OK, it has been 8 weeks of eating without grains. Some of you will continue to trudge on grain-free until your guts are fully healed, which as we read earlier, can take a little while. Some of you will choose a grain-free lifestyle on a more permanent and preventative basis. Some of you are ready to re-introduce grains back into your life now. With this post, I hope to offer a healthy way of having your grain and eating it too.
Rice is a sensible way to begin eating grains because traditionally it is easier to digest, especially if you choose white basmati or jasmine rice. Yes, I said white. The outer coating of rice contains phytic acid making digestion difficult (see below). Do not worry, you are already eating plenty of vegetables to get the fiber you need, right!
Grains, as well as nuts, seeds and some vegetables also contain phytic acid in their outer coatings. Phytic acid plays a beneficial role for the seedling plant itself as the storage form of phosphorus but for humans, it means that digestion of the foods containing it is less than efficient. Phytic acid, also called phytate in this form, hinders the absorption of phosphorus as well as other minerals such as calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron. High-phytate diets over time can result in mineral deficiencies as well as intestinal damage especially in those with less optimal intestinal flora.
Phytase is the enzyme required to break down phytate but humans do not possess sufficient quantities of it. Probiotic lactobacilli and other microflora can produce this enzyme so those with good intestinal flora have an easier time with foods containing phytic acid. What else can be done?
Back in the day, wheat and other grains were sprouted before being made into breads and other meals. Even as grains became popular, wheat used to be left in the field to be exposed to the elements before threshing which allowed the sprouting process to begin. Modern food practices have abandoned both of these processes. Soaking, sprouting and souring grains releases the enzyme phytase and reduces a lot of the phytate levels in the grains. The cooking process also reduces phytase which helps when ingesting vegetables with a high content. As for nuts, the best way to reduce their phytic acid content is to soak raw nuts overnight before eating them.
Those of you with an interest can research methods of soaking, sprouting or souring your grains at home. You can also purchase bread made with sprouted grains at any health food store by looking for such brands as http://www.silverhillsbakery.ca/sprouted/. These breads are both tasty and affordable. Another option is to find a supplier of real artisanal sourdough bread that is leavened using sourdough cultures containing wild yeasts and bacteria.
As some of you ponder the prospect of adding grains back to your life, please consider how your gut healing is progressing. A gut that is not fully healed and that is not treated well can eventually make its way back to the condition it was in at the beginning of this cleanse. Step gingerly and if you decide to go with the grain, do your best to stick with white rice or sprouted or soured grains, spacing out the servings and integrating one at a time. This means, for now, eating one serving then waiting a few (4-5) days before enjoying another. More details coming soon 🙂
Eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately —Unknown
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