tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post3226580837058055686..comments2024-02-25T02:24:14.972-08:00Comments on Whole Health Source: Book Review: Dangerous GrainsStephan Guyenethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09218114625524777250noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-55832607814810483922012-05-17T03:58:29.241-07:002012-05-17T03:58:29.241-07:00To Micawber, Stephan
People in Germany have been ...To Micawber, Stephan<br /><br />People in Germany have been eating uncooked oats for over 100 years, if not longer, usually in the form of 'Muesly', a combination of rolled oats and other rolled grains, nuts and dried fruit. It is often soaked in milk, sometimes overnight, and fresh fruit and yoghurt, milk or cream is often added just before eating. You can also eat it without soaking (my preferred way of eating it before I stopped eating grains; I also used to buy plain rolled oats and other grains to make my own combinations.) There are untold varieties of Muesly in any store that carries food items, and it is considered to be extremely healthy for you.<br />I'm including a link to Wikipedia; it's mostly correct. What you should know is that you'll find cornflakes in only very few of the packaged combinations (after all, they're not raw), 'orange' juice on Muesly is not traditional, and, most of all, that it is popular all over Germany (I live in North Germany), not just in the South.<br /><br />My mouth is watering as I am writing this; I do still miss it<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MuesliGabyFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06058588438515658642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-21215336291089625932011-11-24T11:56:45.483-08:002011-11-24T11:56:45.483-08:00I've been trying to find a good book on Celiac...I've been trying to find a good book on Celiac and your review tells me I should buy Dangerous Grains.Sssamiamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10598991498143613397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-82925775993249328442010-07-17T23:10:13.303-07:002010-07-17T23:10:13.303-07:00Anupama, is the flour of rotis & paranthas typ...Anupama, is the flour of rotis & paranthas typically soaked overnight in yogurt or something?<br /><br />Very good question about North Indian wheat consumption...<br /><br />Colincassanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15175352693041879035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-40038851789362929142010-04-22T17:46:13.517-07:002010-04-22T17:46:13.517-07:00In North India, rotis are the staple food and thes...In North India, rotis are the staple food and these are made of whole wheat flour. The fermented version is the naan. Both rotis and naans have been around for a very long time. Have the Indians been wrong all along?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09957624054550850468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-54744381526932774242010-02-04T18:52:02.684-08:002010-02-04T18:52:02.684-08:00Hi, Anna,
thanks for your reply.
the worst wheat...Hi, Anna,<br /><br />thanks for your reply.<br /><br />the worst wheat products for me are bagel, pizza, sandwich. (perhaps some non-wheat bread could be ok? i have not figured out)<br /><br />cake, scone, muffin, cracker are ok (as long as i don't overdose in the sugar/carb department LOL).<br /><br />you're right that it could be yeast.<br /><br />noodle/pasta is a little strange. sometimes ok. sometimes not. (i seem to have more problems with Italian pasta than oriental noodle)<br /><br />regards,<br /><br />pamDr. Curmudgeon Geehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14484363083738134100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-76712761882515918112010-02-04T10:02:16.391-08:002010-02-04T10:02:16.391-08:00I have Celiac and lactose intolerance, but I didn&...I have Celiac and lactose intolerance, but I didn't develop either until 6 years ago. Prior to that, I was the pizza queen. Any kind of bread or cheese gave me such a pleasurable feeling when I ate it, that I had pizza for 2 out of 3 meals every day. I was addicted. Then I started getting really sick, I took out the gluten first, then afew years later got sick again and took out the dairy. I can't believe how much better and clearer my brain feels, kinda like I'm free from an addiction.lorentidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01500740188345575872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-66898333951181770082010-01-31T11:00:31.068-08:002010-01-31T11:00:31.068-08:00Dr. Gee/Pam,
