In Defense of the Word of Wisdom: What About Gluten?

Gluten-free has become a common buzz word in our culture today. There is a good chance that you know more than one person who is on a gluten-free diet. Perhaps you are eating gluten- free yourself.  

What is gluten and why would someone want to avoid it? Gluten is a protein complex of the two proteins, gliadin and glutelin. It is found naturally in wheat, rye, and barley. Those who choose to avoid gluten usually fall into one of three categories: (1) the 1 percent of the population who has celiac disease, an autoimmune inflammatory response to gluten, and must avoid even tiny amounts of gluten for the rest of their lives;  (2) those who are gluten intolerant and feel better when they avoid gluten or limit the amount of gluten they ingest; and (3) those who avoid gluten because they have heard it is unhealthy for everyone.

Let's talk about the last category first. While avoiding gluten is vital for some individuals, many voices---particularly proponents of the Paleo diet---insist that gluten is harmful to everyone's health and that no one should be eating gluten-containing grains. Dr. William Davis's book Wheat Belly has added fuel to the anti-grain, anti-gluten fire. "Wheat is the most destructive thing you could put on your plate, no question," says Dr. William Davis, a cardiologist from Wisconsin.  (I have read Wheat Belly, and find that Dr. Davis has used faulty logic, misrepresentation of scientific studies, and blatant emotionalism to sell his ideas. It is beyond the scope of this article to refute the misinformation in Dr. Davis's book, but I strongly encourage you to read the rebuttals to Wheat Belly which are linked at the end of this article.) [1]

Gluten, and thereby wheat, has been implicated in everything from mental illness to obesity to cancer. If you research these claims, however, you will find that credible scientific evidence is lacking to support the idea that gluten is harmful to everyone. But there is a more important reason why I know the anti-gluten, anti-wheat, anti-grain proponents are wrong. It is because God said so. "All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life. . . . All grain is good for the food of man . . . Nevertheless, wheat for man . . ." (Doctrine and Covenants 86:2c-3b).

I have heard some people say, "But when God gave that revelation back in 1833, wheat was different than it is now. Wheat was okay then, but modern wheat is bad for us."  Are we going to believe that God could not foresee the changes that would be made to wheat? Did God say in 1833, "Wheat for man now, but later don't eat wheat"?  Do we believe that God's word given in past times is only for those dispensations and not relevant to us today?  To all of those questions, I answer a resounding NO! The Scriptures plainly tell us that God knows everything (2 Nephi 6:44), God does not change (Moroni 8:19), and God's word will stand forever (Isaiah 40:8)!  And God said grain is our staff of life, and wheat is for man.

As stated in previous articles, I believe it does make a difference HOW we eat wheat. It has been firmly established that eating refined "white flour" grain products (just the starchy endosperm of wheat or other grains) is detrimental to our health. There is no doubt God meant the WHOLE grain when he said grain is our staff of life. But here is where it gets tricky. Flour produced on modern roller mills is not the same thing you get when you grind up the entire wheat berry in your kitchen. Commercial whole wheat flour, and the bread and other baked goods made from it, are not true whole grain foods. Roller mills can quickly produce large amounts of refined flour. The bran and germ are sifted out and the oils are removed during the milling process. To "make" the flour whole wheat again, a certain portion of the bran and germ are added back in, but the oils are usually not because they would reduce the shelf life of the product. Surely this profit-making way of creating "whole wheat" flour qualifies as the "evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days . . ." (D&C 86:1a).

Another problem is added gluten, which upsets the nutritious balance God created in whole grain. Gluten is separated from the rest of the wheat endosperm and added generously to flour, breads and other baked goods, and even products like taco sauce. This "vital wheat gluten," as it is called, can cause trouble for our digestive systems and may be the root of some gluten sensitivities.

What is the solution? Although I realize it is not possible for everyone, the best option is to invest in a home mill and grind your own flour from quality wheat berries, using this flour to make your own homemade bread and baked goods. (You can also grind fresh cornmeal and other whole grain flours!) This might sound overwhelming at first, but there are many resources to help you along the journey.

Another option for obtaining quality flour for home baking is to find a friend with a mill who is willing to grind for you, or to go together with friends or family on the cost of a home mill that can be shared.  If you must buy flour, look for one that is ground the old-fashioned way with a stone burr mill.  Store bought cannot match the freshness and nutrition of flour ground at home, but at least stone ground whole wheat flour should be the real thing. Wheat Montana and Bob's Red Mill are quality brands, and I'm sure there are others.

Making homemade bread is an art that takes time to perfect. I remember making may "bricks" before managing to bake a more edible loaf!  Don't despair if your first efforts are less than perfect. Find someone who has mastered bread baking to mentor you if possible. If you cannot tackle making your own bread, you can greatly reduce the amount of commercial baked goods consumed in your home by making your own waffles, muffins, pancakes, and other quick breads. They are fast, easy, and incredibly delicious!  If you must buy bread or other baked goods, look for ones made with stone ground flour and without added gluten. They will be hard to find, but worth your effort.

Now, let's talk about individuals who are in the second category---those who have a gluten intolerance. Food intolerances, including intolerance to gluten, can sometime be overcome by improving digestive health.  Entire books have been written on this subject, but here are a few key points many alternative health practitioners agree upon. 

• Clean up your diet. Eliminate as much refined, processed foods as possible, and eat more whole foods (which contain more nutrients and fiber needed to improve digestion).  Reduce your sugar intake.
• Eat more probiotics to replenish the good bacteria cultures that are needed for a healthy gut. Eat naturally fermented foods, such as real sourdough bread, kimchi and other naturally fermented vegetables, miso, and homemade kefir. (Store-bought kefir has fewer cultures, but still contains more than commercial yogurt.) It is best to get probiotics from food, but taking supplements can be helpful, also.  
• Be sure to eat prebiotics, too. Prebiotics are non-digestible carbohydrates that feed the probiotic cultures. They are found in foods such as whole grains, bananas, onions, garlic, honey and artichokes---another reason to eat those whole grains!
• Some individuals find digestive enzyme supplements to be helpful. DPP-IV is the specific enzyme that helps digest gluten. 
• Certain herbs can help heal and soothe the digestive tract. Slippery elm, yarrow, plantain, deglycyrrhizinated licorice root (DGL), or marshmallow root  are good choices. 
• Gelatin is very healing to the gut, but don't expect great benefits from commercial Jell-O with its added sugar and chemicals.  Gelatin from grass-fed animals is best, or you can make your own gelatinous broth from bones the old-fashioned way. [2]
• Sleep is critical for healing our digestive systems. As God has told us, "[R]etire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated" (D&C 85:38b).

Some individuals will need to temporarily eliminate all gluten from their diets for several months while improving their digestion. Some will be able to find relief by eliminating foods with added vital wheat gluten.

What about those in the first category who are celiac or cannot tolerate gluten in spite of efforts to improve digestion?  Even if you cannot eat wheat, it is still possible to use other whole grains as the staff of life as instructed in the Word of Wisdom.  To accomplish this, you will need to be discerning when buying gluten-free baked goods and pastas, as many are full of refined carbohydrates such as sugar, white rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca flour. Gluten-free refined carbohydrates are no more healthy  than any other kind!  Brown rice, millet, sorghum, teff, amaranth, buckwheat, and oats (that are certified to be  uncontaminated with gluten) are healthy, whole grain gluten-free choices.  Many books and web sites are available to guide you in the use of these grains.

All the things I have suggested in this article will require time and effort, but remember the promises God has made to those obedient to the Word of Wisdom: “And all Saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel, and marrow to their bones, and shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures; and shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint; and I, the Lord, give unto them a promise that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen” (D&C 86:3c-d).

 

      
1. Rebuttals to Wheat Belly, a book by Dr. William Davis:
 http://nogluten-noproblem.com/2012/03/wheat-belly-busted.html
 http://info.breadbeckers.com/wheat-belly-fact-or-fiction/
 http://www.aaccnet.org/publications/plexus/cfw/pastissues/2012/OpenDocuments/CFW-57-4-0177.pdf

                           

2. How to make bone broth:

http://www.integratednaturalmedicine.com/bone-broth/

In Defense of the Word of Wisdom: Pitfalls of the Paleo Diet–Part 1

Grains, and specifically wheat, as a part of a healthy diet are under attack as never before. Multitudes of voices are shouting—and even screaming—about the dangers of eating grains. Especially loud are the voices of the Paleo diet supporters. You have probably heard the word “Paleo” in reference to food choices. It is likely you know someone who has “gone Paleo.” But what is a Paleo diet?

The Paleo diet derives its name from its basis on the supposed eating habits of our “ancestors” in the Paleolithic period, which evolutionists believe was 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago. Proponents of this eating pattern say that humans were hunters-gathers for millions of years before agriculture developed. They believe that in “comparatively recent times” the cultivation of grains has changed the way humans eat. They believe that our digestive tracts have not evolved quickly enough to deal with digesting grains, and therefore all grains are damaging to our health.

The Paleo diet depends heavily on meat and seafood, along with vegetables, fruits, some nuts, and some oils—such as coconut, olive or flax. Sugar and other refined foods and refined oils are forbidden. (The elimination of refined foods is one point where I agree with the Paleo diet. See my previous articles for some of the many health-damaging effects of refined carbohydrates. As a note, many of the feel-better results of the Paleo diet likely come from the elimination of refined carbohydrates and other refined foods.) The Paleo diet also prescribes eliminating the eating of all grains and legumes, and sometimes dairy. Some proponents of the Paleo diet recommend fasting for long periods in between meals to simulate the times of hunger that our supposed ancestor hunter-gatherers often faced. Any red flags waving in your mind yet? Already you should be seeing some direct contradictions to the word of God.

Let’s look a little closer at why Paleo proponents say grains are so detrimental to our health. Their main attack centers around what they label anti-nutrients in grain—primarily lectins, phytates, and gluten. This article will focus on lectins. I hope to discuss phytates and gluten in a future article.

Lectins are proteins found in plants, animals and microorganisms that bind specifically to carbohydrate- containing receptors on cell surfaces. There are many types of lectins. The ones the Paleo crowd especially like to talk about are the ones found in seeds—particularly grains and legumes which contain a higher concentration of lectins than many foods. (Nightshade plants—such as tomatoes, potatoes, peppers—also contain high levels of lectins.) Paleo supporters believe that plants developed lectins in their seeds as they evolved in order to protect them from consumption. They state that seeds were never meant to be eaten and doing so is destructive to our health.

One of their claims is that lectins can cause leaky gut syndrome. They say that lectins (and other “anti-nutrients”) can cause increased intestinal permeability, allowing incompletely digested food particles to escape into the bloodstream, triggering an autoimmune response. There is growing evidence that our intestinal linings can indeed be damaged by such things as medications (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics), alcohol consumption, and radiation exposure—but solid evidence that it can be damaged by lectin has yet to be shown. (Intestinal damage may be a root cause of the rapid rise of food intolerances, and taking measures to heal the gut may allow food many intolerances—including non-Celiac wheat intolerances—to be resolved.)

Paleo supporters also claim that wheat lectins can enter the bloodstream through the digestive system and create havoc in the body. It is true that lectins from some foods have been shown to enter the bloodstream (tomatoes, peanuts), but current research indicates that the lectins in wheat do not. More research needs to be done, but at least one study using healthy subjects showed that wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) was not detected in the blood samples of any of the subjects tested up to twenty-four hours following consumption of 50 grams of wheat germ. (1)

It is important to know that lectins have many protective and beneficial functions in the body. Dr. Clyde Wilson, researcher and professor of biochemistry and biophysics, says: “Lectins break down the membranes of hurtful invaders: cancer cells (reducing prostate, colon and other cancers), fungi, bacteria and viruses (even the HIV-1 retrovirus). [This] is part of the reason that tomatoes, corn, whole grain rice, wheat, oats, nuts, sunflower seeds, peaches, mangos, grapes, cinnamon, citrus, berries, tea and most other plant foods are healthy. All of these contain significant amounts of lectins.” (2)

Lectin levels can be toxic in some non-edible seeds: Don’t eat castor beans! But evidence indicates that lectins in foods such as grains and legumes are only a problem if these foods are consumed in excessively large quantities or are eaten raw. Because the lectins in legumes are less sensitive to dry heat, it may be wise to avoid eating baked goods made with flour milled from raw legumes. It may also be wise to avoid eating raw grains, unless they are sprouted. Dr. Wilson continues, “When there are VERY large amounts of lectins in our food, we start to feel the effects of their hurting the membranes of the cells lining our intestines the same way they hurt cancer cells and bacteria. As with everything in life, too much of a good thing is a bad thing.” (2)

Even from the mouths of Paleo leaders come the admission that many proclaimed Paleo tenents are not scientifically valid. Mat LaLonde (who has a PhD in organic chemistry and also a post doctorate degree in inorganic chemistry from Harvard University) has stated this in several interviews, including a podcast with Paleo author Chris Kresser: “. . . it turns out that most lectins, especially the most well-studied ones like wheat germ agglutinin . . . are deactivated by heat [cooking]. These proteins are very sensitive to heat, and they’re destroyed. . . .We have the research to show that they are toxic in animals in vitro when they’re fed to animals, but it turns out that they’re feeding raw legumes or pure isolated proteins to these things, not cooked food. . . . Improperly cooked legumes are going to make you very sick. You’re going to have some serious GI distress, and it is probably due to the lectin, but that doesn’t mean that it actually does get in the bloodstream and cause problems.” (3)

