Why I Avoid Wheat
The Subconscious Fat of Wheat
A few years back, I read the books Wheat Belly by William Davis, MD, and Grain Brain by David Perlmutter, MD, and Kristen Loberg. Those two books had a significant impact on me. Both books scared me into avoiding modern American-made wheat.
Mr. Skeptical speaks up. “You have obviously read a lot of books. How do you find the time?”
I can tell he’s leading into something. He wants me to reveal parts of my personal life that I don’t want to. “I’ve always been a habitual reader. I’m unhappy if I’m not in the middle of a book.”
“But still, reading one book about wheat would’ve been enough for most people. You read two.”
“I’ve gone through phases in my life where I’ve had lots of time to read.” His eyes look questioningly at me, waiting for me to go on, but I’m not falling for his trap. “I’ll write about those phases another day.”
Today’s newsletter is about why I decided to avoid wheat and kill the idea of eating a bagel. There is Subconscious Fat the typical U.S. consumer is unaware of when it comes to consuming wheat.
Subconscious Fat at 30,000 feet
Wheat has been around for a long time. All the old major religions revere it. Jews use matzo, Christians digest wafers in Holy Communion, and Muslims consider naan sacred. Wheat has naturally and slowly, over time, been bred into different varieties.
However, in the last 50 years or so, wheat has undergone massive transformations. Different wheat strains have been genetically selected to avoid disease and drought and, most importantly, to increase yield per acre. This genetic tampering has morphed wheat into something difficult for the human body to digest properly. Digest it; the body does, but at a considerable cost.
Today there are over 25,000 different strains of wheat, almost all done by recent human genetic tampering. Better and more realistic now to call it “synthetic” wheat, which is mentioned in Wheat Belly.
What I find scariest is that all genetic tampering was done without human or animal safety trials. Instead, scientists assumed that the genetic changes would be safe for human consumption.
Subconscious Fat at 10,000 feet
Mr. Skeptical adds, “Wait a second. Maybe not all the scientists assumed it was safe.”
“Yeah, maybe not.”
“I picture a lowly intern working for a high-paid corporate Ph.D. scientist. The lowly intern mentions how some genetic changes could be harmful. The Ph.D. scientist looks sternly at the intern and says, “That’s not your concern. We are doing this work to increase crop yields; others will likely test it for safety.” But that ‘other’ testing never gets done.”
“Yes, a situation like that could’ve very well happened. But the Subconscious Fat goes even deeper than that. Many scientists saw the genetic manipulation of wheat as a life-saving measure. They saw it as a step in ending world hunger. The book Wheat Belly mentions that the idea of safety wasn’t even part of the equation.
Nevertheless, one can argue that humans have been altering wheat and all sorts of plants and animals for centuries. This is true, but there’s a big difference between mating two plant species and using modern genetic manipulation (like CRISPR-Cas9). It’s like saying humans have been counting for centuries. However, compare human capacity 100 years ago to the power of a modern computer in counting. The computer can calculate way, way better than a human could just 100 years ago. Heck, even a calculator can.
Modern technology is too powerful in altering food. So we need safeguards to ensure it’s not transformed too much so it won’t negatively affect humans.
Subconscious Fat at Eye Level
Modern agriculture strips wheat of many of its nutrients. Modern wheat is bleached, starchy, and transforms gluten to the point that it causes celiac disease for some. For most people, it contributes to insulin spikes, leading to diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and even Alzheimers disease.
So far, we’ve looked at genetic manipulations. However, a U.S. News article mentioned how in 1974, Monsanto began selling Roundup to farmers. Monsanto then began to develop genetically modified crops that could withstand direct exposure to glyphosate–the main ingredient in Roundup.
Mr. Skeptical puts his hands up, interrupting me. “Wait a second, so Monsanto created crops on purpose to withstand a chemical they created so that farmers would be financially incentivized to use the modified wheat from Monsanto and coerced to purchase the chemical Roundup?”
“You got it. In essence, Monsanto created a financial addiction. Farmers had to buy Monsanto’s genetically modified crops which needed Roundup, to compete in the world market.”
“That’s some serious Subconscious Fat. So, I imagine that the main ingredient, glyphosate is not good for humans?”
“You guess correctly. In 2015 the World Health Organization stated that it likely causes human cancer. Studies don’t show a direct link to human health, but glyphosate is bad for bacteria. I’m sure many of our readers have heard that we need good bacteria in our gut, so if it’s bad for bacteria, it ends up being bad for the gut. I have felt intestinal problems when I eat a lot of wheat, so I avoid it now.”
Glyphosate is found in many things, including the water supply. Yet it’s 4 to 6 times more common in cereals, according to the U.S. News article.
Practical Suggestions and Conclusions
The genetic manipulations and pesticides that have transformed wheat have created a market for gluten-free food. Gluten is the protein family comprising wheat, barley, and rye. Gluten-free foods usually won’t cause the problems associated with eating wheat.
The good news is that there are many products now that are gluten-free, like pizza and even pancakes. So, one has many options to avoid wheat.
However, almost all bread, pasta, cakes, and cookies contain wheat. Therefore, you must read the ingredients. If you see the word ‘wheat’ or ‘flour’ on a label, then assume it’s wheat. In the U.S., food manufacturers can get away with labeling only ‘flour’ when it contains wheat.”
“Gee, I wonder if Monsanto had something to do with helping create the laws to allow ‘flour’ to contain wheat.”
“I’m sure Monsanto has paid many political lobbyists to smooth things over for them. Consequently, one must read food labels.”
“That seems hard to do.”
“It’s not that hard; it just takes some getting used to. Many products advertise gluten-free because they know it’ll sell more. Nevertheless, gluten-free products may still be very processed, and that’s not good either.”
“So, if I go to France, I can’t eat French bread? Why even bother going?”
“I’m glad you mentioned that because European wheat isn’t the same as American wheat.”
“No? Why?”
“For one thing, the harmful ingredient of Roundup–glyphosate, is banned in most European countries. In addition, the U.S. uses more red wheat, which is higher in gluten, making it have a longer shelf life. European wheat has less gluten. Also, the U.S. fortifies wheat with iron, which can cause bloating, while European wheat has no fortified iron.”
“I remember eating a gluten-free cookie once. It seemed to crumble more easily.”
“Yes, gluten helps a cookie be harder and crumble less. It’s also why freshly baked bread in France is only good for one day because it has less gluten and gets hard quicker. The bread in the U.S. is cooked with vegetable oils and more gluten, so it can last for weeks, which is convenient, but you pay the price with your health.”
“When was the last time you traveled to Europe?”
Arrrrgh, here he goes again, Mr. Skeptical getting personal. “It’s been a while, but when I do go, I’ll eat some bread over there, but never here in the U.S.”
Till next time, remember, be aware.
I enjoyed this post. :) I've also read Wheat Belly and Grain Brain and I'm one of those celiacs who developed an intolerance to gluten in my 30s. There is so much the average consumer doesn't know!
Did you know that you can buy ancient grains like Einkorn and Spelt, which are predecessors of wheat, contain less gluten and are typically only sold as organic? Expensive but much more healthy and good for things like muffins, cookies and flatbreads, if one isn't celiac, these grains could be enjoyed. I also discovered buckwheat flour, which, inspite of its name, has no wheat or gluten. I love using it in all my baking. (except yeast breads, I haven't mastered that for GF. )