The Real Problem With Grains, Flour, and Wheat

Grains are a controversial food in modern society, but the real problem with grains may not be what you think! On the one hand, you have experts who claim that we aren’t meant to eat them based on the stance that grains are a modern addition to the food supply and people have consumed them for only the last 10,000 years or so. Others claim that grains are the foundation of our food supply and have been for thousands of years.

So, Who Is Right?

Turns out that both sides might be, but with some important caveats. This means it isn’t a simple answer, mostly because we may not actually be talking about the same food!

What’s In a Grain?

Grains are simply the hard, edible seeds of grass-like plants. There are many varieties and the most common are wheat, corn, oats, and rice. They are one of the most-consumed foods worldwide and the primary source of nutrition and energy for many populations around the world.

Grains are made up of three main parts:

Bran – the hard outer layer or shell
Germ – the core of the seed that provides nutrients when it sprouts and grows
Endosperm – the starchy food source for the growth of the seed

Anatomy of a cereal grain

By definition, a “whole grain” contains all parts of the seed, while refined grains often have the bran or germ removed, leaving just the highly starchy endosperm. Whole grains can be a source of nutrients like B-vitamins, magnesium, and others, but in refined grains most of these beneficial parts are removed.

Many manufacturers enrich processed grains with synthetic forms of nutrients like folic acid (instead of the natural form of folate), iron, and B-vitamins to try to make up for the nutrients removed during processing.

Why Avoid Grains? (Answer: They Aren’t What They Used to Be)

It’s a fact: modern grains aren’t the same as they used to be a few hundred years ago, or even a few decades ago! And the grains we consume in the U.S. aren’t the same as the grains eaten in other countries … especially when it comes to wheat.

A few major developments started the problem with grains:

1. New ways of processing led to wider availability (and decreased nutrients).

With the dawn of the modern mill in the mid 19th century, grain evolved. Before this time, grains and wheat were ground in whole form, often with stones, and the flour still contained all the components of the whole grain. It was now possible to separate the parts of the whole grain and use just the starchy endosperm to create an inexpensive and very finely ground white flour (similar to most flour used today).

Without the bran and germ, these new refined flours lasted longer on the shelf but contained much lower levels of nutrients. So much lower, in fact, that in the 1940s manufacturers started to “enrich” wheat and other flours with synthetic nutrients.

Along with the reduced cost of flour from the newer and more efficient method of refining, availability of flour soared and almost everyone could now afford it as a regular staple. This, of course, led to more people consuming flour.

This wouldn’t have been as big of a problem on its own, until …

2. Agronomists developed new types of wheat to increase yield.

In the 1960s agronomists developed new cultivars of wheat in order to increase the amount of wheat possible to grow per acre. This modern wheat is a type of dwarf wheat that, unfortunately, is much less nutritious and comes with a list of potential problems.

A centuries-long study has tracked the results of this change. Since 1843, researchers in England have been conducting research called the “Broadbalk Winter Wheat Experiment.” They tracked many variables related to wheat cultivation, including fertilizer use, crop rotation, and nutrient content.

Unfortunately, nutrient content took a dive. Mark Sisson explains in his fascinating article “The Problem with Modern Wheat“:

Between 1843 and the mid 1960s, the mineral content, including zinc, magnesium, iron, and copper, of harvested wheat grain in the experiment stayed constant. But after that point, zinc, magnesium, iron, and copper concentrations began to decrease – a shift that “coincided with the introduction of semi-dwarf, high-yielding cultivars” into the Broadbalk experiment. Another study found that the “ancient” wheats – emmer, spelt, and einkorn – had higher concentrations of selenium, an extremely important mineral, than modern wheats. Further compounding the mineral issue is the fact that phytic acid content remains unaffected in dwarf wheat. Thus, the phytate:mineral ratio is higher, which will make the already reduced levels of minerals in dwarf wheat even more unavailable to its consumers.

In other words, while these modern varieties are easier and faster to grow, they don’t contain the same levels of nutrients but have the same levels of phytic acid, creating an imbalance that can lead to nutrient deficiencies.

3. Grains are hard to digest without soaking, sprouting, and other traditional preparations.

Aside from the fact that the grains and flours we consume are fundamentally different from the ones our grandparents and great-grandparents consumed, we also prepare them much differently and this may also help explain the increasing rates of allergies and intolerance problems with grains.

I explain in depth in this article how in almost all cultures people traditionally prepared grains by different methods like soaking, sprouting and fermenting (think sourdough bread). These methods make the nutrients in grains more available to the human body and reduce the phytates that can bind to minerals in the body. Many studies support the nutritional benefits of this traditional preparation.

