The month of May was the second wettest on record for the United States, so it is difficult for farmers to till the fields and plant seeds. Farmers have coined the phrase #noplant19 to describe this year. A small town in Illinois had a prevent plant party. 

The USDA Crop Progress report showed that each state was significantly behind on their planting percentage as of June 10. Farmers are usually done planting all corn by now, but only 83 percent has been planted this year. And it is too late in the season in most states to plant any more.  Corn is used as feed for beef and dairy cattle, pigs and chickens. It is also an ingredient in many foods.  

“The farm-gate price of corn, beans, wheat is such a small percentage of our food cost. Processing, packaging, transportation and handling is the highest percentage. Yes, it will have some impact on the price but for the most part, I don’t think the consumer is going to see any impact,” said Dr. Kim Anderson, a professor and extension specialist at Oklahoma State University with a focus on wheat and export markets. 

Only 60 percent of the U.S. soybean crop was planted compared to the five-year average of 92 percent. Soybeans are used in animal feed, cooking oils and ingredients in many foods. Other crops such as cotton and sorghum are also behind schedule.  

Dr. Anderson explained that not only are the prolonged rains causing problems to be able to plant fields, the humidity that accompanies these storms is also hurting the wheat crop that is growing and needs to be harvested at this time of year. Because of this, there will be about a 15% reduction in wheat production in Oklahoma for farmers.  

Wheat typical to this region is used in baking yeasts and all-purpose flour to make bread. 

“With the high humidity, even if it’s dry enough to get in the field, the wheat is not drying out so that we can harvest it,” he said. The quality of the wheat crop in some areas is so poor, some farmers have basically said they are waiting for the fields to dry out just so they can take a match to their crop.  

The USDA raised its price forecast for corn by 50 cents per bushel to $3.80 and raised the soybean price by 15 cents per bushel to $8.25, according to a Meatingplace article. Smithfield Foods Inc., a U.S. global packaged foods and meat company, imported corn from Brazil because they expect a shortage of corn in the U.S., according to a Rueters report. Livestock producers are going to feel the increased costs more directly than consumers, Anderson said.  

“If we get poor quality wheat — in other words we get sprouting — then that could limit the price increase in corn because they could substitute wheat for corn and we’re going to need to get rid of that feed wheat,” Anderson said in regards to feeding cattle wheat instead of corn.  

Stormy weather and mass flooding have made this year difficult for farmers and ranchers. Some crops will not be planted because of the weather. Consumers may see a slight increase in food prices as a result. 

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We reached out to Robert Wager,  biochemist and member of the Biology Department of Vancouver Island University, and Dr. Steve Taylor, Professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology and Co-founder and Co-Director of the Food Allergy Research and Resource Program, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, to give us further clarification on what gluten-free wheat means.

Wager explained what gluten is. “Gluten is made up of two main types of protein, one of which is gliadin. Gliadin is the protein that causes the most allergic reactions.” The new gluten-free variety is being developed from regular wheat that has been gene-edited to reduce the amount of gliadin.

How do this gliadin protein and gene-editing work? Gene editing, or CRISPR, is a group of technologies that allow genetic material to be added, removed or altered at a particular location in a genome.  In this case, scientists go into the wheat’s DNA and edit out a particular amount of gliadin.

“Gluten-free wheat is a 97% reduction in gliadin content. This version of gluten-free wheat is removing about three-quarters of the gliadin genes,” Wager said.

It’s important to note that only 97% of the gliadin is being removed because anyone who is allergic to gluten could still experience a reaction. However, Wager points out, “It could be a great product for them, but that’s yet to be determined.” Everyone’s gluten intolerance is different and therefore their response to the remaining gliadin is unknown.

For those of us not allergic to gluten, we shouldn’t be concerned. Wager says normal bread eaters won’t be affected any differently. Instead you’ll have something resembling a flatbread in appearance and texture.

One thing Wager thought it was important to point out was that within wheat, “there are approximately 45 types of gliadin genes. What physiological effects will occur if we remove all 45 of them is not known. Physiological effects are the plant’s ability to fight off a disease or infection. If they continue to remove or de-activate all the gliadin, there will be a huge unknown impact on the wheat.”

