Wheat – How to Lose Weight VII

Picture of Dr. Jason Fung
Dr. Jason Fung

Wheat is one of the most vilified foods in the nutritional world.  From gluten concerns to obesity, the poor fellow doesn’t have a friend to call his own.  Yet wheat, along with rice and corn, is one of the most ancient domesticated foods in existence.  The original Paleo – if you will.  How can wheat possibly be so bad?
Somewhere around 3000 BC the people around the area of modern day Syria began to cultivate the ancestors of wheat – the emmer and einkorn varieties.  Having a semi-stable source of food improved survival odds tremendously.  Soon, the farmers had spread across the globe bringing wheat along with, later, domesticated animals.

The next major improvement in agriculture came with the application of fertilizers to increase yield.  First, guano, the nitrogen and phosphorus rich droppings of penguins and seabirds were applied with great effect.  With the advent of nitrogen processing, chemical fertilizers were soon making their mark.  This kept agricultural production high enough to feed the world.  For a time.

Nevertheless, by the 1950s there were Malthusian concerns of worldwide famine.  In Mexico, Norman Borlaug, who would later win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970, began to experiment with higher yielding varieties of wheat.  One of his accomplishments was to increase the seed head size.  However, there was a problem.  The large head would tend to flop over on the stalk.

The solution was to shorten the stalk of the wheat.  This became known as dwarf and semi-dwarf wheat and had the advantage that it would not buckle as well as faster maturation.  No time was wasted growing the stalk which was not edible anyway.  Within years, 95% of wheat was of the Borlaug variety and the yield increased by 6 fold.  India, facing mass starvation in 1965, ordered tonnes of the new seed and farmers began to plant dwarf wheat.  Wheat harvests quickly tripled and India became self-sufficient in food.  This was the Green Revolution and Norman Borlaug was the Father.

But where Dr. Borlaug bred naturally occurring strains, successors quickly turned to new technology to enhance mutations.  This was the atomic age after all.  Using X-rays and thermal neutrons, these new Genetically Modified (GMO) crops were born.  Later, scientists would discover how to target specific genes for inclusion into new genomes.  Wheat is a relative laggard, with corn, rice and soybeans taking the lead.

The wheat varieties of today are not the same as those 50 years ago.  The new varieties of wheat were not tested in any safety lab.  They were merely assumed to be safe.  But the Broadbalk Wheat Experiment is clear evidence that the nutritional content has changed significantly as documented in the paper “Evidence of decreasing mineral density in wheat grain over the last 160 years“.

The red line depicts the introduction of dwarf wheat.  Even as grain yields skyrocket, the micronutrients contained in the wheat grain plummet.  Does this matter?  I don’t actually know, but it sure can’t be good.

Has the wheat changed over the last 50 years?  Hard to say but there has certainly been an increase in celiac disease.  Gluten causes damage to the small intestine in susceptible patients.  Dr. Murray of the Mayo Clinic compared blood samples from Air Force men 50 years and found that the prevalence of celiac disease has quadrupled.  Could this be a result of the changes in wheat itself?  Hard to say, but interesting to think about.

The other major change in wheat is the method of processing.  Wheat berries were traditionally ground by large millstones powered by animals or humans.  This has been replaced by the modern flour mill which is better at removing everything.  The bran, middlings, germ and oils are removed leaving the pure white starch.  Most of the vitamins, proteins and fats are removed.  This is modern white flour in all its evil beauty.  Modern milling is able to grind flour to such a fine dust that absorption into the body is extremely rapid.


Starches are composed of hundred of units of sugars all linked together.  75% of the starch is organized in occasionally branched chains called amylopectin.  The rest comes as unbranched chains called amylose.  There are several classes of amylopectin.  Legumes are particularly rich in amylopectin C.  This is very poorly digested.  As the undigested carbohydrate moves towards the colon, gut flora produces gas causing the familiar ‘tooting’ of the bean eater.  While beans and legumes are very high in carbohydrates, much of it is not absorbed, Beano notwithstanding.

Amylopectin B is found in bananas and potatoes.  This is intermediate in absorption.  The most easily digested is Amylopectin A found in – you guessed it – wheat.  The upshot is that wheat is converted to glucose more efficiently than virtually any other food.  This is recognized in the Glycemic Index where the effects of the different amylopectins is evident.

There are also persistent concerns that the gluten in wheat produces exorphins.  While other foods may have gluten, wheat is the the major source in our diets by a factor of 100.    Digestion of this gluten may yield morphine like substances that can cross the blood brain barrier that many are concerned are addictive.  While evidence in the medical literature is sparse, anecdotal evidence is not.  Many people admit to being ‘addicted’ to bread and pasta.  Comfort foods are also typically flour based – cookies, cakes, macaroni and cheese.  While this does not prove anything, it is certainly worth noting.

