By Claire Bacon, ACN, CNC
Betrayed! All of us have been betrayed! If you’ve been eating a gluten-free diet in order to stay healthy, well, think again. It turns out that many of the popular gluten-free items we’ve been depending on are not as healthy as we’d hoped. Nope! Because one week ago, the results of a Moms Across America study just became available. And guess what? MANY of our favorite snacks and gluten-free breads tested high for glyphosate and other pesticide contamination! Noooo!!!!
We know! It’s so sad!!
I highly recommend you read the entire article and click the links to see the data. I’m only providing background and summarizing the most important parts that stuck out to me.
What’s glyphosate, anyway?
Glyphosate is the active ingredient in America’s #1 herbicide, Round Up. It has been sprayed on our food crops more and more, ever since it was introduced in the US in 1974. At this time, genetically engineered “Roundup-ready” crops now account for about 56% of global glyphosate use. In the U.S., it’s probably closer to 90% utilized on conventional crops. No other herbicide has come remotely close to such widespread use.
Just look at how our use of glyphosate has increased over the years…
For decades, the manufacturer and our government have told us it is safe for consumption – because it works on the shikimate pathway (which humans do not have). However, the microorganisms that live in our gut DO have a shikimate pathway. And they get killed off when we eat foods with glyphosate residue.
This is what it looks like…
Did you know that Bayer/Monsanto has reached an approximately $11 billion settlement with most plaintiffs? That’s right, lawsuits are being filed and settled left and right for causing a specific cancer. The legal claims are based on the fact that Monsanto’s failure to warn of the dangers of using Roundup makes them directly responsible for victims currently suffering from Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
Besides the well-known connection to Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, exposure to Roundup can also cause many other cancers:
- Large B Cell Lymphoma
- Follicular Lymphoma
- Mantle Cell Lymphoma
- Lymphoplasmacytic Lymphoma
- Mycosis Fungoides Lymphoma
- Burkitt Lymphoma
- 70+ Other Lymphoma Subtypes.
That’s why we don’t want it in our food!
But I’m Fine Eating Glyphosate, Aren’t I?
Sorry, don’t be so sure. It’s hard to say definitively, because glyphosate is just one of MANY toxins we are exposed to. Let’s look at the myriad of ways that toxins in general can disrupt our health…
Toxins are stored in our fat tissue.
When we lose weight, the toxins are released into the bloodstream, where they circulate around until being filtered by our lymph nodes, liver, and kidneys. Toxins can cause major problems during the time they are circulating. It’s possible they could settle into different tissues, causing dysfunction and/or a feeling of malaise. If you’re dieting or cleansing and dropping a lot of weight quickly, you’ll want to include a binder to capture toxins and sweep them out of the body quickly.
Toxins block our hormone receptors.
They sit in our little satellite dishes on all our cells and block our ability to absorb important hormones. Have you ever gone to your doctor and looked at hormone levels in your blood? Your doctor probably told you, “You’re normal.” Well, maybe you have normal hormone levels circulating in your blood, but if your receptors are full of toxins you’re going to have DEFICIENCY symptoms!
The thyroid is especially sensitive to toxins.
A high toxin load reduces thyroid hormone production, and increases thyroid hormone excretion by the liver. Although data is not definitive, multiple studies have attempted to demonstrate various pesticides’ impact on the the thyroid. Part of the problem may be that we are not just exposed to one toxin; rather, we live in a toxic soup of THOUSANDS of chemicals that bioaccumulate and interact over time.
Toxins increase free radicals.
Free radicals are unstable molecules that contribute to aging, wrinkles, and disease processes. And when we have too many free radicals, it’s called “oxidative stress”. We have a special “Redox system” that helps our body keep free radicals in check. Within the Redox system, enzymes work on breaking down and removing free radicals. And, antioxidants donate an electron to reduce their reactivity. But if the toxin/free radical overload is greater than our capacity to remove it, faster aging and disease processes will occur.
Toxins damage our mitochondria.
Without healthy mitochondria, we won’t have any energy. Damaged mitochondria don’t burn fat well, and don’t create ATP well, either. Hmm… could that be the reason why so many people are lacking in energy and can’t lose weight?!?
Toxins block the effectiveness of Leptin in the brain.
Leptin is our satiety hormone – it helps us feel full and satisfied. But as the toxins are perceived as a stressor on the system, they will inherently increase overall cortisol, which impacts our appetite-regulating hormones like ghrelin, leptin and Neuropeptide Y. This leads to more cravings, more sugar… and more stored belly fat.
