Here is a Recap from Robb Wolfs book: The Paleo Solution on how grains cause malabsorption issues and how that affects our health and well-being:
1. Damage to the gut lining. If the gut is damaged, you do not absorb nutrients. We need healthy villi and micorvilli to absorb our nutrients, be they protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins or minerals.
3. Phytates tightly bind to metal ions and make them unavailable for absorption. Analytical chemists actually use purified phytates in experiments where it is necessary to quantify the amounts of metal ions like calcium, zinc, or iron in a sample because the phytates bind to these metals tighter than just about any other molecule. The same thing happens when you eat phytates, and this is not a good thing for bone health or iron status.
4. Open door for autoimmunity and cancer. Once the gut lining is damaged, we are at exceptionally high risk of autoimmune disease, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and several types of cancer, including non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The pancreas is assailed y grain-induced inflammation due to CCK problems and elevated insulin levels. This inflammation is a potential cause of pancreatic cancer and pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas).
Why does all this happen? Because grains are pissed that you want to eat them and they are willing, and able to fight back.
Here is a short list of the problems associated with leaky gut and the autoimmune response: infertility, Type 1 diabetes, Multiple sclerosis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus, Vitiligo, Narcolepsy, Schizophrenia, Autism, Depression, Huntington’s, Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Hypothyroidism, Porphyria. pg. 94
