Wheat off -Weight off (Written for India Tribune Chicago) Wheat is everywhere. Bread to biscuit, bagel to burger, pasta to pizza, roti to nan the list goes on. It is no surprise that it accounts for more than 30% our daily calories. This in other term means more 600 calories a day. So what is the problem? There are basically two major problems. One many people are unaware that they are allergic to wheat. And the second is that it is a calorie dense, highly processed, chemically treated food, not the traditional nutritionally dense food it used be. Fat, sugar, salt, flavors, refining and bleaching are very common, thus practically stripping it of all the nutrients and goodness. According to Dr. Fuhrman MD, a world renowned prevention specialist, Nutrient/Calorie Density Scores of Spinach is 700 where as that of whole wheat bread is 30 only. This isn’t your great grandmother’s wheat—or waistline—we’re talking about. Amounts of wheat’s destructive compounds have increased over the past 50 years as the grain has been hybridized and crossbred to be resistant to drought and fungi. Unfortunately, those changes have transformed wheat into a harmful ingredient for many people — especially those who are trying to shed pounds. Gut Inflammation Gluten is what gives dough the ability to be stretched, rolled, and shaped into bagels, pretzels, and pizza crusts and is the culprit underlying inflammatory damage to the intestinal tract in those with celiac disease. Research suggests that present wheat contains nearly ten times the amount of gluten today as it did 50 years ago, and that’s very bad news for the millions who are sensitive to this protein. Gluten can prompt your body’s immune system to attack the digestive tract, and that can lead to malnutrition, irritable bowel syndrome, and weight gain, according to research by the University of Chicago. Hunger Suppression If you’re trying to lose weight, one of the challenges is recognizing when you’re full. A form of protein in wheat called lectin actually short-circuits communication between your stomach and your brain. Faux Hormones Wheat has its share of xeno-estrogens, as well, thanks to the pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides that factory farms use on wheat crops. These chemicals encourage women’s bodies to store fat around the thighs, hips, and belly; Thyroid Interference Food manufacturers will be quick to tell you how much consumers love a pillowy slice of bread. To achieve that airy quality, manufacturers rely on a chemical dough conditioner called potassium bromate. But this conditioner also happens to be an endocrine disruptor — it interferes with the body’s natural hormones and is linked to an increased risk of thyroid cancer and slowing down of the metabolism, you burn fewer calories and store more energy as fat. Super Starch It also contains a unique carbohydrate called amylopectin-A, which sends blood sugar soaring higher than table sugar or a candy bar ever could. Thus driving up your glucose — blood sugar — and straining your body’s ability to produce the insulin needed to process all those calories. This leads to inflammation throughout your body and extra fat stored around your belly. Healthy Options Naked Sandwiches with one slice of bread Spinach Roti or Tortilla Replace it with Sela Rice 100 Days Challenge Estimated weight loss by cutting down the wheat consumption to half, may be in excess of 10 pounds or more. Weight loss also depends on your initial excess weight and also assuming all other things are as usual. Do share your success story or experience with me. indiatribune/index.php?option=com_flippingbook&view=category&id=25%3Aaugust-2013&Itemid=528
Posted on: Tue, 27 Aug 2013 22:39:06 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015