I lead food tours in Italy and almost daily I have at least one person ask me why they can eat pizza here but they have IBD back in North America. I always tell them it's the glyphosate. I eat pasta almost daily here, no problem. Every time I visit the United States I come back with a very bad Crohn’s flare up. And I'm careful. I eat a diet based on whole foods and diversity of plants. In Italy I thrive on gluten.
I agree with a lot of what you said and also disagree with some of it. I too have high levels of glyphosate in my body, confirmed by a biological test, and I have never used it or have knowingly been around it. I have also eaten mostly organic produce for the past few years, and I still feel terrible.
Also, I do not eat gluten. I do not have an allergy. There is such a thing as non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Many people have it, and it causes symptoms. Is it all because of glyphosate? Glyphosate is a big part of it, but there are other factors as well to why a person would be sensitive. Many people have intestinal permeability which allows proteins from food to pass through the gut lining and into the bloodstream, which the body then tags as “invaders” and mounts an immune response. Gluten is a key offender here.
Does this mean that this negates the fact that the food industry has capitalized on this and tries to sell everything “gluten free” as a marketing ploy? No, it doesn’t. Does this mean that gluten free foods are automatically healthy? Absolutely not.
But people can be sensitive to gluten. AND glyphosate. Organic foods are a better option than sprayed foods if one can afford it. Home cooked foods are great. I don’t disagree with you there. But I don’t think that the snark about people who, like you, are chronically ill, but for different reasons than you, is justified or warranted.
There is a lot of bullshit out there in the health and wellness space but I fear you’re throwing the baby out with the bath water.
Hi! Thank you for your comment. I agree with some things here, but it never fails that when an article says gluten is not everybody’s enemy, a comment must remind the writer that people are allergic to gluten. I’m aware of this, believe it it or not - and I mention that this article is NOT about folks with allergies or sensitivities, but folks ONLY eating gluten free because they assume it’s automatically healthier. This distinction is made multiple times - I have my own “not critical” (as restaurant servers love to say) allergies that aren’t necessarily due to a medical condition, but fuck up my stomach anyway.
This is an article about glyphosate, and how gluten products, and grain products in general, contain high residues as they’re the target crops for glyphosate salt use as ripening eveners. It’s also a clear argument to not just assume gluten is bad, but understand that there is more at play, like systemically compromised microbiota from a variety of chemicals used in our food and soil, or our consumption of genetically modified crops - less baby and bath water, more frying pan and fire. I appreciate your point of view greatly - I just want to clarify that the article is meant for voluntary gluten avoiders doing more harm than good without the right information.
I’m sorry to hear that you have tested and have experienced health issues in general, and maybe due to some glyphosate exposure. The scary thing about it is that it’s everywhere and only growing in accumulation. We will keep getting sicker as a whole. I hope you keep getting better!
I appreciate you spreading the word about the dangers of glyphosate. I appreciate the service you are doing and I’m sure it took a while to gather the information included in this article and piece your thoughts together. At the same time, I don’t think your argument is as clear as you think it is. You mentioned intolerances once at the beginning, and allergies several times.
Even though you said you’re not addressing celiacs or people with gluten allergies or intolerances at the beginning, you actually are addressing them. Because you’re saying “we’ve conflated gluten intolerance with poison intolerance,” meaning that some people who believe they are intolerant to gluten (because they have symptoms) may actually have a sensitivity to glyphosate. You have a point and this is true, but not for all people. Some people do actually have an issue with gluten and wheat.
If someone is avoiding food because they have symptoms, I can see the importance of educating them that glyphosate may be a factor, but I don’t know why you would feel the need to make fun of them, especially as someone who has symptoms yourself and only recently found out that glyphosate was an issue for you.
You also mention “very annoying selectively gluten free people” who feel better eating gluten in Europe. Again, you’re addressing people who have known intolerances (because they have symptoms, otherwise they wouldn’t feel better in Europe). Last time I checked, it isn’t considered “selectively gluten free” if you have symptoms. Even if these people are indeed sensitive to glyphosate and not gluten, they’re the people you said you were excluding at the beginning, while later addressing them directly.
It seems like you tried to separate out the “annoying” selectively gluten free people from people with true symptoms, but later lumped them back together. Hence the confusion.
You also say “wheat is not an irritant unless you’re allergic to it.” This is not correct. The immune system can react in a variety of ways to food, and only one of those is an allergy. I would recommend obtaining a more thorough understanding of the immune system before giving out health advice.
You also say that “if a conclusive test has not confirmed that you’re allergic to something, don’t automatically assume that you are.” Okay, again, there’s a difference between an allergy and a sensitivity. Most people don’t need an allergy test to know they are sensitive to a food because they have very significant symptoms soon after eating the offending food.
Intolerances, on the other hand, are more subtle but still significant immune reactions. Intolerance testing is available but is not always reliable, and in fact, the Institute of Functional Medicine recommends practitioners to do elimination diets with their clients to find intolerances based on symptoms, because this can actually be more reliable than testing.