What does this mean for those with celiac disease and gluten intolerance? Dr. Taylor explained there are other types of gluten-free options such as sourdough and heritage wheat.

“Heritage wheat is a term that I have seen used to describe wheat that is safe for celiac sufferers,” says Dr. Taylor. “It means the rather old wheat varieties, now called emmer and einkorn. These old varieties of wheat have less gluten than the regular bread wheat that is most typically used in today’s processed foods, but they still do have gluten.”

Even then, Dr. Taylor cautions that not all those with celiac would be able to tolerate it.

With sourdough, the slow lacto-fermentation process makes the bread (mostly) gluten free. This fermentation process also makes detecting any residual gluten more difficult, which has made the FDA slightly more reluctant to label sourdough as gluten free. Dr. Taylor gives us the example of gluten-free beer and how labeling it as so is somewhat of a risk. “There is evidence that some with celiac disease can tolerate sourdough,” Dr. Taylor says, but people with the disease should be cautious.

Either way, sourdough has a unique flavor and heritage wheat “definitely does not make great bread due to the lower gluten content” Dr. Taylor informs us.

Wager and Dr. Taylor agree that gluten-free wheat and bread probably won’t take over the market. The number of people allergic to gluten is a significantly smaller number compared to the number of people that are not allergic and the proteins with unique functional properties make gluten a rather important ingredient in foods. The experts also agree that while it is unclear when gluten-free wheat will hit markets, when it does, those truly allergic to gluten and suffering from celiac disease should treat it with caution.

“The allergic response to the remaining gliadin (gluten) is unknown and will depend on one’s gluten-intolerance,” Dr. Taylor said. “The biggest risk would be some people might be duped into believing that products are gluten free when they’re not.”

The FDA regulates the labeling of gluten-free products. He said labeling is a complex process. “In my view, FDA would be reluctant to grant permission to use gluten-free wheat on products made from heritage wheat or from sourdough-fermented products because FDA has not yet promulgated a final rule for use of gluten-free on fermented products,” he said. “That leaves genetically-engineered wheat. This form of gluten-free wheat might be okayed by FDA to be labeled as gluten-free.”

So is new gluten-free wheat a gamechanger?  Wager says that he “would not consider this a possible game changer, ” but he does believe that it could be the start of gene-editing products that could directly benefit us as consumers. Dr. Taylor considers this gene-edited wheat to be a potential game-changer, but that consumers may consider it a GMO, which might affect its acceptance.

Gluten-free wheat created through gene editing will not be on the market for some time, but it has endless market possibilities. The wheat may provide some benefit for those who are gluten intolerant or gluten sensitive. Maybe one day we’ll say, “I remember gluten bread.”

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Diets that eliminate gluten are widely promoted and the number of products labeled as “gluten-free” continues to expand. We reached out to Dr. Alison Duncan, registered dietitian and professor in the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Guelph, Ontario, for insight and she shared some interesting findings.

First of all, what should we all keep in mind regarding gluten in a healthy diet?

Dr. Duncan: “Gluten is a type of protein found in foods containing wheat, barley, rye and triticale. It is part of a healthy diet. If you do not have a diagnosed allergy (Celiac disease) or an intolerance to gluten, then gluten is part of your healthy diet.

“In fact, a recent 2017 study published in the British Medical Journal related gluten consumption to heart disease risk in 64,000 women and 45,000 men and concluded that not only did long-term gluten intake not increase the risk of heart disease but that avoiding gluten could increase that risk through reduced consumption of healthy whole grains.”

Read the study here.

So, let’s back up a bit. We hear a lot about gluten. What is it?

Dr. Duncan: Gluten is a general name for the proteins found in grains including all forms of wheat (e.g. bulgur, durum, semolina, spelt, farro), barley, rye and triticale (a cross between wheat and rye). Gluten functions in foods as a glue that holds foods together to maintain their shape. The term gluten is actually derived from the glue-like property of wet dough. The two main proteins in gluten are called gliadin and glutenin. During the bread making process, they form strands that strengthen the dough and create pockets that trap air (like a balloon) and allow bread to rise and have its appealing texture.

What is gluten’s role in the body?

Dr. Duncan: Gluten itself does not have a specific function in the body; rather its specific function plays out in foods. Gluten’s primary function in foods is to provide a structural mechanism to facilitate the bread making process and enable foods to hold their shape and provide texture.

