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Luke Tate
Bread is bad for you. Or is it? Some people say it's making us sick, while others claim it's perfectly fine and part of a balanced diet.
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Luke Tate
So, what's the truth? You've probably heard from many people in the low-carb and keto community who say bread is toxic, that carbs in bread spike insulin, and that gluten causes inflammation.
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Luke Tate
Then traditional dieticians, on the other hand, say bread is a staple food, and there's no reason to avoid it unless you have a medical condition. The problem is most people eat bread daily.
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So who should we believe? Should everyone stop eating bread? Or is this just another nutrition myth? Stay tuned
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Luke Tate
and we'll break it down for you.
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Luke Tate
Hey there, and welcome to another episode of Health Demystified. I'm so glad you're here. My name is Dr. Luke Tate. I'm a chiropractic physician. And if you've ever felt overwhelmed by conflicting health advice, you're not alone.
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Luke Tate
I spent years trying to figure out what actually works when it comes to health.
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Luke Tate
As a high school athlete, I dealt with crippling muscle cramps and unexplained morning nausea for years, issues that none of my doctors could figure out. Chiropractic was one of the very few things that actually helped, but it wasn't until I discovered Biosystems Integration, or BSI and Functional Medicine that I finally got lasting relief.
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Luke Tate
That experience led me to ask bigger questions. What actually works, and what's just fluff? I've been on both sides of that conversation, studying the research, analyzing real patient experiences, and seeing firsthand what actually helps people get better.
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Luke Tate
and here's what I've learned. The internet is full of polarized, fear-driven health claims. The medical field excels in emergencies, but too often focuses on managing symptoms instead of solving root causes.
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Luke Tate
And most people, they just want balanced, practical answers that actually work. That's why I created Health Demystified. Not to push an agenda, but to help you cut through the noise.
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Luke Tate
We take an evidence-informed approach, meaning we respect the science, but we also recognize that research is only part of the picture. Real health solutions come from combining research, clinical experience, and patient results.
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Luke Tate
Because healing isn't one size fits all. So, if you're tired of health myths, misinformation, and all-or-nothing thinking, you're in the right place. Let's get started.
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Luke Tate
And I want to get started by exploring why bread gets such a bad reputation. Many have heard that carbohydrates in bread contribute to weight gain and that gluten causes inflammation.
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Luke Tate
Another argument is modern bread isn't the same as ancient bread and that high carb diets lead to insulin resistance and diabetes. On the other hand, many are told that bread is perfectly fine and safe to eat.
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Luke Tate
This leads to confusion. People feel oftentimes frustrated because they don't know what to believe. They feel anxious. They're wondering, am I harming my health? And more importantly, am I harming my family's health?
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Finally, lot of people feel misled. They're questioning why experts say completely different things. So, at this point, we need to clear up some misconceptions before we move forward. Otherwise, this whole discussion is not going to make a lot of sense.
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Luke Tate
So, I want to start with, in many cases, it's not the bread itself that causes the problems, despite what you've heard. It's what's in the bread (like gluten and preservatives) and what's on the bread (like glyphosate and fattening foods)
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Luke Tate
Another key thing to understand is that carbs don't necessarily make you gain weight. So I know that's a tough one and that goes against what many have probably heard, but in reality, it's excess calories that make a big difference.
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Luke Tate
Bread just so happens to be part of many high calorie foods. I want you to think pizzas and hamburgers and junk food, but the carbs themselves don't inherently cause weight gain.
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Luke Tate
And we'll talk more about that at a later time. I just want to introduce that idea to you. Similarly, carbs don't necessarily lead to insulin resistance and diabetes.
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Luke Tate
That sounds a little crazy, I know, but the real issue is excessive junk food relative to exercise. Now, we've already established there are a lot of carbs in junk food, but junk food also has a lot of preservatives and a lot of fats.
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I want you to think about marathon runners, bodybuilders, and Olympic athletes like Michael Phelps.
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Michael Phelps routinely ate 6,000 to 10,000 calories a day while training for the Olympics. Yet, if you see pictures of him eating during that time, you'd know he wasn't gaining weight or developing insulin resistance.
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Luke Tate
That's because he balanced his food intake with intense exercise and likely chose nutrient-dense foods.
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Luke Tate
On another note, I would like to say this is a very, very nuanced discussion, and it cannot be fully addressed in one episode. We're going to do a high-level overview today, but we'll delve into more details in future episodes.
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Also, please keep in mind none of this is medical advice. If you have health concerns, work with a professional to get personalized guidance so you get your best results.
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All right, now that we've covered all of those common misconceptions, let's dive in.
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I first want to talk about the research, and then we'll take a look at the clinical perspective.
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So, does the research say bread is harmful?
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Luke Tate
Actually, most research supports that for most people, bread, and more importantly, gluten, is safe. Now, I also want to preface this with what we're really going to be focusing on in this discussion is gluten, because there isn't much about bread itself that's particularly problematic.
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Luke Tate
It's the gluten inside the bread that seems to give some people trouble. (Many) studies show that gluten has little impact on people without conditions like celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, also known as IBS, wheat allergies, or other gluten disorders.
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However, some research also says bread, and more specifically gluten and glyphosate, can cause issues. Now, I do want to touch a little bit on glyphosate because it's an area of confusion for a lot of people.
