Step 2: Eliminate all Foods Containing Grains and Processed Products

The History of the Mighty Grain.

Consumption of grains on a large scale dates back to approximately 10,000 years ago. The earth’s population was increasing rapidly. With more people populating the continent, our ancestors needed a way to feed more people faster. Agriculture was the logical answer; it offered the possibility of feeding more people per acre than hunting and gathering did. Grains offered many advantages. They could be stored for long periods of time. They are relatively high in carbohydrates. Grains are good for feeding domesticated livestock. They can be grown in many climates and are tolerant in many soils. Farming also meant that not all members of the community were engaged in feeding people; others were free to pursue additional activities to support the community. The one big disadvantage over foods hunted and gathered up until that time was that they had to be cooked before they could be consumed.[1]

Before this “agricultural revolution” humans did not regularly consume grains. Shockingly enough, multiple studies have suggested that the human brain function actually peaked just before humans began to grow and consume grains on a large scale. For instance, data has shown that as the consumption of grains in our diet has increased in the past 10,000 years, the size of our brain has decreased by 8%.[2] While this is not conclusive evidence, it does suggest that brain size (and by corollary brain performance) is positively correlated with the level of animal food in the diet. Further, human strength in relative terms has clearly shown a decrease since the introduction of agriculture to the human diet.

The much derided food pyramid suggested by the United States government stated that we should consume 6 to 11 servings of breads, cereals, rice and pasta daily.[3] In an interview,[4] Loren Cordain sums up the difference between these recommendations to consume a large percentage of our calories from grain sources and what our ancestors actually consumed:

Both the fossil record and ethnological studies of hunter-gatherers (the closest surrogates we have to stone age humans) indicate that humans rarely if ever ate cereal grains nor did they eat diets high in carbohydrates. Because cereal grains are virtually indigestible by the human gastrointestinal tract without milling (grinding) and cooking, the appearance of grinding stones in the fossil record generally heralds the inclusion of grains in the diet. The first appearance of milling stones was in the Middle East roughly 10-15,000 years ago. These early milling stones were likely used to grind wild wheat which grew naturally in certain areas of the Middle East. Wheat was first domesticated in the Middle East about 10,000 years ago and slowly spread to Europe by about 5,000 years ago. Rice was domesticated approximately 7,000 years ago in SE Asia, India and China, and maize (corn) was domesticated in Mexico and Central America roughly 7,000 years ago.

Consequently, diets high in carbohydrate derived from cereal grains were not part of the human evolutionary experience until only quite recent times. Because the human genome has changed relatively little in the past 40,000 years since the appearance of behaviorally modern humans, our nutritional requirements remain almost identical to those requirements which were originally selected for stone age humans living before the advent of agriculture.

Current Grain Consumption. Not surprisingly, modern grain consumption is on the rise. According to the USDA, Americans consume 6.7 ounces of total grains per day. The majority of this grain consumption comes from refined grains. Additionally, children, even more than adults, favor refined over whole grains.[5] Beside sugar cane, which was discussed in the previous chapter, the largest grain crops are corn, rice and wheat. Per capita use of flour and cereal products reached 200 pounds in 2000 from an annual average of 155 pounds in the 1950s and 138 pounds in the 1970s, when grain consumption was at a record low.[6] This is two times as much as Europeans, three times as much as China and eleven times as much as India.[7] Americans consume 55 pounds of wheat flour every year.[8]

The table below shows grain consumption and the prevalence of obese and overweight individuals in the United States.[9]

Decade	Annual Average Grain Consumption	Percentage of Overweight Individuals	Percentage of Obese Individuals
1950s	155.4	–	–
1960s	142.5	31.5	14.3
1970s	138.2	32.1	16.4
1980s	157.4	32.7	25.2
1990s	190.6	33.6	35.9
2000s	199.9	34.2	39.5

While the table above is not conclusive, it is clear that as grain consumption has risen, so have the number of overweight and obese individuals.

Breaking Down the Components of Grain.

