As I mentioned in Chapter 1, a major reason for the surge in gluten sensitivity is the amount of wheat we have been eating for the past 50–60 years. In 1961, American agronomist Norman Borlaug introduced the first high-yield wheat crop. Thanks to large amounts of fertilizers, his wheat was loaded with wheat berries, and soon his strain of high-yield wheat became the norm. The gluten content of his wheat, compared to the ancient wheat, is a topic of debate. However, it is clear that among higher-yield crops, wheat becomes less nutritious.333, 334
When wheat—a seasonal grain traditionally harvested only once a year—became hybridized, more processed, and started being harvested a couple times per year, the sugar content—or what is known as the glycemic index—of the wheat rose significantly.335 And when we, as a culture, started eating wheat in excess, this became a real problem for our health.336
Gluten became the staple that appeared in one form or another in almost every American meal year-round. It’s in breakfast cereals, pancakes, sandwich breads, cakes, biscuits, pasta, pizza, rye crackers, multigrain chips, sausages, soya sauce, salad dressings, bouillon cubes, beer, modified food starch (present in many baby foods), canned soups, sauces, and textured vegetable proteins found in veggie burgers and the like.
Clearly, we have overshot the gluten runway and the amount of gluten we eat must be dialed down. Getting back to the traditional ways that humans ate and prepared wheat for thousands of years will allow our digestive tracts to heal from overeating this food.
Perhaps the most profound deviation from our healthier wheat-eating traditions is the shortened fermentation time of bread. As bread became more and more in demand, the process time, going from flour to loaf, shortened from days to just 2 hours. There are even commercial “no-time” bread doughs fermented for as little as zero–15 minutes.337
When water and wheat flour are allowed to sit, they start to lacto-ferment. In the fermentation process, the lactobacilli—probiotic microbes naturally found on wheat—begin to ferment and eat the sugars and the gluten in the wheat. This naturally lowers the glycemic index of the wheat as well as lowers the gluten content significantly.77, 338
In one study published in 2007, research showed that sourdough bread made with wheat can be gluten-free. When sourdough bread is produced with a particular strain of lactobacilli, it was shown to have gluten levels of 12 parts per million (ppm). Anything less than 20 ppm is considered gluten-free. Bread made with the same wheat, but without lacto-fermentation, had gluten levels of 75,000 ppm.77
Slow fermented sourdough bread can render the bread gluten-free.
In a number of studies, sourdough bread produced a lower surge in blood sugar than any other bread. For instance, in one study, folks with impaired glucose tolerance were fed either sourdough or ordinary bread. The sourdough bread produced a significantly lower glucose and insulin response. In the long, slow fermentation required to make sourdough bread, important nutrients such as iron, zinc, magnesium, antioxidants, folic acid and other B vitamins becomes easier for our bodies to absorb.338
In the process of preparing sourdough bread, gluten can be broken down and rendered virtually harmless for those with intolerance. In one small Italian study, celiac patients fed sourdough bread for 60 days had no clinical complaints, and their biopsies showed no changes in the intestinal lining.339
Bread from the grocery store or even the health food store can be a far cry from traditional bread made with a long fermentation process. Ideally, the ingredients of your bread should look like this: Organic wheat, starter, salt and water.
In contrast, here is an example of the ingredient list of a top-selling organic sourdough bread. See if you can spot the ingredients added to expedite the fermentation process.
Ingredients: organic wheat flour, water, sea salt, organic vinegar, organic oat flour, organic barley malt, organic high oleic sunflower/ safflower oil, yeast, organic wheat gluten, cultured organic wheat starch, organic whole wheat flour, ascorbic acid, natural enzymes.
The malt, oils, vinegar, starch, ascorbic acid and additional gluten are added to speed up the fermentation process, or needed to improve flavor. Remember, it’s the naturally slow process of traditional fermentation that breaks down the gluten and grain anti-nutrients like phytic acid. A long fermentation time is also what gives traditional bread-baking its amazing aroma and flavor. In sharp contrast, if you ever get near an industrial bread plant, the aroma is almost nauseating.
