We received a comment on one of our posts asking: Why is gluten a healthier choice? Here is our response:

I always thought that Gluten free was a food choice for people with some sort of gastric disorder. Celiacs disease or something like that. I never really paid much more attention to it than that because, quite frankly, it did not apply to me. But as my research evolves, so does my knowledge. I have now found that opting for gluten free is a great decision for everyone, including those who are perfectly healthy. So what’s the big fuss?

WIlliam Davis, author of Wheat Belly, put it best: “Modern wheat is the altered offspring of thousands of genetic manipulations, crude and sometimes bizarre techniques that pre-date the age of genetic modification.” for the full article, visit: http://boingboing.net/2011/10/26/triticum-fever-by-dr-william-davis-author-of-wheat-belly.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+boingboing/iBag+(Boing+Boing)

Yes the wheat we eat today is a genetically altered version of the wheat we ate as recently as 1960. 

And as you may have noticed, celiac disease and all sorts of other irritable bowel syndromes are on the rise and much more popular now than ever before.

So what is happening is that the term “whole grain” is misleading most people. It is the most popular term being used nowadays referring to healthy eating. So people go to the store and see cereals, pastas, breads, crackers and they all say things like Multi Grain or Made with Whole Grains and they think they are getting a healthy product for themselves and their families. But really what they are getting is usually something along the lines of less than 2% of whole grains and 98% of wheat products.

This is where I come in and say again and again and again READ THE INGREDIENTS!!! 

Yes it is redundant, but I can not stress it enough. You deserve to know what you’re eating and the labels on foods are specifically designed to trick you into buying products that appear to be healthy but really aren’t.

There are many gluten free options out there such as millet, quinoa, and buckwheat that can substitute wheat products but knowledge is key.

But why does this matter if I don’t have Celiac’s disease or some other gastric condition???

Wheat products are super addictive, spike your blood sugar, and cause weight gain. To me, that is reason enough to curb the product. When I first started my process of eliminating sugar, I found out about wheat and eliminating it was no easy task. So many products contain wheat!

Now…to be fair….I am not on a strict gluten free diet. For example, as you all may know, I am a big fan of Ezekiel Bread. The food for life brand now has a few gluten free products, but generally I buy the Ezekiel bread that does contain wheat. So if you are gluten intolerant, read the ingredients and make sure you’re buying a gluten free product.

This is why I eat it: Ezekiel bread contains no flour and only sprouted grains. This means it has more amino acids than other breads (protein), is easier to digest, and is a low-glycemic food.

Since I don’t have a gluten intolerance, I can eat these grains and feel great. But even this I eat in moderation and really is not a big part of my daily diet.  Balance is the key.

So the next time you go to the store and are tempted to buy any product that claims to be whole grain, make sure you turn the box around and look for that key word…wheat!  And think twice. Lots of people often tell me they don’t understand why they can’t lose weight…after all, they eat healthy. And they truly believe this because they’re not drinking sodas or eating the obvious sugary foods. But the consumption of wheat in their daily diet prohibits them from losing that weight and it results in frustration and the belief that there is something wrong with them (such as a thyroid problem or some other medical condition).

Note: If you have any questions regarding any of the recipes or theories we post here on our blog, please feel free to ask us in the comments portion of the blog. Once a week we will be answering these questions to make sure we all stay informed and educated!