There are a number a wheat varieties...Dr. Gee/Pam,<br /><br />There are a number a wheat varieties with differing gluten contents and therefore have different performance characteristics for making different foods. Perhaps it is the different wheat varieties with their differing gluten contents at issue for you. <br /><br />Yeast doughs that need to rise high and trap a lot of air bubbles need a very elastic high-gluten flour, so they are usually made either entirely or partially with hard winter or spring wheat varieties, which have a higher gluten content. <br /><br />When making "fast-rising" breads, such as with a home bread machine or in a fast-paced industrial setting, when a consistent, fixed time process is desired, it isn't uncommon for recipes to also require additional wheat gluten (read the "whole wheat" bread labels, added wheat gluten is very common). Low carb bread products also often contain added wheat gluten (and/or soy flour), which boosts protein content and dough performance when starch content is reduced. <br /><br />"Soft" wheat is used to mill cake, pastry, and all-purpose flours. Soft wheat varieties have somewhat less gluten than hard wheats. <br /><br />Pasta noodles and couscous are often made with semolina flour milled from hard durum wheat (or a soft wheat/semolina mixture). The gluten content is fairly high in durum wheat.<br /><br />Or perhaps it is the yeast bothering you and not the gluten. Enterolab (www.enterolabcom) can test for yeast sensitivity, as well as gluten sensitivity, (IgA antibodies) though your experiments and elimination diets can tell you a lot, too.Annahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17033443643442246531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-44917777916960950472010-01-31T02:24:08.369-08:002010-01-31T02:24:08.369-08:00Hi, Stephen
thanks.
i get pretty bloated from pi...Hi, Stephen<br /><br />thanks.<br /><br />i get pretty bloated from pizza (deep dish style) & most bread.<br /><br />strangely, noodle soup & cake flour are ok.<br /><br />since i stop having pizza & sandiwhich, my bloating is gone. so i maybe mildly gluten intolerant.<br /><br />pamDr. Curmudgeon Geehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14484363083738134100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-92094482011831774312009-08-10T15:31:23.640-07:002009-08-10T15:31:23.640-07:00Just came across the article below today.
Looks ...Just came across the article below today. <br /><br />Looks like Gluten can be degraded by making sourdough in a specific way. <br /><br />Check this out if you have a chance, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject:<br /><br />"Highly Efficient Gluten Degradation by Lactobacilli and Fungal Proteases during Food Processing: New Perspectives for Celiac Disease"<br /><br />http://aem.asm.org/cgi/content/full/73/14/4499<br /><br />Thanks!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15874351285533398066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-5375587346686031712008-12-05T14:17:00.000-08:002008-12-05T14:17:00.000-08:00Hi Stephan, The Italian researchers were ahead of...Hi Stephan,<BR/><BR/> The Italian researchers were ahead of the pack on celiac research by about a decade.<BR/> I'm anxious to see your post on Dr. Fine's work too, especially in relation to bowel problems and autoimmune disorders. Neither the blood test nor the biopsy are conclusive in determining gluten intolerance. Maybe Fine's work will be a step forward.<BR/> At one point I saw the Italian researchers criticized because their studies were focused on a particular region (i.e. it could be familial not culture\diet). But then the study at UM showed the disorder wasn't just familial or regional). <BR/> I found two abstracts on fermentation breaking down the gluten which look very promising.<BR/>"Use of selected sourdough strains of Lactobacillus for removing gluten and enhancing the nutritional properties of gluten-free bread."<BR/>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18680953?ordinalpos=4&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum<BR/><BR/>"Sourdough lactobacilli and celiac disease."<BR/>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17008163?ordinalpos=22&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum<BR/><BR/> We've go to wonder how many of the autoimmune and neurological disorders could be reversed or overcome by changing diet?