Modern Wheat: Yummy but not healthy. Gluten Free label is very trendy. But is it only because of the gluten itself? When we launched our Gluten Free Bread, some of our members asked me “What’s wrong with Gluten?”. Indeed most people believe gluten should be avoided by celiac people only. However health problems related to the consumption of wheat products have been increasing in recent years. So the right question should be “What’s wrong with modern wheat?” And that’s what we will try to find out in this article.
My personal experience with Modern Wheat Flour
Born in Europe I used to eat bread and other pastry regularly for many years. Since I leave in Thailand I started to get many digestive issues without finding the cause. I could not imagine all my problems come from my regular consumption of wheat products. In several articles on many from nutritionists and other specialists located in Western countries, I found out the culprit; Modern Wheat Flour. Here it is important to say that modern wheat flour does not only contains twice as much as gluten than ancient and organic wheat. It also comes with plenty of harmful chemicals. In Asia, where wheat products are not that popular yet, we can generally get a low quality wheat flour, mainly GMO. And once I stopped to eat any wheat flour product, all my problems has disappeared instantly.
How an ancient food staple became toxic junk food
For 10,000 years, we cultivated wheat, stored it, milled it and consumed it. The system worked, and it nourished civilization. Then, in the industrial era, we changed things.
First we invented mechanical technologies to turn wheat into barren white flour. Then, we invented chemical and genetic technologies to make it resistant to pests, drought and blight and easier to harvest, dramatically increasing yield per acre. And, while we were tweaking genetics, we also figured out how to increase gluten for better “baking properties” (fluffier results). Put another way:
We have mutant seeds, grown in synthetic soil, bathed in chemicals. They’re deconstructed, pulverized to fine dust, bleached and chemically treated to create a barren industrial filler that no other creature on the planet will eat. And we wonder why it might be making us sick?
Sadly, it’s not easy. The reality for the health-conscious consumer is that almost all supermarket flour is made from industrial modern wheat, and almost all of it is made with industrial processing.
How about Whole Wheat Flour?
Many people think “I just need to buy the healthy “whole wheat” flour. Sadly, nothing could be further from the truth. “whole wheat” is nothing more than white flour with some bran added back in. It’s processed on the same mills, in the same way. And other than that extra bit of fiber, it’s the same barren industrial filler. There’s nothing “whole” about it.
Here are 6 potential problems with whole wheat.
1) Wheat is loaded with gluten
There is mounting evidence that a significant percentage of the population may be “sensitive” to gluten. Gluten sensitivity can cause various adverse effects.
2) Wheat spikes blood sugar rapidly
Most whole grain products have actually been pulverized into very fine flour, which tends to raise blood sugars rapidly and can cause all sorts of problems down the line.
3) Wheat contains substances that “steal” nutrients from the body
Wheat contains a substance called phytic acid, which can reduce absorption of important minerals. It may also cause people to burn through their Vitamin D stores faster, contributing to deficiency.
4) Wheat consumption and brain diseases
Being sensitive to gluten is associated with many disorders of the brain, such as schizophrenia, cerebellar ataxia, autism and epilepsy.
5) Wheat may be addictive
The digestive products of gluten may be able to stimulate opioid receptors and contribute to addiction. However, this needs to be studied more before we can make any conclusions.
6) Whole wheat drastically raises small, dense LDL cholesterol
Elevated levels of LDL (the “bad”) cholesterol are associated with a greater risk of heart disease.
Alternative to Modern Wheat
Fortunately there are many alternative to wheat, thanks to these non-harmful and gluten free flour available, such as coconut, quinoa, buckwheat, flaxseed flours… Most of them contains even more nutrients than wheat and are totally safe. In HealtHut we have many kind of gluten free flour, grains and seeds. You can prepare your own recipe or you can try one of our Signature gluten free products. We propose Super Bread, Pizza Dough and delicious Wrap “Naan”.
Sources: www.grainstorm.com & www.healthline.com
Our articles should be used for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be taken as medical advice. If you’re concerned, consult a health professional before taking dietary supplements or introducing any major changes to your diet. Please also read our FDA Disclaimer