Can a Gluten-Free Diet Help You Beat Grain Addiction?

Grain addiction is an often overlooked health issue because it’s hard to believe that something you eat regularly is not good for your health. Most people don’t know that bloating, brain fogginess, depression, excess weight, fatigue, and frequent sleepiness are a result of eating too many grains and sugars.

But why are grains so addictive?

Advertising, emotions, habit, and social pressure all contribute to grain addiction. While this type of addiction has an emotional component, there are other lesser known factors behind food cravings.

Exorphins: Another Reason Why You Should Avoid Gluten

Grains like barley, rye, and wheat contain gluten. When digested, gluten produces exorphins--substances that can have addictive, heroin-like effects.

Exorphins tell your brain to keep eating food containing gluten, which could contribute to the appetite disorders and mental disturbances that often accompany food-related illnesses.

Exorphins, endorphins, and morphine all function through opioid receptors found in many different cells in your body, particularly on nerves and smooth muscles in your intestines. When a compound triggers these receptors, it results in a sense of euphoria, happiness, and sleepiness, and dull pain.

Though more conclusive studies are needed to directly associate exorphins to food cravings, grain addiction is a likely reaction to consuming gluten. Many people who consume grains struggle constantly with their food cravings which contribute to weight gain. But they don’t know how to deal with them because they’re unaware that gluten is addictive.

A more serious potential problem with exorphins is schizophrenia. Studies show that many schizophrenics improve if they stop consuming wheat and get worse if given wheat or gluten.

Dr. Joseph Mercola’s No-Grain Diet is a gluten-free diet designed to help you avoid the dangers of grains. He believes that well over 75 percent of Americans would benefit from severely limiting or eliminating ALL types of grains, whether they are whole, refined, or sprouted.

Those who are overweight and suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol will also greatly benefit from avoiding all grains.

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