Is Wheat Making You Fat? The Science Behind the Cravings & Weight Gain

Vicki Witt
Aug 26
3 min read

Do you ever feel bloated, sluggish, or stuck in a weight loss plateau — even when you’re eating healthy? The culprit could be sitting on your plate every day: wheat.

Wheat has been a huge part of diets around the world for thousands of years. But that doesn’t mean it’s a healthy part of your diet. In fact wheat has several properties that can contribute to weight gain. Let’s take a closer look.

Is Wheat Making You Fat? The Science Behind the Cravings & Weight Gain

Gluten: More Than Just a Celiac Issue

Gluten is one of the most harmful aspects of wheat. Gluten is a type of protein found in wheat and other grains. People with celiac disease need to avoid gluten to not trigger an autoimmune response. Other people may have gluten sensitivities or allergies.

Even in people without a sensitivity to gluten, it can trigger inflammation in the gut. Inflammation can contribute to weight gain.

Gluten also contains opioid-like peptides which can contribute to food addictions. It’s not just your imagination that you crave comfort foods like bread and pasta.

Another area that is overlooked when it comes to gluten is the impact on hormones. Gluten can disrupt cortisol balance, thyroid hormones, and insulin levels. All of these hormones play a big role in unexplained weight gain.

Other Wheat Proteins That Wreck Your Gut

In addition to gluten proteins wheat also contains lectins, albumins, and globulins. These proteins can cause gut inflammation and intestinal dysbiosis. They can also trigger an immune response and lead to constipation and abdominal pain. All of these factors disrupt your normal body functions and can lead to weight gain.

Carbs That Confuse Your Body

Oligosaccarides are a type of carbohydrate found in many vegetables, legumes and grains. They have several benefits, but many people lack the ability to digest oligosaccharides. Sometimes this is temporary and can be cured with a low FODMAP diet. The resulting gut health issues can make weight loss difficult.

Oligosaccharides can also interact with opioid receptors, possibly contributing to food addictions.

Chemical Exposure from Modern Wheat

Wheat is often grown with the use of glyphosates. Glyphosate is a hormone disruptor which can mimic the effects of estradiol and lower testosterone levels. This can cause an estrogen imbalance that can cause excess belly fat.

https://www.vickiwittweightloss.com/post/glyphosate-hormone-weight-gain

Refined Wheat: A Fast Track to Weight Gain

While wheat in its unrefined state has many undesirable features, when it is refined and processed the side effects are even worse.

Foods made with refined wheat raise blood sugar more quickly than unrefined wheat. They also contain less fiber. This makes foods like white bread more likely to contribute to weight gain.

Highly processed wheat foods are even worse. They usually contain large amounts of sugar, salt and fat and are designed to be addictive.

Modern Wheat vs Ancient Grains

There has been much talk lately about how much worse modern wheat is than ancient wheat like einkorn. Some types of heirloom wheat contain fewer harmful elements, but they still have forms of gluten, so are not suitable for celiacs. They are often less likely to be contaminated with glyphosate.

Smarter Swaps for Weight Loss

Going wheat free has many benefits including likely helping with weight loss. But it’s not just a case of replacing bread or pasta with gluten free options. Many gluten free options are even more heavily processed than wheat products. They contain rice or corn which are gluten free. Rice also contains lectin and corn may have glyphosate residues. These foods are also high in starch and don’t help with weight loss.

How you can eliminate wheat in your diet

Rather than simple substitutions modify your diet to include:

Lean protein
Non starchy vegetables
Cooked legumes (to reduce the amount of active lectins)
Healthy fats

If you’re ready to break free from food cravings, hormonal imbalances, and stubborn weight gain, I can help. Together, we’ll create a tailored plan that restores your energy, balances your body, and helps you lose weight without the struggle.

Book a free nutrition assessment

Warm wishes,

About Vicki:

Vicki Witt is a Clinical Nutritionist, Holistic Health Coach, and Reiki Master. She has been practicing over 25 years and specializes in holistically customizing diet and lifestyle plans to each individual for weight loss and hormonal control. Her clientele often report they feel the best they have ever felt and wish they had started sooner. One of the USA and Australia's top Nutritionists, she has won multiple awards for her services in the industry.