William Davis, MD, is a preventive cardiologist whose unique approach to diet allows him to advocate reversal, not just prevention, of heart disease.
He is the founder of the 
Once you’ve cleared the shelves of all wheat-containing products, you will need to repopulate them with the essentials that allow you to navigate a wheat-free diet. These are the ingredients commonly used in many of the recipes you’ll find here.
Some of the foods, such as flaxseed and nut meals, are best purchased and used within four weeks to minimize oxidation of the oils and/or store in the refrigerator.
Almond milk, unsweetened
Cheeses—Keep a variety on hand, including Parmesan, mozzarella, and ricotta
Cocoa powder, unsweetened
Coconut flour
Coconut milk (canned and carton)
Coconut, shredded and unsweetened
Extracts—almond, coconut, vanilla
Flaxseed—ground
Ground nut meals—ground almonds, pecans, walnuts
Nut butters—almond butter, peanut butter, sunflower seed butter
Nuts—raw almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts; chopped walnuts or pecans for baking
Oils—extra-virgin olive, coconut, avocado, flaxseed, walnut
Sea salt
Shirataki noodles (in the refrigerated section)
Sweeteners—liquid stevia, erythritol, Truvía, xylitol
Did I forget anything?
In your book you have a recipe for flax wrap that requires a quarter teaspoon of baking powder.
I bought the flax seed but hesitated to buy the baking powder because the main ingrediant seems to be corn starch. In your book you list corn starch as a dangerous substitue for wheat due to the high glycemic index value. Is it ok to use a little for cooking, or should be avoided completely?
I too have this question about Baking Powder. Did you find the answer? Thank you!
I bought Wheat & Corn free Baking Powder at Planet Organic in Edmonton. The ingredients are tapioca starch, cream of tartar,and baking soda. I think you do” the best you can” …since you only need a small amount!
Per 100 grams=34 grams of carbohydrate
looks like lots of sodium as well
Again…you do the best you can with the best possible ingredients or don’t have it at all.
Dr. Oeaker has cornstarch feel baking powder
Brown Rice (other Rice?)
… very important to a kid that grew up in Asia.
HI, Apart from OATS, QUINOA, MILLET & AMARANTH to limit, just wondering about other grains such as KAMUT, SPELT, BUCKWHEAT, which are also ancient grains. Cheers Cristin.
Dr. Davis, All the sweeteners you’ve mentioned are toxic. The newer research into Stevia shows that it is a carcinogen – the white processed stuff and the liquid especially. The green leaf less so. The Erythritol, Truvía, Xylitol are not real foods that do not exist outside of a laboratory – they are heavily processed sugar alcohols with not so good side effects. You’ve left out coconut sugar and agave. Coconut sugar has a lower glycemic index then even agave.
Yes, yes, I know, you don’t like agave – Yes, most of the agave on the market is really corn-syrup and/or made just like corn syrup. Yes, it is very hard on the liver to metabolize which can lead to cirrhosis.
However, there is one company that overseas and procures agave nectar made the traditional way, i.e. only the sap is harvested over several years which is slowly evaporated through low heat. Natural enzymes do the converting. No junk. No bacteria or fungus. No heavy metals. No high heat. No crushing of the whole pina to extract all the juices. This company is called Madhava, out of CO. In small amounts, this agave is alright to consume as a low dose sweetener.
mmmm, xylitol IS natural …
J.
….but highly processed…with chemicals…
It is an old thread that boundless resurrected but to make my point clearer about xylitol:
- it is found NATURALLY in berries and plums (that is why sensitive people can experience a bit of laxative effect when overeating plums)
- it’s refined form (white powder) is 100% xylitol, which means no other crap in it. It can be obtained from birch trees, which are abundant where I live (Scandinavia). Coconut sugar ? There is no coconut tree where I live. If I want a sweetener, I would rather have it made locally if possible. Moreover, xylitol is slightly alkalizing, does not feed your bad bacteria and yeast, and helps your health in many ways.
And there is no need to be afraid of its slight glycemic effect (index ranging between 7 and 13), it is actually a good thing because you still want to keep insulin sensitivity when you are very low carb like me. Xylitol can help with that in a nice way because of its slow absorption which will not flood your blood with insulin (I mean damn! you DO NEED insulin for normal metabolic health!). Plus it helps with decreasing visceral fat amount in high fat diets, at least in rats according to a recent study. Even Jeff Volek and Steve Phinney (google these guys) recommend xylitol!