In the name of convenience, we’ve largely stopped using these traditional preparation methods, further reducing the amount of nutrients we can obtain from grains and flours and potentially increasing the amount of mineral-binding phytic acid we consume.

But Why So Many Allergies to Grains and Wheat Especially?

If we just look at the changes in grains from the invention of the modern steel mill and the high-yield dwarf varieties cultivated in the 1960s, it still doesn’t completely match up with or explain the drastic rise of grain-related allergies and intolerances in the last two decades … but there is a missing link that might!

Are Grains and Wheat Toxic?

Other countries don’t seem to have the same problem with grains. Many people report that they are able to eat wheat and other grains without a problem when travelling abroad, even if they react to it in the U.S. In fact, I know several families who while traveling out of the country who consumed more processed grains than they would at home and noticed that certain digestive and skin issues actually improved.

I have family members who can consume certain varieties of grains (like imported organic Einkorn wheat or the ancient grain spelt) without a problem but react horribly to regular wheat or grain products. Why is this? Both contain gluten, so perhaps gluten intolerance isn’t the problem we think it is!

In fact, the answer may be something much simpler and more obvious that isn’t being widely talked about: the cultivation and spraying methods that have changed in the last few decades.

The Real Problem with Wheat

So what’s a mom to do? So many experts in the health world today (many that I’ve interviewed myself on the Wellness Mama podcast) say a resounding “no” to grains and especially gluten-containing grains. JJ Virgin recommends against giving wheat or gluten to kids and Dr. David Perlmutter blames grain in large part of the rising epidemic of MS and other brain conditions.

I agree with the Healthy Home Economist that new pesticides (Roundup or glyphosate, specifically) are largely to blame. The timeline matches up much more closely with the rise in wheat and gluten intolerance in the U.S.

From her article “The Real Reason Wheat Is Toxic Is Not Gluten“:

Pre-harvest application of the herbicide Roundup or other herbicides containing the deadly active ingredient glyphosate to wheat and barley as a desiccant was suggested as early as 1980. It has since become routine over the past 15 years and is used as a drying agent 7-10 days before harvest within the conventional farming community. According to Dr. Stephanie Seneff of MIT who has studied the issue in depth and who I recently saw present on the subject at a nutritional Conference in Indianapolis, desiccating non-organic wheat crops with glyphosate just before harvest came into vogue late in the 1990’s with the result that most of the non-organic wheat in the United States is now contaminated with it.

The fact that glyphosate is banned in many parts of the world may explain why other countries fare better.

In fact, this article and chart explain how increased glyphosate use on wheat crops may be partially to blame for the rising rates of celiac disease, comparing the increased incidence of celiac with increased glyphosate use:

celiac-incidence-as-a-factor-of-glyphosate-application-to-wheat

Of course, I’m hesitant to assume that any of these factors alone is directly responsible for the rising problems we are seeing related to grain consumption in the last few decades, but when you consider that glyphosate may impact gut bacteria in a negative way, it makes sense that this could be contributing to the problem.

So Should We Consume Modern Grains?: The Bottom Line

The problem with grains isn’t as clear-cut as it sometimes seems. It isn’t just about the gluten, or the processing, or the modern cultivation, but a complex combination of many factors. There isn’t a clear-cut answer to that question and it truly does vary on an individual level based on gut health, the type of grain, and how it was prepared.

My Take on Grains

For years, I was completely anti-grain and didn’t eat them at all, especially while healing a thyroid issue. After many years of consuming processed grains when I was younger, I felt great avoiding grains entirely and saw no reason to eat them as I was consuming more nutrients and more vegetables without grains in my diet. This was a guiding principle of my cookbook as well, which I kept entirely grain free and dairy optional.

These days, I do eat white rice on occasion (here’s why) and serve it and other organic and properly prepared grains to my family at times.

What I Do:

I still avoid most grains, especially those that contain gluten, the majority of the time.
If I do consume grains, I opt for white rice or properly prepared whole grains such as organic Einkorn (soaked, fermented, sprouted, etc.).
I don’t make grains a staple of my diet. I do occasionally consume them but make sure that the core of our family’s diet is a wide variety of vegetables and fruits, healthy proteins, and beneficial fats.
Whenever possible, I use vegetables in place of grains. Love grains or hate them, vegetables typically contain many more nutrients. I make simple substitutes like using cabbage for noodles in spaghetti or sweet potatoes instead of noodles in lasagna. Not only are these substitutes more nutritious, but they also taste better (in my opinion).
I often bake with grain-free flours like coconut flour or almond flour, which are higher in protein and fiber and experiment with cassava flour and plantain flour (sources of resistant starch).
When I travel internationally, I try grains in other countries out of curiosity to see how I react. So far, so good … the research continues!

