24 Jan Why I Don’t Eat Wheat and It’s Not the Gluten
First let me be honest. I occasionally have a bite of wheat. Like some in a good gumbo, or a bite of a birthday cake (or more than a bite), and even a piece of bread. But I avoid wheat on a daily basis and keep my indulging to occasional times. I know I am not gluten sensitive because I was tested.
What is wrong with wheat if it’s not the gluten?
The main reason I don’t want to eat wheat is to avoid the glyphosate that has been sprayed on it. It’s a pesticide that’s considered “harmless” to people, but it turns out it’s quite harmful to the microbiome inside a person’s digestive tract. Everyone has millions of microorganisms living inside their belly, and if they are well-balanced, they support good health. When pesticides kill some, especially the beneficial bacteria, then there’s imbalance and the person suffers symptoms. I don’t need anymore symptoms than I already have.
Bread is treated with dough conditioners called bromides. That doesn’t sound very dangerous, but it’s a chemical similar to iodine, that’s used by the thyroid gland. When bromide is available, it bumps the iodine out the way and the thyroid doesn’t get what it needs. My thyroid under-performs and I don’t want to give it anymore stress. I have supplemented with iodine, and it’s found in seaweed and iodized salt.
Wheat flour has folic acid added to it. That sounds like a great thing to add. It’s supposed to support the nervous system. Possibly it does for many people, but certain genetics don’t do well with folic acid. It’s the synthetic version of folate, which is the chemical your body uses. If you consume folic acid instead of folate, your body uses folic acid instead of the preferred folate. Sorry, but I want to give my body what it prefers. By the way, I get folate from eating beaucoup leafy greens.
Wheat contains a particularly large molecule. That molecule is difficult to digest. If you have any digestive difficulties, they will be aggravated by that large molecule. It can contribute to “leaky gut”. The wheat molecules scrape against the gut wall until it’s leaky. Then partially undigested food particles pass through the gut wall into the body. And your body doesn’t like those undigested food particles. It reacts against them and you start getting symptoms, including depressed mood or anxiety. I’ve worked to heal my leaky gut and I don’t want to undo my efforts.
Refined flours have most nutrients refined right out of them. And gluten-free flours are no better. They tend to spike blood sugar, leading to weight gain or prediabetes. You have probably heard the recommendation to eat more fiber. Refined flours, wheat or gluten-free, have very little. Vegetables are a great source of fiber and they are full of nutrients. So I prefer vegetables as my fiber source. And they’re unlikely to spike blood sugar.
That’s my mantra. Eat plenty vegetables. I fill up on veggies, then I eat proteins and fats. At my evening meal, I eat some starchy carbs (it helps with sleep). And when I want some bread, I eat sprouted whole grain organic bread. My favorite brand is Ezekiel. Sprouting activates enzymes and makes the bread more nutritious and easy to digest.
So some people say that unless you are diagnosed celiac, or have gluten sensitivity, then eating wheat should be fine. I disagree. Unless you are in Europe, where glyphosate is banned and there’s less gluten in the wheat, you probably won’t do well eating much wheat. If you want to find out how you react to wheat, it’s very simple. Don’t eat wheat for three weeks (or at least two) and then have a nice big serving. See how you feel off the wheat, and see if you react when you reintroduce it. I did that and that’s what first got me to reduce wheat in my diet.
I am a National Board Certified Functional Medicine Health Coach. If you suspect that any food disagrees with you, I can help you. We can explore what you eat, and look for nutrient dense food that tastes good and is easy to prepare. I will help you eliminate food that doesn’t work for you and help you find replacements that you enjoy and bring you health. Contact me.
Let me hear from you. Do you eat wheat? Are you gluten-sensitive? How do you react? Post a comment below.
Dr, Tom O’Bryan on gluten sensitivity
Chris Kresser on folate vs folic acid
Wellness Mama on problem with grains
Dr. Aviva Romm on hypothyroid triggers
This article if for information purposes only. See disclaimer below.
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