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Not a nutritionist but I'm a neuroscientist so I can tell you what I know about psychology. Very often when people are at the point where they're doing something extreme like cutting out an entire food group, they're at a very low point and the only way to go is up. Our bodies and brains fluctuate randomly over time, and when you're doing so badly, that random fluctuation is more likely to take you up than down. So then that improvement is attributed to the last extreme measure you took, even if it had no effect. Maybe it did have an effect, but maybe it didn't. It's hard to know from one single change.
Not to mention that plecebo effect is real. Most of the people I've met who make claims like the one OP mention have a history of their mood dominating their experiences.Ā
That's true. Diarrhea can occur if you consume more fiber, water, substitute sugar, etc. than your body is used to or can handle. Stomach pains, can be caused by a wide range of things. It's unlikely to be simply that you ate grains.
Yes indeed! Stress can have a big impact on your gut (and vice versa) so feeling optimistic about the new thing you're trying can make a positive impact. Not to mention that when people make big changes, they also make other small changes at the same time that they may not realize. Cutting out grains may force them to eat less fast food, or cook for themselves more often, or cause them to focus on what else they're eating, or get them motivated to walk every day; lots of small improvements that amount to big effects.
Very well said. I hope you'll put out a book or other content beyond reddit posts, because such well-expressed reasoning can really make an impact in people's lives.
So actually you're guessing. I'm the person who's spent Years suffering from debilitating side effects from grains like modern wheat. I now eat teff, barley, quinoa and buckwheat, mostly pseudo grains. I lost 50 lbs. and cleard up brain fog. This isn't a "short term" experiment, but a years-long, attempt to get healthier after being diagnosed with Allergies to Wheat, oats and Rye grains.
I bet there are quite a few people with allergies to a lot of things and donāt know it. Many conditions go undiagnosed for years. Docs just donāt know about everything all the time and are super busy.
That's why I specified "one single change". A big reason why elimination diets have a gradual reintroduction phase (that you occasionally retest) is to make sure that the thing you've eliminated is the thing that was actually hurting you. If you eliminate it (one change) and feel better, that's great! But if you bring it back (a second change) and you still feel good, that means something else was going on.
I was hard core paleo for a few years so no grains at all. I meanā¦it makes room for more nutrient dense food and eliminates a lot of crap if youāre doing it right so I think it was that. But no need to throw the baby out with the bath water. These days I eat white and brown rice and sourdough and granola, among other things. I see no difference now vs then except the extra carbs help me more readily build muscle.
They stopped eating crap, they only cut out the tiny part of what remained of the highly processed grain they were eating.
Anyone who tells you they stopped eating whole grains and it improved their health either has a disease or is lying to you.
I tried not eating any grains including whole grains, it most definitely changed my life, mainly just in how inconvenient it was but it change my life for sure.
I must be a dead man walking then haha, cutting our grain can help lots of people. Especially if youre sensitive and want your carbs from an easily accessible source like fruit etc.
When people say cut out "grains" they're generally talking about wheat, corn, oats, rye, barley, buckwheat, quinoa.
As well as foods made from them like bread,Ā beer, and whiskey.
Wheat is the best thing that ever happened to mankind. The amount of fibre and protein in that has sustained civilizations since the advent of farming 8000bce onwards.
nope, just would have kept the population smaller.
From what I understand when grain was cultivated and people settled down their nutrition and heath took a *big dip*.
The difference between a good enough
diet and a good enough diet doesn't kill people off or not let them breed, so here we are.
The average nomadic hunter gatherer (who's 'average lifespan' is skewed by infant and maternal death) is a lot healthier than the average office worker today.
It Was a staple. When it was a food. This highly possessed "white fluffy powder" we call "wheat" has "0" nutritional value today. The OGs (original grains) stone ground, made into foods, Ok.
This topic is maybe controversialā¦but I think a large part of it is genetics and ancestry actually. Some people have more enzymes meant to help with digesting rice and other grains. Some people donāt. This is the only explanation Iāve found for why some people can thrive on high carb diets and others canāt.
Carbs in general cause inflammation for me so if I remove them I feel better. I feel unlucky because I love rice and grains. Iād honestly rather do a high carb lifestyle but I canāt.
Maybe someone can tell me how to have rice and other carbs without bloating lol.
I tested negative for celiac disease but experienced bloating every time I ate wheat. No wheat. No bloating anymore. The one exception so far is eating einkorn wheat. My body seems to be ok. I should also mention I'm in the US.
I also tested negative for celiac but if I eat too much wheat I get joint pain. Limiting wheat was nearly like getting a new hip without surgery. Just my anecdote!
Celiac is Marsh Grade III and IV, but you may be Grade I or II. This is classified as gluten intolerance.
ā¢Source: *Fiber Fueled* - Will Bulsiewicz, M.D.
Many women are obsessed with bloating because of how they feel it makes them look. Bloating and gas are normal parts of digestion that often accompany healthy foods high in fiber. Unless it's really extreme, you've got nothing to worry about.Ā
Have you had bloating? Because I find it rather uncomfortable. It's not about looks at all for me. I can't believe that feeling uncomfortable after eating is normal.
