I’ve been toying, off and on, with the idea of eliminating grains for a while. I love them though – they’re delicious in all their slightly sweet, grainy goodness. Still, there’s little reason to incorporate them into the diet on a regular basis with the exception of one: personal preference. I know, I know. I can hear you now: “But they’re good for you!” “But they reduce heart disease!” “But they have fiber!” Here’s a little food for thought: there’s no vitamin or mineral you can get from grain that you can’t get in better quantities elsewhere. So let’s take a look:
Why You Should Go Grain-free
1. If you can get it from grain, you can get it elsewhere.
The big heroes of most grains’ nutrient profile are dietary fiber and B vitamins. Take heed, every grain is different and different grains offer different nutrient profiles. Yet, one thing remains constant: if you can find the nutrient in grain, you can find the nutrient in better quantities in other foods. For example, 100 grams of whole wheat flour contains 44 mcg of folate; however, a 100-gram portion of lamb liver will give you 400 mcg of folate and a 100-gram portion of yardlong beans will give you a whopping 658 mcg per 100-gram portion. Similarly with the B Vitamins niacin and thiamin, while a 100-gram whole wheat flour contains 30% of the RDA for niacin and 32% of the RDA for thiamin, you can find these nutrients in higher quantities in other foods – namely flaxseeds and sesame seeds. Whole grains are often touted as health foods for their fiber content, but you can find dietary fiber in better quantities in other, more nutrient-dense foods. For example: 100 grams of cooked brown rice offers up 1.8 grams of dietary fiber; by contrast, a 100-gram serving of cooked collard greens offers 2.8 grams; 100 grams of raw fireweed contains a whopping 11 grams of dietary fiber and even green peas contain about 5 grams of fiber per serving.
2. Grains aren’t good for your gut.
Intestinal health is critical to your overall health. If you’re gut isn’t healthy, you can’t absorb nutrients from the foods you eat. If you can’t absorb nutrients from the foods you eat, your body is malnourished and is more prone to disease. Grains are associated with a condition called leaky gut syndrome. Tiny particles of grains, when ingested, can slip through the intestinal walls causing an immune response. With your immune system excessively taxed by constantly attacking these out-of-place particles of grain, it cannot effectively fight against true threats like pathogens.
3. You’re probably gluten-intolerant.
If you’re white, there’s a good chance that you’re gluten-intolerant to some degree. Current research estimates that about 1% of the population suffers from celiac disease, an auto-immune condition related to the ingestion of gluten-containing grains like wheat and barley; however, some researchers on celiac disease and gluten intolerance estimate that 30% to 40% of people of European descent are gluten-intolerant to some degree. That’s a lot of people who are regularly consuming a food that makes them sick. (And, yes, I’m one of them.)
4. Grains cause inflammation.
Due to a high starch content, grains are inflammatory foods. The more refined the grain, the more inflammatory it is. For example, unbleached white flour is more inflammatory than whole grain flour; however, whole grains are still moderately inflammatory foods and certainly more inflammatory than other foods like fresh vegetables and wholesome fats. Chronic inflammation is linked to a myriad of degenerative, modern diseases including arthritis, allergies, asthma, cardiovascular disease, bone loss, emotional imbalance and even cancer. Unbleached white flour earns an inflammation factor of -421 or strongly inflammatory on NutritionData.com while whole wheat flour earns an inflammation factor of -247 or moderately inflammatory. Similarly, whole cooked millet earns an inflammation factor of -150 and cooked brown rice earns an inflammation factor of -143 – also moderately inflammatory.
5. Grains are fairly new on the scene.
While still a traditional food, grains are, nonetheless, the new kids on the block. Prior to the advent of agriculture, humans relied on hunting and gathering for their foods. They foraged for wild greens, berries, fruits and other plants. They hunted wild animals. They fished for wild fish. They didn’t plant a garden, or grow any amber waves of grain or, for that matter, drink dairy from domesticated animals since there simply wasn’t any domesticated animals. Humans survived like this from the development of the appearance of the first homo sapiens sapiens about 47,000 years ago to the advent of agriculture some 10 – 12,000 years ago. So, for the better part of human existence grains did not comprise any notable portion of the human diet. In essence, what has become the bulk of our modern diet was missing from the diet of our prehistoric ancestors.
6. Grains aren’t good for your joints.
Due to their inflammatory nature, grains – even whole grains – are linked to joint pain and arthritis. Grain’s amino acid composition mirrors that of the soft tissue in your joints. Because both synovial tissue and grains are chemically similar, your body has difficulty differentiating between the two. So, when your immune cells get all hot and bothered by inflammation caused by grain and begin to attack it as a foreign invader, they also begin to attack the soft tissue in your joint – leading to pain, autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and, of course, more inflammation.
7. Poorly Prepared Grains prevent mineral absorption.
When improperly prepared as they most often are, grains can inhibit vitamin and mineral absorption. Grains contain substances like phytic acid which binds up minerals and prevents proper absorption. Essentially, though your diet might be rich in iron, calcium and other vital nutrients if you eat improperly prepared grain, you’re not fully absorbing nutrients from the foods you eat. However, please note that souring, sprouting and soaking grains neutralizes phytates and renders the nutrients in grain more absorbable.
