Anti Wheat?
bearcrusher
Posts: 90
I have been hearing a lot of people talk bad about wheat. I even heard it is considered an addictive substance by some people. I was just wondering what people's opinions about it were.
I know there are some good alternative for carbs like oats, rice, quinoa, etc.. I'm just interested because I like pretty much everyone I know eats bread at almost every meal and if that is detrimental to good health I'd make the switch off of it.
I know there are some good alternative for carbs like oats, rice, quinoa, etc.. I'm just interested because I like pretty much everyone I know eats bread at almost every meal and if that is detrimental to good health I'd make the switch off of it.
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Replies
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Weight loss is simple, eat what you like and stay within your calorie goal with exercise and you will get to your goal. Don't remove food you like from your diet, it's the easiest way to fail!0
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Weight loss is simple for people without metabolic disorders.
However, if you don't have a sensitivity to wheat or have any sort of metabolic issue, then switching off wheat would be pretty pointless.0 -
Context and dosage.:happy:0
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Personal experience is that my body is happier without complex carbs and wheat based products such as bread, pasta, cereals etc. Ive recently stopped eating these wheat based products because I found myself to have bad stomach pains and bloating alot! Ive gone from eating bread 2-3 times a day to not at all...and I actually dont think I miss it! My stomach feels beter, my digestion has significantly improved, I have more energy (presumably because im subsituting it for lean meats and veg) and with all this I have lost weight as well
....cant be that bad cutting it out and seeing how you get on, but it can be difficult to go cold turkey!! A little bit wont kill you
Try cutting down to one portion of wheat a day and see how you get on! 0 -
There are a lot of people who have wheat sensitivity and don't even realize it. Go 1 week without eating it, and then have a big *kitten* sandwich or bowl of cereal and find out how it makes you feel. I eat based on how food makes me feel now.0
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I've always had issues with bloating. After reading Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis it clicked that wheat may be causing the bloat and I cut most of it out a couple months ago. I've noticed a big difference since then, so I avoid eating large quantities of it. I can eat a cookie and not have problems, but if I eat a couple slices of pizza or a bowl of pasta the bloat hits hard. I'm not anti-wheat, but it's just not a good fit for my body.0
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Weight loss is simple, eat what you like and stay within your calorie goal with exercise and you will get to your goal. Don't remove food you like from your diet, it's the easiest way to fail!
Yup.
Too much wheat makes my stomach feel less-than-amazing. Plus, less bread means I can eat more bacon :happy:0 -
Weight loss is simple, eat what you like and stay within your calorie goal with exercise and you will get to your goal. Don't remove food you like from your diet, it's the easiest way to fail!
Yup.
Too much wheat makes my stomach feel less-than-amazing. Plus, less bread means I can eat more bacon :happy:
Bacon > bread 0 -
I gave it up entirely over two years ago, but have recently slipped. AND I regret what it's done to my stomach these last couple of days. DARN snickerdoodles!
It's not a weight loss issue for me, it's a health issue.0 -
Not really anti wheat, but it seriously hurts. I can't eat wheat bread or I'll have serious stomach issues the rest of the day. I can eat white bread, but even then I'd be best off buying gluten free bread. I don't mostly because the loaves are smaller and are pretty pricey. I've tried cutting out bread completely a few times. I just get super hungry and tired of spinach salads (I can't eat lettuce) and eggs and then I'll wind up eating some bread. You've got to really plan ahead; you don't realize how convenient all those meals with bread are til they are gone. I have gone to using corn tortillas a lot (will usually grill them with some cheese, though I've been trying to cut back on cheese). A lot of the anti wheat stuff is mostly due to severe stomach pains. I wound up in the emergency room a few years ago because of severe stomach pains and had to be prescribed super strong medication just to be able to eat something other than tuna (which is all I ate for almost a full month since it's the only thing I could keep down). It's not fun. But, granted, my stomach issues have improved a lot, but I DO eat waaay less bread/wheat/dairy than before. I mostly stumble when it comes to packing lunches for work. I don't even know why I eat some days at all except that I AM hungry. Because, ugh, it really sucks.0
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I think the OP is talking about health, not weight loss. It is NOT as simple as calories in VS calories out. Eating food with very little nutrition, whether or not you're overweight, is very bad for your body. For example, women not having enough calcium and vitamin D become very prone to osteoporosis and no one eating 50g of protein a day is going to have beautiful muscle.
If you are talking about weight loss gluten can be related too. I have never thought I had a problem with any foods but, like you, was interested. I went gluten free for about 2 weeks. In that two weeks my stomach SHRUNK! not because I lose weight, but because bloating went down. Coming back to gluten I realised that within a short time of eating pasta/bread I got excruciating stomach cramps and gas. This feeling remind me of highschool in the morning (when I was a bit pasta eater at dinner time) where I would writhe in bed and be really gassy.