<BR/>I'm really glad to find your blog. The topics here are challenging and need to be discussed and debated.Zoeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02264415002179270004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-42187718970569962962008-12-04T22:18:00.000-08:002008-12-04T22:18:00.000-08:00Hi Zoey, I've seen some of those papers; Italy se...Hi Zoey,<BR/><BR/> I've seen some of those papers; Italy seems to be at the forefront of celiac research. I think what you said about gluten intolerance possibly being a result of a number of dietary factors makes sense. I've thought about that a bit myself. Maybe the chronic inflammation caused by excess omega-6 contributes to that. <BR/><BR/>Sourdough fermentation definitely breaks down most gluten, but are the resulting peptide fragments non-toxic? I don't know for sure, although there is research to suggest that celiac patients can eat properly fermented wheat bread without symptoms.<BR/><BR/>I recently discovered the work of Dr. Ken Fine of EnteroLab. He developed a stool test for anti-gliadin antibodies that's much more sensitive than the blood test commonly used. He has seen a very high prevalence of elevated anti-gliadin IgG in autoimmune patients and people with chronic bowel problems. He claims upwards of 30% of asymptomatic people are gluten sensitive by his assay. Very provocative. I'll be posting on this soon. I hope you'll stick around and tell me what you think.Stephan Guyenethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09218114625524777250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-20744302683979940512008-12-04T22:04:00.000-08:002008-12-04T22:04:00.000-08:00Hi Stephan, There was some very sound research int...Hi Stephan,<BR/> There was some very sound research into gluten intolerance published in the 90s from Italy. It did not get a lot of attention in the US because gluten intolerance was "rare." <BR/> In 1999 the University of Maryland published results of a study looking for markers indicating celiac disease which suggested it might not be so rare.<BR/>http://www.celiac.com/articles/306/1/University-of-Maryland-Celiac-Disease-Prevalence-Study-for-the-USA---Progress-Report---January-31-1999/Page1.html. <BR/> I agree that some foods like wheat, improperly prepared, may have a drug-like effect, causing the craving for more. Kind of like alcohol withdrawal symptoms, such as the shakes, improving initially by using more alcohol. <BR/> Further studies at the UM showed gluten intolerance to be more common than thought. After this widely published study, gluten intolerance began getting noticed by the media, scientists and physicians.<BR/>"Largest Study Ever Finds That One Out Of Every 133 Americans May Have Celiac Disease"<BR/>http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/02/030212073309.htm<BR/> The physician who wrote the article linked below talks of how widespread gluten intolerance may have evolved over time. <BR/>Why So Many Intolerant To Gluten ? - by Luigi Greco, D.C.H., M.Sc.(MCH), M.D., Department of Pediatrics, University of Naples 06/30/1995 <BR/>http://www.celiac.com/articles/76/1/Why-So-Many-Intolerant-To-Gluten----by-Luigi-Greco-DCH-MScMCH-MD-Department-of-Pediatrics-University-of-Naples-06301995/Page1.html<BR/> I don't trust what I've read on fermentation breaking down gluten and making it "safe." I think there are other factors at work which need to also be considered.<BR/> At the point where someone has developed symptoms of gluten intolerance there may also be other intolerances that need to be eliminated for the gut to heal.<BR/> Gottschall focused on digestion of disaccharides with the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. It helped my healing in some respects but other aspects of the diet I found harmful, or not well supported. <BR/> What needs closer attention is inflammatory responses (the effects of making home brew in our guts) and eliminating their causes as well. Even if someone is not gluten intolerant at birth, I think it may be acquired by eating too much of a number of foods, not just wheat, and overloading the digestive system for too long.Zoeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02264415002179270004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-51444088031872613082008-11-09T15:24:00.000-08:002008-11-09T15:24:00.000-08:00Micawbs,In my opinion, the toasting is not suffici...Micawbs,<BR/><BR/>In my opinion, the toasting is not sufficient. They aren't toasted much. I would cook them until they've softened, but how much will be a matter of taste.Stephan Guyenethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09218114625524777250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-74022365389281153492008-11-08T14:58:00.000-08:002008-11-08T14:58:00.000-08:00Stephen,Thanks. Okay. I gather that the toasting...Stephen,<BR/><BR/>Thanks. Okay. I gather that the toasting before they're canned isn't sufficient? Any idea how long I'd need to cook them? Is bringing them to a boil sufficient? Thanks so much. <BR/><BR/>MicawbsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-54859339305265904852008-11-08T14:34:00.000-08:002008-11-08T14:34:00.000-08:00Micawber,I would definitely cook them. Cooking de...Micawber,<BR/><BR/>I would definitely cook them. Cooking destroys some of the anti-nutrients in grains and hydrates the starch, making them more digestible.Stephan Guyenethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09218114625524777250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-4213719757227071612008-11-08T12:46:00.000-08:002008-11-08T12:46:00.000-08:00Thanks Stephen!I only soak the steel-cut oats beca...Thanks Stephen!