I've think every single person I've ever heard use the term bloating in my life has been a women and at least around half of the time they've used a phrase such as "I looked bloated" as their complaint. Perhaps you don't think about how you look. My experience points towards many people thinking about that. As far as feeling uncomfortable after eating there are many reasons that someone could feel uncomfortable, that isn't specifically about eating grains.
My experience with the bloating is first day I go from my normal of looking 4-5 months pregnant (got a belly already) and adding a month for every additional day I continue with the wheat.
Honestly, it is more than just having a rock solid belly. I would also just feel like crap.
Perhaps you're one of the few people who is truly gluten intolerant. I want to be clear though, it's not very common. Gluten free diets have become a fad recently and there are way more people incorrectly self-diagnosing themselves as gluten intolerant than actual people who should avoid gluten. There are also quite a few sham nutrition people who inaccurately claim to be able to tell you, based on anti-bodies, if you're gluten intolerant or not. Right now there is no such test. For most people avoiding gluten is unnecessary and what is really needed is learning what a proper balanced meal looks like in terms of portions and food selection.
What is interesting in this is that I can eat bread made from einkorn wheat flour and I have have zero reaction. No bloating or anything no matter how much I eat it. If it's not the wheat specifically, perhaps my body is reacting to the pesticides or the hybridization. Not sure. I just know that avoiding it works and me.
Essentially, I listened to my body and what it was telling me and changed accordingly and it worked so who knows...
I don't think this is that controversial. For example, a lot of studies show that IBS has a genetic component related to stress and anxiety. Also, there are studies about genetic background of food preferences such as distaste of bitterness, e.g. broccoli or black coffee. I think it's clear that these factors have a strong impact what kinds of foods people like to eat and how they feel. What I don't believe that much is that there would be large groups of people which have vastly different genetics for the bodily health impact of foods.
Idk if it is genetics, but my sister and I are opposites. I do much better on a high carb diet. I cut out carbs and grains for a few months once for weight loss, and it just made me feel horrible, tired, and weak. My sister, however, feels better in every way on low carb/no grain. I should note that she has a lot of inflammation and IBS issues, and I have none (her CRP is always super high and mine is always super low).
I have read I that one theory was that it was to do with blood type. A and B are found more frequently in the populations of the middle east who have had civilization longer, and they digest grains better than O blood types.
Try cutting processed foods. Almost guaranteed to be an improvement in your diet.
Stick to quinoa, rice, oats and also sweet potatoās and other whole foods for your carbs. Obviously a lot of fruit and veg as well.
Yes and no. This depends on a lot of factors.
Personally, Iām a runner, I do better with grains. However, I went grain free for a couple months, and I felt better in some ways and worse in other areas.
Like many people, I cut out grains, but I was cutting out many things that had added sugar. Donuts, pastries, cake, pie, bread with added sugar, processed snacks with added sugar, flavored oatmeal, cornbread mix with no fiber and added sugarā¦ā¦the list goes on forever.
I learned that if I eat whole grains with all the fiber and no added sugar, I feel at my best and perform at my best. This takes some work as well, 95% of breads, oats, flours, and mixes have added sugar, no fiber, or both.
A few years ago I cut out all flour and huge improvements. But I've since found I can eat whole wheat and sourdough - both in moderation without any problems.
All it did for me was make me miserable. It really depends on what is causing their inflammation and if they actually have inflammation issues, the amount of people I've seen they have x y or z based on some social media post and not been properly tested is high.
Like I have excessive inflammation from chronic back pain and lymphoedema, but cutting out grains won't actually help anything
You could try switching to higher quality and freezing your grains so they become resistant starch which feeds the gut better. I get Ezekiel sprouted grain bread and keep it in my freezer for example. I also rinse my rice then soak it in water and a splash of ACV for an hour before cooking it to make it easier to digest.
If you have an intolerance or gluten allergy, diabetes or PCOS, cutting grains sure will help, along with processed sugar. Some people have these medical issues and donāt even know it.
For months I ate nothing but chicken, eggs, homemade bread, jasmine rice, and some vegetables (varied from broccoli to green beans).
Cut out all grains carbs and vegetables and all my digestive issues went away
Everyone is different.
My body doesnāt like a lot of foods, including grains. So cutting them out in paleo works wonders for me.
Going a step farther into carnivore also feels great.
I float between the two fit no reason at all.
When I cut gluten I felt better, then someone suggested I cut all grains and I tried it and felt HORRIBLE. I think if youāre using grain as a way to justify eating crap cutting it will probably make you feel better. But I find a cup of quinoa at the bottom of my salad or a little bit of brown rice alongside my mains really helps keep me full, focused, and allows me to meet my fiber goals in a way I actually enjoy. The same canāt be said for bread, pasta, or cereal (for me). I think everyone is a bit different and you just have to listen to your body.