Now I have mostly flushed my body of gluten, I only have it in things I absolutely love like cake or soy sauce etc. I like eating out where I live (Tokyo) and you can't find such a thing as 'gluten free' so I'm not perfect but avoid ordering anything that is obviously gluten based. When I have 'tested the waters' and had a high gluten-based meal such as pizza, pasta, sandwich etc. I know about it within 2 hours. Another thing I have noticed is thirst as well. I become unbelievably thirsty and simply can't quench my thirst, and sometimes I will actually vomit (especially with oats for some reason which are meant to not have high levels of gluten but a similar protein which gluten sensitive people can have problems with as well). Headaches, thirst, vomiting... no thanks!
Here is a good article. It is about paleo diet which is not what I'm trying to promote or anything, but it does explain the general 'theory' behind why so many people have/claim to have gluten sensitivity.
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/10/04/the-beginners-guide-to-the-paleo-diet/
At first eating low "direct" carb seems 'horrible' but you actually learn that eating under 150carbs a day is easy and maintainable, and gives you more energy as you are getting all your fuel from lean meats and vegetables I have rice on weekends and am a cake and chocolate addict (within my calories) so it's up to you how far you want to take your healthy lifestyle. I don't add anything considered "carbs" to my meals on weekdays (no rice, bread, potatoes etc etc) but still get up to 100-150g a day from vegetables, fruit and limited sauces in my cooking.
Anyway, good luck on your journey! Continue to research and gather information everywhere you can. Test it out for a few weeks if you're intrigued and see what happens to your body. I was intrigued, tried it out, and I am so glad I did because it has improved my energy levels, reduced bloating and made like better
Jess0 -
I've tried cutting out bread completely a few times. I just get super hungry and tired of spinach salads
I was the same when I first tried. I stuck to it and stuck to it and now I have 0 cravings for pasta or bread. Maybe once a fortnight I feel like pasta, so add a very small serving of GF pasta into a chicken dish. If you are having trouble making interesting meals put some protein in there! I make spinach + cabbage salads with lean ham and tomatoes, or grilled chicken and avocado. You honestly don't need these processed foods to feel full - it is simply you're body craving it our of habit.
It takes 3 weeks to bread a habit so they say... I used to be the kid who would lick their place clean of spaghetti bolognese, go back for seconds, and then snack on cold pasta just before brushing my teeth. How I only got to 160lb I don't know, I am lucky!
edit: don't forget, there are things that are very carby WITHOUT gluten like beans, rice (brown/white/red/black), potatoes, sweet potatoes... etc etc etc and these can help you too 0 -
I've always had issues with bloating. After reading Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis it clicked that wheat may be causing the bloat and I cut most of it out a couple months ago. I've noticed a big difference since then, so I avoid eating large quantities of it. I can eat a cookie and not have problems, but if I eat a couple slices of pizza or a bowl of pasta the bloat hits hard. I'm not anti-wheat, but it's just not a good fit for my body.
I haven't read the book, but everything else you said applies to me also... I could have written that, and there would be no lie. Moreover, once I start with the pizza or pasta, or bread, I can't stop, even if I am full. 0 -
I'm anti anti food categories.0
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Moreover, once I start with the pizza or pasta, or bread, I can't stop, even if I am full.
yes I totally understand... I could continue to eat pasta until the cows come home. And then some. It's so strange how it's like that.... I do kind of get it with rice as well though, it juts an empty calorie thing I guess. No nutrients.0 -
"Everything in moderation" combined with "listen to your body."0
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It was suggested to me to avoid wheat because it is very hard to digest - I now buy either rye or spelt sourdough bread and eat in very small quantities rather than as a staple.
It has really helped my digestive issues that included IBS.0 -
I've tried cutting out bread completely a few times. I just get super hungry and tired of spinach salads
I was the same when I first tried. I stuck to it and stuck to it and now I have 0 cravings for pasta or bread. Maybe once a fortnight I feel like pasta, so add a very small serving of GF pasta into a chicken dish. If you are having trouble making interesting meals put some protein in there! I make spinach + cabbage salads with lean ham and tomatoes, or grilled chicken and avocado. You honestly don't need these processed foods to feel full - it is simply you're body craving it our of habit.
