Wheatbelly...? Wheat, the UNHEALTHY wholegrain?!

Woooolywool

Well, to be honest, this is a touchy subject for me, and I'm sure it is for quite a few others...that is, if you've even heard of wheatbelly. I hadn't before, until just a few hours ago whilst I was searching for health and weight loss videos on youtube. I came across this professor of some sort lecturing about the hidden dangers in wheat...yeah, wholewheat/wholegrain.
And it didn't make sense to me...WHY, of all foods, would wholewheat be bad for you, for your health? I found it ridiculous, and I still do.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, then uh, well, these videos (it was broken up into parts) were based off of a book on the subject...the subject being on the process of wheat over the years, and how it's been changed through intervention, and modification...the man speaking goes on to talk about blood sugar levels and all sorts. Making it appear that to have wholegrain foods would be worse than to consume sugar from the packet! He's related the consumption of wholegrain to different studies etc. And goes on to state that it can lead to increased levels of internal, dangerous fats that are present in the intestines, and other organs.

BUT there have been reports from people who have ditched wheat completely from their diets, and not only claim of weight loss, but also improved general health, feeling better internally.
And I know that from past experiences, that when I cut down on the carbs, and more specifically wheat, I wasn't feeling so 'weighed down', and had even lost some weight. But then, the way I think about it is that carbs in general do tend to be denser in calories etc. So, if a person were to cut down, or even rid themselves of bread, pasta, cereal etc. then, surely their weight loss could be down to reduced amounts of calories consumed...

SO, what do you think on all of this? Personally, I don't necessarily believe the negativity he links to wheat...I mean, it does have fiber, and has other benefits.

HAVE YOU deducted wheat from your diet? And do you see/feel any difference? Again, personally, I consider this to be a last stop decision down the line for me, just to see the negatives, and positives to this lifestyle alteration/change.


OPINIONS please?

IvoryParchment

I eat less wheat just because of the calories. But I don't feel any different if I eat wheat or rice or quinoa. Trying to say some food is responsible for people being fat seems like a cop out. We're overweight because we have the money to eat more and do less physical activity.

We didn't drink a lot of soda when I was a kid because my mother didn't give it to us. If people are less willing to say "no" to their kids now, it may be because our families have changed and our culture of childrearing hasn't been able to keep up.

We did eat a lot more bread than I do now. We had it delivered to our door by a truck, just like the milk. (We also had a truck that delivered potato chips and pretzels, in great big cans.) It wasn't any healthy whole grain bread -- it was only marginally better than Wonder Bread. Our kitchen cabinetry had a special drawer for the loaves of bread, and my grandmother made bread pudding from the noses. No way we could do that now -- it would get moldy before we had enough.

We had dessert every night, including ice cream, and we had TastyKakes every day in our lunches. But we played outside a lot more than kids do now, as our parents weren't so obsessed about us being carried off by strangers. My parents had no idea where we were most of the time -- they just rang a bell so we would come home when we were too far to hear them call us. Kids did get carried off by strangers then, too, but you didn't hear about it in the national news.

FitForLife81

I cut wheat out of my diet and I feel soooo much better! When I do have it now I feel horrible. Bloating etc! So now I just dont eat it and I am convinced it does more harm than good but that is just my .2 cents!

nickyfm

Does this apply to wholegrains as well? or just whole wheat? Like are we talking about a reaction to the actual gluten protein found in all breads? I've been curious about cutting out wheat, but lack the self control -.-

HighwayKat

I just started seeing a nutritionist.I've already lost 58 pounds before talking to her. She wants me to try eating gluten free. I have read alot about how grains are NOT that healthy for us so I will let you know how it goes.

jadedone

Experiment. Some people have gluten problems, and wheat is one of the key offenders. All of us have different body chemistry. I haven't done I full enough experiment to know.

I mainly eat wheat when I go out, because when I buy bread it goes stale. (Not really into sandwiches)

I grew up eating rice, so I tend to eat quinoa or rice over pasta.