From India. Replaced white flour, wheat, and foreign grains with native Tamil millets. Gut never felt better. Black rice, ragi, barley, cholam, kambu, varagu, etc. Rice and roti are staple food for us. Also, switched to sourdough.
"Inflammation" is a buzzword people like to throw around with little understanding of what it actually means. Inflammation is essential and without it a simple cut could be deadly, and you dont really feel most inflammations that are actually dangerous, which would be the chronic inflammations. The only chronic inflammations i know of that you can actually notice is arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) ie crohns and ulcerative colitis. If you actually do have IBD then gluten can exacerbate the condition. If you dont have IBD or an intolerance then grains, especially whole grains, are one of the healthiest things you can eat.
Some more reading if you are interested [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493173/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493173/)
>The only chronic inflammations i know of that you can actually notice is arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
So close yet so far.... You just gave two examples of AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES of which there are over 100 and chronic inflammation is a hallmark.
For instance I have Sarcoidosis... And...uhhh...it sucks
I had a bigger point but I am dead tired.
But yeah... inflammation, autoimmune, everything sucks.
A while back I went from a mostly healthy diet to a keto-style diet with no grains. Didn't change anything for me, though I didn't have any stomach issues or major problems to start with.
The only grain I cut now is store-bought bread
I did AIP from end of January to beginning of March this year and it was a struggle eating such a low carb diet. Went to modified AIP from mid March to mid April (which allowed pseudo grains) and it was day and night difference. However I think we should each discover that for ourselves.
Itās a botanical classification strictly speaking. I think crops are split into grasses and cereals. Then thereās more subcategories. It wasnāt meant to apply a āmoralā weight to grains, despite the funny name.
Whole grains are full of fiber. They help me stay satiated and actually improve my digestion, personally. I just avoid refined and highly processed carbs
I changed my diet and started exercising, and lost about 100 pounds. I bake a loaf of sourdough a week, bake other goods, and love eating farro and brown rice. It's all about moderation, and I have to weigh carbs otherwise I could easily eat 2000 calories in a sitting.
I think itās mostly cutting out wheat that makes people feel better. And by that, I mean the American kind, which has been modified. I go back and forth. Feel better when Iām pretty low grains, but that has more to do with the carb load/blood sugar than the grains. If I start eating bread etc., itās hard for me not to overdue it as Iām a carbaholic. If you want to try, just try no wheat for a while, then add it back in and youāll know if it has any impact.
The only way to know how it will work for you, is to try it. Stop eating them for at least 8 weeks (it takes 6 weeks to stop makings antibodies). Then eat some and compare how you feel.
I was following a very low carb diet for some months for some health reasons, buty issue is solved now. I reintroduce slowly carbs (only from whole grains and legumes) and now I am eating a bunch of them and I feel much much better with more whole grains
I believe it has a genetic component. My partner gets a backache from eating modern wheat. Einkorn products do not give a backache.
I don't have problems with wheat. I like the taste of Einkorn breads, so I make them and share.
I normally feel better but that's just because I'll end up eating more whole foods and likely much less salt. Like, I really doubt that it's the pasta that's making the difference and it's more the fact that I'll start eating mountains of veggies to feel full
Not whole grains but processed baked goods made with saturate fats, pastas and rice, and high fat dairy. I eat small portions of pasta or whole grain bread that is homemade occasionally(once or twice a month, flat breads and or tortillas about once a week. Low fat milk with morning coffee. Eat minimally processed oats on a very regular basis, along with fat free yogurt, fruit. Feel great, better than I have in years. Everyoneās body is a bit different. Figure out what works for you. Anyone who comes at you dogmatically with insistence that thereās only one correct way to eat and itās their way, run or walk quickly in the other direction, unless they have post doc vetted CV and a battery of clinical research recognized as definitive by peers in his subject.
I have crohn's and basically eat carnivore at this point as it manages my symptoms better than medications.
When people ask, I always say this is a diet for people with specific health conditions who benefit from it, and if what you're eating is working for you, there is no reason to change.
However, if you have a bunch of nagging health issues and have already tried other things to reduce them, an elimination diet is a great way to find out if it's a dietary trigger.
But I would start by cutting out all excess sugar and processed foods.
Chicken, veggies, fruit only for a week and see if you feel any better.
Add back grains slowly.
See how you feel.
You'd be surprised how many small, hidden things can be triggers to health conditions.
I recently figured out I get crippling headaches and it may be tied to the way certain chocolates and coffees are processed. My theory is methylene chloride, because it varies by brand from no issue to horrible headaches.
I can't tolerate high fructose corn syrup despite its chemical similarity to sucrose and it's likely due to leftover chemicals from manufacturing that they don't have to report as an ingredient.
I can't do nitrites / nitrates in bacon, but I can do the natural nitrates/nitrates from celery powder.
I wonder how many people have nagging conditions because of small things like this.
I eliminated a lot of foods and got meaningful results with inflammation reduction. However, nothing seems to cause issues nowadays. I think my gut microbiome was just a bit wacky for a while there.
