Ok, here is a controversial book! Wheat Belly by William Davis, MD. You either love it, hate it or don't know it exists. This was the third book I purchased, and yes I was conflicted about buying it. I don't think that wheat is bad. For me as a Celiac it is, but if you are healthy and don't have a wheat allergy or celiac disease I think it is fine to eat wheat. As with everything the old mantra "In moderation" is key.

I did enjoy reading it though. The author has an extensive reference section which was great to see. I did check out some of them and found them interesting. As would be expected by the title there is a lot of information about wheat, the history of wheat, how wheat is in many foods you wouldn't think have wheat in them, but it also has a helpful celiac section, there are some good recipes which I found tasty and he discusses eating healthy.

I found the authors take on carbohydrates in part three of the book to be relevant to me. I find that if I eat too many carbohydrates such as gluten-free crackers, breads and so on made with cornstarch, rice starch, potato starch and tapioca starch I don't feel well and I gain weight. I have to be careful consuming quinoa and oats. I do think that too much of these types of gluten-free foods do spike my blood sugar and therefore I need to limit them in my diet. This is difficult as I love my gluten-free substitutes for my old favourite baked treats. By the way, does anyone else have issues with quinoa? I feel a tight feeling in the back of my neck and just feel unwell if I eat more that a 1/4 cup.

Would I recommend this book? Yes. I think the more information a celiac can get their hands on the better. I would try to get it out at the library before buying it. I bought it after I was first diagnosed and found the section on Getting Started: A Week Of A Wheat-Free Life where he has a week of breakfast, lunch and dinner suggestions useful. The unexpected sources of wheat and gluten reinforced the need to read labels and I liked some of the recipes. I don't know about you but after I was first diagnosed I ate raw vegetables and fruits until I calmed down a bit and started to understand what was and wasn't ok to eat.

If you are interested in finding out more about this book check out the website https://www.wheatbelly.com/.

As a side note, the Celiac Association of Canada has a great booklet on label reading and ingredients that is a must for all new celiacs. Always check out your areas celiac association.

Have you read this book? Did you think it was controversial? Helpful? I've included a link to the CBC's review of the book here if you are interested. https://www.cbc.ca/news/wheat-belly-arguments-are-based-on-shaky-science-critics-say-1.2974214

Stay tuned for my next book review.

Note: My blog posts are my personal experiences and opinions. Always seek out a medical opinion for medical concerns.