If a person who has Celiac disease, what happens when they eat gluten?

Dr. Duncan: Celiac disease is an autoimmune and digestive disease in which a person cannot digest gluten. Celiac disease affects 0.7 to 1% of the population and people with Celiac disease must strictly avoid gluten. If someone with Celiac disease eats gluten, their immune system will respond by destroying the lining (villi) of the small intestine. The most common symptoms include bloating, constipation, headache, tiredness, skin rashes, depression, weight loss and foul-smelling feces. The damage to the villi in the small intestine will lead to problems with absorption and nutrient deficiencies and malnutrition can occur, no matter how much food is consumed.

Explore more about gluten and weight loss.

What is gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity? 

Dr. Duncan: Non-Celiac gluten sensitivity or gluten sensitivity is when someone does not test positively for Celiac disease, but still reacts negatively to gluten. This condition is thought to affect 0.5 to 13% of the population, although an accurate prevalence is not known. If someone with gluten sensitivity eats gluten, symptoms can include diarrhea, stomach pain, tiredness, bloating and depression. However, the intestinal damage that is seen with Celiac disease does not occur. Less is clearly understood about gluten sensitivity and there is ongoing research on this condition.

For a person who has not been diagnosed with Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, should they avoid gluten?

Dr. Duncan: No, there is no reason to avoid gluten without a diagnosed sensitivity or intolerance. In fact, avoiding gluten is not only very difficult to properly do – as anyone who has Celiac disease can attest to – it increases risk for nutrient deficiencies since many of the foods that contain gluten contain essential nutrients.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat that gives bread and similar foods their texture and structure. For those with Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, consuming wheat can cause digestive and health problems. For others, there is no need to avoid gluten. In fact, eliminating gluten carries risks because it means missing important nutrients and the benefits of heart-healthy whole grains.

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What makes it different? Kernza is a perennial that lives for several years. Wheat, in comparison, is an annual crop that farmers typically plant in the fall. It is harvested in the summer when the grain is ripe and the plants die. Each year, new seed is planted.

Kernza is not a strain or species of wheat, but a registered trade name owned by The Land Institute for a type of intermediate wheatgrass, a wild relative of annual wheat. The seed is planted and farmers harvest the grain, but the plant continues to live in the soil and produce a crop every year.

Why is it important? Researchers developed Kernza to capture the environmental benefits of perennials. The roots of a Kernza plant grow 10 feet into the soil, much deeper than annual wheat. Those deeper roots allow the plant to store nutrients, resist drought and reduce soil erosion. Kernza can both protect the soil while producing food for people to eat.

How does it taste? The grain has a sweet, nutty flavor making it a good fit for cereals and snacks. The kernel is smaller than wheat and has more bran and fiber, but fewer carbohydrates.

When will it be available? General Mills announced that it will be using Kernza in some of its Cascadia Farms organic brand cereals and snacks. The products will be on store shelves next year.

The Land Institute has been conducting research on perennial grains since the 1980s and continues to work with the goal of developing varieties of Kernza that are economical for farmers to grow on a large scale. They expect the first Kernza variety will be widely available by 2019.

Where can you buy it? Kernza is available in a few specialty products now. Patagonia Provisions produces a beer called Long Root Ale which is sold on the West Coast. Chefs in the Minneapolis area, where Kernza is grown in test plots, have made pasta, tortillas and muffins. The Perennial restaurant in San Francisco serves Kernza bread and crackers.

Kernza is a new grain that has the potential to change how farmers grow crops. “Kernza is among the first of a range of new perennial crops in development that together are expected to build soil, improve wildlife habitat, protect water and provide abundant nutritious food. Over a few more decades of research and development, dedicated global partnerships will make this vision a tangible reality. Already the first fields now yielding Kernza perennial grain and the food and farming innovators working with the grain promise great things to come,” the Land Institute told us.