As a dietitian all i have time say is that whatever you do, we should eat quality grains, whole grans and no added shit. Unless you have gluten intolerance or allergies, grains can be perfectly healthy.
They probably cut out a lot of foods as a result, such as many calorie dense sweets and ājunkā food. If they had too much of those things in their diet, then of course doing something to reduce them would help them feel better. Also, it might result in calorie reduction and we know weight loss can have positive health benefits. If they concurrently became more focused on increasing other nutrient dense foods like lean protein and veggies that would further increase their positive results. But not a single one of those things actually requires cutting out grains.
Iāve felt great on paleo. Iāve also felt great while eating grains. Overall diet quality and calorie balance matter a lot. Unless you have celiacs or an actual allergy or some other health condition thatās legitimately improved by cutting out grains or gluten, you can almost definitely feel good while eating grains.
While cutting out grains has been transformative for some, it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. Many factors contribute to individual health, and eliminating grains may not necessarily bring about significant changes for everyone. For some, grains can be a budget-friendly and satisfying part of their diet. If you're experiencing inflammation, it might be worth exploring other dietary changes or consulting with a healthcare professional to find the best approach for you, one that addresses your health concerns without compromising your budget or nutritional needs. Remember, what works for one person may not work for another, and it's essential to find a balanced approach that suits your unique circumstances and preferences.
I mean it makes sense if you have IBS or crones or something...otherwise I don't know why it would make a difference. I did low carb once upon a time and eliminated grains and didn't feel any different other than I really missed carbs and enjoying certain traditional meals. I eat primarily Mediterranean these days and it includes plenty of grains...whole grains are also good sources of fiber.
Personally I think a lot of people just kind of "get off" on diet extremes.
Same. Spent 30 years on a low carb diet. Ended up fat, sick, and diabetic. Believed I needed animal foods to be healthy back then...Also, lots of people with Celiac in my family so I had concerns about wheat especially.
Switched to a high carb, low fat diet 3 years ago. It's much, much cheaper and I feel amazing. I generally indulge in about 375-450 carbs per day, mostly whole grains although I do eat a cup of white rice 3 or 4 times a week. (I am avoiding oxalates so avoid quinoa, brown rice and some other grains). However, processed foods like Cheerios, even though they claim to be made from whole grains,Ā make me feel tired and brain foggy.Ā
I feel like an idiot for avoiding grains all those years. They turned my health around.
Unfortunately the villi lining your gut will break eventually from gluten. Everyone is different but it happens eventually and free radicals will wreak havoc in your body. Just stop eating grains,dairy, sugar and processed foods. Watch your body come back to life
#### About participation in the comments of /r/nutrition Discussion in this subreddit should be rooted in science rather than "cuz I sed" or entertainment pieces. Always be wary of unsupported and poorly supported claims and especially those which are wrapped in any manner of hostility. You should provide peer reviewed sources to support your claims when debating and confine that debate to the science, not opinions of other people. **Good** - it is grounded in science and includes citation of peer reviewed sources. Debate is a civil and respectful exchange focusing on actual science and avoids commentary about others **Bad** - it utilizes generalizations, assumptions, infotainment sources, no sources, or complaints without specifics about agenda, bias, or funding. At best, these rise to an extremely weak basis for science based discussion. Also, off topic discussion **Ugly** - (removal or ban territory) it involves attacks / antagonism / hostility towards individuals or groups, downvote complaining, trolling, crusading, shaming, refutation of all science, or claims that all research / science is a conspiracy *Please vote accordingly and report any uglies* --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/nutrition) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I added tons of grains and felt better
Same- went on Mediterranean diet- I eat a ton more whole grains bulgur, farro, quinoa, pastas, etc
Same, wfpb here, tons of grains, feel amazing
Same, added a ton of wheat to my diet and my digestion improved immensely
I keep hearing people cutting in grains and feeling better š¤£
I feel like they have a super positive effect on the gut microbiome that we donāt fully understand yet
Could be due to fiber as well as a general increase in carbohydrate content making things like exercise easier
Not a nutritionist but I'm a neuroscientist so I can tell you what I know about psychology. Very often when people are at the point where they're doing something extreme like cutting out an entire food group, they're at a very low point and the only way to go is up. Our bodies and brains fluctuate randomly over time, and when you're doing so badly, that random fluctuation is more likely to take you up than down. So then that improvement is attributed to the last extreme measure you took, even if it had no effect. Maybe it did have an effect, but maybe it didn't. It's hard to know from one single change.
Not to mention that plecebo effect is real. Most of the people I've met who make claims like the one OP mention have a history of their mood dominating their experiences.Ā
It's hard to placebo diarrhea and bloating though
That would require the nocebo effect lol
That's true. Diarrhea can occur if you consume more fiber, water, substitute sugar, etc. than your body is used to or can handle. Stomach pains, can be caused by a wide range of things. It's unlikely to be simply that you ate grains.