I realize that for many people completely avoiding grains is neither desirable or practical, and it certainly may not be necessary for everyone. At the same time, I continue to feel strongly about avoiding processed modern grains that have been refined, modified, and highly sprayed as they offer no nutritional value and may have a severe health impact over time.

What do you think? Do you consume modern grains? Why or why not?

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

976 responses to “The Real Problem with Grains”

John

June 1, 2012

The problem with archeology is that it is a very shakey “science” .
. google video search “lies in the textbooks” by KENT HOVIND to enlighten yourself about the subject. Also “forbidden archeology” by Michael Cremo is very interesting I’m starting a no grain diet or with brown rice soak it for a day then dump out the water but put some in a glass in the fridge to re use on your next batch. Then add new water and boil it. On every subsequent time making brown rice soak it for a day but add that glass of fridge water and after save a new glass in the fridge. This glass will increase it’s potency each time until the 5th or 6th time and then the 1 day soak will remove like 98% of the phytic acid. To the commenter above who said Japan has old people and they eat rice. Well many of them live in Okinawa and eat high levels of seaweed. the whole country eats tonnes of seaweed and seafood They almost never eat brown rice and their rice is crystal white and would have little phytic acid left..(in’s in the skin of the rice) The most important thing is unlike western countries they respect there elders and they often the live with their families and die in the home with loved ones. They don’t ship them off into old folks homes like troublesome hassles, as often as we do. They eat lots of traditional foods and fermented foods. Their stores don’t have huge candy sections. Etc etc. Your argument about Japan doesn’t offer support for eating grain diets. but is does show that prepared correctly grain can be eaten. Japan doesn’t even have brown bread very often at all. Their entire bread diet is like its a desert food only. Dozens of inventive sweet sugar creations. Bakeries 90% of the time don’t have a single whole grain item for sail.

Reply
1. Beshany
  
  June 1, 2012
  
  John,
  
  Please see my response to your response of my comment below. Also, try using like a little less in your statements. To anyone who has actually written a paper to prove anything, the use of the word like, demeans just about every statement. It implies that you don’t KNOW the connection between two subjects in the statement to be true. Rather, it implies that you believe them to be corellated, but you are not sure.
  
  As for my theory on the Japanese, IT WAS A THEORY. My intent was to use a compariable about of evidence to make a case to the contrary of WellnessMama’s, not to imply that Japanese people live longer because of the consumption of grains. Maybe I should have made that more clear but the point remains.
  
  Additionally, the consumption of whole-grains (the opposite of what you get with bleached, white rice or the soaking process described above) has been proven to help with other deficiencies such as the under-consumption of healthy fats which have numerous health benefits (THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE, NOT THE SOLE BENEFIT). Sprouted grains are considered to be the best way to enjoy low phytic acid whole grains.
  
  Reply
Lydia Dietrich

May 20, 2012

I’ve always understood and agreed with the case against grains since I was a teen, and for the most part I minimize my grain intake maybe 70% of the time…okay I’ll be honest, it fluctuates from 50-70% of the time lol!

One of the obstacles for me is….damn, sometimes I just want a sandwich!! I can take or leave the chips, there are few things more comforting and satisfying than a good sandwich, and it seems like fanaticism to be asked to give up such a basic staple. And until I can find an equally satisfying substitute for sandwiches, I’ll probably always have a difficulty with it. Pasta: I have shirataki noodles, mashed potatoes: I have pureed cauliflower, but how do you subsititue a sandwich? And no, turning it into a salad DOES NOT work as an alternative! At least, not a satisfying one that’ll keep me from poking around in the kitchen.

On a more positive note, I AM making progress in phasing out protein bars. I used to almost live on them. I know a lot of them are basically glorified candy bars, but I’ve tried nearly every variety that exists on the market (including protein cookies) and I know which ones are the worst… There came a point where I used to rely on them to satiate my sweet tooth as they had JUST enough chocolate/sugar (like having a banana bread Clif bar instead of a piece of banana bread). And one of my jobs is in pastry, when I was new to it, I did a LOT of “tasting” and protein bars helped stop me from tasting more than what was necessary. Even though I’ve cut down on protein bars considerably, I see a future where I’m going to have problem when I have a sweet tooth and there are times where fruit DOESN’T cut it!

Ditto for protein shakes, it seems the only good ones are whey-based, and the seemingly the only alternative is *eccchhhh!!!* SOY protein! Of all the grains, soy (along with corn) is the one hate the most! When I was a vegetarian, I consumed so much soy, it led to health problems. With my lifestyle, I need protein supplements (especially more so the less grains that’re in my life). If I am to cut dairy, where does that leave me? Coconut milk? I already consume coconut oil, coconut manna, coconut flakes (unsweetened), coconut water, at this rate, I’m doomed to grow SICK of coconut! Ideas?