One last thing, like all sweetener, if you indulge in it, you’d better stop eating it because it would mean you are addicted. Xylitol is not triggering addiction, at least in me, unlike sugar (back in my sugar days, I could binge on this toxin).
> All the sweeteners you’ve mentioned are toxic.
At what scale, and compared to what? Sugar (sucrose: glucose + fructose) is a health hurricane. Fructose is the storm surge that comes with it. See:
http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2011/11/goodbye-fructose/
> The newer research into Stevia shows that it is a carcinogen …
Got a cite? Was that tested in a low-carb context? Real sugar feeds cancer. If you go very low carb, which invariably means totally eliminating all added monosacharides, you may actually be effectively immune to cancer. So what is the stevia risk? Compared to, say, the cancer risk of living in California, where everything is known to cause cancer
?.
The alternatives are:
- monosacharide menace
- carefully selected alternatives in limited quantities
- avoid all sweeteners
> You’ve left out coconut sugar and agave. Coconut sugar has
> a lower glycemic index then even agave.
Have you actually measured the blood sugar effects of coconut sugar (at realistic serving sizes)? The net carbs are high. Glycemic Index is useless (except as a marketing tool for keeping diabetics on insulin).
> Yes, yes, I know, you don’t like agave – Yes, most of the agave on the
> market is really corn-syrup and/or made just like corn syrup.
Ditto for honey (which can also have various Chinese contaminants), and if coconut palm sugar becomes trendy, you can expect it to be laced with HFCS as well.
I thought I was going to start getting recipes e-mailed to me.
I don’t get any recipes either, and I signed up last summer.
Just sign up again, Lissa. Or just peruse those posted here. They are the same as that going out on the email.
Can I eat lentils and beans on a wheat free and gluten free diet?
Thanks
I used both Truvia and Stevia and they caused me intestinal problems. The same with the others listed. Sugar alcohols cause me intestinal problems also.
What if you have tree nut allergies???????
We’ve been using Liquid Stevia from Now company for years and have only received good results. Levels the blood sugar. We use truvia with the same results. We use both in cooking and baking and with the same good results. I think what is in any cook book or article is nothing more than an opinion and they write about what worked for them. We decide what to use and do, and for what works for our bodies and it seems to work just fine. Sometimes we can get so fixated on one thing and we miss a great deal that is actually good for us, but, maybe the next guy can’t use it. That’s Life!!
Well said, Marilyn!
Question about the Shirataki noodles (in the refrigerated section)—–does this include the ones with the tofu or just the plain?
Question about the sweeteners—-what about the sweetener, Just Like Sugar? Also what about the book, Paleo Desserts?
I have been reading the book and eliminated wheat from my diet. My concern is there seems to be a lot of sodium in the recipes. My husband has high blood pressure and one kidney…do we have to continue cooking separately or can we reduce the sodium/ potassium in the recipes. Prior to this we added no salt to our recipes/ meals?
Dusty, I would make the recipes without so much salt. If it is lacking in flavor, look for other ingredients that would solve that problem.
Question :. Can you use hemp seed instead of almond flour in recipes and if so equal amounts? I was wondering for allergy reasons.
I imagine you can, Rose, but I’ve not tested it as a substitute.
Should you give it a try, please come back and tell us what you learn!
I have been GF for a week and a half now and having fantastic results! I was wondering if hemp protein powder is good to use on WB. I was given some information saying that it may trigger a gluten response. Also the same for chia seeds. Does anyone have any information on these items? Thank you in advance!
I’ve been making an awesome shake in the am with HEMP SEEDS and Chia seeds. with almond milk(unsweetened & organic) adding either blueberries and /or strawberries. no reaction of any sort. I’ve been wheat free for 6 months. sometimes i add a half teaspoon organic agave nectar.
Also Amy. Hemp seeds are the closest food to mothers milk regarding protein. one could go 6 hours without food with 3 heaping tablespoons. and plenty of energy to boot:)Chia seeds are a great source of fibre and omega 3′s. great for digestion and also great for toning the skin and muscles while losing fat.
I am interested to know about oatmeal, is that something we can eat or cook with.