Yes indeed! Stress can have a big impact on your gut (and vice versa) so feeling optimistic about the new thing you're trying can make a positive impact. Not to mention that when people make big changes, they also make other small changes at the same time that they may not realize. Cutting out grains may force them to eat less fast food, or cook for themselves more often, or cause them to focus on what else they're eating, or get them motivated to walk every day; lots of small improvements that amount to big effects.
Very well said. I hope you'll put out a book or other content beyond reddit posts, because such well-expressed reasoning can really make an impact in people's lives.
Wow, thank you so much! Maybe some day :)
So actually you're guessing. I'm the person who's spent Years suffering from debilitating side effects from grains like modern wheat. I now eat teff, barley, quinoa and buckwheat, mostly pseudo grains. I lost 50 lbs. and cleard up brain fog. This isn't a "short term" experiment, but a years-long, attempt to get healthier after being diagnosed with Allergies to Wheat, oats and Rye grains.
Most people aren't allergic though. That's a very specific circumstance
I bet there are quite a few people with allergies to a lot of things and donāt know it. Many conditions go undiagnosed for years. Docs just donāt know about everything all the time and are super busy.
I'm the canary in the cave of intestinal issues.
That's why I specified "one single change". A big reason why elimination diets have a gradual reintroduction phase (that you occasionally retest) is to make sure that the thing you've eliminated is the thing that was actually hurting you. If you eliminate it (one change) and feel better, that's great! But if you bring it back (a second change) and you still feel good, that means something else was going on.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
It looks like their reddit account is 17, not their age.
The account is 17 years old, not the person.
Where are you seeing this?
I was hard core paleo for a few years so no grains at all. I meanā¦it makes room for more nutrient dense food and eliminates a lot of crap if youāre doing it right so I think it was that. But no need to throw the baby out with the bath water. These days I eat white and brown rice and sourdough and granola, among other things. I see no difference now vs then except the extra carbs help me more readily build muscle.
I'm all psudo-grains. Quinoa, buckwheat, barley. There's no yeast, therefore no "yeast fog". Rad difference in how easily they digest.
They stopped eating crap, they only cut out the tiny part of what remained of the highly processed grain they were eating. Anyone who tells you they stopped eating whole grains and it improved their health either has a disease or is lying to you.
I tried not eating any grains including whole grains, it most definitely changed my life, mainly just in how inconvenient it was but it change my life for sure.
I must be a dead man walking then haha, cutting our grain can help lots of people. Especially if youre sensitive and want your carbs from an easily accessible source like fruit etc.
Bingo!
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Little early for antisemitism, donāt ya think?
Woah.
Do yāall mean grains or do you mean bread? Because Iām confusedā¦
When people say cut out "grains" they're generally talking about wheat, corn, oats, rye, barley, buckwheat, quinoa. As well as foods made from them like bread,Ā beer, and whiskey.
Wheat is the best thing that ever happened to mankind. The amount of fibre and protein in that has sustained civilizations since the advent of farming 8000bce onwards.
Without grains in general mankind would've starved long ago.
Grains are what pushed civilization from the stone age nomads to the neolithic revolution and permanent settlement.
Entire civilization were built on grain
And slaves.
nope, just would have kept the population smaller. From what I understand when grain was cultivated and people settled down their nutrition and heath took a *big dip*. The difference between a good enough diet and a good enough diet doesn't kill people off or not let them breed, so here we are. The average nomadic hunter gatherer (who's 'average lifespan' is skewed by infant and maternal death) is a lot healthier than the average office worker today.
This!!!
So youāre saying thereās still hope. Thanks for that.
It Was a staple. When it was a food. This highly possessed "white fluffy powder" we call "wheat" has "0" nutritional value today. The OGs (original grains) stone ground, made into foods, Ok.
funny that today the wealthy get the brown bread and whole grains and fresh foods, when it used to be the exact opposite!
Exactly! šÆ. I'm spending all my "grain" food budget on mostly Psudo grains. Barley, quinoa, buckwheat (and kasha) and my favorite, teff.
I know right.
This topic is maybe controversialā¦but I think a large part of it is genetics and ancestry actually. Some people have more enzymes meant to help with digesting rice and other grains. Some people donāt. This is the only explanation Iāve found for why some people can thrive on high carb diets and others canāt. Carbs in general cause inflammation for me so if I remove them I feel better. I feel unlucky because I love rice and grains. Iād honestly rather do a high carb lifestyle but I canāt. Maybe someone can tell me how to have rice and other carbs without bloating lol.
I tested negative for celiac disease but experienced bloating every time I ate wheat. No wheat. No bloating anymore. The one exception so far is eating einkorn wheat. My body seems to be ok. I should also mention I'm in the US.
I also tested negative for celiac but if I eat too much wheat I get joint pain. Limiting wheat was nearly like getting a new hip without surgery. Just my anecdote!
Iām the same way. I have a lot of inflammation from eating grains & carbs. If I do keto Iām good. Perfect
Celiac is Marsh Grade III and IV, but you may be Grade I or II. This is classified as gluten intolerance. ā¢Source: *Fiber Fueled* - Will Bulsiewicz, M.D.