AeolianHarp

I'd ignore this "wheat belly" stuff but wheat, and whole grains in general, are largely overrated. Alan Aragon has noted that of all the grains, wheat tends to present the most problems. So, if you were to cut out a grain, wheat would probably be the best one.

You need to not be so wary of the extravagant claims made, though. People make money this way. You have low-fat, high-fat, low-carb, high-carb, high-protein, low-protein, raw diet, wheat-free, meat-free, banana diet, etc. The dietary world is full of agendas. Eat with moderation and you will be healthy.

I've mentioned this elsewhere but studies have shown eating half of your grain intake from processed grains has similar results to eating a diet solely from whole grains.

In the end, it is possible wheat may "weigh you down." Test it out. That's the only way you will know. To finish off, an awesome bit by Alan Aragon, who is a nutritional god:

"1) There is no "ideal" amount of grain intake per day, since that carries the implication of universality. Grain intake - however much or little within the confines of the rest of the diet - should be based on personal preference & tolerance, period.

2) The negative side effects of zero grain intake would mainly be psychological, and would only present themselves if someone genuinely enjoys grains but is proactively avoiding them because of unfounded info. In some individuals, this would result in unnecessary feelings of deprivation, which can backfire & potentiate eating disorders. Grains are not a nutritionally essential food group, but those who enjoy & tolerate them can live happy, physically productive lives - much like grain-eating populations on this planet with the lowest cardiovascular risk profiles & highest life expectancy. "

spngebobmyhero

I've cut it out and it has made a great improvement to my life. I was sick of always being gassy, bloated and tired, even though I was losing weight. I read so much about it and decided to do a little experiment and see if it made a difference.

It has.

I don't get as gassy, things are more regular, I have way more energy and I just feel better generally. The weight loss has been noticeable too and my wheat belly is going away. My mom said to me the other day, "You are so different from a year ago." In the past year, I have cut out wheat, lost thirty pounds, and have started enjoying activity!

Zeromilediet

I've cut it out and feel great. Everyone is different and the best way to determine if it's for you is to try it. No one takes your money to 'not' eat a particular product.

carolemack

I have read the book...the Doctor who wrote it is a cardiologist. For anyone who has trouble with gas, bloating, difficulty losing weight, and several other things, I think this book is a must READ.

After years of feeling unwell, being unable to lose weight, being tired all the time, I used a trial and error method over several months to come to the conclusion that my body did not handle wheat products very well. I eliminated all obvious wheat sources from my diet...no bread, cookies, cake, anything made with flour. Within two weeks I felt so much better and had lost 5 pounds. This was a few months before I read the book. I have now lost over 30 pounds.

One day I heard the author of the book being interviewed on the radio. After listening to him for about an hour I went right out and bought the book. Everything he said made sense to me, a lot of what he talked about I had already experienced.

Borrow the book from your library...you have nothing to lose except perhaps some poor health.

heathernz

I cut all grains, including wheat, and sugar out of my diet in January, and I have never felt better! The first three days were a little tough with some withdrawal symptoms, but after that everything improved. My son and I now eat meat, fish, veges, fruit, nuts, seeds - and that's about it.

My mood is elevated, my digestive issues like bloating and gas have gone, and I have lost nearly 20 pounds. I eat plenty, make sure I am not hungry, and eat yummy food! Worked for me!

Toddrific

If you look at a typical food that is categorically bad for you it is likely to have a wheat by-product, a corn by-product, and probably some chemically modified fat. Eliminating wheat would therefore substantially reduce your intake of horrible foods by default.

That isn't to say wheat itself is bad. The key to fad diets is to follow the money. How would someone sell yet another diet book without making outrageous claims, then henpecking studies to show that is true.

