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One of my more controversial posts is how grains are killing you slowly and despite the continually emerging evidence about the potential problems associated with consumption of modern grains, many people are still unsure.
While I personally know that I feel better when I don’t eat grains (especially gluten) and that my kids do better without them, I’m not in the business of trying to force a particular diet on anyone. At the same time, I wanted to address one common objection I get, especially from people in the nutrition field- (I’ve heard this twice this week):
“Unless you have Celiac disease, it is dangerous to avoid an entire food group and this puts you at risk for nutrient deficiencies.”
To clarify:
Gluten is not a Food Group!
Though grains did form the base of the outdated “food pyramid,” even the food pyramid did not define gluten as a “food group” by itself. Additionally, there are not any nutrients in gluten that can’t be found in higher amounts in other foods.
What exactly is gluten? (definition from Chris Kresser):
“Wheat contains several different classes of proteins. Gliadins and glutenins are the two main components of the gluten fraction of the wheat seed. (They’re essential for giving bread the ability to rise properly during baking.) Within the gliadin class, there are four different epitopes (i.e. types): alpha-, beta-, gamma- and omega-gliadin. Wheat also contains agglutinins (proteins that bind to sugar) and prodynorphins (proteins involved with cellular communication). Once wheat is consumed, enzymes in the digestive tract called tissue transglutaminases (tTG) help to break down the wheat compound. In this process, additional proteins are formed, including deamidated gliadin and gliadorphins (aka gluteomorphins).”
In other words, gluten is a small part of a small group of foods, and it doesn’t provide any specific health advantages by itself.
Gluten is found in grains including wheat, rye and barley (as well as some others). Whole grains, including those with gluten, are often considered part of a healthy diet even though the same nutrients found in whole grains can be found in equal or larger amounts in foods like vegetables, fruits, and meat or organ meat. It frustrates me to hear things like this from the Scientific American:
“For most other people, a gluten-free diet won’t provide a benefit, said Katherine Tallmadge, a dietitian and the author of “Diet Simple” . What’s more, people who unnecessarily shun gluten may do so at the expense of their health, Tallmadge said.
That’s because whole grains, which contain gluten, are a good source of fiber, vitamins and minerals, Tallmadge said. Gluten-free products are often made with refined grains, and are low in nutrients.”
You know what else is a good source of fiber, vitamins and minerals? Vegetables.
You know what also has MORE fiber, vitamins and minerals? Vegetables.
You know what also doesn’t have the potential to cause gut damage (in most cases)? Vegetables.
If we are feeling really brave, we can even add in foods like liver, broth, fermented vegetables and eggs (if tolerated) and blow the nutrition profile of grains completely out of the water.
Do We Need Grains?
Let’s break down the reasons that we are often told that we need grains: fiber, vitamins and minerals. Do grains really have spectacular amounts of these substances that are hard to find elsewhere?
Fiber
I think Mark Sisson summed this up perfectly in this post when responding to the assertion that “You need the fiber!”:
“Okay, for one: no, I don’t. If you’re referring to its oft-touted ability to move things along in the inner sanctum, fiber has some unintended consequences. A few years back, scientists found that high-fiber foods “bang up against the cells lining the gastrointestinal tract, rupturing their outer covering” which “increases the level of lubricating mucus.” Err, that sounds positively awful. Banging and tearing? Rupturing? These are not the words I like to hear. But wait! The study’s authors say, “It’s a good thing.” Fantastic! So when all those sticks and twigs rub up against my fleshy interior and literally rupture my intestinal lining, I’ve got nothing to worry about. It’s all part of the plan, right?
Somehow, I’m not convinced that a massive daily infusion of insoluble grain fiber is all that essential. And that “lubricating mucus” sounds an awful like the mucus people with irritable bowel syndrome complain about. From personal experience I can tell you that once I completed my exodus from grains, the IBS completely stopped. If you’re not yet convinced on the fiber issue I’ll refer you to Konstantin Monastyrsky’s Fiber Menace. Anyway, there’s plenty of fiber in the vegetables and fruit I eat.”
