Here's the whole question.

After eating “mostly paleo-ish” for 5+ years, I started trying to consume more grains (a variety of whole grains like sprouted wheat, buckwheat, oats, millet, farro, etc, using these in stews/soups, homemade bread & granola).

While my LDL has improved (the main reason I made that change), I’m having many unwanted digestive issues, and I have steadily gained weight. I don't know if I should give it more time or if my body and/or appetite don’t respond well to grains. If this seems relevant to other readers, would you care to share any thoughts on that and recommendations? 

Hi Jen, let me begin by answering the overarching question. Do you have to go back to restricting grains to reverse or stop your weight gain and address your digestive issues? 

I don't believe so, but incorporating grains into your life requires nuanced understanding. You've grouped disparate options and labeled them all as healthy whole grains. While none is 🚩 unhealthy, some are problematic to weight and others possibly to digestion.

The good news is that your lowered LDL indicates that some good things are at work. Plus, grains are yummy!

Here are the categories based on how I understand them.

1. Buckwheat, oats, millet, and farro. These are actual whole grains, assuming none are the quick-cook variety.
2. Sprouted wheat milled into flour, then turned into homemade bread.
3. Granola, even homemade with quality ingredients, is a combination of oats, nuts, fat, and sugar.

I separate them because each has a very different impact on weight and possibly digestion.

Let's discuss digestion first. 

It's difficult to determine which of these is causing the issues and in what quantity because you are uniquely you. I suggest this approach: eliminate all of them and then incorporate each for a week to understand its effects on you. 

Now, let's talk about how each of these impacts weight.

Scroll down ⬇️ for the answers.

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• Learn to make real food–without recipes, gadgets, or hours of prep.
• Take my sugar course 🍭
• Individual coaching sessions (one or three).
• Hit reply and ask me a question!

1. Bread 🥖

Even bread made from sprouted whole wheat is a moderately processed food. In the context of weight, I recommend that category take up no more than 15 to 20% of total intake. Some bodies are more sensitive than others to grains processed into flour. Mine is very!

Turning wheat (or anything) into flour makes it more bioavailable, meaning your body sucks up and stores more of the calories. In general, bodies that tend to gain weight need less bioavailable foods.

I've learned that eating Wasa crackers for my daily intake is best, and keeping good-quality bread as a moderately processed treat. 

2. Granola 🥣