Celiac since 1999 and when I was diagnosed there were 0 gluten free pastas, cookies, bread products and marketing fads to push these alternatives. I simply gave up all grains and for a while when my thyroid disease in my 30s came on like a tidal wave, went fully keto carnivore for a while to try to dial back the inflammation and tumors. I’ve always been suspicious of gluten free grains. I’m in my 40s and tho I’ll never be thriving I know for a fact going GRAIN free was actually a longevity factor for me. My mother is also a Celiac but caught it too late and she is basically at end of life before 70. I think we always need to be careful with any fad diets. Gluten free is critical for people like me who have spent our whole existence in hospitals. My first memory as a child was in the hospital with rectal tumors and fissures and being experimented on with medications that are now black boxes. It’s hell to live with these conditions but at least I am alive.
I'm happy I found your newsletter! Several years ago I had allergy testing done and tested positive for an allergy to wheat, but not gluten. At the time I found it a real head scratcher - my reaction to it is mostly sinus related. I guess this is why when I eat organic bread I have no reaction, but if I drink a beer I'm wheezing as though I'm in a hay field?
This is so interesting thank you for sharing. I live in the UK, would you say organic flour is a good option to mitigate worries of chemicals used? I do appreciate it’s a complex issue with how wheat has been modified over the years.
I hope you find some respite soon, thank you for laying the facts out clearly and concisely! Do you have a short list of snacks we can make from scratch? I make my own granola & try to stick to fruit/raw veggies as snacks but sometimes it gets….boring.
Thank you for this reminder to do the work for a healthy lifestyle. I have long been frustrated by the additives put in our food (don’t get me started on fake fat added to cold cuts) and the Michel Pollen advice is always ringing in my head but sometimes pushed to the side in the name of convenience. I needed this scary reminder.
I liked it and yet I don't like it at all, if you know what I mean. This is why I recently purchased pasta imported from Italy. It's non-GMO and, highly likely, glyphosate free. Imagine that.
Anna, thank you for shedding light on the pervasive issue of glyphosate and its impact on our health. Your deep dive into the science and the real-world implications is eye-opening. It's frustrating how misinformation and marketing can lead us astray from truly healthy choices. Your personal story adds a powerful, human element to the discussion and underscores the urgency of reevaluating what we put into our bodies. I appreciate your candidness and the practical advice on mitigating these risks. This is a wake-up call we all need.
I lead food tours in Italy and almost daily I have at least one person ask me why they can eat pizza here but they have IBD back in North America. I always tell them it's the glyphosate. I eat pasta almost daily here, no problem. Every time I visit the United States I come back with a very bad Crohn’s flare up. And I'm careful. I eat a diet based on whole foods and diversity of plants. In Italy I thrive on gluten.
I agree with a lot of what you said and also disagree with some of it. I too have high levels of glyphosate in my body, confirmed by a biological test, and I have never used it or have knowingly been around it. I have also eaten mostly organic produce for the past few years, and I still feel terrible.
Also, I do not eat gluten. I do not have an allergy. There is such a thing as non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Many people have it, and it causes symptoms. Is it all because of glyphosate? Glyphosate is a big part of it, but there are other factors as well to why a person would be sensitive. Many people have intestinal permeability which allows proteins from food to pass through the gut lining and into the bloodstream, which the body then tags as “invaders” and mounts an immune response. Gluten is a key offender here.
Does this mean that this negates the fact that the food industry has capitalized on this and tries to sell everything “gluten free” as a marketing ploy? No, it doesn’t. Does this mean that gluten free foods are automatically healthy? Absolutely not.
But people can be sensitive to gluten. AND glyphosate. Organic foods are a better option than sprayed foods if one can afford it. Home cooked foods are great. I don’t disagree with you there. But I don’t think that the snark about people who, like you, are chronically ill, but for different reasons than you, is justified or warranted.
There is a lot of bullshit out there in the health and wellness space but I fear you’re throwing the baby out with the bath water.
Hi! Thank you for your comment. I agree with some things here, but it never fails that when an article says gluten is not everybody’s enemy, a comment must remind the writer that people are allergic to gluten. I’m aware of this, believe it it or not - and I mention that this article is NOT about folks with allergies or sensitivities, but folks ONLY eating gluten free because they assume it’s automatically healthier. This distinction is made multiple times - I have my own “not critical” (as restaurant servers love to say) allergies that aren’t necessarily due to a medical condition, but fuck up my stomach anyway.
This is an article about glyphosate, and how gluten products, and grain products in general, contain high residues as they’re the target crops for glyphosate salt use as ripening eveners. It’s also a clear argument to not just assume gluten is bad, but understand that there is more at play, like systemically compromised microbiota from a variety of chemicals used in our food and soil, or our consumption of genetically modified crops - less baby and bath water, more frying pan and fire. I appreciate your point of view greatly - I just want to clarify that the article is meant for voluntary gluten avoiders doing more harm than good without the right information.
I’m sorry to hear that you have tested and have experienced health issues in general, and maybe due to some glyphosate exposure. The scary thing about it is that it’s everywhere and only growing in accumulation. We will keep getting sicker as a whole. I hope you keep getting better!
