Milling & Baking News - September 18, 2012 - 40

Bread Industry Perspective 

foods such as sugar and fats are addic- group avoiding wheat intake, and Dr. be worth trying, Dr. Jones says. She tive are “very controversial,” she says. Davis says they lose weight when they emphasizes that wheat elimination “There is no evidence to substantiate stop consuming wheat. He says gluten- is “not the miracle cure described by Dr. Davis’ claims about withdrawal ins (the protein in wheat ﬂour) selected Dr. Davis.” 2 — Similarly, Dr. Jones says many symptoms resulting from removal of by breeders trigger celiac disease and wheat from the diet,” she says. Fur- that the incidence of celiac has increased “case reports and narratives” suggest ther, his claim that wheat leads to un- fourfold in the last 50 years. He also says a link between autism and celiac discontrollable overeating conﬂicts with celiac patients have elevated cancer rates. ease, but supporting data are scarce. 1 — Celiac patients generally do Tests exploring the effectiveness of “existing data, which show release of satiety hormones resulting from the not lose weight when they eliminate gluten-free, casein free diets on autism symptoms have been “inconclusive,” wheat from their diets, Dr. Jones says. ingestion of wheat,” she says. 2 — Dr. Jones does not dismiss asser- she says. Studies of a connection be3 — “There is little data showing that wheat consumption alters mood tions in “Wheat Belly” that glutenins tween wheat and A.D.H.D. are “lacking,” she says. or mental acuity,” Dr. Jones 3 — While a long-term says. She cites one study that ‘Following Dr. Davis' logic, most of the study did not support a theolooked for and failed to make ry suggesting gluten eliminasuch a connection, and anfoods we eat, not just wheat, have the tion reduced the likelihood of other in which malnourished potential to put us at risk, since nearly developing diabetes, Dr. Jones children in India showed all of the food crops grown today are says there is “some concerncognitive improvement when ing data about type 1 diabetes wheat biscuits were added to the products of plant breeding.’ and gluten.” their diets. — Julie Miller Jones, professor emeriti 4 — Dr. Jones is particularly at the College of St. Catherine critical of attempts by Dr. DaWheat breeding and genetics vis to draw conclusions from Among the oft quoted claims in “Wheat Belly” is that wheat in modern wheat trigger the disease, the diets of humans several thousand breeding has left today’s plant dramati- but she say studies are needed to test years ago, including a theory in the cally different from what our ancestors whether proteins in current varieties book that Natuﬁans (early cultures in ate with a great number of changes “trigger more reactions than those of the Levant) did not suffer from diabesince 1940, impairing human immune ancient wheats or even wheat varieties tes. She notes no data exist on the incidence of diabetes among Natuﬁans responses. Dwarf wheats, which have from 50 years ago.” 3 — U.S. data do show an increase and that most humans did not live to become dominant globally, never have been tested for safety on humans or to 0.9% of samples positive for celiac, the age at which type 2 diabetes beanimals. Dr. Davis says ancient wheat versus 0.2% 50 years ago. Data in Fin- comes prevalent. 5 — While Dr. Davis has claimed such as einkorn bears little resemblance land show a doubling to 2% from 1%. 4 — While lymphoma and small rheumatoid arthritis has been cured to modern wheat with 28% protein (versus 12% to 15% for modern wheat). bowel cancer incidence is higher with the elimination of gluten from the 1 — While signiﬁcant advances among celiac patients, colorectal can- diet, a study of food tolerance among 350 subjects with rheumatoid arthritis have been made since 1940, Dr. Jones cer incidence is not, Dr. Jones says. showed the rates of gluten intolerance says the implication wheat breeding no different than in the general popuis new and that plant breeding is a Other diseases and allergens The longest part of Dr. Jones’ analysis lation, Dr. Jones says. practice limited to wheat is inaccurate. 6 — Dr. Jones also takes a dim view Breeding has been practiced for thou- covers assertions by “Wheat Belly” linksands of years with positive outcomes ing wheat with allergies, schizophrenia, of “Wheat Belly” theories that the body to allow plants to adapt to “prevailing attention deﬁcit hyperactivity disorder prefers an alkaline diet to prevent osagronomic conditions,” Dr. Jones says. (A.D.H.D.), autism, diabetes, multiple teoporosis or that gluten causes bone 2 — “Following Dr. Davis’ logic, sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and skin resorption. Regarding the alkaline most of the foods we eat, not just conditions such as acne. Further, Dr. Da- diet advocated by the book, Dr. Jones wheat, have the potential to put us at vis links celiac with type 1 diabetes and says many foods recommended in the risk, since nearly all of the food crops says the incidence of diabetes decreases “Wheat Belly” diets — including meat — are not alkaline foods. In the case of grown today are the products of plant when wheat gluten is eliminated. “Nearly all of the conditions he gluten and bone resorption, Dr. Jones breeding,” Dr. Jones says. 3 — While “Wheat Belly” claims 5% claims are made better by wheat re- says the studies cited in “Wheat Belly” of proteins in wheat are unique, mean- moval are also improved by weight do not support his case. 7 — While there is evidence that ing they are found in neither parent, loss,” Dr. Jones says. 1 — Dr. Jones cites studies of the high carbohydrate intake is associated Dr. Jones says creating a unique protein occurs only through mutation, not connection between wheat and schizo- with advanced glycation end products phrenia dating back to World War II, (AGEs) (biomarkers of aging — conhybridization. 4 — Wheat germplasm collections and one comprehensive study showed nected with a range of issues from show a wide variation in protein con- gluten elimination resulted in a dras- dementia to erectile dysfunction) and tent of wheat over time, from 7% to 22%. tic reduction or even remission among small, dense LDL particles, Dr. Jones a small subset of patients. While it says neither is associated uniquely generally will not be helpful, the re- with wheat but both instead are conCeliac disease Celiac patients are, by deﬁnition, a sults indicate avoidance of wheat may nected with all carbohydrates. Eating
40 / September 18, 2012 Milling & Baking News bakingbusiness.com / world-grain.com

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Milling & Baking News - September 18, 2012

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