sprouted wheat - is it better?
GladdMD On Wednesday, February 29, 2012 I get a lot of questions about sprouted grain breads, like Ezekial and if they are any better than typical wheat bread. My experience says that some people will be able to tolerate this better than regular old bread and the fiber content and density is definitely higher. I found this interesting from Dr. Davis' Wheat Belly blog:
"...it’s still wheat. And it’s not the wheat of the Bible, i.e., 28-chromosome emmer or 14-chromosome einkorn; it’s the sprouted seeds from 42-chromosome modern wheat. And what a difference 14 chromosomes can make!
It is folly to believe that such a process as simply allowing the seed to germinate somehow disables all the bad potential of modern wheat. It still contains the gliadin protein that clouds your thinking and stimulates appetite. It still contains glutens that disrupt intestinal health. It still contains amylopectin A that sends your blood sugar through the roof. It still contains lectins that disable the normal intestinal barriers to foreign substances. It still contains apha amylase, peroxidases, lipid-transfer proteins, and thioredoxins responsible for a variety of allergic phenomena."
It seems the only "safe" bread is no bread at all. Dr. Davis, in his book, references a company on the east coast that sells the original, heirloom wheat. This is likely tolerated by non-celiac folks. I suggest working on living without bread, sure it's inconvenient, but so is obesity, fatigue, ibs, fibromyalgia, hormone imbalance, etc.
Reader Comments (2)
It's easy for someone to say, "work on living without bread", but the reality is that there are moms who still have to pack lunches for kids every day. I only have one child and I spend hours every day in the kitchen making healthy meals from whole, natural foods for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner. Oftentimes I am able to give my child soup or chili for lunch to avoid the whole sandwich thing.
If I am spending this much time cooking for only 3 people in the house, what is a mom with 2, 3, or 4 kids supposed to do? Most of us don't live on farms!
I am looking for real, practical advice. So if you claim that the "only 'safe' bread is no bread at all", please give moms like me some real, practical suggestions on what to pack in our kids' school lunches 5 days a week, every week.
I sympathize with you on the problem of spending hours in the every day. Since I have had to change my own way of eating, that has been my biggest complaint. I also have a family of 3, but haven't been able to bring my family on board with me yet. So I often have to make 2 meals! As far as packing lunch goes, I pack my own lunch every day, but have the luxury of using a microwave at work. Often lettuce wraps up anything that I would put on bread. Another favorite of mine is hummus for dipping.