In other words- you can get fiber from fruits and vegetables without the potential harm to your digestive system.
Vitamins and Minerals
Grains are often suggested for their vitamin and mineral content, specifically for B-vitamins and Magnesium. Just as with fiber, thees things can be easily found in other foods. Health Habits takes on the assertion that grains are a great source of these nutrients:
“Hmmmm…why don’t we take a look at the nutrition info again and see if that’s true.
- Thiamin … And the winner is fruits, vegetables and once again…bran.
- Riboflavin … veggies win again
- Niacin … and again
- Folate … and again
- Iron … and again
- Magnesium … and again
- Selenium …and last but not least, it’s a tie between veggies and grains!!!
So, except for the fine showing in the selenium category…
Fruits & vegetables are the best source of vitamins and minerals.
The Bottom Line
Gluten is not a food group.
Grains do contain some nutrients, but these nutrients can be found in larger amounts in fruits, vegetables and meats/fats.
I will agree with many nutritionists that going gluten free isn’t going to do much good if you just replace the gluten with gluten free processed foods. These gluten free processed alternatives often have more sugar and chemical substances to balance out the lack of gluten.
If, however, you replace the gluten containing foods (and all grains) with vegetables, fruits, fermented probiotic-rich foods, homemade broths, organ meats and humanely raised animal meats, you will not be missing out on vitamins and minerals. In fact, according to the latest statistics I’ve seen for food consumption in the US, you’ll be head and shoulders above the rest of the population on vitamin and mineral intake.
Since grains are often fortified with additional nutrients, it is important to make sure that you are eating a varied and nutrient rich diet when you go grain free. I’ve also found that rubbing magnesium oil (here is the recipe) on my feet at night is an easier way to absorb magnesium and replace the magnesium that is often added to grains.
Additional Reading
Chris Kresser on the Gluten Thyroid Connection
Mark Sisson on Fiber, Vitamins and Minerals
Chris Kresser on Toxins in Grains
SCD Lifestyle on the Problems with Gluten Free Food
Sarah Ballantyne on Gluten Cross Sensitivity
The Paleo Parents on Gluten Sensitivity and Gall Bladder Disease
Where do you stand on the gluten/grain issue? Share below!
Virgin Diet Cookbook Review
I think that if you want to avoid gluten, go for it. Just be smart about it, like you are, and be sure you get the nutrients you need. My general rule of thumb is to eat real food. Fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, etc. Prepackaged foods with foreign ingredients are not real food, therefore I avoid them more than I used to. I still eat them from time to time, but I try to eat fresh, from scratch food as much as possible.
Eat what you want, but remember that you are what you eat…
I am entirely on-board with the grain-free lifestyle. I have been promoting and practicing it for my family for 2 1/2 years. Although my husband understands and has experienced the benefits of gluten free – he has never gone grain free- he refuses to maintain and eats gluten containing foods at least once a day. My 6 yo daughter has become pickier lately and only eats about 5-10 foods. In an effort to get her to eat more food, and alleviate some health problems related to nutritional deficiencies, I have decided to re- incorporate sprouted sourdough bread into our family diet. I will continue to personally maintain a grain free lifestyle, but I need to do what I feel is necessary to get my baby to eat.
I whole-heartedly agree!! It’s so frustrating to hear when people knock the gluten-free way of living. There is so much science and many studies to back up the opinion that gluten is NOT good for us!
Thank you so much for this post. A few years ago, I went to a dermatologist because I had these red spots all over my upper arms. He said: “It’s nothing”. I couldn’t help but wonder why they were there. The spots were obviously caused by something. Well, a few months ago, I was surfing the web and I stumbled upon an article that said that the spots were caused by a gluten sensitivity. I stopped the gluten and the spots were gone within a week! I unfortunately started consuming gluten again over the holidays, but have recently cut it out again, so your post is also very timely. On another note, my father passed away from ALS a couple of years ago and recently, my brother found the following article regarding the link between gluten sensitivity and ALS. Another reason to stop consuming it!
https://www.glutenfreesociety.org/is-gluten-sensitivity-linked-to-amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis-als/
Oh wow, Lousi! I am experiencing that exact thing right now and I also read an article on MBG that it was related to Gluten! I will have a crack at replacing it with other options in my diet and see if that makes the difference 🙂
Being celiac is hard enough, but it does not help that people feel the need to comment to me about how I’m going to be nutrient deficient and that I need whole grains. Uh no. I’m actually getting more nutrients now that I went gluten free and my guts aren’t crying. My fiancé gets terrified when he takes me out or heaven forbid to a hosipital. They usually only put my medication allergies. They also try to give me sandwiches!!!