8. Grains are bad for your teeth.
Due to those high levels of phytates in grain, grain is linked to dental decay. With high levels of mineral-blocking phytic acid coupled with low mineral absorption rates and plenty of starches for bacteria to feed on, grain contributes to dental decay. Anthropological records of our pre-agricultural ancestors indicates very little to no tooth decay; however, that changed after the dawn of agriculture. Indeed, some anthropologists use the presence of tooth decay is an indicator of an agricultural society.
9. Grains aren’t good for your skin either.
Grains have a very high carbohydrate content, and while the carbohydrates in grain are complex they are still broken down into sugars nonetheless. These sugars instruct your body to produce more insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IFG-1). Elevated insulin levels lead to a cascading hormonal response and these hormones activate the sebum-producing glands in your skin – encouraging them to produce more oil. IFG-1 is also linked with the increased production of keratinocytes which also contribute to acne.
10. Eating grain makes you crave grain.
You know how the smell of bread creates a longing in you – a yearning for a slice, slathered with butter and maybe jam. Or consider a plate of cookies set in front of you – so delicious – and you can’t just have one? Foods rich in carbohydrates give you quick energy, but that energy wears off just as quickly as it came. Since grains break down into sugar, they create a rise in insulin levels when those levels fall you crave more grains and, thus, the vicious cycle continues.
Of course, if you’re not quite ready to give up grains in their entirety, take care to make sure you eat the best quality grains prepared for optimal nourishment. Choose organic grains and make sure you eat them sprouted, soaked or soured. Or go on a grain-free trial with me for the month of May!
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Relevant, insightful and full of FANTASTIC information, as always.
I have been thinking about going grain free too. I am not sure how I can do this, as my Hubby loves bread, and hates veggies. Oh well I can starve him of bread and maybe he will eat something green, that isn’t iceburg lettuce. I really liked this post. I might put it on the fridge to make me think about it while I eat my toast ; )
Wow, thanks for doing this. I’m considering doing the same for myself, and hopefully seriously decreasing what my husband and kids eat at the same time (they would freak if I took it away altogether, but being more sneaky about it might work). I’m so excited to have a place to send people when they ask me about grains and the issues they cause. Now I don’t have to do the research!
Also, I’ve heard of people going ‘grain free’ but still eating rice and quinoia, millet and buckwheat. Have you heard of that? Just curious.
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A while ago I gave up grains. I did an elimination diet for a month. I am a vegetarian and consume great quantities of vegetables. It made absolutely no difference to my health. I didn’t feel better, I didn’t feel worse, I did miss them though.
There is no cookie cutter approach. Giving up grains may be beneficial for some people, just as for others dairy may cause issue(me).
If you are eating excessive quantities of anything I think it’s time to step back and take a look at things and adjust accordingly. Variety and balance is very important as well as being in touch with your own instincts as to what is best for your body.
So yeah, if grains cause you problems, cut them out! They are not necessary for health so they can be removed without ill effects if you make up the nutrients somewhere else.
Breeze
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I have been grain free for a few months now and wrote a very similar post about a month ago. I feel so much better.
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Thanks for a great post with so much good information! I’ve been completely grain-free for around a month now and I’m surprised at how much better I feel. For me, the biggest bonus has been #10; my cravings are GONE!! I hadn’t originally planned on continuing to eat this way, but why would I go back to eating something that gives me cravings, makes my joints hurt, and messes with my gut?
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I was skeptical when I first began reading… but this is GREAT
I especially agree with the health issues surrounding digestion. As someone who has a digestive disease (not “leaky gut”) grains can be very dangerous (think whole pieces of grains ripping your intestines open…). So knowing that you can get more fiber from non-grain foods is a fantastic tool
Thank you!
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Great post! We’ve been considering going grain-free recently too (sort of a primal/paleo inspired diet)! I love your research and might need to print this out and post it on my fridge to remind me the nutritional reasons for not making those “easy” extras/fillers like rice!
Thanks for the inspiration!
Best,
Sarah
PS – Any opinions on legumes or potatoes? I’m still making up my mind about those . . .
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I went grain-free for all of Lent this year, hoping to experience some sort of health benefit. I didn’t. I didn’t feel any worse, though, either. We only eat properly prepared grains, and even then we eat WAY LESS than the average American.
But besides our preference for them, the other reason we reintroduced them was cost. They are sooo dang cheap, and they CAN be properly prepared (particularly via sprouting). Now we eat grains in about two or three meals a week, and I like it this way.
That said, this is a great post.
Thanks for sharing it in today’s Fight Back Fridays carnival.
Cheers,
KristenM
(AKA FoodRenegade)
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Oh my gosh, this is a great post! I found you through Fight Back Fridays/Food Renegade. A year ago, we realized that my littlest eater can’t tolerate wheat, and consequently changed our eating habits dramatically. Since wheat is put into so many prepared foods (from soup, to snacks, etc.), we’ve found ourselves eating fresher, more wholesome meals (the way we should have been eating!). In addition to my daughter feeling loads better, the rest of us are reaping some unexpected benefits. For me and my oldest daughter, that has come in the form of clearer, brighter skin. For those who may be considering this type of lifestyle, here are a couple thoughts. Be prepared to read lots of labels (wheat is in so many things), focus on fresh foods like fruits, veggies, and meat, and remember that it takes about 2-4 months before you really start to see improvement. Happy eating!
