Grains turned the western diet in the wrong direction

Does it make sense for our diet to be based around grains?

Compared to vegetables, grains contain very few nutrients. Grains are also packed with an unhelpful substance called phytic acid, which prevents nutrient absorption by binding essential minerals in the intestine (1).

The agricultural revolution shifted the gears of our human diet so that as populations grew, we could have a steady source of calories. As we moved away from the country into villages and cities, we no longer had to chase after food as hunter-gatherers, but could grow it where we wanted to live.

As agricultural practices were modernized for mass efficiency, wheat took over as the master grain of the western diet. Wheat never has been a high quality source of nutrition, but today the grain is so processed that it lacks any benefit whatsoever. Due to the popularity of wheat, we take it for granted that it has become a major contributor to common health challenges.

The problem with modern wheat, as well as rye and barley, is that each is a massive source of gluten, a protein that many people may be sensitive to. Gluten causes issues for many of us because it damages the lining of our intestines, which is not only painful, but also causes stool inconsistency and unnecessary fatigue (2). Brain disorders have also been found to be associated with gluten consumption such as schizophrenia and cerebellar ataxia (3, 4).

To figure out if you have an issue with gluten it must be eliminated from your diet for two to three weeks before being reintroduced. Gluten is a large protein that can take a long time to eliminate from your system, so you’re better off eliminating it for as long as possible before reintroducing it.

We found that many of our clients experience such a significant boost in energy after eliminating gluten and grains that they decide to steer away from both completely.