I often get asked this question by people on a standard diet:
Should I always avoid grains, even if I am not experiencing any symptoms of a gluten sensitivity?
Well, yes.
Research shows that gluten negatively impact your gut lining, creating an intestinal permeability also known as leaky gut. This can happen even if you do not have actual celiac disease. Symptoms of leaky gut may also not appear immediately, they build up gradually over a longer period of time. So if you are feeling fine now, that does not mean it will stay that way always.
The lining of your gut is designed to keep food, waste, and microbes safely inside your digestive tract. Gluten however cause the release of an inflammatory protein called zonulin. This zonulin opens up the junctions in the lining of the gut and then causes gaps. These gaps then allow particles to leak into your bloodstream, where they obviously do not belong. Your body will then get an immune response. And this immune response starts off systemic inflammation.
This alone is of course enough reason to stop consuming gluten. But there are other reasons as well:
- there are new forms of hybridized wheat, also known as dwarf wheat, that contain amylopectin, a super starch which is worse than sugar;
- they contain the inflammatory gliadin protein;
- the presence of a weed killer commonly used called glyphosate;
- a preservative often used called calcium propionate, which is linked to mood, behavior and attention problems
The fact of the matter is: we don’t need grains. The human body has evolved through eating animal proteins and fats, with the occasional seasonal vegetables and low carb fruits. Our modern forms of wheat and gluten especially cause inflammation, autoimmune disease, digestive disorders, and obesity.
And always remember: grains increase your blood sugar, especially when they come in the form of flours.
Sevi Rutgrink - Keto Coaching 