Are Whole Grain Products Really Good for You?

Whole grain products are usually touted as health foods...

But they’re not!

In fact, whole grains are bad for both your waistline and your health.



The Problem With Whole Grains

At first glance one would think that whole grains are healthful. After all, whole grains do contain more vitamins, minerals and fiber than their refined counterparts.

But there are some problems with whole grain products - and one of them is that they cause weight gain.

Here’s why...



Whole Grains And Weight Gain

Although whole grains are more nutritious their refined counterparts, they are, nevertheless, very high in carbohydrates.

And, while the fiber contained in whole grain products should reduce the insulin response to these carbohydrates by slowing their absorption from the intestine, the grains in these products are usually so finely ground that most of them rank about evenly on the glycemic scales with refined grain products.

As a result, most whole grain products raise blood sugar and cause as much insulin release as refined grain products. Insulin stimulates the synthesis and storage of fat, so eating these products can cause weight gain.

But that’s not the only reason whole grains can make you fat.



Whole Grains Contain Morphine-Like Substances

These substances are partly responsible for the temporary feelings of “comfort” that the consumption of grain products produce.

Unfortunately, they also slow metabolism. And, like morphine, they are addictive and create cravings that cause us to eat more foods that are high in carbohydrates – and to gain more weight!



High carbohydrate foods also create comfort by increasing the production of the brain’s feel good neurotransmitter, serotonin.

But you can increase your brain’s serotonin levels without gaining weight by taking the nutritional supplement 5-hydroxytryptophan. Click here to learn more.



Whole Grains Contain Lectins

In addition to morphine-like substances, whole grains also contain substances known as lectins. Lectins are proteins that are capable of binding to the surface of cells.

Although some lectins may play a positive role in health, most act as powerful food allergens. Food allergens cause inflammation and can lead to a variety of health problems .

They can also cause weight gain.

Eliminating food allergens has been shown to help people with inflammatory conditions lose weight. In one study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, for example, elimination of food allergens not only decreased joint pain and stiffness but also resulted in an average weight loss of 10 pounds over a six week period!

And food allergens aren’t the only way lectins cause you to gain weight.



Lectins Mimic Insulin

While the inflammatory effects of lectins are becoming increasingly well known, another characteristic of lectins that causes weight gain is their ability to mimic hormones, particularly the hormone insulin.

As previously mentioned, insulin is a hormone that stimulates fat synthesis and storage. It does this by binding to a specific site, called a receptor, on the surface of fat cells. This action allows glucose or blood sugar to enter the fat cells where it is converted to fat.

Once this occurs, insulin is released from the fat cell receptor.

Unfortunately, certain lectins, particularly the lectins found in wheat grain, can also bind to insulin receptor sites. By attaching to the insulin receptor, lectins give the fat cell the same message that insulin gives; that is, to take up glucose from the blood stream and convert it to fat.

However, unlike insulin, which is released from the cell, lectins remain attached to the insulin receptor indefinitely.

This gives the fat cell a continuous message to take up glucose and make fat.



Lectins Stimulate Appetite

In addition to stimulating the synthesis and storage of fat by binding to insulin receptors, wheat lectins can also bind to the receptor for cholecystokinin or CCK.

CCK is a hormone that is involved in appetite control.

When lectins bind to CCK receptors they increase your appetite causing you to feel hungry and eat more.

When you combine the ability of whole grain products to:

  • Cause the release of large amounts of insulin
  • increase your appetite
  • send a continuous message to your fat cells to synthesize and store fat
  • slow your metabolism and
  • create cravings

it is not difficult to understand why weight loss programs that include a large amount of whole grain products usually fail.



More Reasons to Avoid Whole Grain Products

In addition to weight gain, whole grain products can cause nutritional deficiencies.

Whole grains contain substances called phytates.

Phytates bind to key minerals like calcium, zinc and iron in our intestines, preventing their absorption. This can lead to the development of mineral deficiencies - and to additional health problems.

Iron deficiency, for example, reduces the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood making you feel tired and unable to exercise, while calcium deficiency can lead to osteoporosis, the leading cause of hip and spinal fractures in older women and men.

And a deficiency of zinc can lead to impairment of the immune system with an increased susceptibility to infection and poor wound healing.

Ironically, since phytates are removed during the refining process, whole grain products create more mineral deficiencies than refined grain products.

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