In the Word of Wisdom (Section 86 of the Doctrine and Covenants), God tells us the following:
“All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life . . . Nevertheless, wheat for man . . .” (verses 2c & 3b). Yet in recent years, grain—and specifically wheat—has been under attack like never before. I believe that we should reject the flood of anti-grain information solely because it contradicts God’s Word. Health trends come and go, and even scientific studies are often later found to be invalid,
“But the word of the Lord endureth forever” (1 Peter 1:25) and
“the word of the Lord is truth” (D&C 83:7b). Nevertheless, it is good to be aware of some of the recent studies which affirm the health benefits of whole wheat and other whole grains.
Of course, those with celiac disease must eat a strictly gluten-free diet, but many without celiac choose to eat gluten-free because of gluten intolerance or simply because they feel it is healthy. In truth, eating gluten-free may have some harmful effects on your health.
Evidence indicates that gluten intolerance and other food intolerances seem to be related to poor gut microbiota and could potentially be healed by improved gut health.1 The bad news for gluten-free dieters is that avoiding gluten may cause a significant reduction in certain helpful bacteria and an increase in certain potential pathogens in their gut microbiota, thereby making their digestive health worse.2
And it’s not just digestive health that is now known to be impacted by unhealthy gut microbiota. “There’s a good chance your microbiome is associated with every disease you can think of—diabetes, cancer, autism,” says Michael Snyder, PhD, the director of Stanford University’s Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine.
3 Indeed, research has implicated gut microbiota in as diverse conditions as depression, anxiety, obesity, and autoimmune diseases.
A 2015 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition confirmed that eating whole wheat can positively affect gut bacteria and decrease inflammation.4 For those with celiac disease who must avoid gluten it is thought that increasing the intake of other whole grains which are gluten-free will reduce this negative impact on their gut microbiota.
On a closely related topic, another recent study found that eating whole wheat may also improve intestinal wall integrity. In this study, the group who ate a whole wheat diet compared to a refined wheat diet had significant increases in beneficial bifidobacteria, as well as an unexpected increase in “transepithelial resistance,” a measure of the permeability of the intestinal wall which indicated a decrease in “leaky gut.”5
Another potential problem of a gluten-free diet is that frequently wheat is replaced with rice: rice cereals, rice crackers, rice pasta, rice as a side dish. Whole grain brown rice is a nutritious food, but an abundance of rice in one’s diet increases the risk of toxic arsenic levels in the body.6 It turns out that rice is higher in arsenic than other grains because it absorbs arsenic from soil or water much more effectively than most plants. This is partly because rice is grown in flooded fields, which allows arsenic to be more easily taken up by its roots and stored in the kernels.
Because the rice is drawing this contamination from the water and soil in which it grows, buying organic rice will not circumvent the problem. And the really bad news is that because arsenic seems to accumulate most in the outer layers of the kernel, whole grain brown rice has been found to be as much as 80% higher in arsenic than refined white rice which has had the bran removed—but of course eating white rice brings all the inherit problems of eating any other refined carbohydrate.7
Dartmouth University states that “consumption of 0.56 cups per day of cooked rice is comparable to 10 micrograms of [arsenic] in a liter of water, which is the current US maximum contaminant limit for public water supplies in the US.”8 It seems the best option is to greatly limit rice consumption and replace it with other healthy whole grains.
An additional problem of a gluten-free diet is that while eating whole grains which are naturally gluten-free is healthy (like quinoa, millet, and oats), many convenient pre-packaged gluten-free foods are low in nutrients and high in unhealthy fats and refined carbohydrates such as sugar, tapioca starch, potato flour, or white rice flour. “Gluten adds oomph to foods—wheat, rye, and barley all have strong textures and flavors,” says Angela Lemond, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Dallas and a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