_{Photo Credit: The Land Institute}

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Oktoberfest wouldn’t be the same without beer, and beer can’t be made without grain. Like all food and drink, beer is a product of its ingredients, and each type of beer requires different amounts of the grains that make up the beer. Here’s a summary of some of the grains used to make beer:

Barley is transformed into brew-ready malt by taking a bath in hot water. This causes the grain to create the enzymes that transform proteins and starches into fermentable sugars, which yeast will later feast on to create alcohol. With brewing, top billing on the grain bill usually is reserved for barley malts. Malts compose the bulk of the grain bill. Typically lighter in color, these base malts provide the majority of the proteins, fermentable sugars, and minerals required to create beer. Specialty malts are used to increase body, improve head retention, and add color, aroma, and flavor, such as coffee, chocolate, biscuit, and caramel.

Most barley grown in the United States is intended for malting purposes because of the premium it commands. Approximately three out of every four bushels grown in the United States is used for food/beverage production. The U.S. is also a consistent top-10 exporter of barley, according to the U.S. Grains Council.

Corn provides a smooth, somewhat neutral, sweetness when used in beer. It is utilized to lighten a beer’s body, decrease haziness, and stabilize flavor.

Corn is the most widely produced feed grain in the United States, with 90.5 million acres of corn planted in 2014, according to USDA, resulting in nearly 13.8 billion bushels of corn. While beer is one use for corn, and ethanol to be blended with gasoline is another, most corn is used in livestock feed.

Oats are used in conjunction with barley to create a creamy, full-bodied brew that’s as smooth as satin. Stouts are a natural fit.

U.S. farmers harvested just over three million acres of oats in 2015, with the majority of oats being grown in Northern states. Oats almost never have their bran and germ removed in processing, meaning they are a whole grain. You can read more about the goodness of whole grains here. While oats can be used to make a delicious stout beer, they are more commonly steamed and flattened to produce rolled oats, sold as “old-fashioned” or regular oats, quick oats, and instant oats. The more oats are flattened and steamed, the quicker they cook – and the softer they become.

Rice imparts little or no discernible taste as a beer ingredient, but the grain helps create a dry profile as and lighten a beer’s body.

Rice, the primary staple for more than half the world’s population, is used as more than just an ingredient in beer. USA Rice has information on how rice provides energy, and nutrients with health and other benefits. Eighty-five percent of the rice we eat in the U.S. is grown by American farmers and the U.S. receives nearly half its sales volume from exports. Four U.S. regions produce almost all of the country’s 2.9 million acres of rice harvested in the United States. Three of these regions are in the South and the other is in California, and each area specializes in a specific type of rice.

Rye can sharpen flavors and add complexity, crispness, and subtle spiciness as well as dry out a beer. The grain also can be kilned to create a chocolate or caramel flavor. Its shortcoming: since rye is hull-less, using large percentages of the grain during brewing can cause it to clump up and turn to concrete.

In 2015, U.S. farmers harvested 314,000 acres of rye. The United States is a significant producer of rye, with much of the production taking place in Georgia and Oklahoma. Rye can be used as a livestock feed, a flour in breads and other baked goods, and distilled into alcohol.

Wheat is packed with proteins and helps create a fuller body and mouthfeel and a foamy head in beer. A large proportion of wheat can result in a smooth, hazy brew such as a hefeweizen or a witbier. Wheat can impart a slight tartness.

U.S. farmers harvested over 48.4 million acres of wheat in 2015. Wheat is the primary grain used in U.S. grain products — approximately three-quarters of all U.S. grain products are made from wheat flour, and is grown in 42 states. About half of the wheat grown in the United States is used domestically. Wheat is a whole grain that can be used for flour, breads, baked goods, pasta and countless other options.

Now that you know more about the grains needed to make your favorite beer, maybe you’ll want to thank a farmer by buying them a beer at your local Oktoberfest or fall festival!

The post Without Grains There is No Beer appeared first on Best Food Facts.

To answer this question, we reached out to:

• Brett Carver, PhD, Wheat Breeding & Genetics, Regents Professor and Wheat Genetics Chair in Agriculture, Oklahoma State University
• Angela Post, PhD, Weed Science Extension, Assistant Professor, Oklahoma State University;
• Jeff Edwards, PhD, Small Grains Extension, Warth Distinguished Professor of Agronomy, Oklahoma State University

Is wheat toxic?