That being said, some people are sensitive/allergic, etc. and if you find that wheat specifically is the cause, more power too you. It would be my supposition it's not just the wheat but the baggage it comes with that probably is the true link to improvement.

bpayne78

If it's the book I'm thinking of it's full of crap. Yes, there are people who have trouble with wheat and there's an auto-immune disorder called Celiac Disease that takes it to a whole new level. Someone on a Celiac blog (I have Celiac BTW) did a review of the book and a lot of the claims the author made using citations from studies done, were actually dis-proven in the exact study he was siting. In other words if you read the studies to find more info on his claims, the claims are "debunked" in the studies (make sense? I feel like I'm rambling...LOL).

I saw a tweet on Twitter from the Celiac Disease Center that said that the number of people in the US with "Celiac disease would fill 4400 Boeing 747 planes. Passengers on 4268 of them wouldn't even know they have it."

If you feel you can't tolerate it, take it out. There's plenty of Gluten free stuff nowadays that taste as good or better than the regular stuff. It's not going to hurt you to take it out.

ShawtyLatina

As part of the Crazy Sexy Cleanse 21 day adventure, I eliminated gluten products from my diet. Primarily on a 95% raw diet, I occasionally have a brown rice or oat product. Although not eating gluten has made me feel any different, now that I haven't eaten it for a while, eating even the brown rice or oats makes me full extra full and bloated.

I agree that everybody's chemistry is different and you should experiment for yourself to test where your limits are. For me, it seems any type of grain makes me full like I have a 'wheat belly.' sigh.

thinclo

I have cut my bread down to 1 slice or less a week since I've been trying to lose weight. It makes me so bloated and sluggish its just not really worth me eating it. I can even put a couple of lbs on if I eat say a baguette, which eventually come off on their own accord after 2-3 days! also, my mother in law cut out bread for a month and lost 7lbs! but i think it depends on the person, my doc says I might have a slight intolerance to wheat.

sammielou99

bump

JayByrd107

I cut out wheat and other grains for three weeks. Didn't notice anything weight-wise but did notice that my strength and trainging intensity tanked. I've started eating wheat again and I feel great. No problems at all to report.

mamamc03

Ezekiel 4:9 “Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself. "

If it's good enough for the Lord, it's good enough for me.

Siannah

Oh-oh, I bought a freshly backed traditional Irish wheaten bread today and had 3 slices... but it was delicious! And I'm not bloated.
You know what, I don't care, it HAS to be better than white factory bread, right!

marsellient

From what I've read it's the quality of the wheat that's changed over the years from the increasing use of hybrid seeds, resulting in higher gluten. Some people think that peanut allergies are related to the same thing. There are people growing heritage wheat strains. Anyone know anything about using that wheat?

spngebobmyhero

From what I've read it's the quality of the wheat that's changed over the years from the increasing use of hybrid seeds, resulting in higher gluten. Some people think that peanut allergies are related to the same thing. There are people growing heritage wheat strains. Anyone know anything about using that wheat?

Yeah, the hybrid of wheat has many more chromosomes than Einkorn, which is the original form of wheat that our ancestors ate. People who have celiacs can sometimes eat this form of wheat. There are lots of components that cause a reaction in the body. Wheat belly is an interesting read

boggsmeister

I just started seeing a nutritionist.I've already lost 58 pounds before talking to her. She wants me to try eating gluten free. I have read alot about how grains are NOT that healthy for us so I will let you know how it goes.

If you aren't a diagnosed celiac then gluten free will just be an unproductive pain in the *kitten*. Get a new nutritionist that will help you with your diet instead of feeding you the latest fad BS.

melsinct

I just started seeing a nutritionist.I've already lost 58 pounds before talking to her. She wants me to try eating gluten free. I have read alot about how grains are NOT that healthy for us so I will let you know how it goes.

If you aren't a diagnosed celiac then gluten free will just be an unproductive pain in the *kitten*. Get a new nutritionist that will help you with your diet instead of feeding you the latest fad BS.

I agree! Jeez, I feel like the gluten free craze has replaced the Atkins hullabaloo from the late1990s, which replaced the fat free craze of the early 1990s...

