Dear Friends and family,
There are few foods more comforting and enjoyable than bread…
Whether it is a warm piece of focaccia dipped in olive oil… a sandwich on a chewy baguette… a flaky croissant… or even the simplest slice of toast with butter…
Just thinking about these foods makes your mouth water!
And the blissful “intoxication” you experience when you eat bread is real.
In fact, you might say bread is the original food addiction.
Traditional bread produces compounds called gluteomorphins. And as their name implies, these compounds engage opioid receptors in your brain – the same receptors triggered by drugs like morphine and heroin.
Very similar compounds, called casomorphins, are found in cheese.
That would certainly explain the euphoric rush of pleasure you feel, when biting into a crusty slice of pizza with bubbly, melted cheese!
And just to make sure you keep coming back for more – the blood-sugar spike you get from high-carb bread elevates dopamine – the “craving neurochemical” from which the word “dope” originates.
So it is no stretch of logic to say that…
Bread is a Drug that Causes a Repetitive
Cycle of Cravings – for More Bread!
Our love affair with comforting (and addictive) bread is as old as recorded history…
The Bible practically commands followers to eat it: “Give us this day our daily bread…”
It was so revered in ancient Greece, the rest of the meal was called ópson – meaning “condiment” or bread’s accompaniment.
However, that fuzzy glow you feel when you bite into a slice of warm bread is short lived.
And, unfortunately…
Those Few Moments of Toasty-Buttered Bliss Carry a Heavy Price
Well-known cardiologist, Dr. William Davis, calls wheat “the perfect chronic poison.”
And for a poison, we sure eat lots of it. The average American consumes 55 pounds of wheat flour every year –making refined flour the number-one source of calories in the American Diet!
Functional nutrition expert, Chris Kresser, describes this as “a public health catastrophe.”
And it’s one you have likely experienced firsthand…
Eating traditional bread can elicit a range of symptoms. It might make you feel sluggish and foggy headed. Or cause you to gain unsightly fat on your belly, butt and thighs… while packing deadly visceral fat around your internal organs.
And part of the reason is because of the…
Little-Known Compound that Makes the
Glycemic Index of Wheat among the Highest of ALL Foods
You know how important it is to keep your blood sugar stable…
Rapid blood-sugar and insulin spikes promote a cascade of inflammation and oxidation.
Triggering these forces over and over again dramatically increases your risk for cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, fatty liver, diabetes, macular degeneration, physical aging (wrinkles) and more!
And did you know that wheat – including so-called “healthy” whole wheat – spikes your blood sugar more than almost any other food… even when the same number of carbs is consumed?
That’s because 75% of the carbohydrates in wheat are in the form amylopectin A.
This compound is unique because of how rapidly it is transformed to glucose.
According to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating just two slices of whole wheat bread spikes your blood sugar more than drinking a can of soda, eating a candy bar or helping yourself to six teaspoons of table sugar![1]
And if the threat of diabetes, heart disease and metabolic syndrome is not enough… the damage traditional bread can do to your gut should make you think long and hard before you butter your next biscuit!
Unfortunately, however, there is a BIG misconception about bread and your gut.
And it has cost millions of people their health and enjoyment in life…
Don’t Be Fooled by this Common (and Deadly)
Myth about Bread… What You Don’t Notice CAN Hurt You!
You’re probably familiar with Celiac Disease. It is the most serious – and often life-threatening – sensitivity to grains that contain gluten.
Many who suffer this condition cannot consume even the slightest speck of wheat without severe digestive pain… and other embarrassing symptoms.
Other illnesses, like Crohn’s and inflammatory bowel disease also result in debilitating cramping, bloating and other digestive distress when wheat is consumed.
This leads many people to believe that as long as you can eat bread without belly problems – then you must be in the clear… no harm done!
Do not be fooled by this dangerous myth!
Truth is nearly 50% of newly-diagnosed celiac patients have no digestive symptoms![2]
In other words, half of the people who are EXTREMELY sensitive to wheat can still consume it without the typical “stomach problems”.
The bottom line is…
Even if You Can Eat a Three-Foot Submarine Sandwich
Without the Slightest Gurgle in Your Tummy…
Does NOT Mean it is Not Hurting You!
Even if you feel “just fine” after eating bread, every bite is causing silent damage to your gut – and quietly setting you up for serious disease!
Dr. Alessio Fasano is a professor of medicine and distinguished researcher, with more than 240 peer-reviewed papers to his credit.
His research – in addition to dozens of other scientists around the world – shows that wheat causes chronic gut inflammation. Compounds within it can also do direct damage to every tissue in your body.
And you don’t need certain genetics for the damage to occur…
It happens to EVERYONE who consumes it!
Of course, the inflammatory protein we call “gluten” is partly to blame.
