Whats up with wheat?

Diet fads are always coming and going, but what more and more people are realising, is that we need to get back to eating whole, real foods. If you can't pronounce the ingredients on the label, don't eat it!!

Now here is where things seem to get complicated and judging by the new healthy eating guide the government has just issued, it's easy to see why the average consumer is confused by all the information out there. Just take one look and you will see they are recommending the average adult eat between 6-11 servings of grains and cereals per day.

But should we really be eating this much?

 

Let's break it down.

 

Wheat is a starchy carbohydrate and it is often stated that we need starchy carbs for energy to make glucose for energy, but this is generally not the case since the liver will make glucose from proteins without the use of starch. Starches will break down the lining of the gut leading to all sorts of bloating, inflammation and an assortment of other health issues.

Starches break down into glucose and raise blood sugar sharply - high blood sugar is damaging to our blood vessels and nerve endings.

The grains (mainly wheat) which we consume today, is definitely not the same wheat we were eating 1000's of years ago. In the 60's and 70's there was fears of a population boom and that there was not going to be enough food for everyone leading to starvation. So researches began working on developing a genetically modified wheat that was high in calories and that would feed the many.

What wasn't taken into consideration was that people of English, Irish and middle European descent's DNA code find it difficult to process the group of proteins called gliadins that are found in this wheat.

The Gliadin is the protein which stimulates the appetite making you crave not only more wheat, but more food in general. What people don't realise is that 2 slices of whole wheat bread will spike your blood sugar level more than if you were to eat 5 teaspoons of table sugar.

Gliadin acts as an opiate, meaning it contains exorphins - a morphine like compound, that is incredibly addictive making your brain want more and more and as fast as the blood sugar rises it crashes which causes the brain to go into panic mode and it then wants something to eat, preferably sweet and glucose.

Have you ever noticed when you go to a restaurant they will give you bread before your main meal. They know the bread will stimulate your appetite, so even though you feel full after your meal, the starchy carbs from the bread you ate earlier have already worked there magic leaving you craving the sweet desert after

Something to think about before tucking into the bread the next time you are out.

I would definitely recommend reading the book - Wheat Belly by Dr William Davis
For more information