Reply
1. John
  
  June 1, 2012
  
  For everyone who wants to eat healthy but is looking for something sweet or heavy and filling or convenient fast easy etc. Just eat sweet potatoes, sometimes mis-labled as yams. Eat whole with skin on, as a hand food. No silly fork or knife. You can carry cooked in your pocket, as a convenient fast easy portable lunch or snack. they can be filling, and are the most nutritious vegetable. They don’t have all that phytic acid as grains do. They won’t mess up with your blood sugar levels even though they are sweet. Talk about perfect
  
  Reply
  1. Beshany
    
    June 1, 2012
    
    I totally agree with this.
    
    Reply
2. Peggy
  
  February 11, 2015
  
  It’s too bad you’re sick of coconut. I make coconut flour bread all the time and even my husband is eating
  it. I can make it sweet or not sweet. I also make coconut flour lemon poppy seed muffins. Love them.
  
  Reply
3. Peggy
  
  February 12, 2015
  
  Just found a great tasting black bean spaghetti. I went back and bought 6 boxes. Got them at Costco.
  
  Reply
Beshany

May 3, 2012

This article was forwarded to me by a friend yesterday while we were discussing the Paleo Diet and though I know it was written a year and half ago I feel compelled to address some of the claims this article makes. I believe that the two scientific assertions presented are incomplete. Specifically the claims that Phytic Acid is an issue for humans (or animals) and that humans have grown weaker since the “Agricultural Revolution.”

These claims do not address all of the evidence. Lets start with our teeth. Many of the teeth in our mouth, which have developed over at least several hundred thousand years, are designed to grind and break down hard foods like nuts, grains and root vegetables and have little use in the mastication of meat or soft vegetables and fruit. They are supporting evidence for a long (greater than 10,000 years) history of grain consumption amongst other types of foods. Archaeological evidence also supports a robust grain diet in early humans. Additionally, the body of scientific evidence asserts that Phytic Acid passes through our digestive system unused. So why does it matter? It isn’t absorbed or accumulated in our systems in mass, the vast majority is passed though stool, abandoned by our bodies. Take a look at cultures where grains (in this case rice) are a staple of their diets such as the Japanese. Their lifestyle has yielded more centenarians than any other on Earth today. The only thing I can agree with this article on is that, if grains are killing the Japanese, it is VERY slowly.

Now, with specific reference to the correlation of human strength to grain consumption. This is potentially just a coincidence if it is in fact in the same time frame. The reduction in strength, which seems difficult to prove scientifically any way (you can’t give a dead person a physical or run them through the NFL Combine), is easily explained by another “revolution” in human history: tool use. The use of tools and reduced the need for humans to be any stronger to survive. Tools make us more efficient and strength, as represented by the development of muscle groups, is a function of use. Just about anybody can train their bodies to move extraordinary amounts of mass. We’re weaker because we don’t need to be strong, if we are in fact weaker than our ancestors.

I feel like its more important to moderate the amount of grains you consume, eat simpler foods with fewer ingredients so you know what you are consuming. Soy is a big issue for US consumers. It is in so many foods and you don’t realize that your over-weight in certain food groups. Know what you eat and how much of it you’ve consumed and you’ll likely be much better off.

Keep doing what you do Wellness Mama. I’ve read up on your other stuff and you do great work. I think this is a tricky assertion (that carbohydrates/grains are bad) that stems from the Atkins diet and its results. Yes you may lose weight, but you may not live longer. Its meant to be a diet, not a lifestyle. Diets don’t always work but lifestyles tend to make sense.

Reply
1. John
  
  June 1, 2012
  
  Just because an article say phytic acid passes through your body it missing the whole point and is hard to see your logic at all. The reasoning that phytic acid is bad IS BECAUSE IT PASSES THROUGH YOUR BODY and on it’s way through it bind with all kinds of minerals that you need and takes them out of your body thus its an anti nutrient. Sure all the numerous sources I have read this could all be wrong but it’s unlikely and you don’t even address this in your statement.
  perhaps you should google about phytic acid so you can be more informed.
  best luck!
  
