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Why Say No To Grains On The Paleo Diet?

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One of the underlying proponents of the Paleo Diet is the “no grains” policy, and while many people are advocating the wonders of this diet to the world, if you don’t know why you should be staying away from a certain foodstuff, you will most likely trip up a few steps down the line because of this. Grains don’t seem like they should do much harm; after all, they don’t exactly seem very fattening and aren’t they supposed to be a great source of fiber? According to the supporters of the Paleo diet, however, this is far from the case and grains might actually be causing a lot more harm than most people realize.

GrainThe Evolution of the Human Body

One of the reasons why Paleo Diet enthusiasts advocate cutting out all grains is because, apparently, the human body hasn’t evolved to be able to process them efficiently. This is one of the reasons why the diet follows the eating habits of Paleolithic man; because peoples’ bodies have evolved to accommodate the foods that they ate back in the day and then they stopped evolving altogether, or at least where nutrition is concerned. According to the experts at Living Paleo;

 

As time progressed, grains became rather popular, the farming of grains increased and new technologies were developed which increased the speed of production. But if there is one thing that has stayed the same during this period, it’s our bodies, and our body’s ability to digest and assimilate this food source that it doesn’t recognize.

According to this same source, grains actually consist of anti-nutrients, and these are detrimental to the body’s healthy functioning; not only that, but they also inhibit the absorption of nutrients from other, healthy foods. Most people are now aware that many grains contain gluten and lectin; both of these are known to cause inflammatory issues within the gut, as well as digestive diseases, one of which is known as leaky gut.

By cutting out grains, people are not only preventing the negative side effects from affecting their bodies, but they are also promoting the benefits that other foods have to provide by giving themselves the chance to absorb the associated nutrients.

Grains Best Left to the Birds

Many of the experts who have taken a particular interest in this diet believe that grains aren’t compatible with the human digestive system because they came about as a result of the agricultural revolution around 10,000 years ago, but peoples’ bodies haven’t changed for about 2 million years. As they say, grains are better left to the birds, since they have systems that are more capable of dealing with them.

One of the main reasons why advocates for the Paleo diet think that grains rose to such popular heights in the modern world is because;

They are cheap to produce (although not without environmental costs), and they can be stored for much longer, and they can be sold overseas much more easily.

What this is suggesting is that there is a political and economic agenda behind the advertising of grains in the modern world and so people should carefully consider whether or not they are actually benefiting from this type of food, instead of relying solely on the general opinions of the mainstream media.

InsulinHigh Carbs, Elevated Insulin

High levels of blood sugar are becoming the banes of society, and with the rising rates in Diabetes, people need to make some drastic changes to their diets in order to prevent developing this life threatening condition. Insulin is supposed to lower the blood sugar levels within the body, but when there’s just too much sugar, this gets stored as fat. Over time, high levels of sugar can lead to insulin resistance; this is when diabetes takes over.

As Katie the Wellness Mama puts it;

Any form of carbohydrate is eventually broken down by the body into glucose, a simple form of sugar. While the body can use glucose for fuel, levels that exceed what is needed are toxic to the body.

Because of the high levels of carbohydrates in grains, particularly pastas, insulin levels tend to skyrocket, and many people believe that this is largely to blame for the many digestive disorders that people tend to suffer from. Diabetes has become an increasingly common illness over the past few decades; something that the advocates of the Paleo diet blame on grains.

Glutin

Glutin has become one of the biggest offenders when it comes to allergies and other negative reactions to foods, and it is because plants have developed this “toxin” as a way to prevent animals from eating their “offspring”, which is the part of the plant that forms the grain. According to recent studies, about 30% of the population has high amounts of antigiadin in their stool; this is the antibody that is secreted when the body attempts to fight off gluten. Due to these negative side effects, it’s generally better to stay away from products containing this component.

Lectins

Lectins are just another type of toxin that is found in grains, and they cause a wide range of issues. Firstly, these components tend the cause damage to the lining in the gut; this isn’t only uncomfortable, but it also makes it difficult for a person to absorb nutrients from this area of the body. After a while, this damage could end up leading to colon cancer.

Phytates

Phytates are present in certain seeds and nuts and they tend to attach themselves to the nutrients within a person’s body so that they can’t be absorbed. Advocates of the Paleo Diet believe that while you might see a wide range of nutrients listed on the side of a bread bag, due to the phytates that are contained within this product, your body might not be able to benefit from all of them.

Substituting Grains with Meat, Fruit and Vegetables

Due to the many negatives that come along with grains in just about any form or shape, it is best to stick with the nutrients that people have known for millions of years. Foods such as meat, fruit and vegetables are not only easier to digest, according to the experts, but they aren’t laden with many of the toxins that are present within grains, and this makes them all the more appealing.

The post Why Say No To Grains On The Paleo Diet? appeared first on Paleo News and Reviews.


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