In fact, the New England Journal of Medicine lists 55 conditions, which can be caused by gluten – ranging from those as “benign” as canker sores to diseases as serious as cancer![3]
But gluten is only a FRACTION of the story, because…
Traditional Bread also Contains the
#1 Greatest Danger in the American Diet
A study published in Plant Physiology, shows that modern wheat is capable of producing at least 23,788 unique proteins – and any ONE of these can trigger an inflammatory response.[4]
This is why some people react severely to wheat – but have NO reaction to gluten (even in high doses).
The most dangerous proteins in wheat are known as lectins – the primary compounds plants use to protect themselves from insects, bacteria… and YOU![5]
Lectins are actually designed to poison you. In fact, the poison known as ricin – deadly in amounts as small as half a grain of sand – is a lectin.
Of course, most lectins won’t kill you overnight… but they can make you VERY sick over time!
Among the most dangerous is wheat germ agglutinin (WGA).
Studies show that WGA is:
- Cardiotoxic – Toxic to the heart and blood vessels[6][7]
- Immunotoxic – Toxic to the immune system[8][9][10]
- Cytotoxic – Induces programmed cell death[11]
- Neurotoxic – Toxic to nerves and brain tissue[12][13][14]
It can exert these effects in minute concentrations – and just one kernel of wheat contains 16.7 trillion molecules of this toxic compound![15]
Just imagine the dose you get, when you eat bread at nearly every meal. And don’t forget… the highest concentrations are found in supposedly “healthy” whole and sprouted grains!
And if that’s not enough, WGA is also the reason…
Why It’s Nearly IMPOSSIBLE to Burn Fat and
Lose Weight When You’re Eating Bread!
You’ve probably heard of insulin as “the fat storage hormone.”
When insulin and glucose levels are high
- Fat storage increases and
- Fat burning stops
That’s why high-glycemic traditional bread is so effective at making you FAT!
But it gets even WORSE, because…
Studies show that wheat germ agglutinin is a “dead ringer” for insulin.[16]
In fact, a report in The American Journal of Physiology proves that WGA bonds directly to insulin receptors – which increases fat storage and blocks your ability to burn stored fat![17]
And that’s not the only way this killer compound in bread disrupts your hormonal function…
WGA also blocks the hormone leptin.
Leptin is extremely important when it comes to your appetite and weight. It is the molecule that tells your brain when it’s time to eat… and when you’ve had enough.
Can You Imagine What Happens to Your Body
When Your “Stop Eating Signal” Is Broken?
Well, you don’t have to imagine, because…
So, not only is WGA toxic to nearly every cell in your body, it can also make you FAT and prevent you from shedding those extra pounds!
Kind of makes you think twice about traditional bread, doesn’t it?
Well don’t worry, because you’re about to discover
How you can actually have your bread… AND be well too!
But first, it’s important you understand what lectins do to your GUT…
Because this is what has caused nearly 50 million Americans – and millions more around the world – to become cripplingly sick!
Lectins are often described as “sticky” molecules. They use this property to bind to cell membranes… especially the cells that line your intestines.
This can interfere with digestion. But it also causes chronic inflammation and…
The Long-Term Consequences of
Chronic Gut Inflammation are Severe!
The lining of your gut is extremely sensitive…
So sensitive that it’s slightly damaged every time you eat (even when you choose the healthiest foods). Normally, the damage is repaired quickly and the lining of your gut is regenerated with new cells.
But lectins slow vital regeneration to a crawl…
By attaching to the wall of your intestines, they prevent the cells from regenerating fast enough to keep the lining of your gut intact.
But they don’t just slow repair, because…
Lectins are designed to attack your gut!
Sticky lectins wedge into your gut wall and pry apart the “tight junctions” between cells.
This fans the flames of inflammation (even if you don’t notice any discomfort). So not only do lectins start a fire in your belly… they also prevent repair and regeneration.
They are like an arsonist who sets fire to a building… and then blocks the road so the fire department can’t arrive to put out the blaze!
And let me tell you…
Why that Blaze in Your Belly
Stoked by Bread is so Dangerous…
When your gut is healthy, beneficial nutrients easily pass through…
While bacteria, viruses, yeast, allergenic proteins and bits of undigested food are blocked from entering your bloodstream.
But when your critical gut barrier is inflamed – and the “tight junctions” are pried apart – harmful substances seep from your digestive system into your blood.
And once these compounds are in your blood, they can wreak havoc on every aspect of your health!
This Dangerous Condition is Called “Leaky Gut”
And the #1 Dietary Cause… is WHEAT!
The most confusing part about leaky gut is that many symptoms of this serious digestive condition have NOTHING to do with abdominal discomfort or “problems in your belly”…
Considering all of these (seemingly) unrelated symptoms – and there can be MANY more – it’s easy to see why so many who suffer go undiagnosed.