<BR/><BR/>I only soak the steel-cut oats because it softens them a bit. Yeah, you really have to grind/chew them. But I rather like that. I think I'm part horse! LOL. <BR/><BR/>Seriously, though, if you think there's something even remotely unhealthy about that, let me know. I never really thought of that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-59753257549403650202008-11-08T12:33:00.000-08:002008-11-08T12:33:00.000-08:00Hi Micawber,Oats are generally considered a non-gl...Hi Micawber,<BR/><BR/>Oats are generally considered a non-gluten grain. You eat them raw?? I'm not sure that's a good idea. I'm not aware of any culture that ate raw oats traditionally, and they can't be very digestible that way.<BR/><BR/>The thing about oats that makes them different from most other grains is they're typically lightly toasted before you buy them. That kills the enzymes in it, so soaking oats is not as beneficial as soaking other grains. You can sometimes buy raw oats at health food stores, which should soak better.<BR/><BR/>My feeling, from my reading, is that wheat is probably unhealthy for most, if not all people on some level. It's not just the gluten, although that is a big one. Wheat lectins besides gluten (WGA for example) are pretty nasty molecules. It's possible that some people do fine on wheat, but in my opinion it's a risk because the damage may not be obvious.Stephan Guyenethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09218114625524777250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-79099068396672847202008-11-08T06:18:00.000-08:002008-11-08T06:18:00.000-08:00Stephen,What do you think about steel-cut oats? I...Stephen,<BR/><BR/>What do you think about steel-cut oats? <BR/><BR/>I only soak them for a few minutes before eating them raw. Love them to death. My understanding is that there is minimal gluten in them just due to processing in facilities that also process wheat. True?<BR/><BR/>Is the problem only gluten in wheat? If a person is not gluten sensitive, is a small amount of wheat (two pieces of high quality bread per day) still something to be reconsidered? Or is wheat problematic for everyone?<BR/><BR/>Great post! Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-26206711926145317252008-11-07T17:38:00.000-08:002008-11-07T17:38:00.000-08:00tnn - yes, gluten does get through into breastmilk...tnn - yes, gluten does get through into breastmilk. There are some older studies about this. If you go to www.pubmed.gov and put 9867098 and 3300148 in the search for two such abstracts.<BR/><BR/>I have met a few mothers who found their breastfeeding child's health improved when they stopped eating gluten. None of these children tested positive for celiac disease(flattened villi). <BR/><BR/>I wish I had known this with my own child. He had such terrible colic. He is now gluten free and healthy. <BR/><BR/>www.theglutenfile.com is a great resource. It is a collection of articles and abstracts concerning gluten sensitivity/celiac disease, related diseases, diagnosis, and nutritional problems.Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16655747133135789559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-32140453430294112882008-11-07T15:14:00.000-08:002008-11-07T15:14:00.000-08:00Hey Aaron,I'm in the trenches with a carb-lovi...Hey Aaron,<BR/><BR/>I'm in the trenches with a carb-loving kid, too. Don't despair, Rome wasn't built in a day, nor did it tumble that fast. But do be sure to keep an eye on where you can make effective changes at various stages. Your children at at an excellent stage to make some changes. And you will make one change, only to reverse yourself or try out another idea when you learn more. That's bound to happen. <BR/><BR/>I made my own dietary changes first, starting when my son was about 5 yo. He had been regularly consuming homemade bread, bread puddings made with leftover bread, and all sorts of other starchy side dishes, though I never put him onto much juice (I recognized that sugar bomb years before he was born). he loves his carbs and they were so easy to feed them to him. <BR/><BR/>So I cleaned up my own diet first (& my husband's), then bit by bit, worked on my son's, because he had become very picky after his first few toddler years of eating just about