It takes 3 weeks to bread a habit so they say... I used to be the kid who would lick their place clean of spaghetti bolognese, go back for seconds, and then snack on cold pasta just before brushing my teeth. How I only got to 160lb I don't know, I am lucky!
edit: don't forget, there are things that are very carby WITHOUT gluten like beans, rice (brown/white/red/black), potatoes, sweet potatoes... etc etc etc and these can help you too
Thanks! I've actually done okay with it in the past, I'll go one to three months without any bread, but will usually stumble around work lunches. I do eat a lot of grilled chicken and salmon. For almost a year, that was the only thing I could even think to order at restaurants along with water or lemonade. And mostly ate it at the house, too, LOL. Thanks, I had totally forgotten about the potatoes being an option. Sometimes, I feel like I am so focused on "Is this going to upset my stomach? Can I afford this?" That I can't even really focus as much as I want on losing weight. And, honestly, I don't really even understand how I've gained weight except that I used to have a more active job and now it's more of a desk job. The work lunches really kill me, though. I try to grill up chicken and prepare strawberry spinach chicken salads for them, but I usually tire of them. I also don't have a car so it can be a pain to walk with the container. (But I AM getting one within two weeks, so yay!) I wish we had a stove or something at work, I hate having to reheat stuff up. All we have is a microwave. I'm hoping I can start driving to my house and fixing food (it's only a five minute drive, but 15-20 minute walk and we only get 30 minute lunches). A ham and cheese or peanut butter and jelly sandwich just seems so much easier to bring. But I don't want to eat TOO many of them.
I don't really like pasta that much except that it's cheap and convenient, but I have this weird thing where I can't eat foods with a lot of red sauce or I feel sick (weird, huh?).
Also, I will definitely try the cabbage out. I hadn't thought of that before. Sometimes I feel really limited because so much stuff seems to have lettuce in it and lettuce pretty much kills my stomach the way fried chicken does. Which I do NOT understand as I thought it was supposed to be super healthy. Thanks for the advice, def going to get some potatoes and some roma tomatoes (I forgot about those, I had been using strawberries and carrots so much, totally forgot about tomatoes. I ALSO forgot I could throw in ham instead of chicken, which will be a nice change!) Sorry, I'm rambling so much!!!!! I actually do pretty good for breakfast and dinner.0 -
So from what I've read about it now and a few opinions it seems some people are almost naturally allergic to it. Like they can't digest it properly or something.
As to cutting wheat for weight loss. Don't really care about that. My main concern was overall health. If I'm being so good and tracking my food and trying to be as healthy as possible I want to eat as healthy as possible.
So the down sides I've been messaged about and read about are as follows:
Wheat contains gliatin which will cause you to have hunger cravings and is addictive
Wheat will give some people bloating. cramps, other misc digestive problems
Wheat will spike your blood sugar therefore cravings again.
So I guess it's more of a control issue for some and a type of lactose intolerance for others.0 -
So from what I've read about it now and a few opinions it seems some people are almost naturally allergic to it. Like they can't digest it properly or something.
As to cutting wheat for weight loss. Don't really care about that. My main concern was overall health. If I'm being so good and tracking my food and trying to be as healthy as possible I want to eat as healthy as possible.
So the down sides I've been messaged about and read about are as follows:
Wheat contains gliatin which will cause you to have hunger cravings and is addictive
Wheat will give some people bloating. cramps, other misc digestive problems
Wheat will spike your blood sugar therefore cravings again.
So I guess it's more of a control issue for some and a type of lactose intolerance for others.
Yeah, I think you pretty much got it. It also seems like a lot of us than have the problems with wheat ALSO have some problems with lactose; I can't drink regular milk, has to be almond milk. If you want to eat as healthy as possible, I'd say it IS definitely good to cut out wheat for the reasons you've mentioned. I mean, once you cut it out, you're almost forced to eat healthier whether you want to or not.0 -
So from what I've read about it now and a few opinions it seems some people are almost naturally allergic to it. Like they can't digest it properly or something.
As to cutting wheat for weight loss. Don't really care about that. My main concern was overall health. If I'm being so good and tracking my food and trying to be as healthy as possible I want to eat as healthy as possible.
So the down sides I've been messaged about and read about are as follows:
Wheat contains gliatin which will cause you to have hunger cravings and is addictive
Wheat will give some people bloating. cramps, other misc digestive problems
Wheat will spike your blood sugar therefore cravings again.
So I guess it's more of a control issue for some and a type of lactose intolerance for others.
Paleo people will tell you it is evil, IIFYM people will say it is great.
Listen to your body and do what you think is best. Truth is, there isn't really enough hard data (that we've seen) to support either side.0 -
Beware of the box of death:
They should put warnings on the box, just like cigarettes....0 -
Beware of the box of death:
They should put warnings on the box, just like cigarettes....
I almost spit out my lunch. lol0 -
Truth is, there isn't really enough hard data (that we've seen) to support either side.
LOLwut?
Bit of a false dichotomy there.