I appreciate you spreading the word about the dangers of glyphosate. I appreciate the service you are doing and I’m sure it took a while to gather the information included in this article and piece your thoughts together. At the same time, I don’t think your argument is as clear as you think it is. You mentioned intolerances once at the beginning, and allergies several times.
Even though you said you’re not addressing celiacs or people with gluten allergies or intolerances at the beginning, you actually are addressing them. Because you’re saying “we’ve conflated gluten intolerance with poison intolerance,” meaning that some people who believe they are intolerant to gluten (because they have symptoms) may actually have a sensitivity to glyphosate. You have a point and this is true, but not for all people. Some people do actually have an issue with gluten and wheat.
If someone is avoiding food because they have symptoms, I can see the importance of educating them that glyphosate may be a factor, but I don’t know why you would feel the need to make fun of them, especially as someone who has symptoms yourself and only recently found out that glyphosate was an issue for you.
You also mention “very annoying selectively gluten free people” who feel better eating gluten in Europe. Again, you’re addressing people who have known intolerances (because they have symptoms, otherwise they wouldn’t feel better in Europe). Last time I checked, it isn’t considered “selectively gluten free” if you have symptoms. Even if these people are indeed sensitive to glyphosate and not gluten, they’re the people you said you were excluding at the beginning, while later addressing them directly.
It seems like you tried to separate out the “annoying” selectively gluten free people from people with true symptoms, but later lumped them back together. Hence the confusion.
You also say “wheat is not an irritant unless you’re allergic to it.” This is not correct. The immune system can react in a variety of ways to food, and only one of those is an allergy. I would recommend obtaining a more thorough understanding of the immune system before giving out health advice.
You also say that “if a conclusive test has not confirmed that you’re allergic to something, don’t automatically assume that you are.” Okay, again, there’s a difference between an allergy and a sensitivity. Most people don’t need an allergy test to know they are sensitive to a food because they have very significant symptoms soon after eating the offending food.
Intolerances, on the other hand, are more subtle but still significant immune reactions. Intolerance testing is available but is not always reliable, and in fact, the Institute of Functional Medicine recommends practitioners to do elimination diets with their clients to find intolerances based on symptoms, because this can actually be more reliable than testing.
Celiac since 1999 and when I was diagnosed there were 0 gluten free pastas, cookies, bread products and marketing fads to push these alternatives. I simply gave up all grains and for a while when my thyroid disease in my 30s came on like a tidal wave, went fully keto carnivore for a while to try to dial back the inflammation and tumors. I’ve always been suspicious of gluten free grains. I’m in my 40s and tho I’ll never be thriving I know for a fact going GRAIN free was actually a longevity factor for me. My mother is also a Celiac but caught it too late and she is basically at end of life before 70. I think we always need to be careful with any fad diets. Gluten free is critical for people like me who have spent our whole existence in hospitals. My first memory as a child was in the hospital with rectal tumors and fissures and being experimented on with medications that are now black boxes. It’s hell to live with these conditions but at least I am alive.
I hope you feel better soon. What a goddamn interesting article. I also lol’d at the milk full circle. Just stick to the basics people!!
Such great writing. Thank you for this.
Wow, thank you, so much! High praise from an amazing writer. Cheers.
That is such a kind reply to read – on a Monday morning, in particular. :)
I'm happy I found your newsletter! Several years ago I had allergy testing done and tested positive for an allergy to wheat, but not gluten. At the time I found it a real head scratcher - my reaction to it is mostly sinus related. I guess this is why when I eat organic bread I have no reaction, but if I drink a beer I'm wheezing as though I'm in a hay field?
This is so interesting thank you for sharing. I live in the UK, would you say organic flour is a good option to mitigate worries of chemicals used? I do appreciate it’s a complex issue with how wheat has been modified over the years.
I hope you find some respite soon, thank you for laying the facts out clearly and concisely! Do you have a short list of snacks we can make from scratch? I make my own granola & try to stick to fruit/raw veggies as snacks but sometimes it gets….boring.
Pieces like this are always terrifying but the reminder always helps. No more not-organic berries for me :')
Thank you for this reminder to do the work for a healthy lifestyle. I have long been frustrated by the additives put in our food (don’t get me started on fake fat added to cold cuts) and the Michel Pollen advice is always ringing in my head but sometimes pushed to the side in the name of convenience. I needed this scary reminder.
well said.
Yup just came back from Greece where I ate all the wheat products I wanted. Also, WTF Banza?! I love their pasta. UGH.
I just ate a box of Banza over the past two days and today I have a sinus infection....fahkkk
I liked it and yet I don't like it at all, if you know what I mean. This is why I recently purchased pasta imported from Italy. It's non-GMO and, highly likely, glyphosate free. Imagine that.
Anna, thank you for shedding light on the pervasive issue of glyphosate and its impact on our health. Your deep dive into the science and the real-world implications is eye-opening. It's frustrating how misinformation and marketing can lead us astray from truly healthy choices. Your personal story adds a powerful, human element to the discussion and underscores the urgency of reevaluating what we put into our bodies. I appreciate your candidness and the practical advice on mitigating these risks. This is a wake-up call we all need.