Studies like this are painful for me to read because I truly believe any shifts in how we feed ourselves and grow our foods have large health implications. Perhaps the increase in celiac disease isn’t influenced by wheat breeding but I do find this difficult to swallow. One thing is for certain, celiac disease is on the rise along with food allergies and sensitivities.
I recently read an interesting analysis by Donald Kasarda titled “Can an Increase in Celiac Disease Be Attributed to an Increase in the Gluten Content of Wheat as a Consequence of Wheat Breeding? A Perspective” in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Donald D. Kasarda’s examined scientific evidence finding that gluten levels in differing varieties of wheat have undergone a minimal metamorphosis since the 1920s. At the same time, gluten consumption has increased with due thanks to an additive in our foods- vital wheat gluten. In fact he points out that gluten consumption has tripled since 1977.
Overall consumption of wheat flour also has increased, so that people in 2000 consumed 2.9 pounds more gluten annually than in 1970, nearly a 25 percent increase.
Can eating wheat flip the celiac disease light switch to on?
Kasarda goes on to say… “Nevertheless, one cannot rule out that the process by which the immune system switches from tolerance of wheat gluten protein to intolerance (celiac disease) might be dependent on the total amount of gluten encountered. Development of immune system tolerance to food proteins in general is an as yet imperfectly understood process—as is the loss of immune system tolerance to gluten proteins that is characteristic of celiac disease.”
Here’s some interesting statistics from the NIH on Celiac Disease:
1:133 Americans has celiac disease
97% of Americans who have celiac disease are not currently identified or diagnosed
30% of the U.S. population has the genetics for celiac disease
What is vital wheat gluten?
Vital wheat gluten is obtained when wheat flour is processed to remove everything but the gluten. Vital wheat gluten is 100% gluten (a celiac’s nightmare). It is sold by grocers in a powdered form. Vital wheat gluten gives breads that stretchy elasticity, chewiness and rise to gluten laden breads.
What do gastroenterologists say about wheat?
Professor David Sanders, Consultant Gastroenterologist states, “Only for the past ten thousand years have we had wheat-based foods in our diets, which in evolutionary terms makes wheat almost a novel food. If you put that in context to the 2.5 millions years that mankind has been on earth, it makes sense that our bodies are still adapting to this food, and more specifically, the gluten that it contains.”~ According to Science 2.0
Along similar lines we are facing metabolic health conditions of epidemic proportions. Can we attribute wheat consumption and grain adaptions to our growing waistlines and medical diagnoses. We are a processed food nation, a small percentage of people are eating minimal amounts of wheat. Wheat (in its processed dinosaur shapes and primary colors) even when consumed in digestible amounts may still be the largest contributor to the downfall of our children’s health.