Why Reducing Grain Intake May Be of Benefit

Excess carbohydrate consumption is a major contributing factor for a wide spectrum of health issues, including:

• Diabetes
• Heart Disease
• Blood Sugar Disorders
• Hypoglycemia
• Obesity
• Digestive Disorders
• Gluten & Gliadin Sensitivity
• Chronic Fatigue
• Arthritis
• Candida Albicans Overgrowth

All carbohydrates will turn into sugar in the body. Carbohydrates are a primary macro-nutrient and can be used as an immediate source of fuel. What amount the body has no immediate use for gets stored as glycogen or as body fat to be burned at a later time.

Sugars, including those derived from starches and grains, will cause the pancreas to produce insulin. Insulin is an anabolic hormone, and is the body’s only mechanism for lowering blood sugar.

When excess insulin is produced, the cells of the body become desensitized, and as a result, insulin will fail to perform its functions. This leads to insulin-resistant Type 2 Diabetes. Those with insulin resistance are almost always overweight and at a high risk for cardiovascular disease.

Grain-based carbohydrates will either have a higher glycemic index, or a lower one. The glycemic index is a measurement that indicates the approximate conversion of carbohydrate into blood glucose at a specific rate. The foods with the highest glycemic index are:

• White Rice
• Wheat
• Potatoes
• Breakfast Cereal
• White Flour

Foods with a medium to high glycemic index are:

• Whole Wheat
• Millet
• Oats
• Basmati Rice
• Bread
• Pasta
• Most Fruit
• Table Sugar
• Sweet Potatoes

The carbohydrate-containing foods with the LOWEST glycemic index are:

• Most Vegetables
• Fruits Like Berries

The best source of carbohydrates comes from vegetables. They are the most nutrient dense plant foods, which have the lowest concentration of carbohydrates.

Other Problems associated with a diet high in grains is that grains contain a high amount of poly-unsaturated fats. One of these types of fats, Omega 6, will cause pro-inflammatory responses in the body by acting on the production of Prostaglandin 2. High amounts of these fats have been linked in recent studies to increased breast cancer and prostate cancer risk. Polyunsaturated fats that have been heated are poorly metabolized in the body, causing deranged liver mitochondrial function.*

It has been my experience that many cases of arthritis is linked to high consumption of grain-based carbohydrates and polyunsaturated Omega 6. It may be true that the only major benefit of polyunsaturated Omega 3 is that omega 3 will inhibit the inflammation caused by omega 6, via the inhibition of Prostaglandin 2. *

Government: Business as Usual

The U.S. government’s ridiculous guidelines suggest that each man and woman get 45-65% of dietary energy from carbohydrates. The World Health Organization recommends 65-75%.

With these recommendations, it is no surprise that obesity and heart disease are at epidemic proportions. In the United States, the USDA recommends that the staple of the human diet for every man, woman, and child be from grains. These recommendations have been created not for health reasons, but because of government subsidies.

Reducing or eliminating grain from the diet will make you feeling much lighter. Your energy will be much more clear, because your blood sugar will be much more stable. If you suffer from digestive problems, you may experience significant relief.

Those individuals with a ‘Protein Type’ metabolism have the least need for grains in their diet. Protein Types may experience many health problems if they consume grains and sugar regularly.

Individuals with a ‘Carbohydrate Type’ metabolism can obtain some benefit from some grains in their diet.

Preparation

Grains should be soaked prior to their consumption. Soaking grains will break down the nutrient inhibitors such as phytic acid, which antagonize the utilization of minerals such as calcium and magnesium.

Grains should be soaked for at least 6 hours prior to cooking.

Many grains can also be sprouted. Sprouting grains like barley, wheat berries and rye make them more in the class of vegetables. Sprouting will also result in the production of more nutrients, including amino acids, B-Vitamins and tocopherols (vitamin E).