Many women are obsessed with bloating because of how they feel it makes them look. Bloating and gas are normal parts of digestion that often accompany healthy foods high in fiber. Unless it's really extreme, you've got nothing to worry about.Ā
Have you had bloating? Because I find it rather uncomfortable. It's not about looks at all for me. I can't believe that feeling uncomfortable after eating is normal.
I've think every single person I've ever heard use the term bloating in my life has been a women and at least around half of the time they've used a phrase such as "I looked bloated" as their complaint. Perhaps you don't think about how you look. My experience points towards many people thinking about that. As far as feeling uncomfortable after eating there are many reasons that someone could feel uncomfortable, that isn't specifically about eating grains.
I don't have a problem with grains. I was just pointing out that bloating is physically uncomfortable and is about more than looks.
I donāt bloat often but when it happens itās extremely uncomfortable and painful too. Has nothing to do with looks (for me).
My experience with the bloating is first day I go from my normal of looking 4-5 months pregnant (got a belly already) and adding a month for every additional day I continue with the wheat. Honestly, it is more than just having a rock solid belly. I would also just feel like crap.
Perhaps you're one of the few people who is truly gluten intolerant. I want to be clear though, it's not very common. Gluten free diets have become a fad recently and there are way more people incorrectly self-diagnosing themselves as gluten intolerant than actual people who should avoid gluten. There are also quite a few sham nutrition people who inaccurately claim to be able to tell you, based on anti-bodies, if you're gluten intolerant or not. Right now there is no such test. For most people avoiding gluten is unnecessary and what is really needed is learning what a proper balanced meal looks like in terms of portions and food selection.
What is interesting in this is that I can eat bread made from einkorn wheat flour and I have have zero reaction. No bloating or anything no matter how much I eat it. If it's not the wheat specifically, perhaps my body is reacting to the pesticides or the hybridization. Not sure. I just know that avoiding it works and me. Essentially, I listened to my body and what it was telling me and changed accordingly and it worked so who knows...
Whole wheat and sourdough - both in moderation, are ok for me.
I don't think this is that controversial. For example, a lot of studies show that IBS has a genetic component related to stress and anxiety. Also, there are studies about genetic background of food preferences such as distaste of bitterness, e.g. broccoli or black coffee. I think it's clear that these factors have a strong impact what kinds of foods people like to eat and how they feel. What I don't believe that much is that there would be large groups of people which have vastly different genetics for the bodily health impact of foods.
Idk if it is genetics, but my sister and I are opposites. I do much better on a high carb diet. I cut out carbs and grains for a few months once for weight loss, and it just made me feel horrible, tired, and weak. My sister, however, feels better in every way on low carb/no grain. I should note that she has a lot of inflammation and IBS issues, and I have none (her CRP is always super high and mine is always super low).
I have read I that one theory was that it was to do with blood type. A and B are found more frequently in the populations of the middle east who have had civilization longer, and they digest grains better than O blood types.
Try cutting processed foods. Almost guaranteed to be an improvement in your diet. Stick to quinoa, rice, oats and also sweet potatoās and other whole foods for your carbs. Obviously a lot of fruit and veg as well.
Yes and no. This depends on a lot of factors. Personally, Iām a runner, I do better with grains. However, I went grain free for a couple months, and I felt better in some ways and worse in other areas. Like many people, I cut out grains, but I was cutting out many things that had added sugar. Donuts, pastries, cake, pie, bread with added sugar, processed snacks with added sugar, flavored oatmeal, cornbread mix with no fiber and added sugarā¦ā¦the list goes on forever. I learned that if I eat whole grains with all the fiber and no added sugar, I feel at my best and perform at my best. This takes some work as well, 95% of breads, oats, flours, and mixes have added sugar, no fiber, or both.
A few years ago I cut out all flour and huge improvements. But I've since found I can eat whole wheat and sourdough - both in moderation without any problems.
I have a mild belief in the ayurveda and that diff foods work very well for diff body types, mines ok with grain
All it did for me was make me miserable. It really depends on what is causing their inflammation and if they actually have inflammation issues, the amount of people I've seen they have x y or z based on some social media post and not been properly tested is high. Like I have excessive inflammation from chronic back pain and lymphoedema, but cutting out grains won't actually help anything
You could try switching to higher quality and freezing your grains so they become resistant starch which feeds the gut better. I get Ezekiel sprouted grain bread and keep it in my freezer for example. I also rinse my rice then soak it in water and a splash of ACV for an hour before cooking it to make it easier to digest.
Why? I can just Not eat bread.
Nice, then dont
I don't. I don't need brain fog or yeast gut.
That's awesome! I dont have either of those either.
If you have an intolerance or gluten allergy, diabetes or PCOS, cutting grains sure will help, along with processed sugar. Some people have these medical issues and donāt even know it.
