Lose the wheat lose the weight! It’s a pretty bold statement to make isn’t it. But is there any scientific or authoritative backing to such a claim? Well it seems that nutritional research is discovering that there is indeed a link between consuming wheat products and an adverse effect on weight gain. Not only so, but there are other health issues that might also be at stake. These include heart disease, type 2 diabetes, accelerated ageing, Alzheimer’s disease and even cancer.
Reasons Why You Should Lose the Wheat
We’re going to discuss three good reasons why you should avoid wheat products at all costs.
1. Wheat Causes Cell Glycation and Increases Ageing
So what is “cell glycation”? Let’s deal with that first. It’s actually just a fancy term for “high blood sugar levels”. Now the thing about wheat is, that it contains a very unusual type of carbohydrate which is not found in any other food. It’s called “Amylopectin-A” and researchers have discovered that it has the capacity to spike your blood sugar levels even higher than pure table sugar.
As far as carbohydrates go, Amylopectin-A is singularly responsible for raising your blood sugar levels more than almost any other carb on the planet. These are documented findings from studies undertaken.
So next time you’re thinking of enjoying foods like bagels, muffins, bakery products, cereals and breads, just remember that these are the ones that contain this particular carbohydrate.
In one documented test which compared blood sugar results after consuming wheat vs oatmeal, these are the findings:
2 slices of whole wheat toast:
45 minutes after consumption: Blood sugar spiked from 86 fasting level to 155
1 Bowl of Oatmeal (equivalent grams of carbs to 2 slices wheat toast)
45 minutes after consumption: Blood sugar increased from 86 fasting level to 112
Now this leads us to talk about another phenomenon. Scientists are calling it “Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs)” These compounds speed up the ageing process and over time, will damage your organs and joints. Your general appearance will that of an older person, including the lines on your face and around your eyes. High blood sugar levels significantly increase these AGE’s in your body.
Not only that, but when the Amylopectin-A in wheat products causes your body to pump out more insulin, the end result is that your body packs on more body fat. So if you want to stay younger and leaner, the simple solution is to lose the wheat lose the weight.
2. Wheat Contains Gluten and Other Unfriendly Gut Compounds
Some have claimed that if you’re not “gluten intolerant” or “gluten sensitive” then it shouldn’t be a problem for you. But even if you don’t get a reaction to gluten, there are hundreds of studies that have demonstrated that gluten can cause inflammation of your digestive system. It can even lead to “leaky gut syndrome” as well as other digestive and autoimmune problems.
Excessive hybridisation of wheat over the last 50 years is being blamed for these problems. Newly modified gluten molecules have been created which are foreign to the human digestive system. Our wheat is not the same as that which the ancients consumed.
3. Wheat Contains Anti-nutrients and Mineral Blockers
Here’s another good reason to lose the wheat to lose the weight. Anti-nutrients are naturally occurring compounds in the wheat plant. Wheat contains a substance called phytates and these block the absorption of certain minerals such as zinc, manganese, iron and calcium. If you eat too much wheat then you’ll experience a deficiency in these macro minerals, along with their long term effects on your organs.
Wheat also has another mineral blocker called lectin. Lectins cause gut irritation. Lose the wheat lose the weight! If you value your long term health, it’s as simple as that.
But What About the Fiber?
Many people think that the reason why wheat is good for you, is because it contains fibre. But you can get all the fibre you need from nuts, vegetables, fruits and beans, without the damage to your digestive system and blood sugar levels we have outlined above.