anything. I'm very pleased with what he is willing to eat now and what he recognizes as less healthy to consume, though it has been a bit rocky at times. But I'm of the mindset that I have his long term interests at heart, not his immediate whims, so overall, I determine what is available to eat in our house. I put a prominent note on our fridge door when my son was learning to read (though it was a reminder for all of us) - The Food You Put in Your Body Becomes Part of You. He is learning that sure, food is tasty and enjoyable, but it is also important for our bodies. <BR/><BR/>The biggest change for me was realizing that over 6-7 years I had slowly moved towardseating and feeding the family too many processed foods (I found Trader Joe's more sophisticated processed heat & serve junk simply too seductive when I moved to CA). Both my husbnad and I had gained some weight - not huge amounts, but still, too much. I re-prioritized and got back in the kitchen and cut our carbs. I found all the LC cookbooks that were out then reinvigorated my cooking urges (when I had to eat LC while pregnant 10 years ago, I didn't have any good cookbook support which I found difficult). <BR/><BR/>You'll need to realize you can't just eliminate those oh-so-handy fast carbs without coming up with an "exit strategy". You'll need alternatives and it will take experimentation, plus the kids' taste will change anyway. Sure, kids don't always get with the program, and if they know the sugar bombs are in the cabinet, they aren't going to listen to reason and have just a few or wait until the weekend like reasonable adults do (ha!), they want them now and no, they don't want the sliced meat and the hard-boiled egg. My solution was to "run out" of the "compromise" stuff, like cold cereals, breads, crackers, pasta, and replace it less and less frequently. My son lobbied much less hard for foods that simply weren't in the house vs. foods on hand that I wanted to limit or reduce. That gave him the chance to get used to having other foods I deemed more favorable. <BR/><BR/>First I cut back on the sugars in his foods, then bit by bit, the starchy stuff. I made his lunch for preschool/preschool, though even no, I don't make a big deal about stuff he eats at other homes or at school on occasion. Right now, he still eats most of his food prepared in our home.<BR/><BR/>When I started this, he wasn't much of a meat eater, either. I think that's typical for small kids. They don't have great teeth for chewing it, and it takes a lot of chewing. I made a lot of chicken soup back then, because it as always a hit. With homemade broth in the fridge and freezer and a box of deboned chicken, all I had to do was heat it, dice or shred a carrot, and serve. If I added noodles at all, I put in a few of TJs sprouted wheat egg pappardelle. <BR/><BR/>A couple years ago I got into the ease of slow cooked braised meat dishes (often with a slow cooker). The meat is very tender, very inexpensive, and takes very little active prep time (this technique can compare very favorably to "30 minute" dishes from Rachel Ray, once one gets organized to think about dinner hours or even days before, instead of when everyone is already hungry. I think kids can warm up to this meat very easily. You can pull some aside for kids without much of a "masking" sauce, remove any gristle that hasn't melted, and if made plainly, it can easily be made into completely different "planned overs" for another meal (or lunch). That's a great way to cook during the week or busy weekends.<BR/> <BR/>Now, at age ten, my son happily eats most meats, is very good at using his knife and fork, and often is more interested in the meat than the other foods (though he'll eat a dish of red pepper strips, carrot sticks, etc., while doing homework if I silently put them within reach. I wouldn't have imagined this just a few years ago. But it did take some effort and work, and wasn't a direct path.<BR/><BR/>So be patient, be creative, and be vigilant to where you can cut back on availability of foods you deem less healthful and where you can insert better options, without a lot of battles. Keep us posted.Annahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17033443643442246531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-22425597123723805752008-11-07T12:32:00.000-08:002008-11-07T12:32:00.000-08:00Hi Aaron,Yes, I recommend soaking brown rice befor...Hi Aaron,<BR/><BR/>Yes, I recommend soaking brown rice before cooking. I usually soak it about 12 hours but that's probably overkill. 6 hours is fine, and the warmer the water (not exceeding 115 F), the faster it will soak. Adjust cooking water accordingly.