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So glyphosate is a hidden concern. It is an herbicide. It's commonly known as Roundup, and it's found in high concentrations in gluten-containing products and many, many processed foods.
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Luke Tate
Additionally, glyphosate has been shown to be a mineral chelator, meaning it actually stops the body's ability to absorb
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essential minerals in the diet. And if you've been following me for some time, you've actually seen, or probably seen, my post about glyphosate and the potential problems with it.
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Luke Tate
Now, I don't want to delve into that conversation right now, but I do want to say, while it is generally considered safe in small doses, cumulative exposure over time can lead to health concerns.
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The combination of glyphosate and gluten may contribute to health issues in a small but significant portion of the population.
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Many people have reported feeling fine eating gluten in Europe, where there is little to no glyphosate exposure. But then they begin experiencing symptoms as soon as they start consuming bread in the U.S. This would suggest that glyphosate, rather than gluten alone, may be a serious contributing factor.
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Luke Tate
Some other things to take into account is glyphosate was actually originally patented as an antibiotic, which means if you continuously consume it, it will slowly kill your gut microbiome.
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Luke Tate
That's your gut bacteria. Your gut bacteria helps absorb nutrients. So you can see why it's not a good thing to kill that off.
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Luke Tate
Additionally,
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If you follow the work of Dr. Kharrazian, which I don't expect most of you would,
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some of the studies he has conducted indicates glyphosate also weakens the intestinal wall, which leads to intestinal permeability. And some of you may know that as leaky gut.
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Luke Tate
The problem with this is that it may lead to systemic inflammation because food particles do not belong in the bloodstream, and that's where they (food particles that escape the small intestine) go.
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This can make autoimmune conditions much worse. Symptoms seem to be most severe when the patient is regularly consuming gluten products.
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Luke Tate
So with that said, who should avoid bread and gluten? Here are the people in the definite avoidance group. Number one, for sure, people who have celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's, severe gut disorders, leaky gut syndrome, or autoimmune disease s
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Because many people report worsened symptoms with gluten and bread consumption.
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Those who could potentially see a health benefit if they avoid it are those who have ADD or ADHD, unexplained fatigue, bloating, or skin issues.
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Some of those seeking optimal health may also see improvements as well, especially if they are trying to minimize any unnecessary stressors in the body.
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who might not need to avoid gluten are individuals who are in good health with a balanced lifestyle, people with minimal stress, strong gut health, and no noticeable symptoms even after eating gluten, and those who do not experience any of the symptoms we've already discussed.
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So you might be wondering, how do I know if I need to cut out gluten? There a couple of testing methods that you can do. Some of that you can do at home, some that you can get from your doctor.
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So gluten blood test can determine if gluten has escaped your small intestine and is circulating in your bloodstream, which indicates that leaky gut.
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See, gluten molecules are pretty big. And if they are circulating in your bloodstream, that's not where they're supposed to be. That means you've probably got at least gluten molecule sized holes in your gut.
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The next thing you can do is an elimination diet. Just remove gluten for six weeks while tracking your symptoms. Then at the end of six weeks, reintroduce it.
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You may notice a significant difference just by cutting it out for a few weeks. If When you bring it back in, you feel like crap,
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there's probably a good chance you should remove gluten from your diet, at least for the most part. And finally, there's a simple balance test that you can do. Stand on one foot with your eyes open for five seconds and then switch (to the other foot)
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Luke Tate
Then repeat the exercise with your eyes closed. See, if your balance worsens significantly with your eyes closed, that might be an indicator that you've got gluten sensitivity.
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Now, it's obviously not diagnostic, but it can be an interesting clue. And I might also add, you will want to have something to hang on to when doing this test. You'd be surprised how many people immediately lose balance to the point where they fall almost directly to the floor. So be careful.
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Have somebody watching you do it close to your bed or your couch or something like that.
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So here are some practical takeaways. If you are not gluten sensitive, you should probably be able to eat bread without major issues. However, you shouldn't feel bloated, sluggish, or in pain at all after eating bread or gluten.
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Ideally, you should just feel less hungry.
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If you do feel bloated, sluggish, or in pain after eating that, maybe you should consider
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testing more thoroughly for gluten intolerance.
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If you choose to eat bread, here are a few key tips. Choose healthy options, or at least healthier options.
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Whole grain, sourdough, and sprouted breads are generally really good. Preferably, choose organic to reduce glyphosate exposure.
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Also, avoid ultra-processed foods and white bread, which are nutrient deficient and oftentimes they contain preservatives and glyphosate
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And last thing is focus on balance. If bread works for you, great, but make sure it's part of an overall healthy diet.
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Luke Tate
So to recap, bread is safe for many people, but some people just react poorly.
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The key is testing what works for you. There's no universal rule. If you feel fine eating bread, great. If not, track your symptoms and experiment.
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Finally, if you have a complex case, consider seeking guidance from a functional medicine doctor or a knowledgeable dietician.
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Luke Tate
And if you're ready to take control of your health
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and want more evidence-informed insights, head over to cornerstonehealthclinic.com to learn more. If you want to keep the conversation going, follow me on Instagram at Dr. Luke Tate or connect on Facebook at Cornerstone Health and Wellness.
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Luke Tate
Thank you all for listening. We'll see you next time.
