Wheat is bad for you.

[fish]

According to this Macleans interview "wheat is bad for your health—so bad that it should carry a surgeon general’s warning". Even whole grains. And here I thought I was being healthier by eating as much whole grains as I could.

[PaleSnail]

I wouldn't describe the doctor in the picture as skinny. Is he eating wheat himself? Perhaps he's an addict.

[DonnaRigs]

I watched a great documentary today "Fathead". seriously, take a watch and come back and chat...

[Jwolf]

Sigh. I saw a similar thing about milk last week. What is there left to eat if we don't grow our own?

What about everything in moderation?

[getfit]

What is there left to eat if we don't grow our own?

I was thinking the same thing. I think the only things left are wine and garlic

[kab]

I have celiac disease so wheat IS actually poison for me. Wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt triticale, and kamut. It's like a mantra. Celiacs eats rice, corn, arrowroot, quinoa, potatoes, and other weird types of flour.

[CAW]

I have celiac disease so wheat IS actually poison for me. Wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt triticale, and kamut. It's like a mantra. Celiacs eats rice, corn, arrowroot, quinoa, potatoes, and other weird types of flour.

One of my BFFs has celiac disease so she is teaching me how to bake gluten free goodies!

She likes that I think of her when I go grocery shopping, as in, "I better have some Laura-friendly foods and drinks on hand in case they come for dinner or she pops in for tea."

[CAW]

What is there left to eat if we don't grow our own?

I was thinking the same thing. I think the only things left are wine and garlic

I was just coming back to say the same thing!

[PaleSnail]

I have celiac disease so wheat IS actually poison for me. Wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt triticale, and kamut. It's like a mantra. Celiacs eats rice, corn, arrowroot, quinoa, potatoes, and other weird types of flour.

Kab,

As someone with celiac, I would think that articles like this would make life more difficult for you. I find that these articles, and articles that hype a gluten free diet (without an actual medical need) cause great confusion. The confusion may cause people (family members, friends, waiters) to take your need for gluten free less seriously than they should.

Any thoughts?

[phorunner]

this article sounds legit. Is there any supporting information? Doctors in here to verify?

I will say, I did cut out grains for a while and noticed a drop in cravings, so I'm thinking of giving it another shot. Damn bread is so delicious!

[PinkLady]

But.....but......but.....I thought a big reason for running in the first place is so we can (mostly) get away with eating lotsa bread? And pasta? And cake

In fact, I thought it was even encouraged in the name of carbo loading and all.....

Just me?

Personally, I get fewer cravings when I'm well hydrated, but ymmv of course.

[Jwolf]

If the article were literally true, then everyone in North America and Europe would be obese. Wheat is a central part of our western diets. Many people are obese (more than should be), but many people are not. And wheat cannot be the cause of everyone's obesity, for sure.

I've seen articles blaming sugar, fat, and other things for the same obesity phenomenon. The truth is that not everyone reacts to foods and natural chemicals in foods the same way. We all need to figure out what works for each of us.

[getfit]

I have celiac disease so wheat IS actually poison for me. Wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt triticale, and kamut. It's like a mantra. Celiacs eats rice, corn, arrowroot, quinoa, potatoes, and other weird types of flour.

Kab,

As someone with celiac, I would think that articles like this would make life more difficult for you. I find that these articles, and articles that hype a gluten free diet (without an actual medical need) cause great confusion. The confusion may cause people (family members, friends, waiters) to take your need for gluten free less seriously than they should.

Any thoughts?

My 20 yr old daughter was diagnosed with Celiac back in January and you're absolutely right, everyone tends to think she is just jumping on the gluten free band wagon and don't take her disease seriously. She already had damage to her intestines, but thankfully she was diagnosed early. It's not an easy way of eating, but I think ultimately it is healhier. She has pretty much cut out all processed food and eats mostly veggies, rice pasta, wild rice and protein. For a university student that lived on mac & cheese and pasta 1st year, this is a big switch.

