Reasons for Gluten-free

Not The Same Wheat

Most of the wheat type we see today is Modern Wheat, or known as the Common Wheat.

The gluten of Modern Wheat has a very different protein structure than ancient wheat types, because Modern Wheat is a result of human manipulation on wheat’s genetic composition for economic benefits:

  • Higher yield
  • More bread production
  • Higher loaf volume capacity for bread production
  • Higher gluten content for pasta production
  • Pesticide-resistant ability
  • Increased disease resistance
  • Increased tolerance to environmental stresses

Different Gluten

Before human modifications, gluten proteins of ancient wheat types has weaker and more fragile network which is more water-soluble and easier for the body to break down.

Look at this batter with ancient wheat Einkorn, they are way lower in gluten!

Mess Up Your Digestion

Wheat naturally contains Amylase trypsin inhibitors (ATIs), a natural pesticide that protect it from pests. When wheat is manipulated for increased in disease resistance, the content of ATIs also increased.

ATIs are highly resistant to human digestion. Increased ATIs leads to:

  • Indigestion
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, e.g. bloating, constipation, gas, more acid reflux...
  • Indigested substances ferment in the gut and may further trigger more innate immune responses in the gut wall, leading to inflammation.

Trigger Inflammation

Modern wheat has much stronger gluten (higher proportions of alpha-gliadins and high-molecular-weight glutenins) so as to make the end product looks bigger in volume, fluffier or more chewy.

These altered protein contents make modern wheats much harder to digest (even the end product looks soft) and more likely to trigger innate immune responses that leads to chronic inflammation.

Chronic inflammation is the cause of variety of diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune conditions, and neurodegenerative disorders [PubMed].

Leaky Gut & Migraine

Compared with ancient wheat types, modern wheat also has stronger zonulin release that contributes to increase in gut permeability. 

Increased gut permeability means toxic digestive metabolites, bacteria, and bacterial toxins enter into the bloodstream and cause inflammation in the central nervous system and whole body.

A very common symptom of wheat influence is having migraine and headache. 

Leaky gut also is an important factor for the recovery of eczema.

Toxic Glyphosate

Another reason scientists use chemical mutagenesis to modify on wheat is for herbicide resistance. 

Since 1974, Monsanto commercialized the herbicide glyphosate (Roundup®) as a pre-harvest weed control treatment and drying crops. This herbicide is applied just before 1-2 weeks before harvest. 

Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide that used to kill weeds and grasses to get crops ready for harvest, and even ripen fruit. 

Glyphosate, classified as a “probable human carcinogen”, studies found that it disrupts tight junctions in the small intestinal lining which result in leaky gut.

Glyphosate also enhances the damaging effects of other food-borne chemical residues and environmental toxins, which increases burden on the liver and cause harm to the body.

Even at low dose exposure, glyphosate can alter gut microbiota composition in a bad way.

Glyphosate is making wheat toxic.

(Read more: Glyphosate And Leaky Gut)

Time For A Change

Wheat-related sickness is no longer a "western disease" because the genome of modern wheat has changed globally. The use of herbicide, glyphosate, is also used globally. 

The negative impact of modern wheat also doesn’t just limit to people who has wheat allergy and celiac disease. 

Avoiding modern wheat and its products may be a good option for improving your health!

Let's learn gluten-free cooking today!