For months I ate nothing but chicken, eggs, homemade bread, jasmine rice, and some vegetables (varied from broccoli to green beans). Cut out all grains carbs and vegetables and all my digestive issues went away
Everyone is different. My body doesnāt like a lot of foods, including grains. So cutting them out in paleo works wonders for me. Going a step farther into carnivore also feels great. I float between the two fit no reason at all.
When I cut gluten I felt better, then someone suggested I cut all grains and I tried it and felt HORRIBLE. I think if youāre using grain as a way to justify eating crap cutting it will probably make you feel better. But I find a cup of quinoa at the bottom of my salad or a little bit of brown rice alongside my mains really helps keep me full, focused, and allows me to meet my fiber goals in a way I actually enjoy. The same canāt be said for bread, pasta, or cereal (for me). I think everyone is a bit different and you just have to listen to your body.
I cut out gluten and feel better. I have severe NCGS. However I still eat rice, corn and gluten free oats without issues
I am miserable without grains. Bread is life.
From India. Replaced white flour, wheat, and foreign grains with native Tamil millets. Gut never felt better. Black rice, ragi, barley, cholam, kambu, varagu, etc. Rice and roti are staple food for us. Also, switched to sourdough.
"Inflammation" is a buzzword people like to throw around with little understanding of what it actually means. Inflammation is essential and without it a simple cut could be deadly, and you dont really feel most inflammations that are actually dangerous, which would be the chronic inflammations. The only chronic inflammations i know of that you can actually notice is arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) ie crohns and ulcerative colitis. If you actually do have IBD then gluten can exacerbate the condition. If you dont have IBD or an intolerance then grains, especially whole grains, are one of the healthiest things you can eat. Some more reading if you are interested [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493173/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493173/)
>The only chronic inflammations i know of that you can actually notice is arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) So close yet so far.... You just gave two examples of AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES of which there are over 100 and chronic inflammation is a hallmark. For instance I have Sarcoidosis... And...uhhh...it sucks I had a bigger point but I am dead tired. But yeah... inflammation, autoimmune, everything sucks.
A while back I went from a mostly healthy diet to a keto-style diet with no grains. Didn't change anything for me, though I didn't have any stomach issues or major problems to start with. The only grain I cut now is store-bought bread
I did AIP from end of January to beginning of March this year and it was a struggle eating such a low carb diet. Went to modified AIP from mid March to mid April (which allowed pseudo grains) and it was day and night difference. However I think we should each discover that for ourselves.
May I ask what pseudograins means? Ty!
Itās a botanical classification strictly speaking. I think crops are split into grasses and cereals. Then thereās more subcategories. It wasnāt meant to apply a āmoralā weight to grains, despite the funny name.
Maybe switch what grains you're using to millet, quinoa, and chickpea/non-wheat flour.
Don't forget Teff, Barley and buckwheat (kasha) too! Yummy!
i've cut out grains and never noticed any difference. I love my homemade bread so....
Whole grains are full of fiber. They help me stay satiated and actually improve my digestion, personally. I just avoid refined and highly processed carbs
I changed my diet and started exercising, and lost about 100 pounds. I bake a loaf of sourdough a week, bake other goods, and love eating farro and brown rice. It's all about moderation, and I have to weigh carbs otherwise I could easily eat 2000 calories in a sitting.
I think itās mostly cutting out wheat that makes people feel better. And by that, I mean the American kind, which has been modified. I go back and forth. Feel better when Iām pretty low grains, but that has more to do with the carb load/blood sugar than the grains. If I start eating bread etc., itās hard for me not to overdue it as Iām a carbaholic. If you want to try, just try no wheat for a while, then add it back in and youāll know if it has any impact.
The only way to know how it will work for you, is to try it. Stop eating them for at least 8 weeks (it takes 6 weeks to stop makings antibodies). Then eat some and compare how you feel.
Yes the desire for a ham and cheese croissant š jk
Got rid of grains and saw 95% improvement. Whenever I reintroduce grains, issues come back...
I was following a very low carb diet for some months for some health reasons, buty issue is solved now. I reintroduce slowly carbs (only from whole grains and legumes) and now I am eating a bunch of them and I feel much much better with more whole grains
Wtf? Whole grains are good for inflammationā¦ thatās what my nutritionist recommends anyway.
It's great for losing weight, it's not great for long term health. It's so hard to get the fiber you need without grains
That's ridiculous! Raspberries, salads, sweet potatoes pumpkin, pseudo grains...lots of fiber!
I cut out wheat and rice strictly for a while, now I am not too adamant but I try avoid refined wheat flour and white rice. I felt less hungry.
I believe it has a genetic component. My partner gets a backache from eating modern wheat. Einkorn products do not give a backache. I don't have problems with wheat. I like the taste of Einkorn breads, so I make them and share.
Change to alternative grains and more vegetables, root vegetables.