Dr. Brett Carver, Dr. Angela Post and Dr. Jeff Edwards:

Whether in whole form or enriched, wheat is central to a healthy diet for the general population, and should only be avoided by those clinically diagnosed with celiac disease, gluten sensitivity or a wheat allergy. Wheat remains as natural and true to its heritage as any major food-producing plant. Thousands of years of evolution and adoption by human civilizations have made it that way. No other cereal grain claims as much dependency on its ancestors and non-cultivated relatives (what the general population may call ‘ancient grains’) to fuel the development of new and resilient varieties. What is changing are some of the techniques – yet still involving natural pollination – which enable scientists to more efficiently tap those same genetic resources without losing ground to the growing demands of modern society.

Wheat is central to a healthy diet + should only be avoided if clinically diagnosed with celiac disease, gluten sensitivity or wheat allergy
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Is the protocol for wheat harvest to drench the fields with Roundup several days before harvest?

Dr. Brett Carver, Dr. Angela Post and Dr. Jeff Edwards:

Wheat farmers do not “drench” or “douse” fields with pesticides. Application of any pesticide is expensive to the farmer, who already has a tight bottom line when growing wheat. A glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup) application could cost as much as $6.50/acre just for the chemical. For a typical wheat field in the southern Great Plains, that represents an additional $3,500 in costs that the farmer will likely choose not to incur. The common use rate for glyphosate is about one quart per acre. This is equivalent to evenly and accurately spreading one quart of liquid over a football field. Even considering the 10 gallons of water that would be used to dilute the glyphosate for spraying, a more accurate description would be an “extremely light mist” rather than “drench.” This practice might be used occasionally to facilitate wheat harvest and to produce grain that is less contaminated by weeds present at harvest.

For example, in the southern Great Plains and in the southeastern USA, this practice might be used when wet field conditions exist after the wheat has already matured or lost its green color. A mature wheat canopy allows more sunlight to penetrate to the soil surface, setting up a prime environment for summer annual weeds to do what they do best, which is grow at a very rapid rate. Anyone who has hoed weeds from a garden can appreciate how quickly weeds can grow. The green weeds in an otherwise mature wheat field can present harvest problems and/or issues for farmers wishing to immediately plant soybeans after wheat harvest (referred to as double crop). In this case, farmers may choose to apply an herbicide to prevent these summer annual weeds from causing harvest problems. Such problems caused by weeds might include damage to the part of the combine that cuts the crop, increased grain moisture that can cause storage problems, and foreign material or “trash” in the harvested grain.

Also, in some spring wheat (wheat planted in the spring instead of the fall) areas of the northern USA, farmers sometimes use an herbicide such as glyphosate to achieve more uniform drying of wheat plants across the field while controlling weeds. If applied according to label restrictions, these applications would again be made after the crop is considered physiologically mature. That is, the grain is already made, the plant machinery is shutting down, and the plants are simply drying. Estimates we have received say less than one-third of spring wheat acres are treated in this manner. The majority of U.S. wheat acres is grown to winter wheat (wheat planted in the fall), not spring wheat.

Is this a common practice of wheat farmers?

Dr. Brett Carver, Dr. Angela Post and Dr. Jeff Edwards:

No, this is not a common practice of wheat farmers. However, specific situations may call for glyphosate application, as we addressed earlier. A reasonable estimate of the U.S. wheat acreage under this practice would be 0 to 10% in a given year.

Is this practice illegal?

Dr. Brett Carver, Dr. Angela Post and Dr. Jeff Edwards:

No. Many herbicides have labels that allow them to be used as harvest aids or desiccants (helps in drying out the crop). Label guidelines are determined through years of testing and require Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approval. Glyphosate is labeled for preharvest weed control in scenarios we have described.

Is this practice used to kill regular wheat to dry it out and have an earlier, bigger and easier harvest?

Dr. Brett Carver, Dr. Angela Post and Dr. Jeff Edwards:

This practice is not used to kill wheat, as mentioned above. The wheat is essentially non-living when applications are made. Yield is already determined at this point. Also, all wheat produced commercially for consumption is considered “regular,” and natural.

Should I be worried about this practice when it comes to the health and safety of me and my family?

Dr. Brett Carver, Dr. Angela Post and Dr. Jeff Edwards:

Human health is not at risk when consuming grain produced in this manner or any other manner that is subject to strict regulatory approval of pesticide use.

Does wheat have herbicide residue on it?

