Blog 101 - The Truths About Health, Fitness, Nutrition and anything else i'd like to rant about!: Grains: Friend of Foe? - Brodiept.com

This article discussed the importance of covertly installing the right types of nutrients into your diet. From top online personal trainer, Brodie Mangan, understand the impact grains have on your health and exercise success. For more information, meal plans, and exercise programmes visit brodiept.com.

Traditional diet advice tells you to make half your grains whole grain, in fact the food pyramid tells you most your calorie intake should be from carbohydrate based foods. While there are some great nutrients in these foods, the harmful effects grains have on your body far outweigh any nutritional benefits. So why have these foods been pushed on to your plate over the past four decades? It began when studies were showing individuals were not getting enough fibre in their diet, and as recently as 2012, studies still confirm this fact. (1) The problem is many people look to grains to fill their fibre needs when there are actually healthier, less toxic, foods that can do this for you. So why do you have it entrenched in your brain that grains are an essential part of the diet? First off, they are readily accessible in most western societies and can be made quickly and cheaply. This means there are a lot of company pounds well more dollars since they’re mainly American owned, supporting “research” and “recommendations” that have made their way into a more global state of mind.

Why Should I Avoid Grains?

Weight gain, decreased heart health, and increased inflammation are just a few major reasons grains have a negative impact on your health. This purpose of this article isn’t to have you entirely avoid an entire food group, however, changing the way you think about grains and replacing these choices with healthier options.

Grains and Weight Gain

As an online personal trainer, I get tons of questions about carbs and while the issue is complex the bottom line is people simply eat too much of these foods, it’s really that plain and simple! One study found that individuals who have a grain-focused diet eat 400 extra calories per day! That may not seem like a lot, but ponder for a moment that if you consume these extra calories for an entire year you could end up 40 pounds heavier! Don’t think it can happen? I’ve seen cases off weight gain of 7-9 stone in half that time in years.

The body reacts to carbohydrates like no other nutrient. When fat and protein hit the blood stream they are put to use. Protein that is not needed by the body is then excreted as waste, while extra fat may be stored but also functions to provide insulation, cushion and protect the organs, act as a secondary source of energy, and transports vitamins A, D, E and K. Pretty important stuff! (6) Carbohydrates act totally different. When carbs hit the digestive tract they are converted into glucose. Glucose does play an important role in the body by providing energy to the brain and muscles. The problem is the body doesn’t need nearly as must as we supply it and the rest is stored. Some is stored in the muscle and liver, but if they’re full and if you don’t exercise they’re likely to be, the rest makes its way into little cells known as fat, which turn into big cells!

Carbohydrates also impact the amount of sugar, or glucose, in your blood stream. This can start the hunger cycle. It begins with breakfast. Your body has been fasting for over 8 hours, so it’s natural to feel hungry. You reach for cereal and a flavored coffee, both containing carbohydrates and very little protein. When those substances hit the intestines the carbs are converted to glucose and send your blood sugars rocketing upwards. For a while you feel a burst of energy, but quickly those sugars are metabolized and you are left feeling tired and hungry – even though you've had plenty of calories for your morning meal. You wait out the hunger until lunch, by then you are famished and your blood sugar shave dipped low making you feel lethargic. You chow down on the easiest foods available, usually a sandwich and chocolate bar or similar and again sending your glucose high. About two hours later you hit the same low of hunger and fatigue. Instead of waiting for dinner you reach for the sweets or crisps in your bag and the roller coaster ride begins again. When we continue this cycle every day you are cramming your body full of carbs, sugar, and low-nutrient foods eventually leading to weight gain, unstable insulin levels, and a myriad of other health problems.

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Grains and Heart Health

Fibre itself is correlated with improved heart health for its ability to lower LDL cholesterol levels, generally accepted as bad cholesterol, but it still has a role! However, cholesterol levels in general are not completely to blame for the rise in heart disease and other chronic diseases. In fact, the underlying issue may just be grains. People who consume a large amount of grains, especially refined grains, tend to have high triglyceride levels. Triglycerides have long been linked to cardiovascular disease, however, only recently have scientists realized this level is more telling of heart health than other cholesterol levels. (5) The surprising thing is that triglycerides have nothing to do with fat in the diet and everything to do with carbohydrates. Low protein intake and high carb intake is the reason triglyceride levels are elevated. (7)

Compounding the triglyceride effect, diets high in wheat have been linked to weight gain, particularly around the belly. Weight around the mid-section is always a concern. This usually stems from cosmetic view-point, but there are many health concerns that relate to extra pounds around the waist. If an individual carries excess weight around their mid-section they are typically referred to as an “apple” body type. Clinically this is referred to as central obesity.