CAW, I know your friend will truly appreciate the extra effort you make to make things she can eat. Whenever one of my daughter's friends goes out of her way to make something 'gluten free' she is so happy

[PinkLady]

If the article were literally true, then everyone in North America and Europe would be obese. Wheat is a central part of our western diets. Many people are obese (more than should be), but many people are not. And wheat cannot be the cause of everyone's obesity, for sure.

I've seen articles blaming sugar, fat, and other things for the same obesity phenomenon. The truth is that not everyone reacts to foods and natural chemicals in foods the same way. We all need to figure out what works for each of us.

It is funny to blame wheat. If one were to pick just one dietary 'bad guy' (though, that's oversimplification of the obesity issue), wouldn't more likely culprits be corn? It's in *everything*, especially with HFCS in everything.

It'd be very interesting to do a study on the cause of increasing obesity in populations that are traditionally very slim, but who are having an increasing problem with weight due to a more 'westernized' (junk food?) diet......Like in China, with the 'new wealth' status symbols including things like being able to buy your 'little emperor' child as much McD's as they can eat. There was an article in the Citizen about this very phenomenon a few months back, not that I'd be able to find the link atm.

[Jwolf]

Don't equate corn with HFCS!!

[La]

I'd be more likely to blame sugar (along with highly processed foods and lack of cooking at home) for the obesity problem than wheat. But there's not been any definitive science-based answer to that question. At this point, it's just a lot of opinions/theories.

[La]

It'd be very interesting to do a study on the cause of increasing obesity in populations that are traditionally very slim, but who are having an increasing problem with weight due to a more 'westernized' (junk food?) diet......Like in China, with the 'new wealth' status symbols including things like being able to buy your 'little emperor' child as much McD's as they can eat. There was an article in the Citizen about this very phenomenon a few months back, not that I'd be able to find the link atm.

There already have been lots of studies on that. It's a complex issue with lots of variables.

[Engmomma]

In fact, two slices of whole wheat bread increase blood sugar to a higher level than a candy bar does. And then, after about two hours, your blood sugar plunges and you get shaky, your brain feels foggy, you’re hungry. So let’s say you have an English muffin for breakfast. Two hours later you’re starving, so you have a handful of crackers, and then some potato chips, and your blood sugar rises again. That cycle of highs and lows just keeps going throughout the day, so you’re constantly feeling hungry and constantly eating. Dieticians have responded to this by advising that we graze throughout the day, which is just nonsense. If you eliminate wheat from your diet, you’re no longer hungry between meals because you’ve stopped that cycle. You’ve cut out the appetite stimulant, and consequently you lose weight very quickly. I’ve seen this with thousands of patients.

Yes grazing is nonsense when the only thing you snack on is refined carbs....I don't think dieticians suggest grazing on crap but something a little more sensible.

...that quote right there solidifies that this guy is a quack.

[PaleSnail]

In fact, two slices of whole wheat bread increase blood sugar to a higher level than a candy bar does. And then, after about two hours, your blood sugar plunges and you get shaky, your brain feels foggy, you’re hungry. So let’s say you have an English muffin for breakfast. Two hours later you’re starving, so you have a handful of crackers, and then some potato chips, and your blood sugar rises again. That cycle of highs and lows just keeps going throughout the day, so you’re constantly feeling hungry and constantly eating. Dieticians have responded to this by advising that we graze throughout the day, which is just nonsense. If you eliminate wheat from your diet, you’re no longer hungry between meals because you’ve stopped that cycle. You’ve cut out the appetite stimulant, and consequently you lose weight very quickly. I’ve seen this with thousands of patients.

Yes grazing is nonsense when the only thing you snack on is refined carbs....I don't think dieticians suggest grazing on crap but something a little more sensible.

...that quote right there solidifies that this guy is a quack.

+1 (Quack!)