Dr. Brett Carver, Dr. Angela Post and Dr. Jeff Edwards:

The grain is not exposed prior to harvest, when the herbicide might be applied, because individual grains are encased by mother plant tissue called the lemma and palea, which, in turn, are encased by the outer glume layer. Think of the glume as an envelope covering the seed, protecting it from the elements and holding it in place until harvest. The threshing process in the combine separates the grain from these maternal tissues otherwise called chaff. Even with whole wheat the chaff is not consumed with the grain.

Our main protection from herbicide residues in food is the EPA’s residue limit set for each commodity where pesticides are likely to be present. In this specific case, EPA does not set a tolerance for wheat flour or other wheat products because glyphosate residues do not concentrate in the grain. To give an example, sweet corn has a residue limit of 3.5 parts per million (ppm), which is the amount of glyphosate allowable on this product at the time of purchase. Studies investigating glyphosate residues on wheat as soon as three days after application recovered 20 times less glyphosate than the EPA allowable tolerance on a food (sweet corn) commonly eaten by consumers.

Are we using herbicides more frequently since the 1980s?

Dr. Brett Carver, Dr. Angela Post and Dr. Jeff Edwards:

No. According to USDA data, total pesticide use in the USA peaked in 1981 and has steadily decreased since. This is true for insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides such as glyphosate. Herbicide use has remained relatively stable since the mid-1990s. Furthermore, the U.S. wheat crop accounts for only 4.5 percent of the total amount of pesticides applied nationwide.

Why is Roundup banned in the Netherlands but not in the U.S.? Is this something to worry about?

Dr. Brett Carver, Dr. Angela Post and Dr. Jeff Edwards:

Glyphosate is not banned in the Netherlands. The Dutch government has passed measures to reduce homeowner use of glyphosate by restricting non-agricultural uses. It is still widely used in the agricultural market of the Netherlands.

Should I avoid eating commercially grown wheat?

Dr. Brett Carver, Dr. Angela Post and Dr. Jeff Edwards:

Commercial supplies of wheat grain are subject to government regulations extending from the farm to the storage facilities and into the bakery. This intense level of scrutiny is intended to give us, as consumers, the confidence we need to enjoy, and not to avoid, one of nature’s treasured grains. Avoidance is advised only in the case of a known medical condition linked to digestibility.

_{“Wheat” by Susanne Nilsson is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0}

The post Is Wheat Toxic? appeared first on Best Food Facts.

The basic idea is that over the last 50 years, hybridization of the wheat grain has taken place to increase crop yield and lengthen shelf life. To do this, a protein called gliadin was added to the grain. The theory is that the higher concentration of this protein has made wheat less digestible, which causes an allergy.

According to Dr. P. Stephen Baenziger, wheat breeder and geneticist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, wheat is relatively higher in protein than other cereal grains such as rice and corn and therefore, lower in carbohydrates. In addition, Dr. Baenziger says that wheat from 100 years ago exhibited the same qualities as modern wheat, so the assumption that today’s wheat varieties create gluten sensitivity is unfounded.

We have worked with a few experts to answer questions about food (including wheat) allergies, gluten intolerance, and possible connections between gluten and obesity, and we once again reached out to our experts to weigh in on the latest report from Dr. Davis that was recently featured on The View.

Experts:

Dr. Ruth MacDonald, Chair and Professor of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University

Sally Mackenzie, PhD, Ralph and Alice Raikes Professor in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture in the School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Dr. Mackenzie:

Like all of these types of reports, they are founded in some element of truth, but laced with hyperbole so as to cause alarm. It is true that there is research on alpha-gliadin, a fraction of the gluten proteins that is identifiable by its solubility in alcohol. This fraction appears to be the problem element for people with Celiac disease. In this research, there is some evidence that in Celiac patients, binding may occur between alpha-gliadins and certain opioid-like receptors. This is an avenue of research aimed at trying to understand the disease, similar to our studies of peanut allergies or effects of cholesterol on the heart. Taken out of context, you can see what happens.

 

As for our food supply, wheat is not a genetically engineered crop. All modifications are made through natural plant breeding methods, and no specific effort has been made by the plant breeding community to increase the gliadin fraction of the wheat protein. Nevertheless, it is likely that there is some variation in this protein level across the world’s varieties of wheat, and no doubt some wheat breeders are testing whether this can be eliminated from the gluten fraction by wheat breeding.

