Is wheat an enemy?

Omg kill it!!

Wheat is the enemy only if you have a gluten allergy or some other intestinal sensitivity. Gluten is challenging to our bodies to digest , but not everyone has this issue. I avoid all wheat and grains (I eat paleo) but I had an intestinal infectiion involving parasites, bad bacteria, and a fungus for over 2 years. I got stuff to work out. If you suspect an allergy, you can eliminate all gluten sources for three months, then add it back in. If helps in your weight loss to be without it, or if you experience gastrointestinal distress when you add it back in, then there's your answer. best of luck!

Gluten free or wheat friendly, it's still about portion control, planning, and exercising.

My mom and my sister are both gluten intolerant, so they never eat it. Neither of them has lost weight that way. I don't pay much attention to whether or not my food is gluten free unless I'm preparing food to enjoy with them. I have an english muffin for breakfast multiple times a week, and I occasionally have pizza for dinner. I've lost all my weight simply by eating in a calorie deficit.

I really appreciate everyone taking time to answer my question. It sounds like there is a wide range of experiences with this particular topic. I suppose I could also get a test from the doctor at my next physical? For people who have gone gluten free-- do you feel improved sense of well being, ect? (Allergy or Choice?)

I'm celiac, so I had no choice in the matter. The only thing cutting gluten out did was remove my symptoms, other than that, I feel exactly the same as I did before my celiac flared up. If I could, I'd go back to eating gluten.

I had a bunch of GI issues when I STOPPED eating grains and gluten.

I feel a LOT better when I eat grains.

I don't think it helps weight loss, although I have lost some weight (mostly because there isn't much to snack on and I don't like meat enough to overeat it).

If you suspect that you might have an intolerance then it might be worth it to give an elimination diet a try and see how you feel being wheat/gluten free. I am NOT celiac but I don't tolerate wheat well.. I seem to do ok with trace amounts of gluten/wheat.. BUT when wheat was a regular part of my diet I could barely make it through a 7 hour shift at work my knees ached so bad. Also I couldn't even close my hands all the way and I did not have full range of motion in my fingers/wrists. I also was on daily synthroid for hypoactive thyroid. I was tired all the time. I did not have "tummy troubles" from wheat, my issues were with inflammation. Since giving up wheat, 90% of my joint issues are resolved... and 100% of the joint/range of motion problems in my hands were resolved. I feel like a normal energized person.... and I have been removed from my thyroid medication. (thankfully, my actual thyroid was not damaged, I had such inflammation that my body couldn't properly use the hormones that my thyroid was producing so it kept screaming for more, but there doesn't seem to be any malfunction of my actual thyroid which is why my condition was reversible.. The vast majority of people NEVER see thyroid conditions reversed... Just throwing that out there so people don't get their hopes up that going off wheat will cure their hypothyroidism)

I don't CARE if people think that I'm just "following a fad" or whatever, I know that my beloved wheat products were causing real harm to my body... As far as a corelation between going wheat free and weight loss, That I don't know... I mean Not being able to eat wheat HAS saved me a few calories when I've HAD to turn down certain things that I might otherwise have splurged on, but I don't think it's enough to make a difference. I will say that I'm able to be a lot more active now.. When I was eating wheat I'd come straight home from work and soak in the tub then put up my legs and cry from the pain... Now I get out of work and go for a four mile walk, or go to zumba class!

Wheat is only an enemy if you have an allergy or intolerance. I found I was often feeling ill after eating things with wheat in (but not other gluten) so I try to keep consumption of bread, pasta, baked goods etc to a minimum and I do feel better. I do find weight-loss easier when I do keep it mostly out of my diet, but that's probably because I also had a tendency to overdo it on foods containing wheat.

If you don't have any negative reactions to it there's no point going wheat or gluten-free. However, it is important to include other wholegrains and of course keep everything in moderation.

Wheat is only an enemy if you have an allergy or intolerance...If you don't have any negative reactions to it there's no point going wheat or gluten-free.

This.

I am not sure when everyone became a special snowflake and developed gluten intolerance/allergy/Celiacs. The vast majority of the population can eat gluten with no issues.Equate it to a peanut allergy- it doesn't affect most of us but it can be real trouble for that small minority that truly has an issue.

It is trendy to be gluten free... that is all I can figure. Not knocking those who yave an actual medical problem, but suddenly everyone is jumping on the gluten free bus without even knowing for sure if they actually need to...

Gluten intolerance is a real thing, but it's rare. It just happens to be trendy right now for people to self-diagnose it. In any event, personal anecdote ---> I eat wheat, and I am successfully losing weight.

Meh, I self diagnosed mine through an elimination diet.. I was hoping that if my problems were dietary that the issue would be DAIRY.. I was horrified when through the process of a CONTROLLED elimination diet that the issue was with wheat. I mean, I used to make homemade flour tortillas almost daily, I ate couscous for BREAKFAST.. I LOVED my wheat. My doctor says there's no reason for me to go through the testing process since in order to do that I'd have to start eating wheat again AND the tests do not always reveal a positive for all intolerences to every protein in wheat anyway. Not everyone who cannot tolerate wheat has a problem with the GLUTEN. Not everyone who has a problem with wheat has celiacs.

So I have been hearing about wheat making a big difference in weight loss. (Or rather, not eating wheat.) What has your experience been? Should I try gluten-free??

If you have some reason to believe you are gluten sensitive or intollerant, you might want to try it. But unless you have symptoms (bloating, GI distress, etc.) only when eating something with gluten, then no.

I eat wheat several days a week with no problems.