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Thanks for the feedback. At any rate, given grain’s effect on insulin and insulin’s role in PCOS, I’m planning to cut it out for a month to see how I fare. I was mostly grain-free when I became pregnant with my son – I was also on the pill and had been told by my doctors I’d never conceive so … so much for doctors, eh?
Sarah – those are gluten-free grains and I’ve heard that buckwheat and millet aren’t “true” grains, but haven’t seen anything significant to backup that opinion. Of course, I haven’t gone looking for it either!
Sarah from Sarah’s Musings – I’m still not sure about them either! I need to look into it further. When we eat beans we put them through a long, long soak and long, slow cooking to render them more digestible. Potatoes, I love, but I know they’re not fantastic when it comes to nutrient density. I’m curious about they’re being a nightshade vegetable, but need to research further. This month, I’m skipping them both. We’ll see how I do!
Check out Jenny’s last post: Against the Grain: 10 Reasons to Give Up Grains.
Great post! So glad I found your blog. I am grain free and have been for 10 years. I feel so much better not eating grains. It’s not something I talk about a lot because people think it’s impossible to eat this way. It’s not. Thanks for the great outline above.
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Great post
I am grainfree/sugarfree/potatofree about 8 out of 10 days.
Other days I might enjoy a little spelt, quinoa, rice or millet.
I started original cause I had an opset tummy – was tested for celiac disease- came back negative- but I know I can only hande 1-2 servings of grain even when they are proper prepared.
have noticed that I loose weight easier as well.
Jenny
a fertility doctor here i Denmark – has had an succes rate for preganancy in PCO and PCOS women at 68 % with just dietchange.
Basically it is a low carb/no grain/high fat diet – he says about 1 out of 7 women herein DK has so high insulin levels that it is more or less impossible for them to get pregnant.
So that is another reason for me to stay as grainfree as possible.
I also watch my fruit cause I realised was overdoing them as well.
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I am not aware of this before.
Thanks for sharing!
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Good info! I need to read stuff like this for encouragement. We are trying to transition to a GAPS-type diet but I’m having to take it slowly for my sanity. As it is, my son is off gluten which has been an adjustment for us (we didn’t eat all that much before but now we have to be much more thoughtful). I’m hoping once my baby arrives that we can go grain free.
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Great post Jenny! I know we eat far too many grain items in the form of pancakes, pizza and bread. I do grind it myself and soak everthing at least 12 hours or longer so the gluten is completely dissolved first. Grains make the easiest convenience foods that I can throw in a container and take in the car for my toddler who seems to eat best when strapped in his carseat.
Of course my kids love pizza, pancakes and french toast (along with the occasional muffin or dehydrator oatmeal cookie) so it’s hard to change that.
Just curious if you are grain free what snacky foods do you serve other then fruits & veggies? We are Seattle locavores so it’s hard to find fruits that aren’t too juicy for the car (no citrus or bananas here) and my toddler is not so much into the veggies yet.
Great post!
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None of my household seems to be intolerant of grains, but we had cut way back on them for the many reasons you mentioned. It is always good to see someone willing to lay out information in a linear format so you don’t have to sift through all kinds of articles to find what you need. Thank you. Now, with a $269.00 monthly food budget I am adding in more grains for cost purposes. It’s just so much cheaper than other things. I’m hoping not to see a drop in our health. I’m debating now on what flours are best for us… whole wheat, spelt, or rye.
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Well, I’m in for the Grain-Free May. I don’t think my family is quite ready to follow me totally free, so I’m sure there will be a breaded chicken breast or two that will slip through:) I’ve been thinking about going grain free for quite a while now, something like 2 1/2 years but have been too lazy (or scared) to totally commit. But this month is a month of change for me; as the old saying goes, I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired! I just found your site a week or so ago and I’m so happy I have. You can be sure I’ll be looking through your archives!
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What is the source of the information for point 6 specifically ’synovial tissue and grains are chemically similar’? I would appreciate input. I studied immunology at uni a few years ago. Loads has changed since I am sure. Surely then you would expect the incidence of arthritis etc to be significantly reduced in those culture that follow a non-western diet devoid of grains.
Hi Paul –
Multiple studies are showing a connection between gluten from grains, arthritis and synovial tissue. Most notably, a study that was published in March of last year noted an improvement among those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis on a gluten-free diet. A review published in Alternative Medicine Review in 2005 also made a similar connection between inflammation of the synovial tissue caused by reaction to the consumption of gluten in grain. Data on this issue was also reviewed in 2006 and it was found that many otherwise asymptomatic people suffered from inflammation of the synovium attributable to gluten in the diet.
Regarding your second point: you’re absolutely right. Arthritis should be absent or significantly reduced among peoples who do not regularly consume grain. And it is! Evidence indicates incidence of arthritis is significantly reduced among hunter gatherer societies subsisting on a native diet; however, when that native diet is altered to include the grains and milk of a modern diet arthritis like other diseases of civilization (namely diabetes and cardiovascular disease) skyrockets.
Of course, it’d be foolish to say that grain or gluten consumption alone contributes to the development of arthritis; however, it’d be similarly foolish to neglect its role.
