Humans have been consuming wheat for thousands of years, so it would seem that it is a safe food, right? Unfortunately, our modern grain and flour is much different than our ancestors.
Ever wonder why so many people are gluten sensitive today? It may not be just the gluten that has caused this “gluten-free” fad. Not only does our modern grain today contain a higher ratio of gluten, it is stripped of its nutrients, harder to digest, and processed differently than our great grandparents' day. Maybe a combination of these factors have led to many Americans being unable to process wheat and other grains today.
Modern wheat today is a hybrid wheat developed in the 1960s to help increase yield and disease resistance. Hybrid wheat has brought negative health consequences including:
» It’s less nutritious. A whole grain contains the bran, the germ and the endosperm. Each part provides different nutrients such as vitamins, fiber and phytochemicals that contribute to the health promoting benefits of whole grains, without the whole seed intact, many nutrients are lost. Today, we are able to separate the bran and germ from the endosperm where most of the starchy carbs are contained. Refined grains are mainly composed of only the endosperm portion of the grain, which leads to a higher blood sugar spike. Additional, when wheat is refined, the bran, which aids in digestion, has been removed.
» Contains more gluten proteins that lead to sensitivities. According to the whole grain council, different types of wheat have different numbers of chromosomes, and some studies show that the older wheats, with fewer chromosomes, tend to have lower levels of gliadins (major wheat allergen), the type of gluten proteins that seem to cause most sensitivities. For example, einkorn wheat (one of the oldest known types of wheat available today), has 14 chromosomes, compared to the modern durum wheat, that contains 28 chromosomes which changes the gluten structure. Approximately 18 million Americans have gluten sensitivity and it is estimated that 83 percent of Americans who have celiac disease are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with other conditions.
» Prepared differently. Grains are harder to digest without soaking, sprouting and other traditional preparations that cultures have used for thousands of years. Soaking, sprouting and fermenting grains helps to break down the anti-nutrients (gluten, lectin, phytic acid,) in grains so that they are more digestible. Evidence shows that these traditional methods made grains more bioavailable. Modern grain processing methods leads to mineral deficiencies.
When my friend from South Africa came to visit, she explained to me that she was able to eat bread and other grain products in her South African village. I was surprised because my friend consumed a strictly gluten free diet when she lived in America because gluten containing foods caused major GI distress for her. Often in countries where ancient grains and traditional methods are still used, you do not see the GI distress with grains as we do in America.
Ancient grains have never been processed through hybridization or genetic modification. They’re grown just as they were hundreds of years ago. They offer more protein, fiber and vitamins than modern grains. Examples of ancient grains include einkorn, emmer/faro, kamut and spelt in the wheat family. Non-wheat ancient grains include sorghum, teff, millet, quinoa and amaranth. A study at Careggi University Hospital showed that when subjects over eight weeks consumed Kamut ancient grains compared to another eight weeks of consuming modern grain, the subject’s total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol decreased more and certain markers of inflammation decreased during the Kamut consumption. Also, blood levels of potassium and magnesium, two minerals many of us are lacking, increased with Kamut. According to a study printed in "The Review of Diabetic Studies," ancient wheat diets caused a down regulation of key regulatory genes involved in glucose and fat metabolism, equivalent to a prevention or delay of diabetes development. Ancient grains are definitely a step in the right direction but they don’t compare to vegetables when it comes to nutrients. For those with a gut or autoimmune issue, even ancient grains can be problematic. If you suffer from autoimmune/inflammatory illnesses, eliminating or limiting grains would be most beneficial. If you are able to tolerate grains, using ancient grains would be a healthier option when you choose grains.
Comments