A grain in its natural form (direct from the plant) is commonly called the kernel and consists of three parts. The bran is the multi-layered outer skin of the kernel that helps to protect the other two parts of the kernel from sunlight, pests, water, and disease. Inside the bran is the germ, which contains the embryo, which, if fertilized by pollen, will sprout into a new plant. The final part of the grain is the endosperm, which is the germ’s food supply. If the grain were allowed to grow the endosperm would provide essential energy to the young plant. As the largest portion of the kernel, the endosperm contains starchy carbohydrates, proteins, and small amounts of vitamins and minerals.[10]

parts of grain photo Photo by wallygrom Grains consumed in their natural form and are commonly referred to as “whole grains.” To be considered a “whole grain,” the food product must contain the same or similar relative proportions of bran, germ and endosperm. Types of whole grain that are commonly consumed are:

whole wheat,
whole oats/oatmeal,
whole grain cornmeal,
popcorn,
brown rice,
whole rye,
whole-grain barley,
wild rice,
buckwheat,
triticale,
bulgur (cracked wheat),
millet,
quinoa,
sorghum,
amaranth,
emmer,
farro,
grano (lightly pearled wheat),
spelt, and
wheat berries.

Refined and Processed Grains. Refined grains are whole grains that have been significantly modified from their natural state. The refinement process consists of two steps. The first step is that the bran, the outer skin of the kernel, and the germ are removed through grinding and sifting the grain in a machine. In the second step, grains are then mixed and bleached and are often enriched with common vitamins. [11]

Although too numerous to list here, refined grain products make their way into numerous products that modern Americans consume:

flours,
breads,
cereals,
noodles,
pastries,
white rice,
corn grits,
wheat flour,
cookies, and
cakes.

Products that go through the refining process are actually higher in carbohydrates and calories but lower in vitamins and fiber than their natural state. Refined grains are excessively starchy, which can cause digestive problems. They are acidic based on their mineral content and cause the body to form excessive mucus. Further, they are nutritionally imbalanced meaning that they are the cause for numerous degenerative diseases.[12]

While whole grains weren’t part of the Paleo diet our ancestors consumed, refined grains are an even worse food for weight loss and general health. Because of the increased carbohydrates and lack of fiber contained in refined grains, they are broken down by the body quickly and converted into glucose. This causes insulin to spike and any excess glucose in the bloodstream is transported into your fat cells. Although your body is working the way it should, because 10,000 years ago we had to store fat for the leaner times when food wasn’t readily available, we don’t face the same “feast or famine” problems in the modern era. Because we continue to consume refined carbohydrates even when we aren’t hungry, our bodies don’t get the chance to burn these fat stores.

To add insult to injury, when grains are refined, they are generally ground down into a white powdery substance (think “white flour.”) The surface area of the grain is increased to 10,000 times the surface area of the original grain. The result is a substance that is biologically similar to table sugar and reacts in the body the same – an immediate spike in insulin with the resulting fat storage. Consider also that refined grains and sugar often come in the same package – for example, white flour and table sugar are combined in cookies and cakes. These foods are easily digestible and have a high glycemic index. This combination essentially doubles the effect on your system and will cause you to gain weight.

The majority of foods that Americans eat today has been processed or refined to a large degree. According to a New York Times article, Americans eat on average 787 pounds of packaged or processed foods each year and 603 pounds of “fresh food.” In essence this means that 56% of the American diet comes from processed foods.[13] “The top six calorie sources in the U.S. diet today are grain-based desserts (cake, cookies, etc.), yeast breads, chicken-based dishes, sweetened beverages, pizza and alcoholic beverages. These are a far cry from the foods that sustained our ancestors.”[14] Since our bodies have not had enough time to genetically adapt to this introduction of refined and packaged foods, the result is that we continue to gain weight through the consumption of refined and processed foods.

Since refined and processed foods are often the ones that are easily available at fast food restaurants and grocery stores, they have become prevalent in the Modern American Diet. This doesn’t excuse their introduction, it only explains why they have become such a large percentage of the average American’s daily consumption. Refined and processed foods are also generally the most palatable and the most addictive.

Diseases of Affluence and Modern Grain Consumption.

