Posted on 02/23/2025 8:22:21 PM PST by CondoleezzaProtege
Le baguette, le croissant, éclair…some of the words that come to mind when I think France. I eat a gluten-free diet at home due to gastrointestinal sensitivities associated with wheat, yet every time I come to Europe, I find myself wondering why baked goods and pasta don’t make me sick the same way they do in the US…
I want to start off by stating that I’m not celiac. Celiac disease is an immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Over time, it causes inflammation that damages the small intestine’s lining, leading to some serious health complications. If you have celiac disease you must avoid gluten at all costs and seek medical help.
This conversation is not for celiacs. We’re talking to those of us who get inflamed, bloated, puffy, constipated, gas, nausea etc after eating gluten—commonly described as a gluten sensitivity. Although fully anecdotal, I find myself happily indulging in European bread and pasta with no problems at all, so naturally I had to dig deeper to find an explanation.
Fact: American wheat is higher in gluten.
The majority of wheat grown in the U.S. (about 60%) tends to be hard red wheat which is high in protein content (mostly in the form of gluten). In Europe, the majority of wheat grown is soft wheat, lower in proteins and thus lower in gluten content.
Fact: American wheat is covered in glyphosate.
Glyphosate is a herbicide (main ingredient in Roundup) used on American wheat to kill bacteria, dry out and prepare the wheat crop for harvest. Making the wheat growth process more effective and more profitable. In Europe, this practice isn’t as prominent, and it’s even banned or heavily restricted in some countries.
Unfortunately glyphosate can disrupt or kill the bacteria in our guts disrupting our immune system and microbiome.
Fact: Soil type and growing methods.
American wheat is grown in sulfur-deficient soils—Kansas, Washington, and North Dakota. The concentration of sulfur in the soil regulates the amount of gliadin proteins (the gluten subtraction responsible from the allergenic response). Less sulfur in the soil, more gliadin in the gluten. More sulfur in the soil, less gliadin in the gluten. Which means that American gluten is likely to be higher in gliadin than normal therefore more reactive.
Other contributing factors to improved digestion while on vacation are your activity and stress levels. In any given European vacation you are always walking. These beautiful cities are build for pedestrians—we walked 45k steps in 4 days without even thinking about it! Also traveling, is normally a time to decompress, get inspired, have fun, and be stress-free (even if it’s for a few days). Stress, specially chronic stress, is one of the most underrated health disruptors in the game.
So there you have it. Some factual information, some fully anecdotal, but a few of the reasons why some of us can enjoy a croissant in Europe, reaction free.
Ping
I eat American wheat products by the tons every year. I am 84 age and ZERO gut problems. Could be because I make it point to eat yogurt everyday.
Interesting.
I ave up wheat a few years ago after I read Dr Davis’s book, “Wheat Belly,” in in which he says that high cholesterol is caused by wheat. Stopped eating it, went to my MD two months later and my cholesterol was great. So now I eat only BFree Seed Bread. Very $$$ and my health store that carries often runs out.
BTW, this is not wheat bread with seeds, it’s entirely made of seeds. Crumbles if handled roughly, don’t think you can make a sandwich with it, though my daughter eats it with peanut butter on it.
Would European bread be OK? Who knows?
You can avoid glyphosate wheat by buying organic flour from the right companies that are using “regenerative” agriculture. I’ve bought flour from a number of them. Here’s a list:
Arrowhead Mills
Bob’s Red Mill
Cairnspring Mills
Fairhaven Mill
Sunrise Flour
Maine Grains
Hayden Flour Mills
One Degree Organic Foods
Central Milling
Azure Standard (uses the “Unifine” flour mill)
Giusto’s
Same. I had better gut health in the UK.
And in my travel to Israel...my gut or joints didn’t bother me a bit.
Happy to help. It costs a bit more to do mail order, but I’ve gotten some really good flour from those suppliers.
Try your local health food store, too. They may have some of those in stock. Amazon carries some of them.
Azure Standard has an interesting business model. They take orders via the web. After they accumulate enough orders, they load up a semi trailer and drive around the Northwest dropping off the orders. You go to a central location at an arranged date and time to pick up your order. They sell lots of different products. You’ll usually see people buying bulk products for their families. I’ve used then once and was impressed with the approach, the operation, and their flour. You have to be in the Pacific Northwest or Inland Northwest, though.
“avoid glyphosate wheat by buying organic flour from the right companies”
bttt
How long has man been eating wheat and just now people are having a problem with gluten?
Wheat has changed over the years.
“How long has man been eating wheat and just now people are having a problem with gluten?”
Wheat has changed, BIG TIME, in he past 50 years (to increase yields) and may well be the cause of so many sick, overweight, and diabetic people that just popped up out of nowhere.
https://breadtopia.com/kamut-khorasan-durum-comparison/
https://wholegrainscouncil.org/blog/2017/12/khorasan-wheat-story-ancient-grain
Plus depleted soil and all the crap they put in and on everything.
God saw all that he made was good. Then man came along.....
I ordered RFK, JR’s book before it was published, got a great price. Glad Trump appointed him.
My dad was in the restaurant business, told me very early, “Buy the best food you can afford and do as little as possible to it.” I do. Organic potatoes and veggies get steamed, Alaskan Salmon, boneless, skinless chicken thighs sautéed in Extra-virgin olive oil, ,poached pasture-raised eggs.
Europeans have complicated recipes. I don’t have the skill or patience to cook that way. But of course enjoyed French and Italian food when I was there. And Belgian beer and chocolate. I totally hate chocolate and beer here. I do drink a nice chardonnay from Australia.
Avoid saturated fat like cheese and butter, and also don’t have a salt shaker. Taking care of my heart. Living a very long time is far more important to me than eating wonderful restaurant food.
There’s lots of gluten-free breads, usually in the freezer section, you can eat that are sandwich friendly.
Canyon is my fave.
The founder of "Proof Bread" in Phoenix, Arizona uses a Sonoran soft wheat flour and loves it. He has a great YouTube channel about his sourdough bread bakery operations. He says "White Sonora: Often called Arizona’s flour, this heirloom grain was introduced hundreds of years ago and is ideal for cookies, breads, and blends. Its mild flavor and fine texture make it a versatile favorite."
I enjoy watching him for his passion for bread and baked goods as well as for growing his business. It's impressive.
He sells a Sifted Rouge de Bordeaux Flour that he swears by.
The founder just posted a new video showing the new storefront he just acquired in Phoenix.
I hope your son (and you) find some good suppliers and resources here.
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