Page 73 - Summer 2017 Journal

high glyphosate content—is gluten free food,” adding that “anything that has ‘gluten-free’ mentioned has become suspect in my mind.”10 Mitra found that the CFIA’s average glyphosate readings for gluten-free items produced in the U.S. and Canada were “between two and three times the national average for USA and Canada, which are already high to start with.”11
To say that these findings are startling and troubling is an understatement. Given what we are learning about glyphosate’s many damag- ing effects on the human biome and body,13 consuming only organic gluten-free foods is of immense importance.
PHYTATES AND ANTINUTRIENTS
Even if you stick with non-rice-based, organic gluten-free foods, there is one final problem lurking in all that “healthy” gluten-free packaging and messaging: phytates (also called phytic acid) and other antinutrients. Phytates bind with minerals and block proper absorption of minerals such as iron, zinc and calcium. Al- monds and oats, which are common ingredients in gluten-free foods, are both high in phytic acid. Soy is another exceptionally high source of phytic acid. Although rice has lower phytic acid than many other grains, phytic acid is still a concern. Processes that can reduce phytic acid content include soaking, sprouting and ferment- ing,14 but manufacturers of store-bought gluten- free foods generally do not process or prepare
their ingredients in these ways.
Unfortunately, even avoiding high-phytate
grains does not solve the problem because some of the other grain and legume options that fea- ture prominently in gluten-free products can be loaded with other antinutrients. For example, as Chris Masterjohn has pointed out, some vari- eties of millet are exceptionally goitrogenic.15 Many beans also contain antinutrients well known to readers of Wise Traditions.16 Although cooking and processing will reduce lectins, other antinutrients will be left mostly intact.
WEIGHING RISKS AND BENEFITS
There is no doubt that some people ben- efit from a gluten-free diet, and some healing dietary protocols such as GAPS temporarily require it. Some people feel better when they
SUMMER 2017
reduce their gluten intake. However, the num- ber of people eating a gluten-free diet and the products being pushed as gluten-free go well beyond what is necessary. In addition, many people simply are substituting processed fake or improperly prepared gluten-free foods for processed fake or improperly prepared gluten- containing foods. The evidence is clear—such substitutions are even more problematic for our health and wellbeing than consuming gluten- containing processed foods. Even individuals who substitute more whole and less processed gluten-free grains and foods may not realize that these foods can pose substantial risks to their health and the health of their family.
Correct preparation of traditional gluten- containing grain products involves careful handling to unlock their nutritional value and minimize any problematic compounds that they contain. When properly prepared, there is clear historical evidence that gluten-containing grains are health-promoting for vast numbers of people. However, most gluten-free foods on the market are not at all like their traditionally prepared gluten-containing counterparts. By going gluten-free, people are increasing their exposure to heavy metals, herbicides such as Roundup (and its active ingredient glyphosate), and antinutrients. Far from improving long-term health, going gluten-free can endanger it. All the slick marketing in the world cannot make con- taminated foods—whether gluten-containing or gluten-free—good for our bodies.
Because manufacturers use a whole array of ingredients to make gluten-free products, including a wide variety of non-wheat-based grains and starches, it is “buyer beware” in the gluten-free marketplace. Consumers can only hope that the labels are clear enough to allow them to know which ingredients may be occasionally acceptable and which ones they should avoid.
RECOMMENDATIONS
I wish the research did not show such trou-
bling results for gluten-free foods and diets, but there is no avoiding the conclusion that going gluten-free has the potential to do great damage to one’s health if done improperly. If you have got to go gluten-free, go wisely! Here are some
Gluten-free foods, just like any and all conventionally raised foods, show high levels of contamination with industrial agricultural chemicals, and especially glyphosate (the key ingredient in Roundup).
Wise Traditions
73