In 1989, Dr. Staffan Lindeberg at the University of Lund, Sweden, set out to study the residents of the Melanesian island of Kitava. Set off the coast of Australia, the Kitavans were one of the few remaining peoples on Earth that were sheltered from modern culture. They “lived exclusively on root vegetables (yam, sweet potato, taro, tapioca), fruit (banana, papaya, pineapple, mango, guava, water melon, pumpkin), vegetables, fish and coconuts. Less than 0.2% of the caloric intake came from Western food, such as edible fats, dairy products, sugar, cereals, and alcohol.” They had a high amount of vitamins, minerals and fiber and a relatively low intake of fat and salt. However, their intake of saturated fat was relatively large based on their consumption of coconuts.[15] In short, they ate a primarily Paleo diet. Over the course of 15 years, Dr. Lindeberg and his team completed extensive medical testing and found that the Kitavans exhibited remarkable health and longevity. No one was overweight and they did not suffer from modern diseases like hyperinsulinimeia, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, dementia or congestive heart failure. What is strikingly absent from the Kitavans’ diet is any amount of refined grains or processed foods.

Some studies have suggested that the lifestyle choices and diets that Modern Americans consume will kill twice as many people as infectious diseases globally and result in a cost of $47 trillion over the next 20 years. Much of this “disease of affluence” and the resulting weight gain and chronic illness is a direct reflection of grain consumption.

Grains and processed food consumption have been linked to:

– Cancer. Research suggests that increased consumption of refined cereal grains and starches increased the risks for certain types of cancers, including cancer of the large bowel, the stomach, and other selected digestive and non digestive sites.[16] One study found a significant link between consumption of refined grains and colorectal cancer risk.[17]

– Autoimmune Disease. Autoimmune diseases are characterized by the body essentially attacking itself. Common types include arthritis, lupus and Type 1 diabetes. Autoimmune disorders affect between 14.7 to 23.5 million people in the United States and it has become the third most common class of illnesses. Multiple studies have suggested that people have a decreased immune system can be negatively affected by the consumption of grains and processed foods in their diet.[18]

Grain consumption has also been linked to: infertility, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, autism, depression and Anxiety, and Allergies.

Apart from the havoc that grains and processed foods wreak on our system, there is also evidence to suggest that grains contain “anti-nutrients.” An anti-nutrient is just what it sounds like; it is a compound that interferes with our ability to effectively absorb required vitamins and minerals. For example, grains have been shown to contain phytic acid, which blocks our ability to absorb calcium, zinc, iron and copper.[19]

Wheat and All Its Evils

Wheat has a special place in the Modern American Diet. Used to make “our daily bread” and thousands of other products, it has ingrained itself (pun intened) as a staple of most American’s diets. But the character of the wheat that we currently consume differs substantially from that of what we ate even 50 years ago. Modern wheat is a product of modern science – it has been genetically modified to withstand drought and prosper under many types of environments. Modern wheat is shorter and tougher with higher amounts of starch and gluten. When processed it results in a product that creates a “fluffier” and more tasty product, but has devastating effect on the human body. The small changes in wheat protein structure create a devastating immune response and weight gain, especially in the belly.

In his bestselling book, Wheat Belly, Dr. William Davis describes the effect of our modern wheat consumption:

A wheat belly represents the accumulation of fat that results from years of consuming foods that trigger insulin, the hormone of fat storage. While some people store fat in their buttocks and thighs, most people collect ungainly fat around the middle. This central or visceral fat is unique: I might fat and other body areas, it provokes inflammatory phenomena, distorts insulin responses, and issues abnormal metabolic signals to the rest of the body.

Modern Wheat is unlike the typical grains that pre-modern agriculture created. In sum, it presents three issues in the body: modern wheat is “super” fattening, inflammatory and addictive. This combination results in weight gain and contributes to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia and depression.[20]

The modern form of wheat contains a specific type of complex carbohydrate called Amylopectin A that researchers refer to as a “super starch.” In its typical form, modern wheat consists of 75% of amylopectin and 25% of the linear chain of glucose units called amylose. Both of these are digested in the mouth and stomach. Amylopectin A, is primarily found in wheat, and it is highly digestible. This “super starch” increases blood sugar at a level far greater than other complex carbohydrates like beans and even refined carbohydrates like potato chips. In fact, eating two slices of whole wheat bread carries a glycemic load greater than a can of sugar sweetened soda or a sugary candy bar. As discussed previously, the glycemic index of whole-grain bread is actually higher than that of sucrose are common table sugar.[21] This “super starch” causes people who consume it (and if you have eaten any food product with wheat in the last 50 years, they you have) to trigger the glycemic response that results in storage of belly fat. Amylopectin A also causes inflammation throughout your entire body regardless of your sensitivity to wheat.