Considering all that, it’s no wonder why Americans are so tired, hungry, and can’t lose weight. WE’RE TOXIC!!
So, Let’s Look at the New Data…
Those of us who try hard to be health conscious will be really dismayed by the new data from Moms Across America. We know that wheat fields are soaked in glyphosate right before harvest. And many of us are diagnosed Celiac and must avoid gluten for that reason. With today’s fast paced life, many of us have turned to gluten-free versions of bread, crackers, muffins, and tortillas to make life easier. But guess what… there’s a hidden poison! Our enemy: glyphosate was found in many of our favorite gluten-free foods!!
That’s right. Moms Across America chose 46 popular gluten-free items for presence of glyphosate and its metabolite AMPA, other pesticides, and gluten content. They also checked for mineral content and across the board, found that these foods are pathetically deficient. Well, that’s no surprise. The further a food gets away from how it was made in Nature, the more devitalized it will be. We must remember that no ultra-processed foods are healthy, even if they are gluten-free.
Worst 20 GF Foods to Avoid (for Glyphosate and AMPA Content)
These foods fared the worst. I’m not going to buy these anymore. Read the list and weep…
- Banza Cavatappi Chickpea Pasta – chickpeas are notoriously bad for glyphosate. Check your hummus! Always buy organic.
- Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Flour
- Flax4Life Chocolate Muffins – heartbreaker because these taste so good!
- Pamela’s Figgies & Jammies Mission Fig Cookies
- Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers – we’ll be returning a big box to Costco!
- Kind Kids Chewy Chocolate Chip Bars – marketed to kids!
- Mary’s Gone Crackers Organic Super Seed Crackers – crying!!
- O’Dough’s Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Bagels
- Simple Mills Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Glutino Pretzel Twists
- Quinn Peanut Butter Pretzels
- Milton’s Crispy Sea Salt Crackers
- Simple Mills Brownie Mix – so tasty, so sad!
- Canyon House Bakery 7 Grain Bread – one of the only tasty gluten free breads I have found
- Go Macro Berry Granola Bar
- Simple Mills Almond Flour Vanilla Cupcake Mix
- Canyon House Bakery Plain Bread
- King Arthur Flour
- Trader Joe’s Brown Rice Penne Pasta
- Mountain High Organic Macaroni
Ugh! When we choose gluten-free, we’re either looking to avoid the wheat protein (that can be inflammatory), or the glyphosate (that’s been applied to conventional crops). You would think if something was labeled organic and gluten-free that you wouldn’t have to worry about glyphosate from other sources. But sadly, that’s not the case.
Maybe one day we’ll know the answer to where the contamination is coming from!
Top 20 Foods with Lowest Glyphosate Contamination
Some of these I have not heard of before, so I’m providing LINKS so we can easily start shopping better!
- Edward & Sons Organic Rice Cracker
- Lesser Evil Gluten Free Popcorn – available on Thrive Market
- LiveGF Cornbread Mix
- Made Good Strawberry Crispy Squares
- Tinkyada Organic Brown Rice Pasta
- UDI’s Soft White Sandwich Bread
- Barilla GF Penne Pasta
- Schar Plain NY Style Bagels
- 365 Whole Food Market Multigrain Sandwich Bread
- Schar Artisan Baker White Bread
- Pamela’s Chocolate Cake Mix
- Glutino Chocolate-Vanilla Creme Cookies
- Jovial GF Brown Rice Spaghetti
- Trader Joe’s Almost Everything Bagel
- Made Good Soft Baked Mini Cookies
- Trader Joe’s Double Chocolate Muffins
- Trader Joe’s White Sandwich Bread
- Katz Fudge Brownie Muffins
- Pacha Organic Buckwheat Buns
- Pamela’s Gluten Free Flour
Keep in mind that just because these gluten-free foods tested well without glyphosate, doesn’t mean they’re healthy. A “healthy” food is nutrient-dense. It provides nutrients – vitamins and minerals that the body needs. All of the above products come in a bag or a box. They are all “ultra-processed”. Therefore, they need to be kept to a minimum.
What’s the best kind of food for a gluten-free diet? Answer: Anything organic from the produce section!
Conclusion
We need to turn up the pressure on food manufacturers to do a better job. They need to be performing independent testing on the raw materials they use in their products. We need clear labeling and thorough consumer information on the products we buy.
In order to make that happen, every one of us needs to get involved. Share this info on social media. Let the manufacturers know we won’t be buying their stuff! Demand transparency and higher quality food!
Because when you know better, you do better!