Is wheat an enemy?

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.

Agree though that it doesn't necessarily help weight loss - I have lost weight eating a very high carb, wheat filled diet in the past. I think it's "trendy" now because more people are trying it to see if they can help chronic conditions. I don't think that's a bad thing at all. It's no different than someone making dietary changes for high cholesterol, diabetes, etc.

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

Very well said! There is no magic thing you can do that will make weight melt off. :flowerforyou:

It only matters if you NEED to go gluten-free. You can try taking it out of your diet and see if that helps. If not then just use in moderation.

i have a gluten sensitivity (along with many other sensitivities) my suggestion is that if you go gluten free do NOT go out and buy a bunch of gluten free bread, crackers, brownies, etc etc etc because they are also filled with crap/not nutritious and you will not lose weight. i cut out wheat products but i also have no eaten any wheat alternatives like rice pasta or whatever. i eat spaghetti squash or zucchini pasta now. i feel a WHOLE lot better. Once in a while I will allow myself to have something with wheat but wont overdo it.