Whole Grains are Supposedly Healthy. Are they on Kaufmann 1?

Diets that cut carbs have been in vogue for a number of years. Mostly, because they work towards most people’s primary goal, which is to lose unwanted weight. Carb cutting diets were popularized initially by Dr. Robert Atkins’ diet, and many diets have come out over the years that are choose to both keep carbs low and include high levels of protein. Doug Kaufmann’s Diet chooses to avoid many of the same foods, but for some very different reasons.

Everyone knows that “white flour” is a culprit that should be avoided at all costs. White flour is the highly processed part of grain. It is stripped of the nutrients, the fiber and bleached – it is a small component of the plant that it originally came from. Flour is bleached primarily because we as consumers have come to expect our bread to be white! It serves little purpose other than appearance. Yet, this ingredient is ubiquitous in the American diet.

Similarly, everyone knows that “starches” are bad. Starch is the high-carbohydrate substance found in white flour, potatoes and (as the name designates) corn starch. Anyone on a low carb diet looks to avoid starches.

Both of these foods are known to be unhealthy, and conventional wisdom says to avoid them.

However, conventional wisdom continues to encourage people to include “whole grains” in their diet. Whole grains are simply grains that haven’t been processed in the same way that white flour and other flours or starches have been. Whole grains can be ingredients in breads, pastas, oatmeals, tortillas, pizza crusts, etc. in much the same way white flour can be. Basically, anything you could create out of white flour, you can substitute whole grains for. Subsequently, people assume that breads or pastas or anything else made with whole grains are healthy.

Part of the reason we are encouraged to eat whole grains is primarily because of the fiber content – a nutrient shown to aid primarily in elimination of wastes and heart health. Also, whole grains are higher in protein and don’t promote the glucose spike when consumed that other, more refined grains have.

So are whole grains allowed on Kaufmann 1? No. Here is the reason why: Studies show that grains – regardless of whether they are whole grains or not – are likely contaminated with fungal poisons called mycotoxins, which have been implicated in very serious diseases. (A whole series on which disease mycotoxins and fungi contribute to can be found in our bookstore.) Furthermore, a diet that includes carbohydrates like the kind found in whole grains might aid in fueling an underlying, pathogenic fungal infection inside the body.

The goal of the Kaufmann 1 Diet is to eliminate fungus and limit exposure to their poisonous byproducts. This, by definition, means eliminating grains, whole or otherwise. There are plenty of other sources of protein and fiber, but when you’re on Kaufmann 1, try to avoid any sort of grain.