Jenn – I’m glad you’re going grain-free with me! I’ve got some good grain-free recipes in the archives, but this’ll be my first shot at a grain-free existence so we can muddle through it together.
Interesting. Usually I am a very active, high energy person that runs 25+ miles a week. I feel tired and draggy when I eliminate grains from my diet. My parents are in their 70s and have eaten white rice every day of their lives – no arthritis. I personally think different foods affect different bodies differently – no perfect universal diet.
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IS IT A GOOD IDEA TO USE COOKED OR SPROUTED BEANS AS A SUB FOR GRAINS. AFTER ALL BEANS WERE HERE LONG BEFORE GRAINS.
That’s right about buckwheat not being a real grain. I believe it’s a member of the rhubarb family. Quinoa and amaranth also are not real grains; they are broadleaf plants, and grains are always grasses.
To add to the point about grains causing arthritis, it’s important to note that there is a difference between inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis. Primitive peoples do indeed suffer from the latter; it seems to be something that human beings of every lifestyle and background suffer in old age. (Another trait in common is that we all eventually develop hardening of the arteries no matter what the composition of our diet–and it is possible to get it without developing heart disease.) Inflammatory arthritis is another animal entirely, and is the type that grain-eating encourages. It does not always have consistent symptoms; it’ll come and go depending on your dietary composition and probably some other factors as well. I’ve noticed I have this problem to some degree and it always disappears if I low-carb.
As for fiber, I wouldn’t even address that as a worthwhile argument because, surprise surprise, there is no good evidence we need fiber in our diets. Simply the action of fiber scouring the insides of our intestines is not good for us. I was amused when I began trying the Atkins diet and read all Dr. Atkins’s warnings about getting enough fiber to avoid constipation, but I found that if I followed a high-fat version of the diet, which is what it’s supposed to be, I had no problems going at all. The lining of the gut produces mucus in response to insults by dietary fiber. Seems to me it’d just be easier to eat fat instead and lubricate things that way. No injury involved.
I know some people think eating fiber’s good for satiety even if it doesn’t prevent cancer, but I find the best way to induce satiety is to keep my insulin level to a dull roar. If your insulin is chronically high, it locks up the nutrients in your fat cells and they cannot become available to the rest of the body. If you follow a diet, on the other hand, that reduces insulin surges then occasionally your fat cells release energy that the rest of your body can use and you wind up not being hungry all the time.
I was startled to learn that a few researchers made some discoveries back in the early 20th, indicating that after we eat a food, most of it gets turned into fatty acids and immediately stored in fat tissue. THEN the fat tissue is supposed to release the fatty acids to fuel our lean tissues. If you have high insulin levels, though, that doesn’t happen as often, which is why fat people are always hungry, especially if they’re dieting the “approved” way, with not enough fat or calories to meet their nutritional needs.
Whole or refined, if you have hyperinsulinism, grain’s bad news for you and the nutritional content isn’t even worth the grief. I may eat traditional-style grain dishes once in a while when I’ve lost this weight, IF I can tolerate them, but they will never be the central dishes at my table again.
Outstanding. Naturopath swears I have leaky gut. And I’ve secrety known about #1 for a while, but was afraid to say it outloud. HA! It’s like admitting that I let all three babies sleep on their tummies.
*duck*
Deanna -
I still struggle with giving up grains entirely – and instead we periodically make foods from sprouted grain flour. For the most part we’re grain-free and I can tell you that I feel better in general going grain-free.
I let my little guy sleep on his tummy too! It’s all good, you know?
- Jenny
If you’re trying to lose weight then you definitely need to drop all grain products. I did and lost 20% of my starting weight. Of course I made other changes like eating more meats and fish and also eliminating legumes and potatoes. If you are not trying to lose weight, drop the grains anyway and see what happens. There is no evolutionary precedent to eating grains or legumes or potatoes and we are thus poorly adapted to eating them. And if you experience a loss in energy levels then you are overly dependent on glucose for energy and suffering the inevitable spikes in insulin caused by high glycemic foods. Shift to more meats, fish and leafy greens and with time you’ll metabolize more energy from stored fats.
I find it hilarious that there’s a post like this – which is great – but then in your recipe section, at least for breakfast, it’s hard to find anything that doesn’t include grains, not to mention milk, cheese, etc.
Could you define grains?
This article is completely false and misleading. You should really have a health professional of RD read over nutritional information before making up information. First of all, grains are not the new kids on the block. If anything, processed “junk” foods with all of their nitrates and additives are the new kids. If you are so serious about your health and what you should be consuming, then try eliminating processed foods instead. Farmers have been growing grains for centuries…
One should also educate themselves about glycemic indexes before dismissing grains entirely. Whole grains, like brown rice, barely, ones that still have the fibrous endosperm on them, have a low glycemic index, meaning low effect on sugar and LESS insulin production. Refined grains on the other hand have a high glycemic index. These, like white rice, white flour (flour comes from a grain in case you were unaware) should be avoided or used in moderation. People with type two diabetes NEED forms of complex carbohydrates in order to keep their blood sugar levels in the right range. When you are diabetic your body no longer responds to insulin which is what controls the levels of glucose (sugar) in your blood. Diabetics can range dangerously high in the presence of too much sugar and dip dangerously low in the presence of none, thus diabetics need whole grains to keep them in a healthy range.