This top-selling-brand bread—with the long ingredient list, above—is actually one of the better commercial breads on the market. But here are some telltale problems: It will still stay soft and fresh on the counter for weeks before growing mold, and perhaps never get hard like bread in the old days would do.
Try googling “organic, artisan, fermented breads” for your town and locate a baker who has traded in all the processing aids for traditional long fermentation, yielding low-glycemic bread. As another option, Manna Organics is a bakery that sells organic sourdough bread that you can order online, which only contains flour, water and salt.
While there are many artisan bakeries popping up all over the country making breads using ancient wheats and employing longer fermentation times, learning how to bake your own low-glycemic, low-gluten bread is a fun family project. I recommend using a Dutch oven to bake your bread. Le Creuset and Lodge are great brands, as they don’t contain aluminum.
Note: In Appendix B, I have included 2 sourdough bread recipes. One is an old world sourdough bread recipe from a traditional bakery in Lourdes, France that was given to me by my mother from her days living in Europe and the other is a recipe from the master baker, Cathy Ligenza at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Lenox, Massachusetts where I regularly teach. Her bread is rare and the best I have ever tasted. We are all so lucky to have both these traditional sourdough recipes.
Grains are dormant seeds that are awaiting the ideal environment to germinate and sprout into wheat, rice, barley, or oat cereal grass. All grains, as well as beans, have anti-nutrients such as phytates and enzyme inhibitors that allow the seed to lie dormant all winter and then germinate in the wet, moist, warmer spring.
These phytates are difficult to digest for some people. Studies have shown that soaking, sprouting or allowing the grain to germinate increases an enzyme called phytase that breaks down the phytates in wheat, other grains and legumes.48 This renders the grain or bean much easier to digest for those who have weaker digestion. Fermenting the grains as is done when making sourdough bread, will do the same. Many artisan bakers, as in our Eat Wheat sourdough bread recipes will both soak and ferment the flour before baking.
When the digestive system is weak then soaking, fermenting or sprouting grains not only neutralizes the phytic acids as well as certain enzyme inhibitors like wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) present in all seeds, it encourages the production of numerous beneficial enzymes. The action of these enzymes also increases the amounts of many vitamins, especially B vitamins.
For the seed to germinate and sprout, it requires a burst of growth energy that uses up a significant amount of the starch in the grain. This can lower the sugar content in the sprouted grain and thus lower the glycemic index of grains that are soaked, germinated and sprouted.50
Some studies suggest that the vitamin, mineral, protein, fat and fiber content increases as a result of sprouting, but much of this increase is thought to be due to nutrient percentage changes as a result of the decreased starch content.340
Soaked and sprouted grains, legumes and breads are readily available in the marketplace or at your local artisanal bakery. Many health food store bakeries are employing these traditional techniques. Food for Life bread and Alvarado are 2 national brands that also make bread with sprouted grains. The telltale sign of a good quality bread is found in the ingredients. No cooked oils, no sweeteners, no additives. Just wheat (sprouted) water, salt and perhaps sourdough starter.
Phytic acids have been criticized based on studies suggesting they block the absorption of certain minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium. There has been no consensus in the literature regarding mineral deficiencies from a high grain or phytic acid diet. While a certain amount of calcium absorption may be slowed, there are no findings linking this to bone density issues, and vegetarians who have the highest grain-based phytic acid diet do not seem to be mineral deficient as suggested.341
In fact, it seems the phytic acids in grains—which have been the mainstay of the diet for 3–4 million years—have many benefits, and their hard-to-digest nature may be part of a bigger, more important plan. For example, phytic acid slows down the absorption of sugars after a meal and thus is found to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides. It also reduces risk of hypercalcemia and kidney stones and has anti-colon cancer properties.341
Grains may not be the body’s primary delivery system for minerals. That may be more of a function of vegetables and leafy greens. Wheat and other grains like barley, rye, spelt and oats are loaded with fiber. While oats and barley (a glutenous grain) are rich in soluble fibers, wheat is rich in insoluble fiber, and overall, one of the highest sources of fiber among all grains. Both the phytic acid and fiber content in wheat will both delay the absorption of certain nutrients and antioxidants in the small intestine, so they can be transported undigested to the colon where they feed the lion’s share of the microbiology in the large intestine— who are truly responsible for our health, immunity, mood and digestion.341
In fact, in the large intestine, the fiber in wheat literally doubles the production of the short chain fatty acid, butyric acid, that is made from gut microbe fermentation. This is the same superfood fatty acid we talked about that is found in butter and ghee that supports intestinal health and detox. Increased butyric acid production from wheat fiber has been found to reduce tumor formation in the colon and protect the gut wall from cancer and intestinal damage.341
The antioxidants in the phytic acid have been shown to increase apoptosis, which is the accelerated death of colon cancer cells supporting the theory that there are great benefits from the phytic acids.341 The most recent research suggests that these anti-nutrients, like phytic acids and indigestible insoluble fibers in wheat, are indigestible in the upper digestion to empower the lower digestion and beneficial microbes. Our sensitivity to phytic acid could simply mean that we just have some digestive strengthening to do.