  Reply
  1. Beshany
    
    June 1, 2012
    
    John,
    
    Instead of using Google like an encyclopedia, try talking to an expert. As with the consumption of most foods in the modern diet, everything in moderation (straight from the mouths of two REGISTERED DIETICIANS). There are trade-offs to eating too much of almost ANYTHING (you have have too much of any particular nutrient AND if it’s absorbed incredibly efficiently, you’ll be sick or potentially worse — kidney or liver issues, etc…). As for phytic acid leaching nutrients from your body, no link I found on the first two pages in Google referenced phytic acid leaching nutrients (mostly iron is referenced) from the other food you eat. All research points towards it preventing the absorption of iron in the foods it exists in, namely high iron foods made from wheat, soy, corn and rice. If you would like to keep spreading anti-grain propaganda, try having a fully rounded argument. My choice to not address phytic acid was because it was irrelevant. The points made in WellnessMama’s article about how grains are hurting us made little reference to iron deficiencies as a culprit in the supposed physical degradation of modern humans. It would only be a problem if grains were your only source of iron. Meat (especially shellfish) is a much better option anyway since, grains, soy and legumes (beans) are all also high in phytic acid. As I stated above, the case for humans being weaker (or stronger) has yet to be proven and any statements made in reference are based on theories, no facts. Try again.
    
    Reply
    1. James Lee
      
      September 21, 2012
      
      ^ have you tried elminating wheat? Forget about your “experts” they are all taught culturally baised legacy information in university like all other academics. Try eliminating wheat and see if it works! 😛 FYI, white rice does not contain anti-nutrients, gluten or any of the things that exist in wheat (besides starch), and a high percentage of centarians does not make the japanese overall healthier. They have a high degree of stroke for example, and they are frequently smokers (does theyre high amount of centarians also mean that smoking is harmless? lol…). Perhaps there _on average_ long life instead can be attributed to their fish and vege consumption? Or meditation practices? Or communal society? Admitedly, you have to decide for yourself whether grains are good or bad, but your counter arguments are not any stronger than the original assertions, probably weaker when I think about them (Appeal to authority, pure correlation etc). Actually regarding the phytic acid thing, it is somewhat proven (as is non-celiac gluten sensitivity) that it chelates minerals. There are deficiencies in places reling heavily on bread for food, and the science is pretty clear that it chelates many minerals (not just iron). You might want to google more, before dismissing, as there are facts here – such as mineral loss, and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (or better yet, try it!). Whether the insulin thing is true or not, well, maybe. But in general I find, that people get strangely defensive when people deny conventional wisdom, passed down from “experts” who are educated with cultural legacy bias. You know, it is perfectly acceptable for those people to be wrong, its happened plenty of times in history. And theres no reason to get offended that people disagree, and go calling it “propaganda”. Get some perspective: people should be allowed to have different opinions, without some kneejerk reaction! 😛
      
      Reply
      1. Nikki Jayne
        
        November 29, 2012
        
        I tried eliminating wheat once upon a time. It just made me hungry. I lost no weight, I didn’t feel healthier… just everything was the same. I started eating them again because man, I love bread.
        
        Everyone is different. Everyone’s bodies require different things. I wish people would stop trying to push what works for THEM onto everyone ELSE!
      2. James Lee
        
        May 22, 2013
        
        I did say “Admitedly, you have to decide for yourself whether grains are good or bad”
2. Jena
  
  October 14, 2012
  
  amen sister !
  I think if we eat simple foods we will be healthier.. the length of ones life is God’s call, but health until then is ours. I have always said , everything in moderation..:-)
  
  Reply
3. Grargh
  
  December 23, 2012
  
  You obviously don’t know much about dentition…Animals who are made to eat grains/nuts/etc. have molars that constantly grow to counteract the heavy wear and tear to their teeth. Humans’ teeth wear down very easily. By all means, keep gorging on grains if that’s what makes you happy! But don’t say it’s the “one true way” humans are meant to eat when you don’t even have any real evidence.
  
  Reply
  1. Beshany
    
    December 23, 2012
    
    Pay attention please. I never said there was “one true way.” We’re omnivores, we are designed to eat just about anything. I also never said I do, nor do I encourage “gorging” on grains. I just hate it when ignorant people decide to give advice like this. Don’t cut out things we’ve eaten for thousands of years based on fads and opinions. The existence of the teeth in our mouths that are for crushing and grinding (grains) is evidence that we are designed to eat grains. Period! Try to keep up Garah.
    
    Reply
    1. Cray
      
      January 6, 2013
      
      Can you point us to this evidence that human teeth were designed for crushing and grinding grains? I’d like to read up about it. A simple google search isn’t much help. Thanks. Most of the results claim we aren’t particularly well adapted to chew and digest them in their natural state.
      
      Also, interestingly, one of the reasons often cited NOT to eat grains is that we have not been eating them for most of our existence on the planet. Only with the relatively recent advent of agriculture in the last few thousand years, not enough time for our bodies or digestive systems to go through any major changes. As opposed to the other 90% of the time before we had ready access to virtually unlimited grains.
      