 

What I find misleading is that Dr. Davis is implying that breeders have been careless. The technologies he refers to during the “green revolution” were designed to increase yields, and most people would attribute giant leaps in our ability to feed the world to the green revolution (Norman Borlaug won the Nobel Peace Prize for just the work that Dr. Davis attacks).

Dr. MacDonald:

Within the mix of proteins in wheat, gluten is comprised of gliadins and glutenins. So gluten sensitivity includes gliadin – and there is a body of literature about gliadin antibodies. Gliadin antibodies in the blood have been used as an indicator of Celiac disease, and there has been research to determine if these antibodies in patients with known Celiac disease cause neurological or psychiatric disorders.

 

Some papers that tried to correlate the antibodies or gluten sensitivity to ataxia, neuropathy, Alzheimer’s and MS found no link; however, some studies did correlate neurological disease with levels of antibodies. I suspect there is evidence that gluten sensitivity, if untreated, could lead to increased antibodies to gliadin, which may have a negative impact on the neural system, but this is not fully understood.

 

The extreme view that everyone should avoid wheat because of this is not well supported by the evidence – the loophole here is that people are now finding a continuum of sensitivity to gluten proteins, which opens the door to more people that might be having negative effects to wheat leading to this type of public warning, which is clearly overblown and not well supported.

 

Want to make your own whole wheat bread at home? Check out this step-by-step tutorial from the Home Bakers Association:

Looking for a non-wheat alternative? Check out this recipe for gluten-free bread from Shauna who blogs at GlutenFreeGirl.com:

_{“Bread” by M Dribelbis is licensed under CC BY.}

The post Is Wheat a “Perfect Chronic Poison?” appeared first on Best Food Facts.

In reviewing the reasons behind our obesity rate increase, the U.S. Department of Agriculture performed an analysis of our calorie sources and how they have changed over the last 40 years. It shows the number of calories available per person in 2008 was 23 percent higher than consumed in 1970.

One of the shifts in calorie consumption in recent years involves wheat, barley and rye – all containing gluten, which cannot be digested by those with celiac disease (CD) or who are gluten sensitive. In the U.S. less than 1 percent of the population has CD and only 6 percent are thought to have gluten sensitivity.

A new book titled Wheat Belly, authored by a preventative cardiologist, claims wheat is a primary driver of the modern day rise in obesity. The contention is that because of genetic tinkering, modern wheat is really a ‘super carbohydrate.’ What are your thoughts?

Dr. Baenziger:

“I believe that ‘wheat belly’ and obesity is more likely due to overeating and physical inactivity than to wheat. Among the major cereal grains, wheat actually is relatively higher in protein (therefore lower in carbohydrate) than many other cereals (e.g. rice and corn). The higher protein content in wheat is because you need protein to make bread. If protein gets too low, you cannot make a loaf of bread.”

There seems to be growing concern about wheat. Specifically, more people are moving toward a gluten-free diet as a way to eat healthier. What are your thoughts on this?

Dr. Baenziger:

“A lot of people have suggested that modern wheat breeding has made people more sensitive to the Celiacs disease. But I can give you a sample of wheat that is 100 years old and it will still have the problem. For some reason, it is assumed that modern technology has hurt the healthful qualities of food and that is not the case.”

Most farmers today are planting genetically modified corn and soybeans but this is not the case with wheat. Why is that?

Dr. Baenziger:

“Genetically modified wheat exists in the laboratory but it is not commercial and has never been sold. There are tremendous needs that could be met through transgenic approaches with wheat. One company developed a gene that is resistant to fusarium head blight, which causes tremendous grain yield losses, but they’ve never been able to use it. With such a gene we could reduce a mycotoxin in the food supply called vomitoxin. So, not only would it be of value to protect the crop but it would be a valuable food safety tool.

“The reason it is not commercially available is because of trade issues. Since 45% of the U.S. wheat crop is exported it would be economically damaging for other countries to reject our wheat because of genetic modification issues.”

_{Image: “Banana Zucchini Squiggle Loaf” by Meal Makeover Moms is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.}

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