WGA is a type of lectin or anti-nutrient found on wheat that protects it from insects and decay while the seed lies on the ground waiting for the spring thaw, to then germinate. Every grain and seed on the planet including rice, all beans, dairy and nightshades like tomatoes and potatoes have lectins and other anti-nutrients that protect them. It does not seem reasonable that we should avoid all grains and beans, as rice and beans have been a staple for humanity for thousands of years. When evaluating the diet of the centenarian cultures, who regularly live to over 100 years, they consume all of the above lectin-rich foods. Perhaps, we still have more to learn about the subtleties of the foods we eat.
While there are numerous studies labelling WGA and other lectins as toxic, inflammatory, neurotoxins, cancer-causing and a reason to avoid all grains,59 some studies are beginning to change our understanding.
For example, one study demonstrated that the WGA has beneficial effects on the gastrointestinal tract and have anti-tumor properties. In fact, researchers are looking at WGA as a possible active ingredient for new anti-cancer drugs.342
As I mentioned, the complete understanding of how we digest wheat is a scientific work-in-progress. While evidence mounts against grains and WGA, there are compelling scientific arguments for grains. More compelling in my opinion is the breakdown of our digestive systems that will render us increasingly intolerant to many more foods in the future, if we do not address the underlying issues.
On the flip side, with the consumption of wheat being linked to the prevention of colon cancers, obesity, cardiovascular issues, diverticulitis disease, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)341 along with the fact that we have been digesting it for millions of years, it seems we are only beginning to understand wheat in its entirety.
Spelt, which is a hardy, high-fiber variety of wheat, was found to have 40 percent less phytic acid content and more phytase activity when compared to a variety of common wheats. Spelt also had a significantly higher mineral content than most wheats, suggesting that spelt may be much easier to digest and a more nutritious variety of wheat to start with when we reintroduce wheat back into the diet.343
Rye bread has a lower glycemic load than regular wheat bread, suggesting that rye may also be a better choice for blood sugar control.344, 345 Both rye and barley, which also contain gluten, have been shown to increase the production of butyric acid in the gut and thus support gut health and stable blood sugar. Crackers, such as the Wasa and Kavli brands, are made of rye, salt and water.