And the Longer the Damage Goes on…
The Worse it Will Be Down the Road
Unwanted substances leaking from your digestive tract into your blood promotes constant inflammation – the cornerstone of disease.
But what it does to your immune system might be worse!
As pathogens, proteins and undigested food particles seep into your blood, your immune system mounts an attack against these “foreign” invaders.
This dramatically increases the number and severity of food allergies, intolerances and seasonal allergies you may experience. And it’s the root cause of the modern allergy epidemic.
Your immune system isn’t designed to engage in a never-ending war. Constant hyper-vigilance takes a toll. As your over-taxed system grows weaker, you become more susceptible to illness and infection.
But a weaker immune system might be the least of your problems …
Autoimmune Disease: What Happens
When Your Own Body Turns Against You?
Your immune system has incredible power to destroy tissue and cells. This is how it protects you. But you want this defensive weapon pointed at the enemy…
You do NOT want the gun pointed back at YOU!
And that’s exactly what happens when your immune system is “triggered” by every bite of food you take. Constantly over-stimulated, it loses ability to recognize “self” from “non-self”.
Instead of destroying foreign invaders, it wages war on healthy tissues and organs. Your own body begins to attack your colon… your thyroid… your joints… your nervous system… and even your brain!
There are more than 100 different autoimmune conditions and the number of people affected RIGHT NOW is staggering!
According to the American Autoimmune Association, 50 million Americans suffer at least one these conditions. That’s nearly one out of five people in the US (plus 100s of millions more worldwide)!
Autoimmune disease is among the top 10 causes of death in women under 65. And it can be incredibly debilitating before it kills you. Telltale symptoms include:
- Crushing fatigue and weakness
- Chronic joint, muscle and bone pain
- Headaches, brain fog and poor concentration
- Insomnia, mood swings, anxiety and depression
- Digestive problems… skin problems… sinus infections
This is truly an epidemic!
But it’s not all bad news today… I have GREAT news too!
In many cases, leaky gut, autoimmune illness and a host of diet-related conditions can be reversed. And they can always be prevented, because…
The cause (and the cure) begins with the food on your plate!
However, if you think that means replacing traditional bread with commercial gluten-free varieties (or many of the recipes you see online) please reconsider, because…
Most “Gluten-Free” Bread May be WORSE
For Your Health than the Real Thing!
Most gluten-free bread (as well as cereals, crackers, cookies and other snacks) use ingredients that are not much better – or even worse – than those made with wheat!
Like other processed foods, they usually contain chemical preservatives, soy protein, dough conditioners, inflammatory seed oils, corn and rice syrup… and often, GMOs.
And in most cases, they also contain LECTINS!
If your gluten free bread contains flour made from rice, corn, beans, buckwheat, barley, rye, teff or quinoa – then it is LOADED with gut-punching lectins you need to avoid!
Some are even more dangerous than the lectins in wheat. That means your favorite gluten-free bread could cause the same health problems as traditional bread.
And that’s not all, because…
Most Gluten-Free Products Will
Send Your Blood Sugar Soaring!
In place of wheat, most gluten-free products and recipes use flours and starches with glycemic values that are off the charts!
Many of these ingredients increase your blood sugar faster and higher than wheat itself!
Here’s what Dr. William Davis, author of Wheat Belly, has to say about it …
“These powdered starches are among the few foods that increase blood sugar higher than whole wheat. These foods trigger weight gain in the abdomen, increased blood sugars, insulin resistance, diabetes, cataracts, and arthritis. They are NOT healthy replacements for wheat.”
It’s no surprise why most people actually GAIN weight on a “gluten-free” diet!
In fact, a study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology showed that 81% of people who adopted a gluten-free diet weighed more at the end of two years![18]
But that’s not the only reason to avoid these foods.
You should also know that…
Some Gluten-Free Products Contain 90 Times More
Arsenic than the EPA Allows for Drinking Water!
Chronic arsenic exposure can lead to headaches, fatigue, brain fog and digestive issues… not to mention, heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
And it can happen at VERY LOW levels!
Arsenic is a dangerous poison. And that’s why you should “Just Say No” to rice flour and rice syrup – which are COMMON ingredients on the gluten-free aisle!
Rice plants use silica to strengthen their stalks. But arsenic “looks” like silica to the plant, so it is readily pulled from the soil. And it can be a major problem – even in organic varieties!
Consumer Reports conducted a study of the issue, testing over 200 samples from 65 different products that contain rice. They found arsenic in EVERY product tested.[19] [20]
In fact, some popular gluten-free products contained up to 90 TIMES more arsenic than is allowed in drinking water!
Keep this in mind, the next time you’re walking down the gluten-free aisle.
Thank you, Kelley Herring from Healing Gourmet for posting this article. Blessings, Dr. Bobby.