You will feel better going gluten free if you have a gluten allergy or gluten intolerance. If you are like me and not bothered by gluten, eliminating it doesn't make a difference at all. I must say, I do love following the diet fads of what the current "evil ingredient" du jour is.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I got fat because I ate too much. Not because I ate a piece of whole grain toast every morning.

desirae500

If you are allergic or sensitive to wheat (gluten) you can get bloating as well as other symptoms. Otherwise, enjoy whole wheat in moderation like all other foods!

_Amy_Budd

I believe that this is 100% true. I've eliminated all wheat and grains, and I've never been healthier, or happier, and I don't feel deprived AT ALL. I just posted my one-year success story, if you'd like to see the visual effects of living without wheat: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/539836-one-year-146-3-pounds-lost-with-photos


Amy

puppy1002

^^^ Some people are allergic to gluten, just like some people can't handle dairy. I also kind of think that this gluten free stuff is kind of a fab like no/low Calories was were EVERYTHING seems to be gluten free now.

l3long

More and more people are gluten intolerant, myself included. I can't eat wheat. If I do, I am in pain with gas, cramps and bloating. there are numerous other side effects I won't go into here.

I do believe that genetic engineering is at the root of the huge increase in those who cannot tolerate wheat but if you are not one of them, enjoy eating wheat. It is not easy eating gluten free and not cheap. Wheat has a lot of good vitamins in it if you eat the whole grain. I still feed my kids and husband whaet products regularly and drool over their pizza because mine is just not the same ... sigh

That said, if they keep genetically changing our foods soon we may find that no one can eat it any longer :-P

ncahill77

I don't know how much of it really is bad for us but you can go to wikipedia and read about the evolution of wheat. what was grown in the fertile crescent 5,000 years ago is not what we consume today. Those wheats had much more protein and very little gluten in them. There are still grains today that are more or less the same such as oats and barley. I try to stick with those if possible, but I will admit I LOVE wheat bread.

terikhamdamov

Ezekiel 4:9 “Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself. "

If it's good enough for the Lord, it's good enough for me.

LOVE IT!

pat6250

My nutritionist ran blood tests on me. I learned I was wheat, dairy, corn, and soy intolerant, as well as other food intolerences. I spent a year eating very carefully, avoiding the foods that bothered me. Mainly, I was trying to avoid inflammation. My joints stopped constantly hurting. After the year, I gradually added back foods, to see what I could tolerate. I now eat everything in moderation. Sometimes my allergies flare, or my joints ache. Then I look at what I have been eating, and cut back. In general, I eat a big variety of grains, because I think they are healthy in moderation. You can find amaranth, quinoa, millet, etc. at your health food store, and follow package directions to prepare them. I use them in place of wheat based foods. I also use common foods like white and brown rice, corn tortillas, rice cakes, instead of bread. There are good pastas made from rice and/or corn. You can make cornbread with all corn flour. I find that when I choose a lot of variety, I don't suffer joint pain and a runny nose. Whole grains have B vitamins, a nutrient I found helpful to keep my moods pleasant. As far as the book, remember, controversy sells books, and today's "good" foods will be tomorrows "awful" foods. Too much of anything is not good for you. If I had lost a lot of weight during the 'year of deprivation', I would have kept it up. But, no, my weight didn't budge much, so eating a variety of foods and using MFP to control portions is what works for me.

pdworkman

Most people who have celiac disease don't know they have it. In many cases it is silent or presents with symptoms other than bloating, digestive issues, and weight loss. It can affect every system in your body. I had no idea I was celiac. We cleared gluten out of the house for DS (who is adopted) and when my husband and I ate away from home and away from DS and had gluten, we discovered that we were both sensitive to it as well.

I cannot tolerate wheat or any grains (members of the grass family). My son and my dad are sensitive to more than just the gluten grains as well. Dad can't have corn or sorghum. DS can have corn in small amounts, but likes to overdo it.