Barley is a glutenous grain that is rich in a slimy soluble fiber much like oatmeal, and in the same way oatmeal supports good heart health, so does barley. The fiber in barley called beta-glucan was shown to curb appetite and lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and tryglycerides.346 Beta-glucan is a slimy soluble fiber that blocks the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream. The barley fiber also attaches to and escorts toxic bile from the intestines to the toilet, which supports healthy gallbladder and liver function. The beta-glucan fiber in barley has also been found to prevent obesity, high blood sugar and metabolic syndrome—which is a combination of blood pressure, blood sugar and obesity concerns.346
Using the right kind of flour makes a difference in the digestibility of the wheat. Studies have shown that ancient wheat is much simpler, genetically, than modern, hybridized wheat. For example, the oldest known type of wheat is called einkorn, and has just 14 chromosomes or 7 sets of diploids (pairings of 2 chromosomes). Durum wheat, used for most pastas, as well as emmer (also sometimes known as farro) and KAMUT® khorasan wheat—which are also ancient wheats—have 28 chromosomes and are known as tetraploid, meaning they contain pairings of 3 chromosomes. The wheat most commonly used in breads made from spelt has 42 chromosomes, which are known as hexaploid wheats, containing pairings of 6 chromosomes.347
Studies have shown that the wheats with more chromosomes have higher levels of gliadin, which is considered one of the more difficult components of the gluten to digest.348
In another study, researchers suggest that selecting your wheat based on these chromosomal factors can reduce the celiac immunogenic potential. In other words, if you have weak digestion, choose a wheat product with lower levels of chromosomes, which tend to be the more ancient wheats, where there will be lower levels of gliadin, and be easier to digest for folks who are sensitive to gluten.349
Many of the ancient tetraploid wheats (such as durum, emmer, and KAMUT® khorasan wheat) have been shown to have higher antioxidant potentials350 and higher plant sterol profiles than the modern hexaploid wheats—both of these qualities are supportive of our health.351 Plant sterols help support healthy cholesterol levels and heart health, possess anti-inflammatory qualities, and have even been linked to reducing the risk of cancer.352
With a strong digestive system and a healthy lining of intestinal skin, all of the non-processed wheats should be digestible unless, of course, there is a diagnosis of genuine celiac disease. Some are clearly better and easier to digest than others as a result of less hybridization. If you plan on eating a lot of wheat, the kind of wheat you choose matters, so shop carefully or bake your own. If you bake your own, Resurgent Grains is a great online resource for organic whole grain flour.
While ancient wheats are easier to digest, even modern wheat can be digested well by a strong digestive system. Sourdough bread made from modern wheat presents little to no problems, and true sprouted grain breads like Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted 100 percent Whole Grain Bread by Food for Life, or Manna Breads® by Manna Organics, are much easier to digest as well.
If you’re confused about wheat and dairy, soy may be the most confusing hard-to-digest food of all. Ancient writings from China suggest that the soybean was traditionally considered unfit for human consumption. In China, the discovery that soy could be cultured or fermented brought a shift in soy’s reputation. While unfermented soy was still avoided as a food, the fermentation process appeared to free soy from toxic anti-nutrients and, moreover, actually released some amazing health benefits.353 During the Ming Dynasty, the fermented soy food, “natto,” found its way into Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica,354 as a nutritional remedy for many health conditions.
Today, many experts believe that fermentation, as seen in tempeh, natto, miso, and traditionally brewed soy sauce, is the only way to neutralize the dangerous anti-nutrients in soy.355 Unfortunately, tofu, which is the most commonly consumed form of soy in the U.S., is not fermented. As a result, it is quite difficult to digest and commonly a cause of digestive concerns and food allergies.
Soybeans—as well as all beans, wheat, and most grains—are endowed with certain protective anti-nutrients that can be hard to digest.356-358 Many plants are protected by toxic anti-nutrients to ward off insects and animals that might otherwise eat them. Beans, in particular, are famous for these anti-nutrients which, as many of us may know from experience, can make them a challenge to digest.
Unlike most beans, the anti-nutrients in soy356-358 don’t wash or cook off, and according to the research by soy opponents, they present significant health risks. What is clear, however, is much like with wheat, when soy is fermented, these anti-nutrients are broken down by bacteria, and soy becomes much easier to digest, as we saw with sourdough bread. That said, the anti-nutrients in wheat, like phytic acid, are much easier to digest than those in soybeans. A good, healthy digestive system can break down the anti-nutrients in wheat, even without fermentation. Always be sure to buy organic, non-GMO soy products.
An explosion in gluten sensitivity is affecting more than 18 million Americans today.359 This may be explained, in part, by the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into our food supply. GMOs are living organisms whose genetic material has been artificially manipulated in a laboratory through genetic engineering, or GE. This process creates combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and viral genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods. While wheat is not (yet) a genetically modified crop, new studies are finding an interesting link between the consumption of GMOs and today’s rising rate of gluten intolerance.
