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There are three basic aspects of wheat’s adverse health effects: immune activation (e.g., celiac disease), neurologic implications (e.g., schizophrenia and ADHD), and blood sugar effects.
Among the questions I’d like answered is whether ancient wheat, such as the einkorn grain I obtained from Eli Rogosa, triggers blood sugar like modern wheat.
So I conducted a simple experiment on myself. On an empty stomach, I ate 4 oz of einkorn bread. On another occasion I ate 4 oz of bread that dietitian, Margaret Pfeiffer, made with whole wheat flour bought at the grocery store. Both flours were finely ground and nothing was added beyond water, yeast, olive oil, and a touch of salt.
Here’s what happened:
Einkorn wheat bread:
Blood sugar pre: 84 mg/dl
Blood sugar 1-hour post: 110 mg/dl
Conventional wheat bread
Blood sugar pre: 84 mg/dl
Blood sugar 1-hour post: 167 mg/dl
The difference shocked me. I expected a difference between the two, but not that much.
After the conventional wheat, I also felt weird: a little queasy, some acid in the back of my throat, a little spacey. I biked for an hour solid to reduce my blood sugar back to its starting level.
I’m awaiting the experiences of others, but I’m tantalized by the possibility that, while einkorn is still a source of carbohydrates, perhaps it is one of an entirely different variety than modern Triticum aestivum wheat. The striking difference in blood sugar effects make me wonder if einkorn eaten in small quantities can keep us below the Advanced Glycation End-Product threshold.
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Dr. Davis,
I wonder if you'll try this experiment again, this time with a CGM and periodic draws to find out what your insulin level was.
This experiment, to a more casual reader, provides too much hope (to a person with diabetes) that they can eat bread and still have optimal glucose levels.
Diabetes has been documented in the ancient world it may be that a 'treat' wouldn't harm someone once, but a regular and consistent 'treat' becomes a habit. Poor habits are what precipitate diseases like Type 2 diabetes, yes?
Funny experiment, but as stated by other commenters, it does not say much. And as you have said before yourself: "The best thing is to avoid grain consumption". Some dangers of grains: http://bit.ly/ckgK4E
Dr. Davis, you wrote: “After the conventional wheat, I also felt weird: a little queasy, some acid in the back of my throat, a little spacey. I biked for an hour solid to reduce my blood sugar back to its starting level”
I am very interested to know how biking reduced your blood sugar after one hour. Do you have some ideas as how exercise can actually reduce blood sugar?
In my case, I am pre diabetic and after one hour of intense exercise my blood sugar is very similar to before exercise, above 100's. Nevertheless, after some meals, it could come down to 80’s, how could that be explained?
Best wishes,
Alfredo E.
Where can you buy bread made from freshly ground wheat?!
@Alfredo
I'm prediabetic too and I've discovered a quick and convenient way to lower my BG: I do 50-60 jumping jacks and if it's very high I'll add 20 pushups. It takes about 5 minutes and lowers my BG anywhere from 20 to 40 points in half an hour or so.
The glucose in your body is reduced quickly because anaerobic exercise like that requires a lot of energy and it takes that in the form of glucose. So it's not an artifical lowering of BG like through medication. The body just uses up available glucose more quickly.
Some may worry that such a large BG drop might make them hypoglycemic but I have never had that happen to me even before I was doing this. I'm not on any medication.
Maybe Dr. Davis can elaborate on this a little more. We don't always have time or circumstance to go bike riding to lower our BG and for me this is a convenient alternative.
Dr. Davis-
A friend of mine who is new to GF eating mentioned that her husband's blood pressure has stabilized rather quickly after eliminating wheat. I googled "GF for heart health", and was delighted to discover your blog.
My family eats grain free, and the only flour I use is coconut flour. I recommend Bruce Fife's book "Cooking with Coconut Flour" as a jumping off point, because it explains how the properties of coconut flour make it unique to cook and bake with. You NEED many more eggs than in a traditional bread recipe because that is what gives it a light airy texture, and you also need lots of fats to ensure it is moist. I really don't do any cakes, cookies, etc because we try and stay low-carb, but the coconut flour has been great for breakfast, because neither my baby or I can eat eggs plain (wish I could, but they make me gag, he does too).
Coconut Flour Crepes:
Mix
2 eggs
2 TBSP melted butter or coconut oil (if you use coconut oil, the eggs need to be room temp or it will clump up)
Add 2 TBSP of sifted coconut flour and mix again until smooth.
Finally thin the mixture with about 1/3 cup of water and/or coconut milk
(I use frozen from Asian market, not canned, and dilute it 50/50 with water and a drop of vanilla Stevia)
cook crepes in pan brushed with ample coconut oil. They are great with just butter.
Dr Davis,
The book Carrie mentions, Cooking with Coconut Flour, is the one I mentioned last week. I have the entire book as a 2Mb pdf file, and am happy to share with anyone interested.
David M Gordon,
is it still possible to get a copy of the coconut flour book?
sue
Doctor Davis
i think we are missing a very vital step here that is of fermenting wheat dough (making sourdough wheat). That is THE traditional style of consuming wheat everyday around the world.
The process is neatly captured under subheading Europe:Sourdough Bread.
http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/search/label/gluten
That is how entire Indian subcontinent consumes wheat. That is approximately 2 billion people, not counting europe!
I will really look forward to seeing how sourdough wheat plays out in these tests as that is the staple food for the vast majority day in and day out.
Great interview with einkorn wheat producer Etienne Mabille that may interest some of you: http://www.satoriz.fr/les-entretiens/Le-Petit-Epeautre-de-Haute-Provence/article-sat-info-500-5.html (you will have to use an online translation tool if you don't read french)
Hi Dr. Davis,
Interesting post. I just received my shipment of einkorn today. I'll be performing a more sophisticated version of your experiment on myself beginning next week and I'll let you know the results. Just have to get a blood sugar-o-meter first.
Chris