Grains. Keep ‘Em or Ditch ‘Em?

Grains are typically recognized as a healthy staple in the North American diet. However, grains may not be all that they are cracked up to be. Grains actually create an odd form of malnutrition.

When many North Americans hear the word malnutrition, they may picture an individual who is skin and bones, suffering from chronic starvation. However, this is not the type of malnutrition I will be talking about here. We experience malnutrition in the form of obesity. Seven out of ten North Americans are obese and due in part to their low protein and high refined carbohydrates. I hope that you can see the problem in this.

So, how do grains create this odd form of malnutrition? There are a few different ways.

1) They keep us from eating nutrient dense foods. When we fill our plates up with lots of grains, we eat less nutritionally dense foods, such as fruits, vegetables, meat, and animal by products, inhibiting our bodies to function at an optimal level.

2) They don’t have a lot of nutrients but they do have a lot of sugar. We are always told about the great benefits of breads, for their fibers and added nutrients. However, you can get these from better sources without an abundance of sugar through vegetables and fruit. Grains do not serve us in any way except for filling our stomachs with empty calories.

3) There is evidence to support that many individuals have a gluten sensitivity and have no idea about. This results in inflammation in the gut and leads to nutrients not being absorbed optimally. Even if you are still consuming lots of vegetables, meats, and fruits your body could be STARVING of nutrients.

Side note: Gluten free products are NOT a solution. Gluten free breads have less nutrients in them than regular bread. The food laws that apply to regular grains do not apply to gluten free products. Therefore, the gluten free products are not fortified with any extra nutrients and should not be substituted in. However, if you are going to eat off track, this is a a great option, just not on a daily basis!

At the end of the day, when our bodies are riding on grains, we are basically consuming empty calories that keep us from consuming nutrient dense foods, yet when we do consume nutrient dense foods our body is too inflamed to absorb it.

So you are probably thinking … How the heck do I cut grains completely out of my diet without starving and going on a hangry (hungry + angry) rampage? Well, your body is addicted to sugar! We need to break that cycle NOW! It won’ be pretty at first, but I assure you it will be pretty amazing very soon!

Take your plate, cut a line down the middle. Half should be vegetables, and the other half should be animal or animal by product protein, fat as a condiment and if you choose, a safe starch.

For information about real food nutrition visit my website Extraordinary Eats.

Let me know how this goes for you! I would love to hear your feedback and questions on the comment section below, and let’s continue the conversation!

Dr. Jamie Richards

I’m Jamie and I’m obsessed with health, passionate about maximizing performance and love being an expert in Bio-Structural Restoration™. As the CEO and founder of Life By Design Inc. I have the drive to lead our community toward extraordinary lives. I am in love with my wife, Dana, daughters Andie & Scottie, I’m fanatical about modern design, and I’m deeply committed to the pursuit of a happy life.