Dr. William Davis

Cardiologist + Author + Health Crusader

"The food you eat is making you sick and the agencies that are providing you with guidelines on what to eat are giving dangerous advice with devastating health consequences. You can change that today."

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The Gluten-Free Gimmick

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Don’t be fooled by the marketing. Just because it’s on the shelf at Whole Foods Market doesn’t mean it’s good for you.

I want to begin by clearly stating that people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity need to meticulously avoid all gluten sources, but they do not need gluten-free junk carbohydrate ingredients in their place. This is the sort of self-destructive thinking encouraged by the gluten-free food industry. This industry makes billions by filling grocery stores with overpriced junk carbohydrates.

Don’t replace one problem with another. Removing gluten but replacing it with excessive carbohydrate intake is causing diabetes, dementia, high blood pressure, obesity (need I go on?) to soar.

In both  Wheat Belly Total Health and Undoctored I discussed the need to avoid gluten-free foods made with “junk carb” ingredients like cornstarch, potato flour, tapioca starch, and rice flour. This bears repeating, because so many people continue to hear the Wheat Belly message as a “gluten-free” message. The Wheat Belly lifestyle means living a healthy grain-free life, not just going gluten-free.

The majority of gluten-free foods sold in stores pack on the pounds and impair your ability to lose weight. Just because they lack gluten does not make them healthy.

CORN STARCH, RICE FLOUR, TAPIOCA STARCH, OR POTATO FLOUR. These are the four ingredients most commonly used in gluten-free processed foods. They are awful for health and will completely shut down any hope of weight loss, often resulting in outright, sometimes outrageous, weight gain and inflammation.

Managing carbohydrates to improve control over metabolism and health means 100 percent avoidance of these terrible products marketed to an unsuspecting public believing they are eating healthy by avoiding gluten.

Nothing raises blood sugar higher than the gluten-free junk carbohydrates in gluten-free multigrain bread, crackers or gluten-free pasta — higher than even table sugar. Blood sugar that results from eating two slices of whole grain gluten-free bread made with potato flour, rice flour, or other unhealthy grains like millet can easily top 180 mg/ dL (in those without diabetes) over the first hour after consumption, regardless of the mayonnaise, meat, cheese, or other foods in the sandwich.

There are indeed some food producers who have developed gluten-free and grain-free products without junk carb ingredients that do not raise blood sugar and therefore are safe. However, they remain few and far between. This is why I promote Wheat-Free Market products to my community.

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Comments & Feedback...

  1. I am gluten intolerant and I think I may have a sensitivity to whey protein too. I try to exercise 4-5 times a week and I like to drink a protein drink in between meals. I have found a protein shake made by Growing Naturals that is raw pea based (North American Peas). What are your thoughts on peas?

    FYI, a scoop (19g) contains:
    70 calories
    1.5g total fat
    0mg cholesterol
    200mg sodium
    50mg potassium
    0g total carbs
    0g fiber
    0g sugar
    15g protein

    Thank you !

    • sonia lightsey wrote: «…Growing Naturals that is raw pea based…»

      That would be this product as seen on Amazon? I ask, because their other products contain various troubling ingredients, but that one is just pea protein, although not Organic, curiously, but does at least claim non-GMO.

      To my knowledge, the Wheat Belly/Undoctored program has no formal position on pea protein per se, although when a subscription forum member raised the question lately, Dr. Davis did counsel against consuming protein isolates, and focus instead on more whole food with protein.

      It would also not be possible to answer your question without knowing the wider context of the diet. This product is being pitched at vegans, and raises the question of just how complete a protein it represents (and that’s not something I’ve dug into).

      But thanks for raising the question. In poking around on it, I see that GMO peas (which these are not) look to be seriously worth avoiding, due to microbiome concerns arising from the kidney bean genes (and gut flora effects are something which is not only not tested for today, but something which cannot be comprehensively tested for today, due to lack of certainty about what ideal human gut status is).
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      Blog Associate (click my user name for details)

  2. I agree that many gluten free foods are junk foods and to develop a perfect baking flour is the answer so I can bake all my own food at home. I also don`t want to use too much almond flour. Firstly because it is expensive and second, it is high in oxalates. I am trying to work out the perfect baking flour mix of bean flour, coconut flour, flax meal and maybe a little almond flour. Does anyone have a recipe? I don`t want to buy it in as that gets so expensive. What about using cassava flour or tigernut flour in the mix too? Thank you!

    • Mandi wrote: «I also don`t want to use too much almond flour. Firstly because it is expensive and second,…»

      The price seems to have moderated from just a year ago. We no longer feel compelled to buy 25# at time during web sales.

      re: «…and second, it is high in oxalates.»

      Has that caused a specific problem, or is it just a theoretical risk?

      re: «… bean flour … cassava flour or tigernut flour …»

      It comes down to net carbs in a portion, as verified by a no-change postprandial blood sugar (30-60 minutes after start of meal).

      re: «I am trying to work out the perfect baking flour mix…»

      We find that the WB formula works pretty well.
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      Blog Associate (click my user name for details)

  4. I too would like to have a good flour mixture for baking as I am not able to purchase the wheatbelly products.

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About Dr. Davis

Dr. William DavisDr. William Davis is a New York Times #1 best selling author and Medical Director and founder of the Undoctored program, including the Undoctored Health Workplace Program.