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 
I often hear people say that the reason that there more problems today with consumption of wheat products is because the gluten content has increased.
I always wondered where that argument came from. I am obviously no defender of wheat nor gluten, but I also don’t like attention diverted by issues that have no basis in truth.
So this paper written by a USDA scientist entitled Can an Increase in Celiac Disease Be Attributed to an Increase in the Gluten Content of Wheat as a Consequence of Wheat Breeding? I believe helps settle the issue. After surveying analyses of various wheats of the 20th century, he concludes:
“I have not found clear evidence of an increase in the gluten content of wheat in the United States during the 20th century, and if there has indeed been an increase in celiac disease during the latter half of the century, wheat breeding for higher gluten content does not seem to be the basis.”
Interestingly, analyses of emmer wheat (the 28-chromosome form of the Bible, for instance) demonstrates much higher gluten content than modern wheat.
The astounding list of problems we have with modern wheat is not due to an increase in gluten content. It is due to other changes, including:
–Altered structure of the gliadin proteins. The Glia-alpha9 sequence, for example, that is associated with triggering the changes of celiac disease in HLA DQ8/2-positive people, has been enriched in modern wheat, though nearly absent from the wheat of 1960 and earlier.
–Change in the structure of wheat germ agglutinin, the indigestible protein of wheat that exerts direct toxic effects on the small intestine and may block leptin, the hormone of satiety.
–Unique antigens (allergy- and immune-stimulating proteins) posed by new forms of alpha amylase inhibitors and other proteins.
Wheat consumption has been a problem for humans for 10,000 years. It’s been made much worse by the genetics changes introduced over the past 40 years . . . but it is not due to an increase in gluten.
Hi,
What are grains?
Do eating seeds contribute to our Health Problems?
What about Flaxseed, Sunflower & Pumpkin seeds?
How does the removal of wheat from our diet help sore joints in our body?
What Foods Are in the Grains Group?
Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or another cereal grain is a grain product. Bread, pasta, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, tortillas, and grits are examples of grain products.
Grains are divided into 2 subgroups, Whole Grains and Refined Grains.
Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel ― the bran, germ, and endosperm.
Examples include:
whole-wheat flour
bulgur (cracked wheat)
oatmeal
whole cornmeal
brown rice
Refined grains have been milled, a process that removes the bran and germ. This is done to give grains a finer texture and improve their shelf life, but it also removes dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins.
Some examples of refined grain products are:
white flour
de-germed cornmeal
white bread
white rice
Most refined grains are enriched. This means certain B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid) and iron are added back after processing. Fiber is not added back to enriched grains. Check the ingredient list on refined grain products to make sure that the word “enriched” is included in the grain name. Some food products are made from mixtures of whole grains and refined grains.
Commonly eaten grain products
Whole Grains
amaranth
brown rice
buckwheat
bulgur (cracked wheat)
millet
oatmeal
popcorn
rolled oats
quinoa
sorghum
triticale
whole grain barley
whole grain cornmeal
whole rye
whole wheat bread
whole wheat crackers
whole wheat pasta
whole wheat sandwich buns and rolls
whole wheat tortillas
wild rice
Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals
whole wheat cereal flakes
muesli
Refined Grains
cornbread*
corn tortillas*
couscous*
crackers*
flour tortillas*
grits
noodles*
pitas*
pretzels
white bread
white sandwich buns and rolls
white rice
Pastas
spaghetti
macaroni
Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals
corn flakes
* Most of these products are made from refined grains. Some are made from whole grains. Check the ingredient list for the words “whole grain” or “whole wheat” to decide if they are made from a whole grain. Some foods are made from a mixture of whole and refined grains.
(edited)
The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP), an organization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was established in 1994 to improve the nutrition and well-being of Americans. Toward this goal, the Center focuses its efforts on two primary objectives
Hello. I have decided to give up wheat products though the majority of my diet is organic. In the past seven weeks I have noticed small changes, though in my view, not enough to be clear of the benefits of my decision. One area of confusion is the relationship to barley, particularly non genetically modified barley. The main product that I am missing greatly is beer. Most of the craft beers in Alberta Canada on several other provinces do not use genetically modified products as far as I know.
Cutting to the chase…aside from the obvious calorie content, why must I give up craft beers and ales?
What is “wheaty” about spelt , millet, flax and similar grains?
Please steer me in a comfortable direction.
They do make gluten free beer that is pretty good. It’s made from sorghum, which I believe is free from GMO’s.
I used to eat a heaping tablespoon of wheat germ with my yogurt every single morning–for years. After reading about wheat germ agglutinin and its effects in the human body (it clumps your red blood cells together), I gave it up. I had developed basal thumb arthritis that was so bad it had deformed my hand, debilitated my grip and caused such chronic pain that I was planning to have hand surgery. Within three weeks of giving up wheat germ, I had no pain anymore. Within a year, I regained nearly 100% of the strength in that hand. Wheat germ is not a health food. It is toxic!