Whole Wheat Isn't Healthy for All of Us

With the nation's current health craze, a lot of foods are now being made with whole wheat. Unfortunately, the food companies are failing to realize that whole wheat isn't a healthy choice for everyone.

Every time I go to the store I see more and more whole wheat products. I've actually had to stop eating some foods that I used to buy because I can no longer find them with anything but whole grain. I'm not the only one in this country having a problem finding food that I can actually eat. It's actually a growing problem, it's just not making the news yet.

The big food companies are so busy trying to stuff healthy down our throats with a shovel, that they're missing a major issue. Wheat and gluten allergies are on the rise in the US, so there are a lot of people who can't eat foods made with whole grains, or all-wheat foods. There are also people such as myself, with thyroid or other health disorders that force us to limit our wheat intake to avoid making ourselves sick.

What I don't understand is why there aren't more rice products instead of wheat, or at least as an alternative. Rice is healthy, inexpensive, and can be turned into just about anything. I'd rather see the shelves full of rice products than wheat ones. I've never heard of anyone with an allergy to rice. According to foodreference.com, rice allergies in the US are quite rare. So wouldn't rice be a perfect product for healthy food that wouldn't affect sufferers of gluten allergies?

FoodReference states: "Rice is fat, sodium, and cholesterol free. Rice comes in many forms including white and brown rice, flours, rice bran, and rice oil. It is also very versatile: rice can be served as a snack or at any meal, as an appetizer, entree or dessert. " in their article Rice and Allergies.

Now, I have seen some rice products in the stores. I typically find them in the Asian or health food sections. However, there are two problems: One, there isn't a very large selection. I've seen rice noodles, a couple shapes of rice pasta and a few rice cereals. Two, the prices are outrageous. Just a few days ago I looked for rice pasta, and it was $4.59 a pound. Not many people can afford that kind of price.

If rice products were made more popular, and the prices were lowered, I believe it would be a very good thing. Consumers would have a healthy product and wouldn't have to worry about allergies or medical issues. I've suggested to my local stores that they carry more rice products. Try doing the same in your area, and perhaps we can get the message through to the major food companies that we don't all want whole wheat, and that it's not a truly healthy option for all of us.