GMOs were introduced into the American food supply in the mid-1990s. Today, there are 9 genetically modified food crops on the market in the U.S.:
1. Soy
2. Corn
3. Cotton (oil)
4. Canola oil
5. Sugar from sugar beets
7. Yellow squash
8. Papaya
9. Alfalfa
In addition, here’s a list of common ingredients derived from GMO crops and found in processed foods (See www.nongmoproject.org):
• Amino Acids
• Aspartame
• Ascorbic Acid
• Sodium Ascorbate
• Vitamin C
• Citric Acid
• Sodium Citrate
• Ethanol
• Flavorings (“natural” and “artificial”)
• High-Fructose Corn Syrup
• Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
• Lactic Acid
• Maltodextrins
• Molasses
• Monosodium Glutamate
• Sucrose
• Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)
• Xanthan Gum
• Vitamins
• Yeast Products
Certain GMO crops are considered “Roundup Ready” meaning they have been genetically engineered to include the weed killer called Roundup, whose active ingredient is a known toxin—glyphosate. Roundup Ready crops include soy, corn, canola, alfalfa, cotton, and sorghum. Wheat is currently under development. In addition, Roundup is sometimes liberally sprayed on non-organic wheat and genetically modified crops to kill weeds and speed up the harvesting process.
Unfortunately, the companies that manufacture GMOs (such as Monsanto) have a very strong lobby presence in government, and legislation to require labeling of GMOs has been constantly defeated. GMOs are not required to be identified or labeled in any way. However, if you focus on eating only organic, or look for the “Non GMO Project” label, you can avoid the GMO versions of these foods.
Additionally, GMO sweet corn is genetically engineered to be both Roundup Ready and to produce its own insecticide called Bt toxin. As a result, this insecticide finds its way into all the non-organic, GMO corn products on the market, which are very difficult to avoid. For instance, every time you eat at a restaurant and the food is not organic, chances are you are ingesting some GMO corn residues, whether it be in their vegetable oil, corn syrup, corn starch, mayonnaise, ketchup, chips, tortillas, or corn itself.
What the vast majority of the public does not know is that in the past 15 years, it is a practice for wheat farmers in certain areas (primarily North and South Dakota and parts of Canada) to spray their wheat fields with Roundup or glyphosate several days before harvest. Monsanto, the manufacturer of Roundup, introduced this practice in the 1980s. For the farmer, spraying the wheat before harvest acts as a desiccant and helps dry—and ultimately kill— the wheat plant, which forces it to release more seeds. Even areas of the field that are still green will ripen quickly so the farmer can harvest a more uniform crop with a higher yield.360
Some experts are linking not only the epidemic of non-celiac gluten sensitivity to ingesting glyphosate, but also the dramatic increase in celiac disease. In a study published in the Journal of Interdisciplinary Toxicology, researchers found a strong correlation between celiac disease and the use of glyphosates. The chart below, illustrating the study’s findings, shows a parallel trend of the increase use of glyphosate and the incidence of celiac disease.62
When glyphosate is ingested by eating GMO foods or non-organic foods that have been sprayed with Roundup, studies have measured the reduction of the good bacteria and the overgrowth of harmful strains of bacteria in the gut.361 These strains have been shown to irritate the intestinal wall and be a possible contributor to the intolerance of gluten. Exposure to glyphosate is insidious, as it causes a slow, steady, gradual alteration of the gut microbiome and inflammation of the intestinal tract. Gut bacteria have been shown to aid in digestion, protect the intestines from permeability and autoimmune conditions, and boost immunity and synthesizing vitamins.362
The gut bacteria are also responsible for manufacturing certain amino acids that are essential to optimal health and digestion. Glyphosate has been shown to disturb the function of the gut microbes.62 It has also been shown to inhibit the cytochrome P450 enzymes, which help break down other foreign chemicals, environmental toxins, and xenobiotics that are extremely toxic and inflammatory to the intestinal wall.
