How Can Whole Wheat Flour Make You Feel Great?

AYURVEDIC ANALYSIS

Golden fields of grain, undulating under a blue sky - wheat is the very picture of wholesomeness. Indeed, wheat was an integral food source for countless cultures for thousands of years. The grain is known to absorb more soil-borne minerals than other grains, providing indispensable nutrition for the growth and rise of many civilizations. However, wheat just isn't what it once was, as the purity of wheat products declined in the 20th century, and wheat became a primary ingredient in many processed foods.

The wheat of our ancestors is incomparable to the wheat popularly consumed today. Most of the wheat products consumed today are highly refined and possibly rancid. The bread that Jesus broke at the last supper is very different than our modern loaves also due to breeding, scientific manipulations, and farming techniques. Spelt, a relative of wheat, more closely resembles the 'bread of life' that sustained the ancients. It has gained popularity because many of those who cannot tolerate contemporary wheat products can properly digest spelt.

Chinese Medicine recognizes wheat as a potentially medicinal food. Wheat is used to nourish the heart & calm the spirit. Wheat is the comfort food that puts the heart in the heartland of America. Wheat also supports the kidneys, quenches thirst, and stops excessive sweating. It is seen as an excellent food for the promotion of growth in children and weak individuals, thus it should be limited or avoided by those who are obese.

Wheat & Allergies

Wheat, like many foods that cause allergies, is difficult to digest. For instance, in comparing wheat with rice, rice dishes digest quickly and don't feel heavy in the gut. A trip to an Italian restaurant for a heavy pasta meal at lunchtime is a different story. The wheat-rich meal keeps the belly satisfied until long after dinner. Eating difficult-to-digest foods causes stagnation and rotting in the digestive system, irritating the intestines and provoking an immune response. Many eaters find wheat at the root of their digestive woes. Bread, perhaps the most common form of wheat consumed, is fermented, or predigested, by yeast before baking and consumption, to make it easier on your gut. Sourdough breads are left to ferment longer, and are even easier to digest.

Wheat is exceptionally sticky due to the presence of gluten, which comes from the Latin word for glue. As kids, many of us witnessed this phenomenon: We made glue from flour and water. As adults we bake flour and water into bread, then chew it back into glue. It's no wonder then that wheat products tend to clump up in the digestive tract.

Wheat & Kapha

In general, Kapha disorders are post-digestive, residing in the lymph, lungs, and heart. The sticky qualities of wheat are an obvious problem for the already wet and heavy nature of Kapha. Wheat, once digested, makes the blood gooey, bogging circulation (see Sweet Taste). Wheat encourages yeast growth, a particular difficulty for Kapha; fungi are Kapha.

Wheat & Vata

Wheat aggravates Vata people in the "seat" of Vata - the colon - because it is difficult for Vata to digest. Undigested wheat becomes gooey fecal matter and gets stuck in the cecum and ferments. The cecum is the beginning of the colon, located on the lower right of the abdomen. Fermented, undigested food makes the cecum feel bloated.

Wheat & Pitta

Generally, wheat pacifies a strong Pitta appetite. The strength of the Pitta digestive power makes wheat a more viable option for this group more than others. Some Pitta people have an allergy to wheat called Celiac.

Alternatives to Wheat

Wheat is a mainstay in many diets, but it doesn't have to be that way. There are many products to substitute for wheat foods. Often times, substitution is not enough; you may be happier rethinking your diet on a bigger scale, eating more meals based around rice or other whole grains, and reconsidering the sandwich as the only lunch option.

• Pasta - Rice, quinoa, corn pasta, spelt
• Breads - Spelt, if you don't have an allergy
• Sandwiches - Better to forgo the sandwich in favor of another foods, like soups, or explore wheat alternatives like gluten-free wraps.
• Breakfast - Oatmeal, corn flakes, popped barley, puffed rice or quinoa, rice cereal
• Comfort Food - Bowl of chili, potato, eggs, beef

ABOUT WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR

There is a popular saying, "Wheat increases brawn, but rice increases brain." Wheat is dense nutrition, but it is difficult to digest. It pulls too much blood out of circulation and into the digestive tract. The loss of blood dulls the mind, and voila - a food coma comes on. Wheat's heaviness and its high glycemic index makes it an addictive comfort food.

BUYING & PREPARATION

Avoid refined flours because they are void of fiber. Buy whole-grain wheat flour or spelt flour instead. Spelt flour has less gluten than regular wheat and is easier to digest. The best practice for experienced bakers who do not want to abandon wheat is to freshly grind wheat berries with a flour mill, using the flour as soon as possible or refrigerating it for up to two weeks. Taking this special care makes certain that the flour is fresh and not rancid.

COOKING WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR

Browse Recipes From pita bread, to the flatbreads of Asia, to soft sandwich breads and crunchy baguettes, to the pizzas loved all over the world - wheat is a major staple food for many peoples. A meal without wheat is unimaginable for many, but skepticism about its dominance in diets and the flaws in contemporary cultivation and processing of the grain are worth considering.

Experiment with sprouted wheat products if you consider wheat a problematic grain in your diet. Some wheat allergies are due to the processed, and possibly rancid, wheat products that are most common in grocery stores. Spelt products are another possible compromise, though many resolve to go gluten free at least for a time to witness what these overly-relied-upon wheat products do to their systems.