<BR/><BR/>I agree with you, brown rice is delicious. I think it's even better soaked. It becomes milder and slightly sweet.Stephan Guyenethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09218114625524777250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-56977588718675625982008-11-07T12:26:00.000-08:002008-11-07T12:26:00.000-08:00Thanks for tips, Stephen. After reading Good Cals,...Thanks for tips, Stephen. After reading Good Cals, Bad Cals, my family switched from white rice to brown rice, which my wife (Chinese) cooks in the rice cooker. Should we soak the brown rice before cooking it? If so, for how long? Btw, we discovered that brown rice lends itself to a much tastier stir-fried rice with a much nicer consistency than does white rice! Who would have thought with the ubiquitous use of white rice in Chinese cooking.Aaron Blaisdellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17204484453346358921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-44264874489638740482008-11-07T11:39:00.000-08:002008-11-07T11:39:00.000-08:00Hi Aaron,Wheat is the most noxious because it has ...Hi Aaron,<BR/><BR/>Wheat is the most noxious because it has the most gluten. Quick-rise (standard) whole wheat is the worst. Other gluten grains include rye and barley. Anything that makes a decent bread, unfortunately! <BR/><BR/>Corn is probably better than wheat (make sure it's nixtamalized (called "masa flour")), and rice is the best. If you aren't going to soak it, go for white rice. Make up for the nutrients lost in refining by eating vegetables and meats. Soaking really takes no time whatsoever though. Just a thought in advance. <BR/><BR/>If you can't part with bread, sourdough rye is the best. <BR/><BR/>I don't think carbohydrates are really a problem per se. The problem is specific types of carbohydrate foods: sugar, wheat and industrially processed grain foods.<BR/><BR/>Rice, root vegetables and properly prepared non-gluten grains are the best sources.<BR/><BR/>It sounds like you're moving in a positive direction!Stephan Guyenethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09218114625524777250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-34104632477498380932008-11-07T11:12:00.000-08:002008-11-07T11:12:00.000-08:00Stephan,Which grains, according to your thinking, ...Stephan,<BR/><BR/>Which grains, according to your thinking, are most benign for human consumption when bought off the shelf of the average grocery store? The reason I ask is that I have a three-year old daughter who loves carbohydrates. I've read Taubes' "Good Calories, Bad Calories" and have tried to reduce carbs and polyunsaturated fats and increase consumption of animal products and animal fat as well as monounsaturated fats. But, my daughter is a carb lover. She loves "gold fish", crackers, pasta, etc. She will barely eat meat, though she will eat eggs, cheese, and butter which I give to her as often as possible. She has never tasted a soda and drinks exclusively water and whole milk (from cows) and the occasional juice. But I'm still stuck sending her off to day care with a sandwich or pasta in her lunchbox. I've been using whole-wheat bread, but given what I've read in this post would like to find an alternate sandwich material that I can buy off the shelf. I also have a two-month old at home, so I don't have time to soak or sprout grains. What should I buy? Oat bread? Corn tortillas? Rice products? What? Is there an empirical basis for choosing one type of grain over another?Aaron Blaisdellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17204484453346358921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629175743855013102.post-67024892347382838702008-11-07T09:28:00.000-08:002008-11-07T09:28:00.000-08:00Hi Ed,#1 is difficult to answer, because the healt...Hi Ed,<BR/><BR/>#1 is difficult to answer, because the health effects of lectins are determined by the type of lectin as well as quantity. As a matter of fact, I'd say type matters more than quantity. Many lectins are broken down by cooking, further complicating it. My approach is to use traditional processing methods that have been proven over generations to make grains healthy. <BR/><BR/>Gluten is found in wheat, barley and rye, with the most being in wheat. The quantity of gluten also varies with the type of wheat, with the most found in bread flour and the least in cake flour.<BR/><BR/>As Anna said, we don't strictly need carbohydrate, but we do need protein and fat. Our absolute requirement for fat is pretty low as well though, just the essential fatty acids. If I had to choose between fats and carbohydrates though, I'd definitely choose fats. I don't think a very low-fat diet (10%) is a good idea in the long term.Stephan Guyenethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09218114625524777250noreply@blogger.com