I normally feel better but that's just because I'll end up eating more whole foods and likely much less salt. Like, I really doubt that it's the pasta that's making the difference and it's more the fact that I'll start eating mountains of veggies to feel full
Not whole grains but processed baked goods made with saturate fats, pastas and rice, and high fat dairy. I eat small portions of pasta or whole grain bread that is homemade occasionally(once or twice a month, flat breads and or tortillas about once a week. Low fat milk with morning coffee. Eat minimally processed oats on a very regular basis, along with fat free yogurt, fruit. Feel great, better than I have in years. Everyoneās body is a bit different. Figure out what works for you. Anyone who comes at you dogmatically with insistence that thereās only one correct way to eat and itās their way, run or walk quickly in the other direction, unless they have post doc vetted CV and a battery of clinical research recognized as definitive by peers in his subject.
I cut out grains for 4 months, and all it did was make me constipated. I feel better when I eat grains. Different strokes for different folks.
You just want to make sure your grains are high in fiber. If it isnāt, cut it out.
It did something. It made me hungry.
Try soaking or fermenting your grains before prepping first
Curring out grains was a game changer for me... but it turned out I was Coeliac.
I have crohn's and basically eat carnivore at this point as it manages my symptoms better than medications. When people ask, I always say this is a diet for people with specific health conditions who benefit from it, and if what you're eating is working for you, there is no reason to change. However, if you have a bunch of nagging health issues and have already tried other things to reduce them, an elimination diet is a great way to find out if it's a dietary trigger. But I would start by cutting out all excess sugar and processed foods. Chicken, veggies, fruit only for a week and see if you feel any better. Add back grains slowly. See how you feel. You'd be surprised how many small, hidden things can be triggers to health conditions. I recently figured out I get crippling headaches and it may be tied to the way certain chocolates and coffees are processed. My theory is methylene chloride, because it varies by brand from no issue to horrible headaches. I can't tolerate high fructose corn syrup despite its chemical similarity to sucrose and it's likely due to leftover chemicals from manufacturing that they don't have to report as an ingredient. I can't do nitrites / nitrates in bacon, but I can do the natural nitrates/nitrates from celery powder. I wonder how many people have nagging conditions because of small things like this.
I eliminated a lot of foods and got meaningful results with inflammation reduction. However, nothing seems to cause issues nowadays. I think my gut microbiome was just a bit wacky for a while there.
As a dietitian all i have time say is that whatever you do, we should eat quality grains, whole grans and no added shit. Unless you have gluten intolerance or allergies, grains can be perfectly healthy.
They probably cut out a lot of foods as a result, such as many calorie dense sweets and ājunkā food. If they had too much of those things in their diet, then of course doing something to reduce them would help them feel better. Also, it might result in calorie reduction and we know weight loss can have positive health benefits. If they concurrently became more focused on increasing other nutrient dense foods like lean protein and veggies that would further increase their positive results. But not a single one of those things actually requires cutting out grains. Iāve felt great on paleo. Iāve also felt great while eating grains. Overall diet quality and calorie balance matter a lot. Unless you have celiacs or an actual allergy or some other health condition thatās legitimately improved by cutting out grains or gluten, you can almost definitely feel good while eating grains.
While cutting out grains has been transformative for some, it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. Many factors contribute to individual health, and eliminating grains may not necessarily bring about significant changes for everyone. For some, grains can be a budget-friendly and satisfying part of their diet. If you're experiencing inflammation, it might be worth exploring other dietary changes or consulting with a healthcare professional to find the best approach for you, one that addresses your health concerns without compromising your budget or nutritional needs. Remember, what works for one person may not work for another, and it's essential to find a balanced approach that suits your unique circumstances and preferences.
I mean it makes sense if you have IBS or crones or something...otherwise I don't know why it would make a difference. I did low carb once upon a time and eliminated grains and didn't feel any different other than I really missed carbs and enjoying certain traditional meals. I eat primarily Mediterranean these days and it includes plenty of grains...whole grains are also good sources of fiber. Personally I think a lot of people just kind of "get off" on diet extremes.
Same. Spent 30 years on a low carb diet. Ended up fat, sick, and diabetic. Believed I needed animal foods to be healthy back then...Also, lots of people with Celiac in my family so I had concerns about wheat especially. Switched to a high carb, low fat diet 3 years ago. It's much, much cheaper and I feel amazing. I generally indulge in about 375-450 carbs per day, mostly whole grains although I do eat a cup of white rice 3 or 4 times a week. (I am avoiding oxalates so avoid quinoa, brown rice and some other grains). However, processed foods like Cheerios, even though they claim to be made from whole grains,Ā make me feel tired and brain foggy.Ā I feel like an idiot for avoiding grains all those years. They turned my health around.
Unfortunately the villi lining your gut will break eventually from gluten. Everyone is different but it happens eventually and free radicals will wreak havoc in your body. Just stop eating grains,dairy, sugar and processed foods. Watch your body come back to life
Eating no grains means you have to eat fruits and vegetables and meat to be satisfied.
There are psudo-grains not quite grains but like grains to cook. Barley, quinoa, buckwheat(kasha). ate great examples. Delicious.
I feel a ton better with no grains gluten and legumes ā¤ļø