Research shows GMO foods decrease levels of the pancreatic enzyme precursor called zymogen, required for digesting hard-to-digest proteins. This study was done on mice who were fed farmed fish that were raised on GMO feed.363 Without digestive enzymes, hard-to-digest proteins like gluten become much harder to digest.
The result of this long-term exposure is chronic intestinal and systemic inflammation of the body. The experts that have condemned gluten have blamed gluten on this epidemic of inflammation, but the science is clear that gluten is not the actual culprit.62 The same conditions that science is now linking to GMO and glyphosate damage have been misappropriated to gluten.
To avoid glyphosate exposure: Buy organic wheat. I recommend ancient einkorn, emmer, KAMUT® khorasan wheat, or spelt, whenever possible.
But this alone is not enough—if you have food intolerances, you must also repair the damage to your intestines incurred from years of Roundup and GMO intestinal and digestive damage. See Chapter 8 for details and tips on how to accomplish this task.
The genetically engineered Bt toxin found in corn is designed to be toxic to many insect species found on crops, puncturing holes through the intestines of the insect. A new study has shown that Bt toxin can puncture holes through the human digestive tract as well!364 What’s even worse is that Bt toxin is carried by pregnant moms and transmitted to the fetus, possibly predisposing infants to food intolerances.365
One of the suggested effects of gluten sensitivity is “leaky gut,” or intestinal permeability into the lymphatic system, which we now know may be related to intestinal irritants such as Bt toxin.62, 364
Bt toxin has been shown to activate an immune response against foods that were previously digestible.366 It is very possible that exposure to this insecticide in corn products may have activated an immune hypersensitivity response to hard-to-digest proteins such as gluten.
Food allergies in kids are very common and are often complex and difficult to treat. Simply taking kids off wheat and dairy only helps a small percentage of kids leaving the doctor’s office. While I am by no means suggesting that I have all the answers to this problem, there are a few glaring concerns I’d like to mention.
Mineral and vitamin deficiencies are common in infants and children. Most common are vitamin D3 and iron. Both deficiencies can have a negative impact on the digestive function of a child.367
Infant formulas are often loaded with preservatives, sweeteners, and hard-to-digest ingredients like soy, corn maltodextrin (sugar), and a variety of highly processed oils that even most adults could not digest well. Children’s digestive systems are very delicate, which is why traditional cultures often introduced foods to a child one at a time—very slowly—so as to nurse the digestion along until it develops its own healthy digestive and immune-boosting microbiome.
Mental, emotional and physical stress is also a factor that can disturb the microbiome of the baby. Even in utero, maternal stress has been shown to alter the development of the infant’s microbiome. In fact, in one study, the stress of the mom during pregnancy was directly linked to an alteration of beneficial intestinal microbes and the early onset of food allergies and poor intestinal health in the child.368 In Ayurveda, much attention is given to making sure the mother is as stress-free during her pregnancy as possible.
As we begin to understand the delicate nature of the microbiome, which I discuss fully in Chapter 8, we realize that emotional stress has a powerful impact on our digestive strength for both children and adults. For more on children’s health, see my book, Perfect Health For Kids.369
Additives found in many health foods have also been implicated in killing beneficial gut microbes and they can irritate and damage the intestinal wall directly. The first line of defense against experiencing sensitivity reactions to wheat or dairy is to maintain the health and function of the intestinal wall. Commonly used emulsifiers have been found guilty of wreaking havoc on the intestinal skin, and thus our digestive function.370-372
Emulsifiers (such as polysorbate-80 and carboxymethyl cellulose) are everywhere—they are used in processed foods, drugs, vitamins, vaccines, soaps, and cosmetics. Their function is to keep oils and water from separating. They are found in everyday products ranging from mouthwash to ice cream, salad dressing to barbecue sauce.373
Researchers believe that constant low-grade irritation to the intestinal wall from these emulsifiers will ultimately disturb the microbiome, resulting in impaired digestion and blood sugar regulation, as well as an increased susceptibility to weight gain—all classic symptoms of food intolerances.372
With this new research trending, it is becoming clearer and clearer that if you don’t recognize the name of an ingredient on a label, it may be something that the FDA recognizes as safe, but it still might be damaging your intestines as well as your microbiome, and play a large role in your food sensitivities and intolerances.
