4 Myths About Grains or Why Eating Grains Isn't Good For Your Health

When somebody raises the topic about healthy eating, it is usually all about how you are supposed to eat oats, whole wheat flour, corn and other grains.

When I tell somebody about my job, usually the reaction is an immediate rush to explain how he/ she eats oats for breakfast! Right then, I become green and I want to scream that this is everything else, but not healthy eating!

In this article “Grains: How Are They Slowly Killing You!”, I mentioned some of the basic points about grains and why in reality they are not as healthy as you believe them to be!

That is why today, I decided to debunk a couple myths about grains:

Myth 1: Grains are healthy, because they give your body a lot of minerals and vitamins”

In nature every living organism has its own way, to defend from the surrounding dangers! Rabbits for example have big ears and a really good hearing, which helps them understand about approaching predators! Hedgehogs, have prickles, that makes them an unattractive prey. Plants, unlike animals are the so called passive living organisms. They can’t run, hear, think ot react to a particular situation. That’s why they have adapted to defend from surrounding dangers in a different way.

The defensive “mechanisms” of grains are their lectins, phytates and gluten.

And now it is the time to go back to the statement how “grains are healthy, because they give your body minerals and vitamins”.

As you’ve already understood from the article mentioned above. “The endosperm of the grain is the inner part and contains most of the complex carbohydrate and calories. The endosperm serves to “feed” the germ. So let’s think about the germ as a baby which needs somebody to take care of it. The germ needs nutrients like the essential for the body minerals. When a baby needs something, his mama is ready to kill somebody to satisfy that need. Well that is what the grain does. It is killing you to feed the germ. Or more specific- the grain contains phytates-they help to collect the minerals I mentioned above. So the phytates are robbing your body out of its essential nutrients in order to provide “food” for the germ.”

In reality you think that you ingest vitamins and minerals, in order to provide your body with some nutrients, and what actually happens is that your body is being “robbed”, so the germ could be “fed”.

So if you’ve been eating grains, in order to provide your body with vitamins and minerals, my advice would be to stop eating these foods and redirect to other sources of vitamins and minerals!

Myth 2: “Grains really help with my stomach”

When I mention that grains aren’t healthy, I always get attacked with a wave of arguments, like “ I used to have bowel problems, but since I eat oats for breakfast, I don’t have any problems!”

I know that people have been telling you for years, how grains are rich in fiber and that if you consume them, you won’t have digestive problems! But is that really the truth?

In order to make a quick comparison, here is some data, about the percentage of fibers in some grains, compared to the fibers in fruits and vegetables.

Percentage fiber
Brown Rice 4% (This one surprised me too)
Corn 7%
Oats 11%
Whole Wheat 12%
Barley 17%
Kamut 19%

Fruits and vegetables

Percentage fiber (as % of their carbs)
Apple 15%
Pear 23%
Apricot 25%
Red Pepper 25%
Carrot 29%
Kale 33%
White Mushrooms 33%
Celery 50%
Spinach 50%

So, it turns out that you eat oats for breakfast, some rice for lunch, a couple slices of whole wheat bread, you have some corn and fish for dinner and you are fooling yourself, that you eat a lot of fiber to help your digesting!

Yes, but facts have something different to “say”! So if you’ve been eating grains, because of their fiber, you better focus on eating more spinach and mushrooms!

Myth 3: Grains are rich in carbs, and this is the preferred fuel for your body

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you probably already know how much I stress about the fact, that carbs are not the preferred fuel and that in reality your body could function a lot better, if fats were your main source of fuel! Some of the reasons behind this could be found here.

Myth 4: Grains are not bad for everybody, but just for those that have Celiac Disease or gluten sensitivity.

More often, than not people use this as an argument and as the main reason to keep on eating grains! I’ve found out that no matter how much you explain to these people, about the negatives of eating gluten, even if you are healthy, chances to convince them are pretty scarce!

That is why, my advice to every skeptical person, about the negatives of grains, would be to make an experiment! Stop eating grains for 30 days! Just 30 days! Try it and you will notice a huge difference in the way you feel and the way you look!

Personally I didn’t have any problems with eating gluten and I used to eat a lot of grains in the past! One day I just decided to try and stop eating them. And for the last three years, I don’t eat gluten anymore and I feel great! A lot better than I used to! I have more energy, I look better and I wouldn’t go back to eating foods that contain gluten!

P.S. If you liked this post, please take some time and share it with your friends! Thank you!

Don’t forget to join my  Facebook page ! Thank you!