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Wheat and Losing Weight

Jun 12, 2011 | By Ashley Jacob
Wheat and Losing Weight
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Wheat is by far the most commonly consumed grain in the U.S. and supplies a large part of the carbohydrates and calories in the standard American diet. Wheat and wheat flour are used to make breads, pasta, breakfast cereals, pizza dough, crackers, bagels, muffins, cookies, croissants, granola bars, buns, subs, cakes and many other baked goods. Many of the foods containing this popular cereal grain are highly refined and processed and may contribute to your weight problems.

Calories and Carbohydrates

Many foods containing wheat and wheat flour have a high calorie and carbohydrate content. For example, a bowl of 2 cups of pasta contains 440 calories and 86 g of carbohydrates, a bagel contains around 340 calories and 66 g of carbohydrates and a blueberry muffin can contain up to 550 calories and 69 g of carbohydrates, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database. It is easy to overeat wheat-containing foods because they are rich in carbohydrates and carbohydrates are the least satiating of the three macronutrients, which also include fat and protein, according to a May 2008 issue of "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." Many of these processed, high-carb foods can also have an addictive effect thanks to flavor enhancers and other appetite-stimulate additives. The more you eat, the more you crave them.

Carbohydrate and Insulin

Carbohydrate intake stimulates the release of the anabolic hormone insulin by your pancreas. Insulin is an important hormone that helps you control your increasing blood sugar levels following a carbohydrate-rich meal. To get rid of the extra sugar circulating in your blood, insulin makes it enter in your cells where it can be stored as body fat. If you eat a lot of carbohydrates from wheat, your higher insulin levels may prevent you from losing weight. A study published in 2004 in "Annals of Internal Medicine" shows greater weight loss with a low-carb, high-fat diet, restricting carbs to 20 g a day by eliminating wheat and other carb-rich foods, compared to a low-fat, high-carb diet.

Leptin Resistance

Wheat and most other cereal grains contain lectins, a compound naturally produced by plants to protect them against potential enemies. Some researchers hypothesize that these lectins may compromise your hunger and satiety signals, according to an animal study published in December 2005 of "BMC Endocrine Disorders." According to this study, eating cereal grains like wheat could make you more hungry, which would result in overeating and consequently, weight gain or an inability to lose weight.

Losing Weight Without Wheat

If you consume a lot of wheat and struggle with your weight, you could experiment with decreasing or cutting off wheat in your diet. You can go the low-carb route, by simply eliminating wheat-containing foods and replacing them with more non-starchy vegetables and healthy fats from olive oil, avocado, nuts and their butter. If you decide to lower your carb intake, first consult your doctor because your medications may require adjustments. If you prefer not to reduce your carbohydrate intake, replace wheat-based foods with carbohydrates from fruits, sweet potatoes, winter squash, quinoa, buckwheat and plain yogurt. Give one of these options a try for at least a month and you will be able to determine whether eliminating wheat can help you lose weight more easily.

References

Article reviewed by Vesna Vuynovich Kovach Last updated on: Jun 12, 2011

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