On first inspection, the food additive called carrageenan seems quite harmless. Derived from the edible red seaweed Chondrus crispus—commonly called Irish moss or carrageen moss—it has been used for some 600 years as a thickening agent for foods.374
Today, it is a popular vegetarian alternative to gelatin and is found in many common foods like almond, rice, soy and coconut milks, ice creams, cottage cheese, yogurts, creamers, salad dressings, desserts, sauces, diet sodas, processed meats, vegetarian meats, beers, toothpastes, and more.
The original research, performed back in 1982, cleared food-grade carrageenan as safe to use as a food additive.375 But new evidence, which points out the flaws in those early studies, suggests that food-grade carrageenan may be a bowel irritant and potential carcinogen.370, 371
Based on a meta-analysis of many studies on the safety of food-grade carrageenan by Joanne Tobacman, M.D., there are documented toxic effects (bowel ulcerations) of the un-degraded (food-grade) carrageenan in humans. It was also shown to have a carcinogenic effect in animals.371
In Tobacman’s thorough review, the studies suggest that the so-called safe un-degraded carrageenan is actually broken down into the degraded or toxic form of carrageenan by the digestive stomach acid.370, 371
If these studies are accurate, the food-grade carrageenan that is so common in the American diet may be responsible, in part, for many of the bowel inflammatory cases, gluten and dairy intolerances, and blood sugar concerns. In addition, carrageenan may also be acting as a silent carcinogen.370, 371, 376
Again, although this conclusion is not shared by the FDA and many food safety organizations in both the USA and the European Union, many companies are taking note and removing carrageenan from their ingredients as a result of public pressure.377
If you are buying bread, chips, crackers or cookies, you will likely see some type of oil in the ingredients. If that product has been cooked or baked, that oil has been rendered very difficult to digest. Even if the oil is organic and cold-pressed, once it has been heated, the more natural it is, the more quickly it goes rancid.
Rancid oils have a congestive effect on the function of the liver and gallbladder. As we have already discussed, if there is compromised bile flow, the stomach will be less likely to produce the required amount of acid needed to break down the proteins in wheat and dairy.
When you buy “cold-pressed” cooking oil, do you assume that the seeds were pressed safely at a cool temperature to protect the oil from rancidity, trans fats, and other toxic processing chemicals? Unfortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
The modern cold-pressing process heats the oil multiple times, rendering most oils either rancid or so sterile that there are no natural ingredients left to actually go rancid. Natural unrefined oils are so delicate that even minimal exposure to daylight will trigger a chain reaction of free radical damage, creating trans fats and other byproducts that experts believe to be even more harmful than trans fats!378 Traditionally, seeds were hand-pressed to make oils under very low temperatures and delivered to homes like milk—in dark amber bottles, due to the volatility of these oils.
“How can they sell cooking oils in clear plastic bottles that are exposed to the light?” you may ask. Well, they shouldn’t; but they do because it’s less expensive to produce and transport. Keep in mind these oils are used in industrial bread production to help keep it soft and squishy for weeks.
Udo Erasmus, author of the book, Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill, states that, “After oils are pressed or solvent extracted from seeds and nuts, they are degummed, refined, bleached, and deodorized. The result is known as an RBD (refined, bleached, deodorized) and these oils, as a result, become colorless, odorless, and tasteless.”378
In addition, valuable beneficial ingredients are removed during processing, including antioxidants, lecithin, chlorophyll and other beneficial molecules.
The oil is now dead! It is refined, odorless, tasteless, colorless, and void of most nutritional value. This is similar to the way the natural fats in milk are harmed by the high-heat during the ultra-pasteurization process, or during homogenization when the fats are slammed through a tiny filter, making them homogenized, meaning “all the same size.”
According to Erasmus, most oils—except extra virgin olive oil—have been processed by these destructive methods. Extra virgin olive oil, while not overly damaged by processing, can be damaged by high heat in the cooking process.378 Ideally, olive oil should not be used for cooking, but can be added to foods after they are removed from the heat.