I’m not so sure about all of it yet. I have a friend who, with her family, did the GAPS diet because she had a mental breakdown (psychiatric ward and everything). They experienced amazing results, and that’s what started my research. I can totally understand the reasons for GAPS, and I personally have experienced weight loss in the 3 weeks my family has been grain-free, but……
I’m finding it difficult to budget for it. My husband isn’t totally on board with the grain-free thing either, so we decided to go mostly grain-free and eat traditionally prepared grains sparingly.
My daughter does not have Celiac disease. She is, however, most definitely gluten intolerant. Half of a small order of french fries from a fast food place will have her bent over, heaving and crying in pain in less than an hour. Taking her off gluten was the very best parenting decision I ever made. Her grades improved. Her disposition improved. She started sleeping like a normal child. She started being able to focus for reasonable periods of time. Her eating habits improved (ie, she started eating whole meals regularly). Her “fog” lifted. Most importantly, the constant belly aches and head aches stopped. Most of these things improved within a week. Sadly, I made this decision not at a doctor’s recommendation, but because of a Dr. Oz episode on TV. We have spent thousands of dollars on testing and medications for acid reflux and ulcers that she did not have. Going GF is not for everyone. Giving up dairy is not for everyone. Having long hair, living on a boat, reading science fiction novels….nothing except breathing is for everyone. Modern grains are different. The modern environment is different. As parents, we have to respond differently to keep our kids healthy and safe. I just wish people would get their facts straight before they spout off. I love your comment – “Gluten is not a food group.”
Wow we had the same problem with our daughter…… exactly the same although we did finally get one answer from a Dr about bacteria in her blood which was causing the acid reflux but going gluten free has been the best thing for her. Everything you said that had improved with your daughter I could relate to, after two years of back and for the to Drs/Specialists and nothing happening we took it into our own hands. She also sees an Osteopath which has really helped. The article above is a fantastic read.
You’re my role model Katie! I have no children yet but I feel so prepared thanks to your site! Question, hot do you feel about sprouted flours (sprouted breads)? It is said that the body recognizes sprouted flour as vegetables and it’s broken down as such. Is this true?
It’s also worth noting that while there are many who MUST follow a gluten-free diet, and others who may benefit from it, for the majority of the population it is not necessary to go gluten-free to attain excellent health and to make great strides in your eating habits.
But vegetables, clean meats and healthy fats are always more nutritious choices.
I think it’s also beneficial to mention that the actual structure of fruits and vegetables IS fiber, otherwise known as cellulose. When you bite into an apple the skin and flesh of the fruit is cellulose, or fiber, and the juiciness is the sugar and vitamins. Cellulose is indigestible by the body and only serves to add bulk in the colon to move things along. Those that eat a diet high in breads and grains and low in fruits and vegetables are robbing their bodies of the most valuable sources of fiber.
I agree that we must not misuse terms and use “gluten” interchangeably with “starches” or “grains”. It’s relevant to point out also that many extremely nutritious whole grains are actually gluten free (quinoa, millet, etc., etc.). While the diet you’re suggesting is very balanced and nutritionally-sound, it is one that a high percentage of the U.S. will not arrive at without a significant amount of research, time spent cooking, motivation, and oftentimes, a higher $ cost.
It’s also worth noting that ANY diet, gluten-free or not, that severely limits carbohydrates (especially those diets that generally put grains or flour-containing foods on the taboo list) is simply not sustainable. Variety, moderation…. so important in any diet!
By all means, limit your gluten, but do it with care, variety, and knowledge.