genetically modified.
Commonly referred to as dwarf wheat, modern wheat has higher numbers of proteins(gluten) that wreak havoc on the body(2).
Modern wheat is a “perfect, chronic poison,” according to Dr. William Davis, a cardiologist who has published a book all about the world’s most popular grain.
Davis said that the wheat we eat these days isn’t the wheat your grandma had: “It’s an 18-inch tall plant created by genetic research in the ’60s and ’70s,” he said on “CBS This Morning.” “This thing has many new features nobody told you about, such as there’s a new protein in this thing called gliadin. It’s not gluten. I’m not addressing people with gluten sensitivities and celiac disease. I’m talking about everybody else because everybody else is susceptible to the gliadin protein that is an opiate. This thing binds into the opiate receptors in your brain and in most people stimulates appetite, such that we consume 440 more calories per day, 365 days per year.”…More at Modern wheat a “perfect, chronic poison,” doctor says – CBS News
Why is gluten bad for you?
The key ingredient of wheat that alarms researchers is gluten.
It’s believed that up to 40% of people are sensitive to gluten.
This means they suffer from side effects such as bowel problems, fatigue, joint pains, reflux and endometriosis.
More and more nutritionists agree that if this large of a percentage are sensitive to gluten, the rest of us are probably better off without it also.
So how is gluten bad for you and how does it make you fat?
Aside from spiking insulin, gluten can lead to celiac disease, which essentially triggers insulin resistance.
As we learned before, insulin resistance can easily lead to diabetes.
Another huge problem with modern wheat is that it’s addictive. Proteins in wheat called “exorphins” enter the bloodstream and make a beeline for your brain.
Perhaps you’ve felt wheat cravings before. Well this is why.
Of course, there are those that argue whole wheat is okay. From our point of view, it’s certainly better than refined wheat, but as a whole, it’s difficult to ignore ever increasing research that seems to be only churning out negatives.
A common misconception is that all grains contain gluten. This is not true.
Gluten Free Grains
Gluten free grains include amaranth, buckwheat, corn, millet and natural oats(3).
At Weight Loss Ninja, we stick to eating only real foods.
Consuming gluten free grains certainly isn’t going cause immediate problems, but many argue our bodies weren’t designed to eat grains. In this article, we focused on the immediate problem; wheat and other gluten products.
Final Thoughts
The quicker you accept the elimination of wheat, the better. Quitting cold turkey is the best method of saying goodbye to wheat.
If you would like to share this article with your friends and spread awareness, click this link.
*This article was written by Nick Davey; one of our favorite guest bloggers.
References
1. Hyman, Mark. “Three Hidden Ways Wheat Makes You Fat.” Huffpost Healthy Living. 18 Feb. 2012. Web. 22 June 2012.
2. “Why Gluten (Wheat) May be Bad for You.” The University of Kansas Medical Center. N.d. Web. 22 June 2012.
3. “Gluten Free Whole Grains.” Whole Grains Council. N.d. Web. 9 July 2012.
First wheat is what you want to eat and the more whole grain you make it the better off you are, now wheat is bad for you and you shouldn’t eat wheat bread or white so how do you make a sandwich? I don’t think you can do wheat like our ancestors anymore unless you have the grinding wheel and all that they had to use back then.
Hi Dennis,
If wheat doesn’t bother you, by all means continue eating it. The article is just meant to bring awareness to the fact that the wheat we eat today isn’t the same wheat your ancestors ate. It’s dwalf wheat and the more you look into yourself, you might decide sandwiches aren’t the best option for lunches anymore.
I had stomach issues my whole life, always blamed eating too fast as the issue. Well, that’s probably still part of the issue but the main problem in my diet was wheat and my body’s negative reaction to it.
Now I’m wheat free and very happy.
PS. my ancestors owned a huge farm in Manitoba and they grew wheat so I was brought up under the notion that wheat was good for you.
Have a great day
- kelly
Kelly Fitzsimmons recently posted..Are Protein Shakes Good For You?