Wheat is one of the most common food allergens that has long been associated with a host of symptoms. Regardless of whether or not you have a known or suspected allergy, sensitivity, or intolerance to wheat, it is wise for everyone to limit or avoid this staple grain altogether for several reasons.
1 ~ We eat way too much wheat in this country. For many, it’s the only grain they ever eat. This is problematic because it means missing out on the many nutrients that other grains have to offer. In addition, eating the same foods over and over can tax the system, deplete specific enzymes, and lead to intolerances down the road.
2 ~ Unless you are the rare person who cooks up bowls of wheat berries, which is its whole grain form, all of the wheat being served up in this country is processed – the overwhelming majority of which, is highly processed into white refined flour.
White refined flour and the many products made from it – pasta, breads, cereals, pastries, cookies and more – are devoid of most vital nutrients and fiber. These foods are so devitalized they are actually anti-nutrients that deplete the body of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes in order to process them.
Unfortunately, even many of the products labeled “whole wheat” are themselves highly processed, and also frequently contain white refined flour and refined sugars as well. Check the label!
3 ~ Wheat in any form, processed or not, is challenging to digest and eliminate due to its high gluten content. Remember as a child mixing flour and water to make glue? It is gluten that gave this mixture its sticky, glue-like consistency.
Gluten is a mixture of gum-like, water-insoluble plant proteins found in many grains, and wheat has the highest gluten content of them all. Great stuff for binding paper maché, not so good for the intestines – or any other part of the digestive and eliminative tract, for that matter.
4 ~ Because it is so difficult to digest and eliminate, wheat is a notorious mucous-producer and inflammatory agent known to cause or contribute to a host of dis-eases, including: arthritis, sinus problems, constipation, diarrhea, bowel disorders, fatigue, yeast infections, liver & gallbladder congestion, mental disorders, insomnia, and suppressed immune function. In Chinese medicine wheat is considered one of the primary causes of depression.
Regardless of whether or not you are suffering from these or any other symptoms, everyone can benefit from limiting wheat in their diet or going completely wheat-free. Try it and see!
Today it is easier than ever before to go wheat-free or at least cut down on your intake. There is an array of wheat-free and gluten-free products now available on the market. Choose from: