The facts on Gluten and why pastas, breads, and cereals are making you fat!

Hey Guys,

    I was talking to one of my new clients this weekend and she had asked me about the importance of eating whole grain breads.  When I promptly told her that any whole grains will make you fat, she gave me a puzzled look.  She knew a candy bar was unhealthy, but she was never really taught that a piece of toast was unhealthy.  So here I noticed a lack of communication on society's part to get you the facts on Gluten, and that is exactly what we are going to provide. 

    First of all the main reason whole grains are bad for you is because of a substance caled gluten.  It is used in things like breads, pastas, and cereals and it's main purpose is to provide some chewiness/substance and help bread to rise.  What comes with it however, is a whole lot of bad.  

   Gluten gives you a huge spike in your insulin levels.  This spike (more info can be found under my carbs article) puts your body into storage mode and this mode is what ultimately makes you fat.  In essence, gluten does the same thing to your system as a candy bar would!  But wait, it get's worse.  Ever find yourself looking for healthy alternatives, and you make a sandwich with fresh veggies and meats and put it between two slices of whole wheat bread and think to yourself, I am being healthy?  What you don't know is that two slices of whole wheat bread has a higher insulin spike than a candy bar.  This means, that sandwich just hopped on the fast train to your love handles and you didn't even get to eat a dessert!  Note: white bread is one of the worst things you can eat, so just do yourself a favor and always avoid this if you can.

    Gluten also is just plain awful for our digestive system.  Gluten is extremely difficult to break down, and some studies even suggest that no one at all can break it down properly.  We simply don't have the enzymes in our body.  This means that gluten can irritate your large intestine and lead to stomach aches and bowel issues.  Additionally, constant exposure to this irritation can lead to being more likely to develop celiac disease.  Celiac disease in simple words is when the intestine walls have been damaged, can no longer absorb certain vitamins and can become inflamed easily.

   Last one we will talk about here is how gluten obstructs the absorption and uptake of essential vitamins and minerals.  Note the word essential.  Don't let gluten aid in degeneration. 

To sum it all up here are the three things you need to remember:

-Gluten spikes insulin levels (makes you fat) just as much if not more than candy will

-Gluten damages your digestive system and can cause celiac disease

-Gluten blocks essential vitamins and minerals from being absorbed


   

          Further information can be found in a great book called Wheat Belly

Cheers,

Ryan Trueman
 *Note: I do believe in using heavy carbs like pastas in carb loading before highly aerobic activities. However, as a everyday meal it is a poor choice.

Because of your awesome feedback on this post already I just went past 10,000 views! Thanks so much guys and keep spreading the word!  The steps and tricks are easy, the information is explained, and the differences are life changing!