      Reply
    2. Cray
      
      March 11, 2013
      
      This has been further disproven in a recent study (google it) showing that pre-agricultural humans had little to no tooth decay until they started eating grains- Grains were not an original food for humans. If you took your own “advice” so to speak you would consider that the “non-grain” diet of hundreds of thousands of years might have been better to stick with than the grain diet of the more recent era.
      
      Reply
      1. Peggy
        
        February 12, 2015
        
        Wanted to add that I have a top denture and when I was eating wheat the leftovers were stuck to my teeth and it was harder to get it off. Now that I’m eating coconut flour bread the dentures just swish clean. Also works for your real teeth. This is also true of dog food. Kibble sticks to the dogs teeth causing decay. They weren’t meant to eat grains for sure.
Ave Sofía

April 29, 2012

So not even by sprouting grains such as lentils is good for health?

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  April 30, 2012
  
  They are less bad than unsprouted, but not a great source of nutrients and they still have some harmful properties, so it’s best to avoid them.
  
  Reply
  1. Ave Sofía
    
    May 1, 2012
    
    I see. On your site you have a lot of meat involved recipes…but I am vegan. And I do eat grains, lots. I eat beans, lentils, rice, and the few alternatives I have for eating out is usually sushi (has grains), soy burgers (grains), pizza (grains), or pasta. So, being a vegan and not eating grains would only leave me eating fruit and vegetables. Pretty much. I wonder if this is balanced…? Any thoughts?
    
    Reply
Rover

April 23, 2012

I notice the same problem with my hair slightly falling out. I also always have been taking Biotin.

Reply
Trevor Johnston

April 23, 2012

You lost me at your opening sentence: “When I check out at the grocery store with a cart devoid of any grain products, I get occasional odd glances.” You are insulting the reader’s intelligence if you expect us to believe people are giving you sideways glances because they have supposedly scanned the contents of your shopping cart and noticed it lacked grain products. Hogwash!

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  April 23, 2012
  
  I’ve actually even gotten comments from others since the only things I usually buy are some meats/fish, butter and vegetables at the store. This is different from other people in line when I’m checking out and I’ve gotten comments like “my kids would never eat that stuff, etc” To be fair, these comments could be as much due to what IS in my cart rather than what isn’t, but I’ve definitely gotten those type comments and I find it humorous that you take issue with something so funny.
  
  Reply
  1. Trevor Johnston
    
    April 23, 2012
    
    Your opening paragraph made no mention of comments made by other shoppers. You said you were getting “odd glances” because you had no grain products in your cart. I find this assumption, not humorous, but condescending, just as I am beginning to find much of this anti-wheat, anti-grain movement.
    
    Reply
    1. Wellness Mama
      
      April 23, 2012
      
      If you have something constructive or thoughtful to add, I’d love to hear it, but debating the nuances of my grocery store checkout is getting rather old. On a separate note… your photography is very impressive!
      
      Reply
McKay Stewart

April 9, 2012

So are sprouted, gluten-free breads just fine then? Do you have any research on this type of product? This article bases the negative effects of grains entirely on PHYTIC ACID and GLUTEN. Right?

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  April 9, 2012
  
  Unfortunately, soaking and sprouting doesn’t completely remove the phytic acid, though it does reduce it a lot. I’d definitely encourage sprouted (and sourdough if possible) gluten-free breads if you consume breads….
  
  Reply
Lianna Mueller

April 8, 2012

Are there any healthy grains? What about quinoa? I enjoy my quinoa and thought of it as healthier than other grains…

Reply
McKay Stewart

April 7, 2012

Can you please cite your sources? Thanks!

Reply
Lauren

April 7, 2012

If being dairy free is so good then what do you suggest I feed an infant?

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  April 7, 2012
  
  If you are breast feeding, of course that is what baby should be getting and babies have the ability to digest lactose until a certain age. Even with formula, dairy is preferable to soy, and there are actually recipes for making your own formula from organic raw milk. The recipe is in Nourishing Traditions if you’re interested.
  
  Reply
Patrick Meaney

March 22, 2012

You mention that “studies show…” and “studies have shown…” Yet, WHY DONT YOU SHOW US THE STUDIES?

You’re citing studies without citing them. You’re making a claim without evidence. That results in a dubious argument.

Reply
1. James Lee
  
  September 21, 2012
  
  ^Fair enough. There are plenty of studies that could have been linked in. Although, the counter claim, that grains are healthy is very low in evidence…You can always look into it yourself, its not hard to use google scholar or pubmed.
  
  Reply
2. Lisa Watters Vasile
  
  October 28, 2012
  
  Yes Patrick,
  This is what I posted as well. I know the studies are there. Look forward to having these for “proof” to inquisitive people like you who like evidence as a way to trust information.
  