Humans have eaten wheat for thousands of years and it has been a staple in many areas for that long. There is a small faction of the health food/diet community claiming it might not be good for you in a very first world problem kind of way. Only one side need concern themselves with research and hard data. The other side is a basic facet of human society that goes back hundreds of generations; arguing against wheat consumption is a bit like arguing against writing on the basis of it being an unhealthy form of idea expression.0 -
I have to say, wheat was one of the hardest "food addictions" to give up. I was diagnosed with Celiac disease so I knew medically it was destroying me but I couldn't stop eating it. So I can see how some say it is addictive. I am a couple months clean now & feel 100x better.0
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Truth is, there isn't really enough hard data (that we've seen) to support either side.
LOLwut?
Bit of a false dichotomy there.
Humans have eaten wheat for thousands of years and it has been a staple in many areas for that long. There is a small faction of the health food/diet community claiming it might not be good for you in a very first world problem kind of way. Only one side need concern themselves with research and hard data.
I think it's a bit unfair to call Celiac a first world problem. That sort of implies it's not a real problem.0 -
Unless you have an allergy or intollerance to wheat or gluten, wheat is not detrimental to health. As for weight loss, it's no different than any other grain. If you have a need or want to reduce carbs, then track it and don't eat too much. Many people have "trigger foods" or foods they have a hard time not overeating if they eat any. If bread or wheat is a trigger for you, then avoid it as you would any other trigger food.
But, "in general", there is nothing wrong with wheat for most people. I've eaten wheat for over half a century and I don't have any medical problems. In fact, I rarely even get a common cold.0 -
I ate bread for often 3 meals a day for most of my life, like a lot of people probably...
About 3 years ago I was getting really fed up of having permanent symptoms similar to hayfever, particularly rhinitis (blocked nose), and also joint pains particualrly in knees and elbows. I was a couple of stone overweight, but that's all... never been hugely overweight such that it was that alone that was likely to be causing joint problems. Worst symptom of all was a very "gunky" throat, particularly at night... sometimes I'd wake up 30 times a night with a throat full of mucus, not being able to breath. Truly awful. This had got progressively worse for a period of maybe 3-4 years I suppose.
Anyway, to cut long story short I started doing research into food allergies, and discovered that all my symptoms were common of people with an allergy to wheat (not necessarily all gluten) - it is a particualr protein in wheat that can cause all these problems for some people.
I cut out all wheat, and literally in 3 days the symptoms eased considerably... by a week, I felt a whole lot better.
I didn't believe in it at all.
I couldn't believe all that suffering for years was so simple to cure.
I thought it was either just a coincidence, or placebo effect. So, I binged on wheat again as per my "normal" diet, and within hours the symptoms came back!... So, once again I cut it out and all has been fine since.
I read that sometimes after giving your body a long break (6 months, year or so) from an allergen, sensitivity can reduce, or even disappear... so every once in a while I try wheat again to see, but for me the symptoms just come right back within hours.
My biggest problem with it is I absolutely adore freshly baked bread! - even the smell of it in the supermarket etc. gets me craving it... suppose the craving has worn off slightly over the 3 years, or it might just be my will power that has grown stronger!
I can have maybe a sandwich or couple of slices of pizza now and again, but I soon know I've had it, and have to be really strict again for the next few days.
So, my advice is to try cutting out wheat altogether (which can be much harder than you think if you have been used to a lot of convenience or ready-made meals, as virtually EVERYTHING contains wheat!) - give it a good week and see how you feel... then go on a wheat-fest binge for a day or two and again see how you feel... then make the decision!
Hope that helps someone, if you're suffering "hayfever" type symptoms, even in the middle of winter, or joint pains, give it a try!.
Oh, my actual hayfever is not so bad being wheat free diet either!0 -
Truth is, there isn't really enough hard data (that we've seen) to support either side.
LOLwut?
Bit of a false dichotomy there.
Humans have eaten wheat for thousands of years and it has been a staple in many areas for that long. There is a small faction of the health food/diet community claiming it might not be good for you in a very first world problem kind of way. Only one side need concern themselves with research and hard data.
I think it's a bit unfair to call Celiac a first world problem. That sort of implies it's not a real problem.
The anti-wheat anti-gluten fad has little to do with celiacs. Most celiacs dislike the fad because it margnalizes their disorder.0 -
Truth is, there isn't really enough hard data (that we've seen) to support either side.
LOLwut?
Bit of a false dichotomy there.
Humans have eaten wheat for thousands of years and it has been a staple in many areas for that long. There is a small faction of the health food/diet community claiming it might not be good for you in a very first world problem kind of way. Only one side need concern themselves with research and hard data.
I see your point. I'm looking at it from both sides, not just my own (eat all the foods as long as they don't make you sick). I was expecting Paleo people to come at this topic with how wheat is evil, then others to say it's not. It may be a smal faction in the general population, but they are rampant on these boards.
Just because people eat something, that doesn't mean it's the best option - rather what's available.0
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