There are also lots of other types of foods, lots of fruits and vegetables, healthy oils that have high inflammatory indexes, so if you are concerned with inflammation you need to look at all the foods that have this effect, not just one grouping.
Lamb liver, liver in general should be eaten in serious moderation. Liver contains enormous amount of vitamin A, much more then the RDI for vitamin A per day. Too much vitamin A can lead to toxicity and death. Several death from eating too much vitamin A, usually from liver consumption have been reported. Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin which means it stays in your body longer and you can develop stores of it to be used when needed. B-vitamins, (folate is a b-vitamin) are water soluble, and since we are made mostly of water they are easily absorbed through the body. These types of vitamins we need daily. It would be dangerous to consume that much vitamin A a day in order to get your B-vitamins. Eating some barley or millet would be much easier.
Yes, intestinal health is critical to your overall health. Grains do not cause leaky gut syndrome, and I’d like to see the research findings you got that from. In fact leaky gut syndrome is associated with lack of enough fiber. If someone really has all of those diseases you listed then there is probably a much deeper causation for such poor health other than just grain consumption.
Do you know what gluten is? Gluten is a protein and is not in all grains and only is a problem for those with celiac and who do have gluten intolerance’s.
Furthermore, the ADA and the food guide pyramid base diets on whole grains. It is recommended that we get 6-11 servings a day. This is based on long standing scientific findings and health analysis.
You’re brain NEEDS glucose, as do red blood cells. You’re brain runs on glucose and without it you go through a metabolic pathway called gluconeogenesis where your body has to convert other macronutrients like glucogenic amino acids, lactate or glycerol (a lipid) into glucose just so you’re brain has something to run off of. This is not a process the body likes to go through and it fact is used only as a homeostatic preservation mechanism. Its very taxing for the body and, uses a lot of ATP’s and as you can image drains a lot of energy.
It would be extraordinarily hard to get all the fiber one needs in a day (25 to 30 grams) from fruits and vegetables alone, and without enough fiber a long list of health problems ensure. Fiber cleans out our digestive track, removes toxins and bulks up fecal mater. People who don’t eat enough grains usually end up with constipation and lower bowel problems due to the fact that their stool is not well formed or able to collect all of the toxic mater.
If you think that the sugar content in fruit is much different than the sugar content in grains then you are mistake, because carbohydrates convert to the same thing. That is how metabolic pathways work. And you do realize that cutting out grains means cutting out all foods made with grains? Like pasta, bread, and pastries? Just making sure that is understood.
If you are going to write an article about health and eating well, research what’s really affecting our countries health problems, research what’s causing obesity. Furthermore, it is entirely impossible to cut grains out of a diet. Unless you are eating purely produce, water and meat then it’s impossible. Even meat has certain drawbacks, especially the way Americans produce meat.
Finally, whole grains taste great and when eaten as part of a healthy and nutritious diet they can be pleasurable. I couldn’t imagine cutting out such a staple food group and honestly I feel sorry for those who do since you’re missing out on so many delicious foods.
I hope the people reading this realize how false and misleading the majority of this information is. No health professional, registered dietitian, or doctor would support this information.
Dietetic Intern Student
They give me GNARLY gas. Like bringing tears to your eyes. That can’t be good.
Great post!
Stopped eating grains a while back and haven’t felt better. Suffering from IBS and it has completely vanished.
I went the complete opposite direction from what my doctor told me since his way didn’t work. After a lot of research and try’n'fails I cut grains out and it was a direct hit.
To Celine: There’s a lot of research out there, both on the internet and books about this topic from scientists and researchers, health professionals, registered dietitians and doctors that support this. I understand it’s difficult to comprehend since it’s such a standardized part of our diet but that doesn’t make it good, does it?
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Hi Gambit -
Thanks for your recent comment. I wish to clarify something: The Nourished Kitchen is NOT a paleo/primal blog; rather, it is based on the dietetic recommendations of the Weston A Price Foundation and the Price Pottenger Nutritional Foundation – which include meat, raw dairy and properly prepared grain.
While Nourished Kitchen appeals to many readers who follow a paleolithic-based diet, we do include and will continue to include recipes based on properly prepared grains and raw dairy. Those who choose not to consume these foods have my full support as neither grain nor dairy offer much to the diet that can’t be gotten elsewhere in greater quantities.
- Jenny
Hi Mike -
Thank you so much for your recent comment. I fully agree that the key in weightloss is not giving up nutrient-dense fats, mineral-rich meats or other nourishing foods; but, rather, giving up grain, legumes, potatoes and the like. These foods do not offer any micronutrients that can’t be found elsewhere in greater quantities; moreover, most bodies do not handle these foods well.
Take Care
- Jenny
Celine –
Thank you for your recent, albeit lengthy response to my post. As a dietetic student, surely you’ve learned that perceptions of health and ideal diets vary from one person to the next and from one culture to the next. With that knowledge, you’ll understand that, while I appreciate your comment, I fully and completely disagree with much of what you’ve written.