  Reply
Jenny

March 15, 2012

Jesus made loaves of bread for people to eat. Anything in moderation is the key. You can find something wrong with just about anything if you look hard enough and consume enough of it..just my .02

Reply
Pal

March 9, 2012

I get light-headed when I switch to a diet filled with more greens. Is this a normal thing when making the switch from grains? If so, how long until I feel full and energetic without the lightheadedness?

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1. Wellness Mama
  
  March 12, 2012
  
  It’s often referred to as “carb flu” and is very normal. How long have you been without grains? Do you have any other symptoms? If it is due to removing the grains and extra carbs, it should go away in a few weeks. Eat more healthy fats in the meantime to help lessen the carb flu..
  
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Sarah

February 18, 2012

Quick question, I was wondering if you could post a link to an article about grain increasing your risks for many disease states like cancer, autism, etc? I find it an interesting topic and I haven’t been able to find actual research or documented info to support this. Just wanted to get my ducks in a row on this topic.

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Johnny

February 16, 2012

Okay, where do I start…

-If you promote eating like Paleolithic man, then you must also mention that the avg. lifespan for early man was 35. That’s right, they lived till the ripe old age of 35. We live more than double that now, so our bodies have changed considerably from early man, thus to say that early man didn’t eat grains so we shouldn’t either is vastly inaccurate.
-We have been eating grains for 10,000 yrs., and only very recently (last 100 yrs.) have we felt any kind of increase in cancer, heart attacks, and obesity rates. So there is no correlation between eating grains and any sort of increase in the diseases you mention.

The key is: exercise (cardio, tension, some weight-training) regularly, do yoga (or any spiritual endeavour), and eat as healthy as you can. This includes natural foods, cutting down sugars and salts, etc. But to say that grains (you include wholegrain) is not good for you based on half-ass empirical data over the past 100 yrs. is absolutely wrong. We nowadays live longer than man has EVER lived (this peaked with the baby boomers), so to say that we need to alter our diet to a time when our ancestors lived HALF as long is mind-boggling in its assumptions.

I would cut out processed grain but would definitely keep eating wholegrains (wheat germ and embryo and bran intact). To say otherwise would be a vast assumption that you cannot prove, nor do you have the authority to.

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1. Wellness Mama
  
  February 16, 2012
  
  You are also making some broad assumptions that you don’t back up. Yes, life expectancy was much shorter long ago, but they also had to deal with the elements, predatory animals, and complications like death in childbirth with the chance of a c-section (I had placenta previa with one pregnancy, so although all my other births have been totally natural, that emergency c-section saved my life. I would have been dead at 23 if I lived back then.. has nothing to do with my overall healthy at all). Much of our life expectancy now is due to advances in medicine and hygiene, not because we eat a better diet. Though we didn’t have cancer, obesity, and heart attacks until the last century, there were other lifestyle factors (more movement during daily life, etc) that came into play there. As you also mentioned, the grains themselves and the form we eat them has changed dramatically to more processed versions in the last 100 years and we’d both agree that these processed foods should be avoided, but just because the processed foods are worse, doesn’t make the unprocessed versions good.
  -I also disagree with you that there is no correlation between eating more grains and increase in disease. This article ( https://wellnessmama.com/1853/roots-of-heart-disease/ ) talks about the link between rising consumption of wheat, sugar and vegetable oils and rising heart disease rates. Also, as grains have been linked to autoimmune disease and autoimmune disease is highly correlated to increased cancer risk, there is a link here too.
  -I’ll also disagree with you that cardio is the most important type of exercise https://wellnessmama.com/1098/get-in-shape/ , though I do agree that the spiritual/mental aspect is very important and usually underrated (though I don’t personally do yogo.. for spiritual reasons)
  -As far as whole grains vs. processed grains. If a person is going to eat whole grains at all, I’d highly recommend sprouting, fermenting and soaking them to reduce the anti-nutrient content in the bran, as this part has high levels of lectins and other anti-nutrients that can interfere with mineral absorption. https://wellnessmama.com/3807/sprouted-soaked-fermented-grains-healthy/
  -That being said, there is nothing in grains that can’t be obtained from real foods like meat, veggies, fruits, healthy fats, etc, so since they have high levels of antinutrients, there is certainly no NEED to consume them. There are no nutrients you will miss out on by not consuming grains (unlike those who don’t consume animal products and who don’t get B-12) so there is no danger from not eating them, and a lot of possible danger from avoiding them.
  -I find it ironic that you come to my blog and accuse me of making unsubstantiated assertions of things that I have, in fact, given reference and data for, while you make these assertions without any proof or data yourself.
  
