Nutrition

Would You Benefit from a Wheat-free Diet?

Gluten-free, spelt, kamut, ancient grains… the options are dizzying. But can choosing alternatives and going wheat-free actually improve your looks and make you prettier?

By Carellin Brooks /

Credit: Flickr/cactusandivy

Many people feel (and look) better on a wheat-free diet

You might not even realize you have a wheat sensitivity. Try going wheat-free to improve your health

About one in a hundred people suffer from celiac disease, a serious condition in which all sources of gluten must be avoided.

But naturopathic practitioners suspect that a much larger proportion of people are wheat sensitive. Processed wheat flour is very different from the grains our ancestors ate. Kamut, spelt and other “ancient grains” are wheats closer to their ancient forms and thus, in theory, more easily tolerated.

You might be wheat-sensitive if you experience the following symptoms after eating wheat:

  1. Headaches
  2. Abdominal bloating
  3. A general feeling of listlessness, tiredness, or lethargy; and, paradoxically,
  4. Additional cravings for wheat and sugary foods

Cutting out Wheat Can Improve Your Health (and Looks)

Ease your wheat sensitivities by switching to ancient grain or 100% rye baked goods. (Read labels carefully: some baked goods described by the ancient grain they contain still are mostly made with wheat flour.)

Many sufferers of wheat sensitivities avoid wheat altogether. Without white bread, pasta, pastries, muffins, buns, scones and other empty-calorie treats on the menu, many folks increase their intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. This in turn gets rid of abdominal bloating and increases your energy level. Result: you feel, and look, terrific.