First, the information I’ve included in this post is not “made up” as you’ve so ineloquently put it; rather, it took a great deal of time and effort to research. You are incorrect in your statement that farmers have been growing grains for centuries; rather, they’ve been growing grain for thousands of years yet a few thousand years is a blink of an eye in evolutionary terms.
I agree with you that the very first step should be to eliminate processed foods. If you had actually read this site, or others like it, you would know that the elimination of processed foods is the very first step I recommend in developing a healthful, nourishing diet. Moreover, you’d also know that we’ve addressed inflammatory foods and the glycemic index elsewhere. Many books fill hundreds of pages discussing nutrition and still fail to cover every aspect, to imagine that one single post can cover every aspect of a nourishing diet would be foolhardy. In addition, had you actually studied nutrition or cooking thoroughly, you’d know that whole grains are not the only source of complex carbohydrates.
Regarding liver and vitamin A toxicity, liver is one of the most nutrient-dense foods and I have yet to read of any case study indicating that a person died of eating too much liver. First, I don’t recommend eating liver daily. Second, in our home we eat it about once a week or once every other week – and no one has died yet. Yes, vitamin A toxicity exists but reaching fatal levels is usually due to excess consumption of supplementary vitamin A – not from eating liver. Moreover, vitamins A and D work synergistically together and eating foods rich in vitamin A and vitamin D together works to reduce the very small potential for toxicity (http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnutrition/clarifications.html). Of course, as a dietetic student, you should already know this … right?
Regarding B-vitamins – while liver represents one of the best sources of food folate – that doesn’t mean it’s the only source; moreover, even when excluding liver, there are several more foods that are still richer in food folate than whole grain. Indeed, seaweed, spinach, turnip greens, okra, endive, mustard greens, frisee are all considerably richer in food folate than the paltry amounts provided by the grains you mention.
Regarding glucose – yes, our brains need glucose to function, but grain isn’t the only source of carbohydrate. On fiber, you’re absolutely wrong in thinking that you can only receive 25 – 30 grams of fiber from a diet that includes grains. While I do eat whole grain periodically more out of culinary preference than nutritional preference, yesterday was grain-free for us and I still consumed approximately 39 grams of fiber from fruit, vegetables and nuts alone. And while fruit offers sugar in much the same way as grain – the difference is that fruits and vegetables offer less carbohydrate than a similar amount of grain and they also, in general, offer more concentrated sources of many micronutrients.
And of course, I do realize – and, undoubtedly everyone else on this post realizes – that cutting out grains also means cutting out flour, pasta, breads and pastries. I’m pretty confident that no one had to attend dietetic school to make that connection.
While you’ve written that it is “entirely impossible” to cut out grains, that is absolutely and patently false. There are many adherents to a grain-free diet who have not only found their health vastly improved by such a diet, but also have found such a diet extremely satisfying.
As a student of dietetics, it is your duty to fully educate yourself about nutrition and to examine data with a critical eye rather than blindly accepting the pap that the ADA spoon-feeds you.
Yours in health –
Jenny
Fantastic post, Jenny!
I agree with the comments about how easy it is to lose weight when you eliminate grains. I lost over 20lbs in the spring by cutting out grains and sticking to meat, vegetables and nuts. Lately I’ve been eating more because I live in frigid Canada, but I’ve been moderate about it and will drop them again in the new year.
Celine’s comments lost all credibility the moment she claimed that the food pyramid are based on science. I guess she hasn’t seen the movie “Fat Head”. She only confirmed my belief that dietetic students are taught out of 50 year old text books and their curriculum has not caught up to the most recent science and research in the field. Your rebuttal to her was epic, Jenny. Great stuff.
Jenny, great response to Celine. Mark Sisson has written a book called “The Primal Blueprint” which would open Celine’s eyes. He has opened my eyes up to the fact that there is no good reason for us to consume grains. Anything that is considered nutritional in grains can be received through many other foods which will NOT subject you to the gluten, phytates and lectin found in grains.
I have been grain free since August. I have lost 20 pounds and never in my life have I felt better and had more energy. My skin is better and inflamation that I have had in my shoulder for years has dissapated about 80%. Coincidence? I think not. I have found “almond flour” and “coconut flour” and love to make cookies, breads, and all kinds of baked goods with them. GRAIN FREE.
Colleen
Hey Jenny– I really enjoyed your post on 10 reasons to give up grains. I came across your blog through The Label Say Paleo, a Paleo blog in Austin, Texas. I come from a Nutrition background (BS, working on MS) and thought your post was accurate and well written.
Celine above, a dietetic student, is obviously still taught the old school nutrition ways— food pyramid and probably knows nothing about alternative medicine, advanced nutrition practices for food allergies and Celiac Disease, and the obvious grain-free diet. I love your quote: “As a student of dietetics, it is your duty to fully educate yourself about nutrition and to examine data with a critical eye rather than blindly accepting the pap that the ADA spoon-feeds you.” —- I am standing up applauding you right now!
I will be visiting again soon. Glad I came across your site! Jessica M
Wow, what great information and comments are posted here. I’m so glad I found this site! And it’s great to see all of the Crossfit affiliates here too…it goes to show you that the elite athletes know what works.
