For a few days, I've been eating some white flour products.  (Yes, they were delicious!)  But even though as a B, I'm supposed to be able to sometimes eat white flour as a neutral, of course I've gained 2 lbs. in 4 days.  

Why is it that wheat is SO bad for you?  I know there are substitutes, and yes, I like my spelt cereal and can tolerate Ezekiel bread, but what is it about it that causes so many problems?

If I'm not mistaken, it's been genetically modified to hell and back. That is the biggest prob I think. If I have this right, it started w/ 2 proteins and now has around 13.  Sounds like it might be a good thing, but it's not. Someone else may be able to explain why. It puts weight on me lickety split too. Plus its inflammatory.  

Quoted from pkarmeier

If I'm not mistaken, it's been genetically modified to hell and back.

 Too funny, Pat!!  Not to mentioned hybridized up the wazoo!  

I think that is correct, from what I have heard.  Wheat was seen as a good cash crop and a way to help starvation and hunger worldwide. So the people who grew the wheat wanted it as high protein as possible. In doing so, the protein brought along the allergens. I grew up in Kansas and wheat growing was a huge thing there as was corn. Both of these crops are probably nothing like what they were even a few generations ago!

My 15 yr old son seemed to always have chronic bowel problems. Once I read more on the BTD, we began to eliminate wheat and that was it! And here he was, eating wheat as most of us normally do. I think more people are sensitive to it as well as downright allergic.

We use spelt and it seems much more digestible. We get the organic grain and even bought a mill so we grind our own. It is a nice whole grain flour and has none of that bitterness that you get with whole wheat.

We just have to be so careful with our food supply these days. You even have to read labels for those things you get in the health food store, although you are more likely to find foods there that have less or no additives and more natural items.

Wheat lectins can mimic insulin thereby causing interferences with metabolic processes.

Alia

I didn't realize that and it makes a lot of sense. Might explain the rise in diabetes - so much of the refined wheat in our diet is overloading us with what the body thinks is insulin and overtaxing our glands that manage it.

I know before the BTD, I was trying to lose weight and at that point, was told that pasta and rice were great because they were filling and "low fat". Both did nothing to help me and I felt worse but kept trying because my doctor made me feel it was me that was the problem. It is sad that we are told to do things for our health that are so untested.

Alia, did have a question. I have been eating sprouted wheat products - do they have the same mimicking effects? I had understood the sprouting stopped the irritating lectins but I have had problems losing weight and wondered if maybe the sprouted wheat still is problematic.

Colojd.
I hate to say it but the white spelt bread works better for me.....the whole grain still has the germ and hull and ......it might work for you .,....
and wheat sprouted is apparently fine! Strange.

How is wheat similar to insulin?

If a person is sensitive to gluten, sprouted wheat may still cause problems.

wheat and insulin mimicry:
the wheat lectin loves to attach to
insulin receptors on fat cells, and hates to
let go Blood levels of insulin, and subsequently
cholesterol and triglycerides, elevate in
response.

janey-o: Please explain what you mean about the hull and germ and that the "white" spelt was better. We bought organic spelt to grind our own flour - I don't think my husband would understand after this investment that we have to discard it. I don't think I have even seen white spelt in the stores. Where do you buy it? Our local grocery store carries Bob's Red Mill spelt flour but does not say it is white.

I know that my son really has a bad reaction to wheat and as I said, it took a while to figure it out, thanks to the BTD, the problems he was having really indicated wheat sensitivity. Once we stopped it, his problems virtually disappeared.  I plan to read more on gluten because even though we eat almost no wheat anymore, I seem to have a problem with sinus and allergies and just think it might be grain related. We have some Ezeckiel bread but I am holding off on eating that, too.