9 Often extra fat, sugar, or sodium have been used in gluten-free baked goods to compensate for the lack of taste.
In reality, gluten in not the villain it has been made out to be. Studies have indicated that gluten is actually beneficial to our health. Gluten has been shown to help prevent bad LDL cholesterol from being converted to oxidized LDL cholesterol, the form that can cause plaque to form in arteries. Gluten also lowers blood levels of triglycerides that increase heart attack risk.10
Gabe Mirkin, MD, a sports medicine doctor and author of sixteen books, lists these health benefits of gluten on his blog:
• lowers blood pressure (Food Chem, 2011; 127: 1653–1658)
• lowers triglycerides (J Am Coll Nutr, 1999; 18:159–165)
• increases growth of the types of intestinal bacteria that lower inflammation (Brit J Nutr, 2008; 99:110–120)
• increases absorption of healthful nutrients (Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care, 2010;13:722–728)
• sensitizes cells to insulin to help prevent and treat diabetes (Curr Diab Rep, 2011;11:154–159)
• reduces heart attack risk (Curr Atheroscler Rep, 2010;12:368–376)
The clear message from these and the other studies which follow this article is support for the importance of wheat and other whole grains in our diet as the staff of life. Those who cannot eat wheat should make an extra effort to include an abundance of other whole grains in their diet (with the exception of brown rice).
One simple way we can eat more whole grains is to cook a large batch over the weekend and use it through the week. You can cook any individual grain—wheat, oats, barley, amaranth, etc—or a mix of grains. Warm them up with cinnamon and raisins for breakfast porridge; drain them carefully and sprinkle them cold over a green leafy salad; drop them into soups, stews, or casseroles. For more ideas and recipes, see other posts on this blog.
Again, I would state that we can stand on God’s Word—including the Word of Wisdom! With Nephi, I would say, “I did exhort them with all the energies of my soul, and with all the faculty which I possessed, that they would give heed to the word of God . . .”
(1 Nephi 4:42).
References
1) Gigante G et al. Role of gut microbiota in food tolerance and allergies.
Journal of Digestive Diseases. 2011;29(6)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22179209
2) Yolanda Sanz. Effects of a gluten-free diet on gut microbiota and immune function in healthy adult humans
Gut Microbes. 2010 May-Jun; 1(3): 135–137.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3023594/
Here is an easier to understand article discussing this study:
http://www.glutenfreedietitian.com/gluten-free-diet-gut-microorganisms/
3) WebMD: What Is Your Gut Telling You? Aug. 20, 2014
http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/news/20140820/your-gut-bacteria
4) Vitaglione P. et al. Whole-grain wheat consumption reduces inflammation in a randomized controlled trial on overweight and obese subjects with unhealthy dietary and lifestyle behaviors: role of polyphenols bound to cereal dietary fiber.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2015 Feb;101(2):251-61.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25646321
5) Christensen et al. Bifidogenic effect of whole-grain wheat during a 12-week energy-restricted dietary intervention in post-menopausal women.
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2013 Dec; 67(12):1316-21.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24149441
6) U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Questions & Answers: Arsenic in Rice and Rice Products
http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/Metals/ ucm319948.htm
7)
Consumer Report: How much arsenic is in your rice?
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/01/how-much-arsenic-is-in-your-rice/index.htm
Consumer Report: Arsenic in Your Food
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/11/arsenic- in-your-food/index.htm
8) Dartmouth Toxic Metals Superfund Research Program: Arsenic
in Food. http://www.dartmouth.edu/~toxmetal/arsenic/food.html
9)
Consumer Report: 6 Truths about a gluten-free diet
Published November 2014
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/01/will-a-gluten-free-diet-really-make-you-healthier/index.htm
10) Jenkins, David JA, et al. High-protein diets in hyperlipidemia: effect of wheat gluten on serum lipids, uric acid, and renal function.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2001 July; Vol. 74, No. 1, 57-63.
11) Gabe Mirkin, MD. Should You Avoid Gluten?
http://drmirkin.com/nutrition/should-you-avoid-gluten.html
Following are short overviews of several current studies that support whole wheat and other whole grains as an important part of a healthy diet.