Although this theory does fit nicely with my plan for an all Skittles (which are gluten free) and bacon diet. I will have eliminated wheat from my diet, so I should 1. not be hungry between meals 2. lose weight very quickly

Who's in?

[La]

I don't know that I'd proclaim him as a quack, but he's not telling the full story. As was mentioned, if you're grazing on high-GI foods, you WILL feel hungrier sooner as your blood sugar crashes. Fat, fiber and protein help to lower the GI of a food so that you are sustained longer. Processed wheat products still have a fairly high GI.

As for his claim that wheat is addictive, I'm not so sure I buy that. Except that I KNOW for myself that once I start eating bread, I have a hard time stopping! I don't have that same response with pasta or other wheat products. Maybe it's wheat combine with yeast that is addictive!

[Jwolf]

I do find white flour products addictive but also white rice, etc. I thought it was because of the high glycemic index. Bread is moreso because it tastes so good. But chocolate even more...and that has no wheat.

I find it very very hard to believe that two sliced of whole grain bread raises blood sugar more than a candy bar (really whole grain- not white bread that looks brown because of added molasses).

[PinkLady]

I do find white flour products addictive but also white rice, etc. I thought it was because of the high glycemic index. Bread is moreso because it tastes so good. But chocolate even more...and that has no wheat.

I find it very very hard to believe that two sliced of whole grain bread raises blood sugar more than a candy bar (really whole grain- not white bread that looks brown because of added molasses).

Yeah, this was what I thought too.

Most commercial whole grain bread is still mostly, well, not whole grain. I prefer to buy the fresh baked whole wheat/whole grain loafs.....they go stale faster but I freeze 'em. Much better than the Dempsters, etc. stuff.

[Jwolf]

According to some charts I looked up, whole grain bread actually has comparable glycemic index to some candy bars with nuts. But... the candy bars do have more calories per gram, and some without nuts have higher glycemic index. It sounds like he's comparing apples and oranges and taking things out of context to make his point.

[PaleSnail]

I don't know that I'd proclaim him as a quack, but he's not telling the full story. As was mentioned, if you're grazing on high-GI foods, you WILL feel hungrier sooner as your blood sugar crashes. Fat, fiber and protein help to lower the GI of a food so that you are sustained longer. Processed wheat products still have a fairly high GI.

If I am reading this article right, his argument looks like this…

- Eating wheat causes blood sugar highs followed by lows
- Blood sugar lows cause craving for more wheat
- Craving for more wheat causes one to eat more wheat
- Eating more wheat causes weight gain
* Therefore, eating wheat causes weight gain

However, I believe his argument should be…

- Eating an unbalanced diet high in sugar/carbs causes blood sugar highs followed by lows
- Blood sugar lows cause craving for more food
- Craving for more food causes one to eat more food
- Eating more causes weight gain
*Therefore, eating an unbalanced diet high in sugar/carbs causes weight gain

He gets too specific in order to attack wheat. You can use his argument and insert any high sugar carb food in his argument (rice, potato, etc.) and the argument is still valid.

[PinkLady]

If I am reading this article right, his argument looks like this…

- Eating wheat causes blood sugar highs followed by lows
- Blood sugar lows cause craving for more wheat
- Craving for more wheat causes one to eat more wheat
- Eating more wheat causes weight gain
* Therefore, eating wheat causes weight gain

However, I believe his argument should be…

- Eating an unbalanced diet high in sugar/carbs causes blood sugar highs followed by lows
- Blood sugar lows cause craving for more food
- Craving for more food causes one to eat more food
- Eating more causes weight gain
*Therefore, eating an unbalanced diet high in sugar/carbs causes weight gain

He gets too specific in order to attack wheat. You can use his argument and insert any high sugar carb food in his argument (rice, potato, etc.) and the argument is still valid.

Good analysis! Which is why every study and "statistic" should be taken with a grain of salt.....

Everything in moderation, as usual, being the wisest choice.