China provides an interesting insight into a traditional rice based diet that has introduced wheat.  Exhaustive data were compiled by T. Colin Campbell in The China Study.  Wheat is the strongest positive predictor of body weight.  As wheat intake increases, so does Body Mass Index.  There was also a strong association with coronary disease and wheat intake.
So let’s see.  Modern wheat is a problem because

  1. Lower nutritional value
  2. Processing removes most of fibre and vitamins
  3. Modern milling speeds digestion therefore increasing glycemic effect
  4. High in amylopectin A
  5. May be addictive

Please, sir, can I have some more?

Not all carbohydrates lead to obesity.  However, refined grains such as flour clearly do.  This has been known since the time of William Banting.

The next step in weight loss? Reduce refined grains, particularly wheat.

Next article:  The Great Carbohydrate Debate – How To Lose Weight VIII
Start here with Calories I – How Do We Gain Weight?


By The Fasting Method

For many health reasons, losing weight is important. It can improve your blood sugars, blood pressure and metabolic health, lowering your risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer. But it’s not easy. That’s where we can help.

Responses

Fasting Coaching

Coaching Plans with our Expert Fasting Coaches

  • Receive expert guidance on fasting, nutritional strategies and healthy habits
  • For individuals who are looking to lose weight and would like frequent contact with peer and coaching support
  • One complimentary Intake Assessment per client
  • Please review the coach’s bios and watch the videos to determine which coach is the best fit for your Intake Assessment

Single Session

$199 USD

1 SESSION:

  • One 45-minute 1-on-1 session

Group Coaching

$1299 USD*

14 TOTAL SESSIONS:

  • Twelve 60-minute group sessions, up to 4 participants
  • Two 1-on-1 sessions
  • Six-month coaching program

BONUS:

  • Six months community access ($239 value)

One-on-One Coaching

$1249 USD*

8 TOTAL SESSIONS:

  • Seven 30-minute 1-on-1 sessions ($1596 value)
  • One 45-minute 1-on-1 session
  • Six-month coaching program

BONUS:

  • Six months community access ($239 value)
*Financing available for Standard and Ultimate plans. Billed for a duration of 3 months. All financing options include a 5% administration fee included in the first payment.

Executive Coaching

Coaching Plans with our Expert Executive Coaches

  • Personalized fasting and nutritional plans catered to your health needs, goals and lifestyle
  • This program is designed for those looking to improve metabolic health and tackle their mindset and behavior challenges
  • One complimentary Intake Assessment per client
  • Please review the coach’s bios and watch the videos to determine which coach is the best fit for your Intake Assessment

Single Session

$399 USD

1 SESSION:

  • One 45-minute 1-on-1 session

Group Plan

$1799 USD

14 TOTAL SESSIONS:

  • Twelve 60-minute group sessions, up to 4 participants
  • Two 1-on-1 sessions
  • Six months community access ($239 value)
  • Six-month coaching program

Standard Plan

$1499 USD

4 TOTAL SESSIONS:

  • Four 45-minute 1-on-1 sessions ($1596 value)
  • Six months community access ($239 value)
  • Six-month coaching program

Ultimate Plan

$2699 USD

8 TOTAL SESSIONS:

  • Eight 45-minute 1-on-1 sessions ($3192 value)
  • Six months community access ($239 value)
  • Six-month coaching program

Ultimate Combo

$2699 USD

8 TOTAL SESSIONS:

  • Four 45-minute Metabolic Coaching Sessions
  • Four 45-minute Behavioral Coaching Sessions ($3192 value)
  • Six months community access ($239 value)
  • Six-month coaching program

The Diabetes Code Cookbook

Delicious, healthy, low-carb recipes to manage your insulin and prevent and reverse Type 2 Diabetes

By Jason Fung, MD

Life in the Fasting Lane

Making intermittent fasting a lifestyle

By Jason Fung, MD, Eve Mayer, Megan Ramos

The PCOS Plan

Prevent and reverse polycystic ovary syndrome through diet and fasting

By Nadia Brito Pateguana, ND, Jason Fung, MD

The Cancer Code

A revolutionary new understanding of a medical mystery

By Jason Fung, MD

The Longevity Solution

Rediscovering centuries-old secrets to a healthy, long life

By James DiNicolantonio, PhD, Jason Fung, MD

The Complete Guide to Fasting

Heal your body through intermittent, alternate-day, & extended fasting

By Jason Fung, MD and Jimmy Moore

The Obesity Code

Unlocking the secrets of weight loss

By Jason Fung, MD

The Essential Guide to Intermittent Fasting for Women

Balance your hormones to lose weight, lower stress, and optimize health

By Megan Ramos

The Diabetes Code Journal

The official workbook for reversing Type 2 diabetes through healthy eating and fasting

By Jason Fung, MD