One source of lectins of which we DO need to be wary is those artificially spliced into genetically modified foods. In 1998, scientist Arpad Pusztai began a great controversy when he spliced a lectin from the snowdrop plant into a potato in an attempt to make the potato more insect resistant. (4) This is another reason to avoid genetically modified food. In spite of much misinformation to the contrary, there is NO genetically modified wheat grown commercially in the United States or worldwide. Yes, wheat has been hybridized through the years, but that is wheat-to-wheat cross breeding, not the splicing of foreign genetic material from another species.

What should all of this mean to you as a believer in the restored gospel and the Word of Wisdom? First of all, need I even point out that the Paleo diet is based on the false premise of evolution, which is in complete defiance to the account of God’s creation of the world in Genesis? We did not evolve from Paleo man. The Scriptures also tell us that God created seeds to be used for food. Besides D&C 86, this is indicated in Genesis. “And I, God, said unto man, Behold, I have given you every herb, bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth; and every tree in the which shall be the fruit of a tree, yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat” (Genesis 1:31, Inspired Version).

It is also clear that agriculture was established from the very beginning of time. When Adam and Eve were expelled from garden of Eden, God told Adam, “By the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread ” and that Adam would “till the ground from whence he was taken” (Genesis 3:25, 29, Inspired Version). We also know that Cain was a “tiller of the ground” (Genesis 5:5, Inspired Version). Should we esteem information promoted by believers of evolution above the word of God? Turn to Section 86 of the Doctrine and Covenants and study God’s direction for our diet. In verse 2b, God tells us to eat meat sparingly. The Paleo diet makes meat the staff of life. The Paleo diet says to eat NO grain, especially not wheat. In verses 2c-3b, God tells us he ordained grain for the use of man to be the staff of life, especially wheat. God, who knows all things, wants us to eat wheat! Have you ever wondered why? Wheat is one of the richest sources of lectins. This makes me wonder what health benefits of lectins have yet to be discovered.

Scientific research is interesting, but it is also fallible. It must not be the basis of our acceptance or rejection of philosophies such as the Paleo diet. God’s word is truth. If God said he made seed for us to eat and that he gave us grains, especially wheat, to be our staff of life, then we must believe it on the sole basis of his word. To do less jeopardizes the foundation of our faith. Will we foolishly require a complete understanding or proof before we will believe God’s word? Where, then, is our faith? It is as we accept and live by the truths of God’s word that we become capable of receiving more light and deeper understanding. It is time we accepted and lived by the Word of Wisdom.

“And again, he that receiveth the word of truth, doth he receive it by the spirit of truth, or some other way? if it be some other way, it be not of God. . . . He that receiveth light and continueth in God, receiveth more light,and that light growth brighter and brighter, until the perfect day” (Doctrine and Covenants 50:5b, 6b).







Below are my references for your perusal. It is important to remember that creators of blogs, podcasts, and websites on the Internet are expressing their opinions and are not accountable to anyone to prove accuracy. On the other hand, it is important to remember that even carefully conducted scientific studies from reliable institutes of research are often flawed and lead to wrong conclusions. God is the only infallibly accurate source.


1. Kuzma, J. N. and Cordain, L. (April 2010). Ingestion of Wheat Germ in Healthy Subjects Does Not Acutely Elevate Plasma Wheat Germ Agglutinin Concentrations. The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, Meeting Abstract Supplement 723.10.
http://www.fasebj.org/cgi/content/meeting_abstract/24/1_Meeting Abstracts/723.10

2. Wilson, C. (February 7, 2011). Paleo Diet Incorrect: Legumes Are Not Antinutrients.
http://www.drclydewilson.com/content/paleo-diet- incorrect-legumes-are-not-antinutrients

3. Kresser, C. and LaLonde, M. (June 2012). What Science Really Says About the Paleo Diet. Podcast transcript.
http://chriskresser.com/rhr-what-science-really-says-about-the-paleo-diet-with-mat-lalonde

4. Rhodes, J. M. (May 8, 1999). Genetically Modified Foods and the Pusztai Affair. British Medical Journal, 318(7193): 1284.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1115659/