Modern wheat also contains a type of “super gluten.” Gluten is a sticky protein that holds bread together and causes it to rise. Apart from those individuals that have Celiac disease, gluten sensitivity is a problem that affects an estimated 7% of the population. Gluten sensitivity can result in inflammation and an inflammatory reaction in the gut. In a 2012 article, Mark Hyman explains wheat’s effect on gut health:

Most of the increased risk [of heart disease, obesity, diabetes and cancer] occurs when gluten triggers inflammation that spreads like a fire throughout your whole body. It damages the gut lining. Then all the bugs and partially-digested food particles inside your intestine get across the gut barrier and are exposed your immune system, 60 percent of which lies right under the surface of the one cell thick layer of cells lining your gut or small intestine. If you spread out the lining of your gut, it would equal the surface area of a tennis court. Your immune system starts attacking these foreign proteins, leading to systemic inflammation that then causes heart disease, dementia, cancer, diabetes and more.[22]

In essence, modern wheat intake causes the body to attack itself. Over time this inflammation and immune system response creates a cycle that can make you very sick.

Modern wheat also has addictive properties. When wheat is processed by the body, it is converted into shorter proteins called “polypeptides.” These react in the body like endorphins and bind to the opioid receptors in the brain making you “high.” You can become addicted to wheat just like any other drug. People who eliminate wheat from their diet typically report improve mood, fewer mood swings, improved ability to concentrate, and deeper sleep within just days two weeks of their last bite of bagel or baked lasagna.[23]

The current response to the attack on modern wheat has been to create foods that are gluten-free. However, many gluten-free foods are made by replacing wheat flour with cornstarch, rice starch, potato starch, or tapioca starch (starch extracted from the root of the cassava plant). This is yet another trick by savvy food marketers. As you can probably guess, gluten-free foods were not a part of the Paleolithic diet. Removing the gluten from foods does not solve the underlying problems associated with how starches react in the body. Humans were not designed to consume foods that contain refined carbohydrates. Gluten-free foods should not be used as a substitute for foods containing wheat. In addition, for an individual looking to lose substantial weight gluten-free foods should be completely eliminated from the diet. Although gluten-free foods do not trigger the immune or neurological response of wheat gluten, they still trigger the glucose insulin response the causes you to gain weight.

Putting It All Together: Dumping Grains

Two Simple Rules for Avoiding Grains and Processed Foods.

– Don’t Eat Foods that Are White. If a food is primarily white in color, then avoid it. This encompasses white flour and white rice and extends to most types of breads and cereals. These include any type of processed foods or foods that contain processed flour products. Regardless of what marketers will tell you, there is no difference between simple white flour and wheat flour. Wheat flour has been dyed to make it appear healthier. Its effect on your system remains the same.

– Don’t Eat Anything From A Box. If you follow this rule, you will be 90% of the way to eliminating grains. In general, foods that come from a box (or come from a box at the supermarket) contain some degree of refined grains.

[1] http://extension.oregonstate.edu/sorec/sites/default/files/history_of_grains_optimized.pdf

[2] http://www.beyondveg.com/billings-t/comp-anat/comp-anat-4b.shtml

[3] http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/Fpyr/pmap.htm

[4] http://chetday.com/cordaininterview.htm

[5] http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/216644/err50_reportsummary_1_.pdf

[6] http://www.usda.gov/factbook/chapter2.pdf

[7] http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-05-04/india/27753737_1_meat-consumption-grain-beef-consumption

[8] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/wheat-gluten_b_1274872.html

[9] http://www.cdc.gov/NCHS/data/hestat/obesity_adult_07_08/obesity_adult_07_08.pdf & http://www.usda.gov/factbook/chapter2.pdf

[10] http://www.foodinsight.org/Resources/Detail.aspx?topic=Whole_Grains_Fact_Sheet

[11] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refined_grains

[12] http://www.rawfoodexplained.com/refined-and-processed-foods/introduction.html