Also another concern, I always thought artificial sweetners were not good for you , and why is tha that some recipies have sugar and brown sugar in them?
> … oatmeal …
Avoid. Very glycemic (and that’s just for raw oatmeal – the prepared cereals are usually loaded with extra sugars). If you insist on using it, keep the net carbs to well below 15 grams for the total meal (which won’t be much oatmeal).
> … why is [it] that some recipies have sugar and brown sugar in them?
Really? What book and what recipes, or you referring to some of the newstand magazines posturing as Wheat Belly information, but which contain unwise recipes not vetted by Dr. D.
What about honey? Seems like a more natural sugar substitute to me?????
Elsewhere in the blog Dr Davis has said no honey or maple syrup
> What about honey?
Use the Search at left for “Goodbye Fructose”.
> Seems like a more natural sugar substitute to me?????
“natural” is something to look for when an item passes more important tests.
Honey fails two, and 1/3 of time isn’t even real honey in the US.
It is a monosacharide, which does not belong on anyone’s shelf.
It contains a lot of fructose, which is the most harmful of the monosacharides.
Hemlock is natural too
Anyway, see:
http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2012/10/in-pursuit-of-sweetness/
Where do you get the Shirataki noodles from. The only ones I can find in the stores around me are Wildwood, pasta slim made with tofu from non GMO soybeans and Konjac flour. I can not find non tofu nones. Any help in locating would be appreciated
I asked my health food store and they ordered me the Miracle brand…..very good! They come in a brine solution so they need to be drained….then boiled for two minutes. Small package is enough for two people and I believe you can order from Amazon as well.
> …. so they need to be drained …
And perhaps rinsed, possibly more than once. Follow the preparation directions carefully. Some types of these noodles present as noxious from the package, but are fine if properly prepared.
> … and I believe you can order from Amazon as well.
There are different kinds of Shirataki noodles, all apparently very low carb, but some require refrigeration, which is generally not compatible with mail order.
You’re right…..thanks, forgot to mention the very important rinsing component! These were in a bag…..not refrigerated (perhaps they should have been?). I think the brand was “Miracle Noodles”. I’ve been told there are other brands which contain soy but these did not and we thought they mimicked pasta very well.
Konjak flour IS the one you’re looking for…..it’s produced from the root of a tree somewhere in China…..versatile and low carb.
Jan’s right. Anything you cannot find locally can be found on Amazon. I plan to order a couple more of Dr. Davis’ books to give for shower/wedding gifts. Amazing how many young couples need desperate intervention!
I have had low blood pressure my whole life…..53 yrs old. I suddenly started having high blood pressure and was quite shocked to learn it. Dr wanted to put me on high blood pressure meds. I’m wracking my brain with is different now? The only thing different was that I had started regularly using agave syrup. So I googled agave syrup/ high blood pressure and sure enough found a connection. I cut it right out and sure enough my bp is back to its usual low side of normal. Pls keep your eye out for this happening to u if u use it.
I ourchased raw nuts…can I put them on a roasting pan and dry roast them for a few minutes> Does this change what raw nuts???
I have been suffering from IBS issues for years. I have cronic stomach pain, burning, pressure, etc.. I had an endoscophy and I have gastritis, but nothing serious. I suffer every day. I’m trying to find foods that will calm my stomach. I really need advice. Please help!!!
We suffered with IBS for years. After years of trying to find information and doctors telling us that there’s nothing wrong with us, we finally found a good site http://www.helpforibs.com. We did an elimination diet to figure out our triggers. After years and years of suffering and eliminating all sorts of things, we did the unthinkable. We eliminated fresh vegetables. And we got better. Now, I’m not saying to quit eating fresh veggies, as we have added them back into our diet and we are doing fine. What I did start doing is paying attention to WHERE the veggies came from–and most of the veggies I had purchased regularly without even thinking about it were from Mexico. I remembered what I had been taught years ago–if you can’t drink the water, then you can’t eat the produce either. Since then I’ve stuck with USA/local veggies and we’ve been doing fine. I don’t see how the FDA can get away with declaring produce safe just because it’s driven across the border, it is aggravating. And be careful when you buy “local”, really look to see where it’s from. In some regions, like Arizona, they consider Mexico “local” at some stores. It makes me wonder how many people who are suffering from IBS are really just suffering from Montezuma’s Revenge?