Belly fat is serious and increases your risk for many health problems. There is a strong correlation between central obesity and diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. (3) Even if you are in a normal weight range (based on your BMI), you may have excess belly fat and increase your risk of these same diseases. One reason belly fat is of such concern is because of the visceral fat that is often also present. Visceral fat is also known as intra-abdominal fat and is packed between internal organs within the mid-section. This type of fat creates the “pot belly” or “beer belly” look.

Belly fat is unique because it does not just lay dormant, taking up extra space and making your next shopping trip frustrating. Instead hormones and inflammatory substances are secreted from this fat. This happens because it is widely believed that abdominal fat breaks down easily into fatty acids that have easy access to the liver through the portal vein. With the influx of these fatty acids into the liver more LDL (bad) cholesterol is created, along with excessive triglycerides. Both these substances have negative effects on heart health. (4)

Another interesting side effect of excessive visceral fat is the presence of fatty liver. This happens because of the fatty acids delivered to the liver that are then stored at fat.

When this shift in the blood chemistry happens, it also can impact insulin production and hormone balance. This phenomenon is often referred to as metabolic syndrome. According to the Mayo Clinic, metabolic syndrome is a cluster of increased blood pressure, a high blood sugar level, and abnormal cholesterol levels. All increase your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

The Inflammation & Carb Connection

Grains contain gluten and lectin. Gluten is a substance found most grains and gives dough its elastic texture. When someone with gluten sensitivity eats grains causes an inflammatory response in the gut leadings to discomfort and malabsorption of all nutrients. Typically this leads to diarrhea, gas, bloating, and sometimes a rash. If the inflammation continues overtime the person may experience dramatic weight loss and nutrient deficiencies and can cause the person to be very sick. (2) This is just one of the ways grains can lead to inflammation in the body, which will inhibit your weight loss and exercise performance. If you think you may be sensitive to this nutrient Brodie Mangan can create a meal plan that is just right for you, meeting your nutritional needs to succeed.

Lectin is a whole other issue, and it affects everyone. Unbeknownst to most, lectin is everywhere! This low grade toxin is essentially carb-binding proteins act to protect the grain from predators. However, what was once intended to preserve the species and keep them healthy now cause problems for our bodies. A certain amount of lectin in your diet are unavoidable and are found, most notably, grains, legumes, eggplants, tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers. The problem becomes that we simply eat too much of these foods, especially grains. So what’s the big deal? Lectin can damage the intestines inhibiting absorption of important nutrients. Overall, they are bad news and weeding out the foods that are most offensive is a good way to improve your gut health.

You can’t talk about grains without talking about phytic acids. While not a common dinner conversation, these acids are a major storage compound of phosphorus found in seeds and cereal grains. Binding metal ions it it’s job (mainly zinc, calcium and iron) and can actually block the intestines ability to absorb these minerals. (8) Grains with the highest amount of phytic acid include:

· Barley cereal

· Wheat Bran

· Mixed grain cereal

Should I Avoid All Carbs and Fiber?

No. The body prefers carbs as a primary source of fuel for the brain and muscles. If you completely cut out carbs you are in for a rocky road. When consuming extremely low amounts of carbs the body starts to shut down and you will feel constipated, fatigued, moody, and maybe hungry. This does not mean turning to refined carbs or sugary treats, you must be mindful of the types of carbs you are eating.

Grains and ingredients to avoid include:

· Processed dough (pizza, cookie, bread, rolls, etc.

· White bread

· White rice

· Sugary foods (chocolate bars, fizzy drinks, etc.

· brown sugar

· corn sweetener

· corn syrup

· dextrose

· fructose

· fruit juice concentrate

· glucose

· high-fructose corn syrup

· honey

· lactose

· maltose

· malt syrup

· molasses

· raw sugar

· sucrose

· sugar

What about Fiber?

Fiber is an exception and should be covertly installed in your lifestyle. It is put together in such a way that it can’t be broken down into sugar molecules, and so it passes through the body undigested. Fiber comes in two varieties: soluble fiber dissolves in water, while insoluble fiber does not. Although neither type nourishes the body, they promote health in many ways. (6) Meeting the recommended 25 to 35 grams of fiber daily will balance the body and can be healthy when you get them from the right sources. Some great choices when it comes to carbs and fiber include:

· Beans (white, black, pink, kidney, lentil, almond, walnut, chickpea)

· Small seeds (sunflower, flax, pumpkin, poppy, sesame)

· Whole grains (drum, spelt, kamut, wheat, millet,, rye, barley)

· Vegetables (avoid starchy vegetables such as corn, peas, and potatoes)

· Fruits (peaches, strawberries, the crunchier the better)

The Bottom Line: Understand grains are not your friend when it comes to reaching your physical best. Focus on lean protein, fresh fruits and vegetables for a balanced diet. For more meal plans and ideas from Brodie Mangan, visit brodiept.com.