Myths People Believe About Wheat

Kayla HowardWild Game & Real Food Recipes9 Comments

Myths People Believe About Wheat

by Kayla Howard

#1 Our ancestors didn’t eat wheat, they were “hunter-gathers.”

This isn’t so much a myth as it is a flat out lie. Although, at its core, it’s a reflection of an inner belief and world view. 


If you believe that the world happened by chance over millions of years and that we developed from a tadpole into dull “cavemen” then into what we are today, well….it makes sense that our ancestors ate whatever they could scrounge just like animals.
However, if you believe in the Biblical account of creation, then you’ll see a whole different picture. In fact, Adam, the first man was the first farmer as well. All throughout the Bible you will see that wheat was a main staple food. The Egyptian and Roman cultures were masterful at baking bread and served up 40+ different kinds of bread.
Either way you believe, humans most certainly have been eating wheat for the past 6000-10,000 years.
The trouble is not that humans did not start out our existence eating wheat, but many other factors that may have contributed to the rise in wheat related troubles…

#2 We eat a lot more wheat today than ever in human history.

Again—not true!!! Research shows that cultures throughout time consumed as much as 53-75% of their dietary intake in the form of wheat and barley…Two grains. 
That is actually a higher percentage than most Americans eat today and certainly more than I personally eat.

#3 They only ate whole wheat flour.

Whole wheat flour, and other whole grain flours were considered the peasant food in many places. Clear back almost at the beginning, people created ways to sift the bran from the flour creating what we call “white flour” today. They called it, “kings flour” because it was mostly eaten by the wealthy. Sifting was a slower and more labor intense process back then than it is today.

The Truth About Wheat

So if these are myths, what is true? Certainly we see a lot of people with celiac and other wheat sensitivities today.  Why is that?
About 150 years ago a great shift began to take place in the whole world of bread. It’s called, “the industrialization of bread.” We started to develop new varieties of wheat which were easier to harvest and contained more gluten for higher rising, stronger bread.  Commercial yeast was isolated and package for faster rising bread. 
But is that the problem, or is it something else? 
It was also around this time that we began progressively using antibiotics, and other drugs more and more heavily.  Did they simple mess up our digestive system making it difficult to digest a food that had nourished all of human history?
The wheat that our ancestors ate was similar, and different from what we eat today, that's true. You may have recently seen foods made with Spelt flour. Spelt flour is wheat, but it is closer in make-up to wheat of yesteryear and contains less gluten. We use a lot of fresh ground spelt flour because we enjoy the nutty taste.  A lot of people are finding that their body will tolerate this grain better.
Creating a truly nourishing loaf of bread with little or no damaging gluten proteins, is simple and fun. Basically you will recreate what was done before the industrialization of bread. Use wild yeast, more commonly known as sourdough, that you capture and create in your kitchen! 
Wild yeast is not JUST and isolated yeast, but contains a whole spectrum of good bacteria which will break down and neutralize harmful things like gluten and phytic acid in wheat flour.
Tutorial coming soon!  For now, tell me your thoughts on these myths…did you believe them?  Do you disagree?  I invite you to tell me!
…Besides, how long ago was it that eggs were bad for us? But now they aren't….?

9 Comments on “Myths People Believe About Wheat”

  1. Mary@The Encouraging Home

    Great article! Exactly what I have been telling people.  Many of our ancestors main staples were milk, eggs, and wheat…all of those today have been so messed with that they aren't good for you. UNLESS, you get back to nature and the original way God created them…not all the good processed out and chemicals added. Thanks for all your wisdom you share! Love your new header!

  2. Susan C.

    Thank-you so much for the encouragement you provided in this post. We are trying to follow a 90% God-made diet and I just refuse to subscribe to the thought that bread, that I've made with freshly ground wheat, isn't part of it. SO looking forward to your future posts on sourdough. Really want to go there next!

  3. Kim

    Thanks for  another great post! This is just what I needed to "hear" right now…time to catch a new starter!

  4. Anita

    Kayla, I have a son (33) who has a drastic version of celiac disease.  When he gets even just a trace of either gluten or dairy, he has horrible gastro-intestinal difficulties.  (note: he was breast-fed only at first; later added bananas, etc. – no early introduction of grain;  and he was allergic to any penicillin products from the first, so he has had only sulfa drugs.)
    My son said research indicates the changes in wheat that you mentioned; and I recently read that the super-wheat which came to us from Mexico in the 1960's is the big culprit.  If true, that explains the sudden proliferation of gluten sensitivity.
    Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this.  I used to add bran (since it was 'good') everywhere I could – wonder if that caused problems.  The 'kings flour' info was new – glad to hear about it!

  5. Rachel Fink

    Agree! The big issue we had with the latest Paleo Diet fad was the worldview….:-) I figure Milk and Honey is the way to go 🙂

  6. Kate

    I can't wait for your post on wild yeast. Will the post also explain how to use spelt flour? I've never used it before, but I may have to try with a little guidance. These recipes you've been sharing lately are so fun and smart! Thank you, Kayla!

  7. Suzie

    Great article!  Thanks so much for addressing this issue.  I am looking forward to the promised tutorial.  

  8. Erin Wilson

    GREAT post Kayla! I wholeheartedly agree and cringe when I hear the above myths…especially the first one. Since I began making my Spelt Sourdough I don't make anything else as my family just loves it!
    For those interested here is the recipe that has become a staple in our home. Great website with how-to videos .
    I so look forward to your posts Kayla!

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