Grains/Legumes nutrition and digestibility

[TaupeRawMan]

I am wondering more about whether grains and legumes should be part of a raw food diet. My nutritionist is working with me to gain weight. I passed out last week and have very low BP and pulse rate (doctor asked if I was an athlete....I haven't been able to work out for about a year now....). The nutritionist thinks grains would be good because they help get glucose and b vitamins to the brain and tissues. I haven't eaten either of these for some time because I read (Dr. Jameth Sheridan, Renee Loux, Dr. Gabriel Cousens)that, even sprouted, they have lots of enzyme inhibitors and need to be sprouted AND steamed. I have also read bad things about grains, but am not sure if that is only the processed ones, only the cooked ones, or all.

Any thoughts on the grains and legumes issue?

[Stina]

I am wondering more about whether grains and legumes should be part of a raw food diet. My nutritionist is working with me to gain weight. I passed out last week and have very low BP and pulse rate (doctor asked if I was an athlete....I haven't been able to work out for about a year now....). The nutritionist thinks grains would be good because they help get glucose and b vitamins to the brain and tissues. I haven't eaten either of these for some time because I read (Dr. Jameth Sheridan, Renee Loux, Dr. Gabriel Cousens)that, even sprouted, they have lots of enzyme inhibitors and need to be sprouted AND steamed. I have also read bad things about grains, but am not sure if that is only the processed ones, only the cooked ones, or all.

Any thoughts on the grains and legumes issue?

Well, first of all, the most amazing true stories of healing miracles are of people who went wholly 100% raw. That's what I'd recommend.
Many of us find that sprouted legumes give us stomach upset but experiment to see what works for you. I do great with mung though. I'm happy to get my protein from the amino acids from a variety of leafy greens, as do a lot of body builders!
I do great with sprouted, sometimes dehydrated grains in my diet. I mostly sprout quinoa and then incorporate it into a salad or I sprout buckwheat then dehydrate it to get it crispy and use it for cereal.
After extensively studying many different approaches to eating raw, I really do agree with Alissa Cohen's approach to eating raw. I'd recommend getting her book and pouring over it. There are so many schools of thought on nutrition, I firmly believe we have to figure out what works for us individually and eating raw has made a significant impact on my well-being, so don't let a nutritionist talk you out of your own intuition.
There is a wealth of information, experience and support on this forum. Let us know how you're doing.

[TaupeRawMan]

Thanks Stina -

I should have mentioned that I have been 100% raw for many years and own and love Alissa's book and DVD. I have read the amazing stories and am impressed with them, but after 5 years of not feeling that great and losing a lot of weight I am trying to do some more information gathering.

Some information that is available in books and on the web states that certain foods can do damage to the body without the eater being aware. This is one reason I bring this up. I might feel fine when eating them, but are the inhibitors (or grains by their very nature) causing problems that I won't be able to detect for some time?

I love Alissa's approach in her book. I also think the book is geared for the masses to help get them on board (i.e. including foods that are not completely raw) and that there are probably refinements that she does and recommends.

I am wondering if anybody has thoughts on this in addition to how they feel when eating these products.

[petaltothemetal]

Is your doctor thinking you need the starch or a complete protein? Because most grains and beans are very difficult to digest and it may be better to decide what the ultimate goal is rather than necessarily what he wants you to eat. My doctor thinks I should eat cheese but I don't!

For protein, you can't get better than quinoa and amaranth, both of which can be soaked and sprouted and eaten raw as is (like in tabbouli) or dehydrated and ground up or pureed after sprouting and made into dehydrated crackers.

I like buckwheat, too (which is a seed rather than a grain, but looks and tastes like a grain) and find it easy and quick to sprout. If you sprout it to the point of green leaves, it is delicious in salads. It also makes good dehydrated crackers and breads. And corn is technically a grain like oats and wheat because it is a grass. It is starchy and has ok protein (most hybrid sweets are lower in protein than most dent type corns) and also dehydrates into great breads and crackers.

If you're trying to gain weight, befriend your dehydrator!

[petaltothemetal]

I just read your answer. So here's how I feel:

I tried making a bunch of normal grain sprouted products (oats, wheat, rice) and had heartburn, gas and bloating after all of them. I feel great after eating buckwheat. I don't use quinoa and amaranth all that often, since I don't like them as much. They still stay a little hard.

[TaupeRawMan]

Thanks PTTM -

her interest is in the glucose and nutrients that come from grains (she isn't bringing up the legumes - I just added that because I avoid both groups for the same reason...only steaming/cooking removes the enzyme inhibitors). Protein is not an issue at this point, just fuel due to my low weight, passing out, low pulse, etc. In fact, she is very concerned about my heart's health and does not want me to gain weight too fast as I might go into shock. Kinda scary!:eek:

It sounds like you don't see a problem with the inhibitors that continue to exist after sprouting.....(yes, I am very detailed focused and worry about the small things).

[petaltothemetal]

I read a lot of the literature on enzyme inhibitors. Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon has a lot of it grouped together in one book, although you may disagree with her feelings on dairy and meat. Soaking removes the enzyme inhibitors. Cooking does not. What cooking does is it breaks down the fiber.

[petaltothemetal]

What kind of tests did she do? Is she thinking you are hypoglycemic or diabetic or does she think the glucose will pep you up?

[TaupeRawMan]

Thanks PTTM -

Sally is correct that the soaking is more geared toward the inhibitors. Unfortunately, there are some inhibitors (or is it phytates?) in grains and legumes that don't get broken down and need a light steaming. This leads me to wonder if we should be eating them at all on a raw diet? I go back and forth. It seems to be unhealthy to scratch two food groups off the list of acceptable foods. Or maybe we do need them and they are needing to be lightly steamed....