I began eating a paleo diet this year and I have to say, after the first two weeks of withdrawal, I have been feeing better and better. I have more energy and I am losing weight without reducing calories. I don’t even pay attention to calories…in fact, I have trouble eating the amount of food the books say I should have in a day. I am never hungry and always eat till I’m full and I feel fantastic all the time.
I did not come to this lightly nor from a “standard American diet”…aka SAD. I was all about whole grains (yes, Celine, I mean whole, with the germ intact) that I bought in bulk from health food stores. I was all about my soaked, whole grain barley, oats and spelt. And they were very tasty. Only on a rare occassion did I eat highly processed, fast, junk or sugary foods. But I was still gaining weight and feeling lousy. Paleo has turned that around.
I have to say I laughed when I read this part of Celine’s post, “…it is entirely impossible to cut grains out of a diet. Unless you are eating purely produce, water and meat…”…lol…welcome to the Paleolithic diet, Celine! That’s exactly what I eat…lean meats, lots of fresh non-starch vegetables, a little fruit and nuts and of course planty of water. All day long. And I lose weight. Go figure.
I think a lot of people do not know that the food pyramid was created by the Department of Agriculture…can you say Special Interest Group? They stood to gain when the American public bought in to their eating guidlines (they gained money, and then we gained weight). One of the first rules of critical thinking is to find out what the person making the argument has to gain by making it…connect those dots and you will find the real truth.
Connect these dots, Celine: The lower half of the food pyramid closely resembles the diet fed to animals that are being fattened for slaughter. Lots of grains = lots of rapid weight gain. Still think grains are magical? Don’t take my (or anyone else’s) word for it. Try it for yourself. Try a strict paleo diet for 6-8 weeks, chart you progress and see how it works for you.
Happy New Year to all who visit this site. Thanks, Jenny, for your insight and information. Keep up the great work. Here’s to REAL and vibrant health.
Darienne -
I’m a little late in replying, but I wanted to thank you for your comment. I think that in many ways the message of real food and vibrant nutrition faces an uphill battle: we’re facing a huge industry focused on chemically altered foods. It’s disturbing. My site is heavily focused on the Weston A Price Foundation’s guidelines, but I relish the primal and paleo lifestyle. I think that it, in many ways, is truly the most optimal method of eating and celebrating a truly vibrant road to health.
Take Care -
Jenny
I realize there may be a good number of people with some intolerance to gluten but telling everyone to give up wheat is extreme. Having studied nutrition for the paast 25 years, I would tell people to go slow before giving up a food. People that suspect they have a food intolerance of any kind should see a specialist in that area. There are some registered dietitians that do specialize in both food alleriges and intolerances. Never self diagnose,; get a professional opinion.
Nifty article. I have a food budget of about $250 a month for four, so not sure how we could do grain free. I do try to sprout most of what I eat though. Even sweet potatoes are more expensive than slices of bread. And what do take on a pick-nick if not sandwiches?
One tidbit though. I don’t think there are reported illnesses from Vit A toxicity from natural sources, except a rumor about some scientists eating polar bear liver. If you know of documents Vit A overdose from liver consumption, please let me know. I can’t remember if I read this on Vitamin A Vagaries from westonaprice.org, or Nutrition and Physical Degeneration or Nourishing Traditions from Sally Fallon. They’re all inter-related anyway.
Thanks for a good article.
p.s. I have no ties to any of the aforementioned folks. Just like their research about healthy living.
Hi Jenny.
Im only 14 years old, and I comletely agree with Celine. I believe that grain is an important factor in our diets, and that everything is good in moderation. I feel that people obsess too much about dieting and weight loss. For you to do so much research, you must feel very strongly about this.
What I dont understand is why this page is even here, when humans have been living with grain in out diets for a while now, yet we are living longer than we ever have. The human life expactancy is about 80 years now, which has doubled since the middle ages. Sure, they also had grain in the middle ages, but if grain is so bad, why hasn’t the human population decreased significantly??? Instead we have done the opposite.
As for the comments on here that are about weight loss, these people have dropped one of the major food groups. They are probably eating less than they did when the were eating grain. This isnt always a good thing, and can stimulate anorexia and bulimia.
Also, why is grain one of the major food groups if it isnt good for us. Years and years of research have been devoted to this topic. Why were we not alerted long ago?
People, carbohydrates are good for you! They release energy slowly through-out the day, as we need it. If you are doing the recomended 30 minutes of physical activity each day you will burn it off, and it will help you to exercise for longer. You should want to be eating ‘carbs’.
And, if sugar is the thing creating insulin, shouldn’t you be warning everyone of the ‘dangers’ of sugar, not grain. If people brushed their teeth regularly and properly, their teeth should stay healthy until they are at least in their 80’s.
“Poorly prepared grain prevents mineral absorbtion”. The paragraph following this heading is saying how bad grain is, when really its the people preparing it poorly who should be getting the blame.
So thank you for reading my argument, and I hope what Ive said will be taken seriously.
maybe eating grain makes you crave grain, but playing video games makes me crave more mario and having sex makes me want to have it again. that doesnt mean its bad for you. i think a healthy helping of whole grains can be good for you, just like sex can also be good for you. white bread is obviously bad, but so is sex with a prostitute, but that doesnt mean i can say ALL of it is bad.
Hi Zoe -
You bring up several points, so I’ll address them one by one.
