There is a lot of hype in the media right now about the dangers of eating wheat. Many people are developing gluten allergies and intolerance. The Word of Wisdom has led me to question this hype, as the D&C states all grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life.. (D&C 89:14) “All grain is good for the food of man”(D&C 89:16). So I decided to let down my guard and do a little inspired research, God willing. I have been having a lot of "Joseph Smith" moments of late, as so great was the confusion and strife among the different documentaries, that it seemed impossible to come to any conclusion as to who was right, and who was wrong. The answers that I found were surprising to me and different than I expected and quite different from current diet trends. A book, Wheat Belly, written by a medical doctor, is circulating around. He claims that wheat is now so genetically modified that it can’t be digested by humans anymore. This doesn't sound good. But upon further research, I learned that genetic engineering of wheat is still in its infancy (which is still scary that it’s happening at all) and it is not being used for either people or animal consumption yet (thank goodness, hopefully it never will be, but think about storing up just in case). Wheat is, however, hybridised or cross bred with other grains. This does modify the genetics of wheat, but not in the way that you may have heard. Nearly all of the food that you consume has been genetically strengthened, over time, through hybridisation. Wheat has been modified, through natural means to make it stronger and heartier and more resistant to diseases. This is a good thing, and it has been practiced for centuries. This is what I have found so far, and I am needing to do some more research.
Whilst doing this research, I stumbled across an article by Dr. Matthew McClean & Amy McClean, who are Registered Dietitian Nutritionists in Utah. Their information has helped me a lot. Here is some of what they wrote:
Grain in the scriptures.
Many of Christ’s parables talk about grain, bread, and leavening. Ancient cultures of that day revolved around bread and the grain harvest. Grain has come to be known by Christians as “the staff of life”. Grain is the central food used in family food storage programs, because it can store for extended periods of time. Joseph in Egypt was told to collect grain for seven years in preparation for a coming seven-year famine that affected all of Egypt. Grains, in the whole form, contain natural preservatives. After prolonged dormancy, grains maintain nutrition and will still sprout when conditions are right.
Science sometimes questions the staff of life.
When natural preservatives and wheat proteins are consumed, studies find they can potentially harm the human body. Phytic acid, a natural preservative, is found primarily in the bran of grain, which is removed to make white flour. Phytic acid binds with minerals such as calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc and inhibits their absorption in the digestive tract. When we eat nutrient-dense whole grains, we are not absorbing much of these nutrients. Incompletely digested grain can lead to worsening overall health. Grain contains difficult to digest protein such as gluten. Gluten in-take has been linked to a plethora of health conditions such as back pain and irritable bowel syndrome, as well as most autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and thyroid disorders.
It is no wonder that many prominent researchers believe that man should not eat grain at all with the exception of non-glutinous grains in small quantities. Man's bread-making processes drastically changed during the 19th century.
The last 200 years of leavening
Throughout history prior to the mid-to late-1800s, grain was fermented using a natural leavening process. Natural leavening is several strains of yeast and several strains of beneficial bacteria that grow harmoniously together in an acidic environment. It is the yeast that causes bread to rise and gives us that sought-after lofty, soft loaf of bread. However, it is primarily the bacteria portion of a natural leaven that neutralizes phytic acid to release minerals for better mineral absorption. It is the bacteria that breaks down gluten into free amino acids that the body can use as building blocks, thus drastically lessening harmful effects. It is the bacteria that promotes normal blood sugar levels. It is the bacteria and long rising time that improve breadflavour. These and many other health benefits help to transform detrimental grains into super foods. Over the years, man figured out how to separate yeast from bacteria in their symbiotic relationship. In 1780, Dutch distillers began selling baker’s yeast commercially in the form of cream. This process was improved upon but didn’t gain widespread favour in the United States until 1876 when Charles Fleishchmann presented his yeast cakes in the 1876 world’s fair. The decreased leavening time, improved reproducibility and increased loaf volume catapulted his compressed yeast into modern fame. Current research is rediscovering why and how the ancient ways of using natural leavening aid in human health and how natural leavening can prudently help many people to consume grains without deleterious effects. Natural leavening is not only beneficial with gluten containing grains such as wheat, barley, and rye, but it can also be used with all gluten-free grains such as rice, quinoa, teff, amaranth, oat, millet, sorghum, and buckwheat to improve nutrient availability and decrease inflammation. Natural leavening can be used to improve nutrition in any grain recipe – from batter breads to flatbread and loaf bread.
Biblical leavening between 1600-1300 BC - the Israelites were led out of Egypt by Moses, which is recorded in the Book of Exodus in the Bible. The people had to leave their homes in such haste that they did not have time to leaven their bread. “And the people took their dough before it was leav- ened, their kneading troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.” (Exodus 12:34) Later, the deliverance of the Israelites from the bondage of slavery under the Egyptians was ritualised through the feast of unleavened bread known as Passover. Clearly, this verse shows that leavening was used during this era. Many people assume that because the Feast of the Passover is of unleavened bread, that we should actually be eating unleavened bread as part of our daily diet. Remember that the eating of unleavened bread was not the way that the Israelites normally prepared their bread.
Now I just have to learn how to make bread the REAL OLD FASHIONED WAY! I've heard that it's not easy either!