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2. Peggy
  
  February 12, 2015
  
  I had been eating well, avoiding fast foods unless stuck somewhere where I had to get going quickly. Taking good quality vitamins and trying to exercise. Thought I should be pretty healthy. Then I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. I researched it and it was said that your body is attacking itself. That is pretty dumb! Why would it do that? Just like when I had allergies, my body was trying to fight for no reason. So I researched again and found out that wheat causes inflammation. The doctor had prescribed anti inflammatories for me which caused major breakouts on my face and neck and into my hairline. I didn’t want to take drugs so after reading that about wheat, I thought ‘why not try it…….it won’t hurt’ My knees had been swollen for almost a year and different joints hurt on and off. I got off wheat, learned to make coconut flour bread and muffins. (yum) Within about 6 weeks my knees went back to normal. I’d forgotten what they should look like. 🙂 My heartburn was gone, my stomach went down, I lost 2 inches off my waist, brain fog cleared up, most of my joints are pain free, and I haven’t had a migraine in almost 2 1/2 months. I don’t miss wheat and my major sugar cravings are gone!!!! I had noticed before that when I ate wheat I craved sugar, and I couldn’t control it. Just losing the sugar cravings is worth it. I knew sugar was bad for me, but it was a major addiction and I couldn’t stop. Before this I had about 3 days almost every month where no matter how much I ate I couldn’t get full. I hated that! I would eat and eat and eat all day and couldn’t stop. I haven’t had that since I went wheat free. yea!
  I totally believe in it. I agree with the others that say ‘try it for yourself, it won’t hurt and think how surprised you’ll be if your health improves’. I’ve always tried new things when it came to my health, I think that’s how I know this is the best thing I’ve ever done for myself.
  
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Bea

February 6, 2012

Wellness Mama its a pleasure to meet you.
I was thrilled to come across your artical on grains as i too discovered in 2009 by my lifestyle consultant who too believed the same about grains.
This has been a refreshing read and I look forward to reading and discussing more about health and nutrition.

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Jo

January 29, 2012

What’s your view on spelt? Or sprouted spelt? I now only use spelt flour for baking and eat only (1 slice a day) of sprouted spelt bread (which also has spelt sourdough in it). Have cut out pretty much the rest of the grains.

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1. Wellness Mama
  
  January 29, 2012
  
  As far as grains go, it is on the better end, and unless you have an allergy or intolerance issue, shouldn’t be awful in moderation. I would suggest getting completely off grains, dairy and sugars for at least 30 days and then reintroducing though so that you can see if you react.
  
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Agatha

January 26, 2012

What about quinoa? Technically it’s a seed but many say it produces the same effect in your body as a grain.

Also, is there any natural sweetener out there that is healthier to consume (like Stevia)? or would you recommend staying away from them all together?

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1. Marin
  
  January 27, 2012
  
  Try xylitol as a sweetener. It’s very low carb, safe for diabetics, and has anti-fungal properties. Make sure you get the xylitol made from tree bark rather than corn.
  
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Jessica Bush Graham

January 19, 2012

We eat a plant based diet. No meat, no dairy, no oils, no refined sugar, no gluten. To cut out beans and all grains would be devastating. We feel good on our plant based diet. I feel no need to cut out our beans and all our grains (most of which are sprouted). Just wanted to be sure people knew that living grain free is only ONE way of improving your life and eating healthy. Plant based living is quite healthy as well, perhaps more so from what I have researched.

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Christo

January 14, 2012

Hi there!
I find this post extremely interesting because it is just not the conventional thinking when it comes to whole grains. While I totally agree that there is an over-consumption of grains in our culture today, I do find that calling grains poison is an extreme. I know things such as Celiac Disease are on a rise, but grains are the basis of many culture’s food. As I have read in the massive comment list on this post, the Asian cultures have been frequently noted, but even more I could add that the French Revolution was fought out of lack of bread. In that case bread was the only thing produced fast enough that could sustain the population, but even so french bread is still very much apart of their culture today and as far as I am educated, the French are quite healthy as a culture compared to Americans. At the same time, Italians are known for their pasta and bread, but, again as far as I know, the Italians are healthy. I was just wondering if those are accurate assumptions and what you have to say about them. I mean, to be frankly honest, I think it is a better argument that a combination of factors (like a more sedentary life-style, out of control portion sizes, and the unnatural chemicals added to foods) lead to the increase of disease and other negative factors other than just grains alone. I mean they say sitting with a hot laptop on one’s lap also lowers sperm count. Also I was wondering your feelings about grain beverages such as beer. I by no means am trying to attack you personally or your philosophy, I am just super interested because your article certainly made me re-think a lot of my diet and I am in all honesty can see the logic behind grains being unhealthy just as dairy is often said to be also. My only hesitation is that I think it is extreme to totally cut them out.
Thank you!
Kelsey

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