Gluten-free diets are becoming more and more popular, and also easier because there are more recipes and tips than ever. There are countless Web sites and recipe books that advocate for vibrant and delicious gluten-free options.

Bread rises because gluten is sticky enough to catch and hold air bubbles formed by yeast. When baking without wheat, look for sticky substitutes. Ground oatmeal is often suitable substitutes for wheat based products that don't have to rise too much, perfect for pancakes, cookies and waffles. Spelt or sourghum flour are sticky enough for baking breads, especially given extra time to let the dough sit or to knead the dough. Otherwise, add xanthum gum or tapioca flour to help gluten-free products rise.

WHY SHOULD YOU EAT AYURVEDICALLY?

Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. An Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body type and the specific imbalances you are working with at any given time. Foods that supplement your specific body type’s needs and digest easily create your menu. Watch as you eat less but feel more satisfied because what you are eating truly nourishes you. Since Ayurveda believes all disease begins in the digestive tract, food is your first medicine. By eating a healthy diet that’s ideal for your body, you experience optimal health.

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Is Whole Wheat Flour Good for Me?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether Whole Wheat Flour is a good fit for you. Time to complete: approximately 1 minute.

MEDICINAL QUALITIES

INCREASES Increases These Qualities (Gunas) Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main characteristics (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic. Learn More	HEAVY ABOUT HEAVY GUNA Heavy is identified by sedation, sluggishness, or increased weight. LEARN MORE ABOUT HEAVY GOOEY ABOUT GOOEY GUNA Gooey is identified by anything gelatinous (such as oatmeal), or by mucus congestion. LEARN MORE ABOUT GOOEY DIFFICULT ABOUT DIFFICULT GUNA Difficult refers to anything that is difficult to digest, or takes a long time to digest. LEARN MORE ABOUT DIFFICULT
TASTES The 6 Tastes Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below? Learn More	SWEET ABOUT SWEET GUNA Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. LEARN MORE ABOUT SWEET
DOSHAS The Three Doshas / Body Types People tend to get sick, over and over again, due to similar causes and habitual imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history. The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. Catabolic people tend to be easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic people tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic people are heavy, stable and grounded, but if they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Learn More	PACIFIES AGGRAVATES
HAS THE FOLLOWING	EFFECT: Acidifying ACIDIFYING An herb that creates an acidic pH in the blood chemistry. LEARN MORE ABOUT ACIDIFYING , Ojas OJAS Ojas is the essence of healthy tissue, immunity, stable energy and happiness. Substances that improve ojas are recommended after long-term illness, debility, emotional and physical trauma, and even sadness. LEARN MORE ABOUT OJAS , Sattvic SATTVIC Sattvic foods promote awareness and a refreshed mind by nourishing the body without taxing digestion. Sattvic foods do not stimulate desire or nervous energy. They create clarity instead of drowsiness or heaviness. LEARN MORE ABOUT SATTVIC , Tamasic TAMASIC Tamasic foods promote rest, sleepiness and stillness. Examples include wheat, mushrooms. LEARN MORE ABOUT TAMASIC TYPE: Grains CONTAINS: Allergens, Gluten GLUTEN A constituent of wheat, barley and rye that is sticky, heavy, and cold. Many people are allergic to gluten. LEARN MORE ABOUT GLUTEN ELEMENT: Earth EARTH Resembles earth (prithvi) in quality - heavy, dense, solid, stable, hard. LEARN MORE ABOUT EARTH NUTRIENT: Carbohydrate COLOR: Brown NOURISHES: Plasma PLASMA Plasma (Rasa Dhatu) includes plasma, white blood cells, and lymph. LEARN MORE ABOUT PLASMA

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Experiences are Personal

Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

Energy Vitality Strength:

Builds stamina

BUILDS-STAMINA

Promotes strength, endurance and resistance in the body. Rebuilds weak tissues after a time of depletion.

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Satisfies stomach

SATISFIES-STOMACH

Provides a sense of gratification and fullness in the stomach.

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Nutritive

NUTRITIVE

An herb that is strengthening and nourishing.

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Tonic

TONIC

A tonic herb strengthens tissue, often restoring healthy function. Tonics usually target a specific organ, tissue, or system ie: brain, muscle or respiratory tonic.

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Heart & Circulation:

Calms heart

CALMS-HEART

An herb that literally calms the heart. These herbs are helpful in the treatment of anxiety, sadness, depression, or other emotional imbalances in the heart. Related to the Chinese Herbal Category 'calms spirit.'

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Lung and Sinus:

Demulcent

DEMULCENT

Herbs that coat or form a soothing film over a mucous membrane, relieving minor pain and inflammation of the membrane.

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Mind, Stress & Sleep:

Makes you tired

MAKES-YOU-TIRED

Induces drowsiness and promotes sound sleep.

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Sedative

SEDATIVE

Sedative herbs create a sense of calm in the mind and body by specifically calming or quieting the nervous system. Excellent for anxiety, stress and chronic pain.

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Reproductive Health:

Promotes Virility

PROMOTES-VIRILITY

Encourages virility and potency.

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Other:

Grounding