Look for expeller-pressed (screw press) oils by manufacturers that make an effort to keep the pressing temperature low. A manufacturer concerned about overheating oils will mention expeller pressure temperature on the label. Look for pressing temperatures below 122°F, which is the European standard for cold (expeller) pressing. These oils are safe and desirable—but are not to be used for cooking! Also, look for harvest dates and press dates on the oils you buy. Unlike fine wine that gets better with age, oils do not. The antioxidant polyphenols in vegetable oils have a definite shelf life.
The best organic oils to safely use for cooking (the most heat tolerant) and their corresponding smoke point temperatures are:379
• Avocado oil—520°F
• Mustard oil—489°F
• Ghee—485°F
• Hazelnut oil—430°F
• Grapeseed oil—420°F
• Macadamia oil—413°F
• Coconut oil—350°F
• Butter—350°F
Some of us remember buying bread from a bakery in the old days. If it wasn’t eaten in a day or two, it would get hard or grow some mold. Today, as I discussed earlier, we have organic whole wheat bread that by all measures is sold as healthy bread, yet it will sit on the counter for weeks, stay soft, and not go bad. Remember, it is beneficial bacteria that makes bread spoil. So, if the bugs won’t eat the bread on your counter, should you?
Think about the jars of condiments in your refrigerator that have been there for weeks, months, and maybe even years. Don’t you wonder why it can stay in the fridge for so long and not spoil? Most of these jars of condiments have preservatives, or refined and processed oils that are resistant to growing any type of bacteria, good or bad.
We should be eating foods that will feed your microbes.66 In general, your microbes love good fats and fiber. Microbes are not big fans of processed sugar, carbs, and processed oils in breads or milk.66 In our culture, we have done a bang-up job of killing off many strains of microbes that are now recognized as being required for optimal health and digestion of gluten and dairy.
Consider throwing out all those items in your fridge that are older than a month or two. That is a good start.
Of course, there are natural preservation methods such as lacto-fermentation, culturing dairy, and sugar and salt methods that actually employ the good bugs to keep undesirable bacteria away from these foods. As a result, many of these foods—like miso, kimchi, sauerkraut, and some kinds of cheeses—are quite healthy. Adding small amounts of lacto-fermented foods to your daily diet is a great way to feed the beneficial bugs in your gut.
Dried grains and beans—as well as dense root and ground vegetables like cabbage and beets—can naturally keep for longer than a month. Foods such as these take an entire season to grow and are naturally very hardy and resistant to spoilage.380 Nature has its own way of preserving foods for the winter that we have been unable to artificially match. When cleaning out your fridge and cabinets, these foods can be the exception.
Now that we have discussed some of the ways to best navigate around the many toxins in our food supply and their deleterious effects on our health, it is time to run a fine tooth comb through every aspect of your digestive system and fix it.
How to Fix Your Digestion
Next, to successfully reintroduce wheat and dairy back into the diet we must accomplish the following:
1. Repair the intestinal skin, establish regular elimination and repopulate the gut with permanent wheat- and dairy-digesting microbes. (Chapter 8)
2. Repair and decongest the lymphatic system that is responsible for most food intolerance symptoms in the brain and the body. (Chapter 9)
3.Troubleshoot and reboot every aspect of the upper digestion including stomach HCI production, the flow of bile and the production of pancreatic and duodenal enzymes. (Chapter 10)
4. Bring the blood sugar back into balance, which is the epidemic of our time. Unstable blood sugar can make you more vulnerable to grain-related sugar spikes and lows. (Chapter 11)
5. Reset digestive strength and flush old toxins out of the body with our 4-day Short Home Cleanse. (Chapter 12)
6. To strengthen digestion and ensure proper lymphatic drainage of every cell in the body, we must move our bodies. Finish the job of our digestive reboot and prevent further problems with my Eat Wheat Workout. (Chapter 13)
7. Finally, we all know it is our crazy minds that cause most of our stress and health concerns. Don’t forget to address the impact our minds and emotions have on our digestive strength, overall health and happiness. (Chapter 14)