Im only 14 years old
Zoe, on the internet, no one is checking age cards so you don’t need to couch any statement you make a reference to your age. You could be 63, or 22, or 14 and it all looks the same in a comment on a blog post. Be confident in what you write.
I believe that grain is an important factor in our diets, and that everything is good in moderation
Fair enough, but, as with sweeteners, most people don’t have a concept of what a moderate intake of grain is.
I feel that people obsess too much about dieting and weight loss.
Agreed. This site, however, is not about dieting or weight loss.
What I dont understand is why this page is even here, when humans have been living with grain in out diets for a while now, yet we are living longer than we ever have. The human life expactancy is about 80 years now, which has doubled since the middle ages. Sure, they also had grain in the middle ages, but if grain is so bad, why hasn’t the human population decreased significantly??? Instead we have done the opposite.
Life expectancy statistics are a curious thing. Life expectancy charts don’t account for other issues, beyond diet, that can influence life expectancy: infant mortality, death from childbirth, death from accidents, death from war etc. We also eat a lot more sugar, hydrogenated fats and refined flours than persons living in the middle ages, will you attribute sugar and hydrogenated fats to an increased life expectancy? What you need to examine is age-adjusted death rates (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/preliminarydeaths05_tables.pdf#B) which help us to have a better understanding of life expectancy one factors like high infant mortality and childhood diseases and injuries have been rooted out of the data. What you’ll find is that people are now dying of heart disease and cancer at rates that have never before been seen in human history.
As for the comments on here that are about weight loss, these people have dropped one of the major food groups. They are probably eating less than they did when the were eating grain. This isnt always a good thing, and can stimulate anorexia and bulimia. Also, why is grain one of the major food groups if it isnt good for us. Years and years of research have been devoted to this topic. Why were we not alerted long ago?
You’ve ignored the role of insulin here and the manner in which hyperinsulinemia relates to weight gain, it’s understandable that once folks have their insulin levels under control, they’ll lose weight. As for haven’t we been alerted as to grain’s potentially deletorious effects, we have: considerable research continues to address this subject, anthropological evidence addresses this subject and, for lay people, books like Taubes’ Good Calories, Bad Calories also address this subject. What you ignore is an entire industry focused on selling prepackaged, grain-filled foods. They have a concrete interest in lobbying government agencies to continue pushing low-fat, high-grain dietary recommendations for the American public.
People, carbohydrates are good for you! They release energy slowly through-out the day, as we need it. If you are doing the recomended 30 minutes of physical activity each day you will burn it off, and it will help you to exercise for longer. You should want to be eating ‘carbs’.
Agreed, but keep in mind that native Arctic peoples lived almost exclusively on animal foods with minimal use of plantfoods and carbohydrates, and they did so in perfect health: without heart disease, cancer, diabetes, dental cavities etc. That said, you’re equating carbs to grains, and grains aren’t the only source of carbohydrate. Rather, starchy tubers, fruit, vegetables and other foods represent excellent sources of carbohydrate without the effects of grain.
And, if sugar is the thing creating insulin, shouldn’t you be warning everyone of the ‘dangers’ of sugar, not grain.
And if you had actually read my site, or others like, you’d find that I have devoted extensive time to the detriments of sugar.
If people brushed their teeth regularly and properly, their teeth should stay healthy until they are at least in their 80’s.
If this is the case, perhaps you can explain why native peoples who subsisted on traditional, whole and natural foods documented and studied by Weston Price were largely free from abnormalities of the palate and dental cavities even though they did not have access to dental health care?
“Poorly prepared grain prevents mineral absorbtion”. The paragraph following this heading is saying how bad grain is, when really its the people preparing it poorly who should be getting the blame.
Yes, if you eat grain, you should eat whole grain that has been properly prepared to mitigate the effects of antinutrients like phytic acid which bind up minerals preventing their full absorption. Like I mentioned before, you should really read the site thoroughly before assuming this issue hasn’t been addressed and covered elsewhere.
Cheers!
- Jenny
Hey. Excellent site. And an interesting debate. I’ve been off grains almost completely now for close to two months. Feel great, around 10 pounds lighter, no cravings anymore etc. I’ve started advocating primal/paleo/real food style eating and (surprise, surprise)I am being met with great scepticism from the proponents of conventional wisdom. I think your post above gives excellent 10 reasons to give up grains and I would very much like to use these reasons when arguing with traditionally trained dieticians. However, I know that will be difficult without citing research.
Do you know of any good sources of research to back these claims up? I’ve already read Mark Sisson’s primal blueprint and I have the same issue with the claims made there. It would be very helpful to be able to cite some solid research, so I would be exremely grateful if you could point me in the right direction. Thanks!
Siggi -
I conduct most of my research via medical journals. A solid, good search on pubmed.gov will lend you many results. This article about giving up grains is a bit old, and you’ll find that, in newer posts, sources are generally very well documented. If you’re embarking on your own research, pubmed.gov is a great place to start.
Take Care -
Jenny
Thanks Jenny! I’ll check it out. Keep up the good work with your site. The more quality sites like this there are, the likelier the message is to reach the mainstream! (which will hopefully result in fewer people eating crappy food)
I’ll direct some traffic your way from Iceland
regards:
Siggi