The Woes of Wheat

Could it be that wheat, rather than will power, is ruining your dieting efforts?

It has always been believed that opting for wheat toast over a bagel or a muffin in the morning is a smart dietary option for weight loss and weight control, however there is more to the story…

Modern day wheat has been hybridised and crossbred numerous times to form cheaper wheat with a stronger resistance to fungi and bacteria as well as greater elasticity and consistency. This has increased the number of destructive compounds such as gliadin and amylopection A that can cause weight gain increasing the risk of many health problems and diseases including type II diabetes, celiac disease, heart disease, schizophrenia and arthritis.

WHY SO BAD?

The Wheat Belly: when wheat is consumed, blood sugar spikes due to the carbohydrate amylopectin-A. The pancreas responds by releasing insulin to help utilise the glucose and store the excess as fat.

"The higher your blood sugar is after a meal, the more insulin is secreted and therefore more fat is deposited in the abdominal area."

The build up of belly fat causes insulin sensitivity; the cells no longer respond to the insulin being secreted thus more insulin is secreted and with years of this high-insulin cycle visceral fat develops forming the wheat belly.

Causes Cravings: Wheat causes blood sugar to spike but it also causes it to fall rapidly afterwards; this stimulates your appetite and causes cravings approximately every 1 to 2 hours regardless of whether or not your body needs to eat. Reducing foods that trigger high blood sugar levels and insulin responses will reduce cravings and allow the body to be satisfied with fewer calories.

Messes With Your Hormones: Excess consumption increases visceral fat, which stimulates the production of additional estrogen. In males, this can lead to the growth of the breast tissue. For women, studies suggest the increased levels of estrogen greatly increase the risk of breast cancer.

It’s Addictive: You may think you are consuming wheat for its nutritional benefits, but wheat is actually as addictive as opiate drugs. The polypeptides in gluten (gliadin) penetrate the blood-brain barriers and gains entry into the brain. They allow the wheat compounds, exophins, to bind to the brain’s morphine receptors producing a feel-good feeling. Opiate drugs such as cocaine and heroine bind to the same morphine receptors, producing mild euphoria.

WHAT’S THE ALTERNATIVE?

Whole-Grain: The health industry has been marketing whole-grain products as healthy alternatives to products with white processed flour but in this case it is really recommending replacing a “bad” food option with one that is “less bad” so only expect minimal improvements.

Gluten-Free: Gluten-Free products are made by replacing wheat flour with corn starch, rice starch, tapioca starch, or potato starch, which spike blood sugar levels even more than the amylopection-A found in wheat. Even though they do not cause addiction due to the absence of gliadin, they still trigger the glucose-insulin response that causes weight gain.

Elimination: Try to eliminate wheat in your diet gradually and replace it with products such as quinoa, lentils, millet and rolled oats, remember to go organic when it is available. Fill your body up other healthy hearty food options such as grilled chicken, lean red meat, beans and other legumes, dairy products, avocado, olives and seeds. Snack on very low carbohydrate foods, even options that are high in fats or are calorically dense such as raw nuts and seeds, olives, avocados and cheese. Replace potatoes with sweet potatoes and limit fruit consumption to once a day.

Dr. Davis Williams studied the no wheat diet on his pre-diabetic and diabetic patients, and the results were spectacular. In 3 – 6 months the majority lost 14 kg, in addition 4 inches from their waist and had better overall health.

Removing wheat leads to tremendous improvements in your health. If you are consistently feeling bloated or unable to achieve your desired weight and physical appearance with exercise or dieting give it a try. You will find you will also be rewarded with diminished cravings, better sleep cycles and an improved mood due increasingly stable blood sugar levels.