Foods With Opioid Effects

pete

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Aug 31, 2012
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Opiates And Opioids In Food
http://fanaticcook.blogspot.com/2012/05/foods-with-opioid-effects.html

Wheat

Dr. William Davis of the Track Your Plaque site, and author of the recent "Wheat Belly," says that wheat contains an opiate which is responsible for what he describes as wheat addiction. He identifies the protein gliadin as the opiate, and says:

"This opiate, while it binds to the opiate receptors of the brain, doesn't make us high. It makes us hungry."
- Opiate Of The Masses, April 18, 2012

From the definitions at the beginning of this post, I wouldn't have said gliadin was an opiate because it doesn't originate from the poppy plant and it is not technically an alkaloid, although it does contain nitrogen.

However, when the body digests gliadin, it produces a fragment peptide that can act like an opioid, called gliadorphin or gluteomorphin.

Gluten, another protein in wheat (gluten is composed of gliadin), when partially digested produces fragment peptides that can also act as opioids, called gluten exorphins.

Dairy

There is a protein in cow's milk called casein which, when partially digested, produces a fragment peptide that acts like an opioid, called casomorphin.

There are proteins in whey called α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin, which, when partially digested, produce fragment peptides that act as opioids, called α-lactorphin and β-lactorphin.

Meat

There is a protein in blood called hemoglobin which, when partially digested, produces a fragment peptide that acts like an opioid, called hemorphin.

What I've learned:

- Wheat does not contain opiates.
- Many foods contain chemicals that have the potential to engage our opioid circuitry (wheat, milk, cheese, yogurt, meat, spinach, lettuce, and other greens),
but the effect in a healthy person, if any, is probably weak and short-lived.
- The body's endogenous opioids are pretty powerful.
- Stimulating the brain's opioid circuitry performs a useful function - it drives us to eat. But stimulating it often, with highly palatable foods, can drive us to overeat.
 

Parsifal

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Aug 6, 2015
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@Dave Foster Interesting post. I know that you're interested in the opioid system regarding anhedonia and other issues? I hope that you would share a bit on this topic.
I wonder if casein is that good as it seems to also stimulate growth hormone.
 

Ron J

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Oct 5, 2016
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Has anyone asked Ray Peat about milk's opioid effects? What about milk's anti-androgen action(I think it was mentioned by travis)?
 

Ron J

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Oct 5, 2016
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If I remember correctly Ray Peat did address the problematic amino acids in dairy, but I'd like to know if he ever mentioned the opiates.
It's supposed to aggravate prolactin, but would the effects in a healthy individual be "weak and short-lived"?
 

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