Many Antioxidants in Whole Grains: While fruits and vegetables are known as sources of healthy antioxidants and phenolic compounds, research increasingly shows that whole grains contain them too. In this review, researchers analyzed several whole grains, including wheat, corn, rice, barley, sorghum, rye, oats, and millet. The review shows that whole grains contain a number of phytochemicals (including antioxidants) and significantly exhibit antioxidant activity. Researchers conclude that the consumption of whole grains is considered to have significant health benefits including prevention of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer because of the contribution of phenolic compounds.
Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2014 July 30. (Van Hung P et al.)
Antioxidants in Whole Wheat Unaffected During Baking:
Whole grains are gaining recognition as being rich sources of antioxidants. Are these anti-oxidants affected during processing, such as bread baking? Scientists at the University of Maryland measured phenolic acid (antioxidant) content in flour, dough, and bread fractions from three whole and refined wheat varieties. As expected, “all phenolic acids measured were more abundant in whole wheat than refined samples.” The researchers also found no significant change in antioxidant levels after the breads were baked. “Thus, the potential phytochemical health benefits of total phenolic acids appear to be preserved during bread baking.”
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2014 Oct 20 (Lu Y et al.)
Refined Grains Linked with Depression:
It seems that comfort foods like refined sweets might not be so comforting in the long run. Scientists in New York analyzed the eating patterns of nearly 70,000 women without depression across the US, then tracked their health records over three years to see how diet relates to developing depression. The researchers found that both refined grains and added sugars were significantly tied to a higher risk of developing depression over the three-year study, while fiber, vegetables, fruit (excluding juice), and lactose (a sugar found in milk) were linked with a significantly lower risk of depression. A higher intake of whole grains was also related to a lower risk of depression, although this relationship was not statistically significant. Overall, foods such as refined carbohydrates that contributed to a high glycemic index diet were associated with increased odds of developing depression.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2015 June 24. (Gangwisch JE et al.)
Diet with Whole Grains May Reduce Alzheimer’s Risk:
It appears that a “grain brain” may be protective against Alzheimer’s. Researchers studied the relation-ship between eating patterns and Alzheimer’s in 923 retired adults in Chicago over an average of 4.5 years. The scientists rated participants’ diets based on how closely they adhered to the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet (a healthy diet used to treat hypertension that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy, and limited sweets and salt) and the MIND diet. The MIND diet is a hybrid Mediterranean-DASH diet that emphasizes foods associated with brain health, including three servings per day of whole grains (more than any other food group), along with green leafy vegetables, berries, nuts, olive oil, and fish. The groups most closely following either the MIND diet or the Mediterranean diet cut their risk of Alzheimer’s dementia by more than half (53% for MIND and 54% for Mediterranean), while those closely following the DASH diet were 39% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s. Even those moderately following the MIND diet were at a 35% lower risk.
Alzheimer’s and Dementia. 2015 Feb 11. (Morris MC et al.)
Whole Grain Intake Can Lower Death Risk:
Eating more whole grains may help you live longer! Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health analyzed data from over 110,000 adults. The scientists found that every one-ounce serving of whole grains was associated with a 5% lower total risk of death, or a 9% lower risk of death from heart disease. Whole grain intake was not significantly associated with cancer mortality. The researchers of this study conclude “these results are in line with recommendations that promote increased whole grain consumption to facilitate disease prevention.”
JAMA Internal Medicine. 2015 Jan 5. (Wu H, et al.)
These summaries were taken from the Whole Grain Council: http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/health-studies-on-whole-grains
I put some water on to boil in a pan on my stove, and place a scoop of oat kernels (called oat groats) in the roller. Cranking the handle for about a minute finishes the rolling, and then I place the freshly rolled oats in the boiling water. I turn off the heat and allow the pan to sit on the burner for a few minutes. Finally, I stir in a bit of unrefined coconut oil, cinnamon, unrefined salt and raw milk. After sprinkling on a handful of walnuts, and I am ready to eat. I believe a flaker/roller is a great investment for including the freshest possible whole grains in your family’s diet.