Just read this morning on the AOL news that scientists have genetically altered cotton of all things, so that the germ contains protein and is now "consumable". I wonder what the lectin level on that type of altered plant is! Sounds just like what they did to wheat a few decades ago.

it is GE for sure!
I d be careful in consuming GE anything!! )

the wheat lectin is in the seed coat........so whole wheat and bran all contain that lectin.
for this reason it is adviced to sprout the grain, so the lectin isn t a problem....
also for those who can have wheat, it is preferable to have refined white wheat flour, the seed coat has been stripped away.
hope this clarifies your question.

Just saw a reference that sleep apnea has been linked to gluten intolerance. That really makes sense to me. I hope to find out more on this. Even thought snoring does not mean apnea, it is interesting that when we had my husband stop eating refined wheat, his snoring all but disappared! Really shows the impact of that stuff on our health.

yes many have found a link to wheat consumption and other avoids like dairy and snoring....

Quoted from colojd

I don't think I have even seen white spelt in the stores. Where do you buy it?

I buy white spelt flour from Whole Foods. Not every store carries it, but if they do, it would be in the bulk food section. If they don't have it, they can probably order it. White spelt flour acts more like white wheat flour and I find it better in things like pie crusts, pastas, etc. (but that's just me). I'm sure the whole spelt flour is better for us nutritionally.

Quoted from colojd

Just saw a reference that sleep apnea has been linked to gluten intolerance. That really makes sense to me. I hope to find out more on this. Even thought snoring does not mean apnea, it is interesting that when we had my husband stop eating refined wheat, his snoring all but disappared! Really shows the impact of that stuff on our health.

Fascinating.  My brother had sleep apnea diagnosed a few years before celiac disease.  My dad has sleep apnea diagnosed, and I am positive he has CD as well, but he refuses to get tested.

It seems to me that chronic inflammation of the sinus tissues could easily cause snoring.  Gluten would be very pro-inflammatory to those sensitive to it, and wheat would be the same if it is avoid for your blood type.  
Would swollen sinus/tonsils/adenoids possibly contribute to apnea??

sounds logical to me! )

I think an individual can purchase white or whole spelt flour and other spelt products online from the company, Vita Spelt.

Alia

Actually, the company is Purity Foods and the brand is Vita-Spelt. http://www.purityfoods.com/index2.html

Quoted from colojd

We bought organic spelt to grind our own flour - I don't think my husband would understand after this investment that we have to discard it. I don't think I have even seen white spelt in the stores. Where do you buy it? Our local grocery store carries Bob's Red Mill spelt flour but does not say it is white.

My mum has one as well . and we make our own "white "spelt flour" we just sieve the whole grain flour  so we get very fine white flour- and our chickens ( for eggs ) get the bran etc.It is a lot of work- but I was able to buy whole spelt from a local farmer at a very good price.
about a dollar pr kg ! - white spelt in shops is 4,5- 5 dollar pr kg !
so naturally we are a low grain household........

yeah, well, I just got back to this thread and people have answered the question well regarding whole or white spelt....alas it seems that the good stuff in the bran and germ are combined with lectins! Really rough ones......sprouting it and then making bread would be awesome!!

spelt is a good grain substitute for wheat......
whole permissible grains should not be a problem, unless there was a gluten intolerance, or susceptibility.

Thank you Don for correcting the spelt information--to assist our members.

I remember using this brand in the past and see it at the store, but I do not remember the specifics since for the time being I don't consume spelt anymore.

Alia

Does anyone have the name of that company that sells flour made from sprouted grains?

Is this the company you were thinking of: Summers Sprouted Flour Co.?

Thanks, Don.  That must be it.
This would be a good company for those people who want to bake their own bread products, but want to upgrade to sprouted grains only.

Henriette, thanks for the tip to seive the whole grain spelt flour. If that is all that it takes to make it white, then we will certainly try it!

well that is what the companies do here- so why not?
It is a messy job though and unless you have a VERY fine sieve your flour will still be a tiny bit more brown than normal flour - but it works fine in bread etc.
I have a normal sieve that I use first -and then we got a speciel flour sieve - for the second sieve
The poor chickens get the bran etc with boiling water over and flax seeds- so nothing is wasted.