Research published in journals such as the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry and Cereal Research Communications looked at inflammation among people who do not have celiac disease and found no evidence of “leaky gut” (in which the lining of the intestine thins and weakens, creating gaps between the cells that allow toxins and inflammatory compounds to leak out of the digestive tract) and no conclusive evidence of gluten’s effect on inflammation. In fact, several recent studies report that many of the ancient grains actually have higher levels of gluten than modern hybrid wheat. The trouble seems instead to come from the appalling lack of fiber and whole grains in the modern American diet. Justin and Elena Sonnenburg summarize in The Good Gut, “oday wheat has an image problem.” While the dietary damage associated with modern industrial agriculture is indisputable, current science absolves wheat of much of its bad reputation. Focus has come to rest particularly upon gliadins, a component of gluten that is thought to cause elevated levels of inflammation in the human gut. The popular understanding today is there is something about modern wheat, whether the way its genetic makeup has changed due to hybridization over the centuries, or the way it is grown in chemical-intensive industrial monocultures, that has led to higher levels of gluten, or perhaps different kinds of gluten, than the ancient versions of wheat upon which humanity depended for millennia, seemingly without these stomach problems. And new cookbooks such as Mother Grains and Simply Ancient Grains celebrate the culinary roots of this welcome variety in sweet and savory dishes alike.īased on current scientific understanding, it is the tastiness, diversity, whole grain goodness and nutritional profile of ancient grains-and not their supposedly winning gluten profile-that should convert eaters. Organic growers, local millers, and artisanal bakers are now working with these grains, which are becoming easier for ordinary shoppers to find. These older forms of wheat (and other grains such as teff and fonio that are not the focus here), such as emmer, einkorn, spelt and Kamut, are believed to cause less intestinal inflammation and are therefore to be better tolerated by the growing portion of the population that considers itself gluten intolerant or gluten or wheat sensitive (which are not to be confused with celiac disease, a serious autoimmune disease found in about 1% of the population). Blogs like Just Gut Science perpetuate this belief, writing in alarmist tones about “the dark side of wheat,” warning the gluten found in wheat “messes up your gut flora, leading to many diseases” and contributes to something scary-sounding called leaky gut syndrome.Īlong with the image problem of modern wheat has come a new interest in wheat alternatives, including what are commonly known as ancient grains. This popular notion has led to an explosion of gluten-free diets and cookbooks, like The Gut-Friendly Cookbook, The Anti-Inflammation Cookbook, and The Everything Gluten Free & Dairy Free Cookbook. And they are just a handful of products flourishing on supermarket and bakery shelves as part of a $22 billion global market for gluten-free foods.īooks like Wheat Belly and Grain Brain have popularized the view that modern wheat is responsible for a rise in gluten intolerance and related symptoms ranging from abdominal bloating to mental fuzziness, along with more serious illnesses like obesity and diabetes. All have something in common: they are gluten free. There are boxes of pasta made from quinoa and corn, and packages advertising perhaps less familiar grains like einkorn or spelt. Outshining the old spaghetti standby there is chickpea fusilli, red lentil rotini, and brown rice elbow macaroni. Cruising the pasta aisle of the local Safeway, you are to be forgiven if you suddenly find yourself lost in what used to be a familiar land of comfort food.
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