Wheat is having a moment. Not the trendy sourdough starter kind, but the underground—literally—glow-up brought to you by fungi. At the same time, new research suggests that for many people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gluten might not be the dietary villain it’s made out to be.
On one hand, scientists have found that inoculating wheat roots with a type of soil-dwelling fungus known as Rhizophagus irregularis can make the grain richer in zinc and iron—two nutrients that billions of people don’t get enough of. On the other, a separate double-blind clinical trial in Canada showed that many IBS patients who believe gluten triggers their symptoms may be reacting more to expectations than actual wheat or gluten.
The Secret Ingredient: Underground Fungi
Researchers in Australia tested eight bread wheat varieties to see how they responded to inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. The results? Bigger grains and more bioavailable zinc and iron, especially in parts of the grain crucial to human nutrition.
- Fungi-treated wheat had higher zinc levels in the aleurone layer of the grain
- Even with added phosphorus, fungal plants kept phytate (an anti-nutrient) in check
- Zinc bioavailability doubled in some varieties like Gladius and Trojan
Phytate is notorious for binding minerals in the gut, making them harder to absorb. The fungi, while helping plants take up more phosphorus, somehow didn’t drive up phytate levels as feared. In fact, in some high-fertilizer scenarios, the fungi appeared to lower phytate content. That means more of the good stuff—zinc and iron—gets into your bloodstream, not just your bread.
Meanwhile, at the Other End of the Loaf…
While fungi were upgrading wheat’s nutritional credentials, researchers at McMaster University were quietly demystifying one of wheat’s biggest PR problems: gluten.
In a carefully controlled crossover trial, 28 IBS patients who thought they were gluten-sensitive were given identical-looking cereal bars made with either wheat, gluten, or neither (sham). The results were surprising: symptom flares were just as likely after sham bars as they were after gluten or wheat.
Nearly 40 percent reported symptom worsening after wheat or gluten. But so did 29 percent after the sham bar, which contained no gluten or wheat at all. Adverse events were common but nearly identical across all three groups, suggesting the nocebo effect—where negative expectations create symptoms—played a starring role.
The Bottom Line: More Bread, Less Baggage
This pairing of studies offers a rare double-win: wheat can be made more nutritious without sacrificing yield, and gluten might not deserve all the shade it gets. Of course, for a subset of IBS sufferers, gluten or wheat elimination may still be helpful. But for the rest, bread might not be the enemy—it could be part of the solution.
Whether your concern is nutrient deficiency or digestive discomfort, science has some good news: your daily bread may be smarter and gentler than you think.
Journal References:
Nguyen TD, Johnson AAT, Lombi E, et al. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal inoculation increases the bioavailability of zinc and iron in wheat grain. Plant-Environment Interactions. Published July 23, 2025. DOI: 10.1002/ppp3.70051
Seiler CL, Rueda GH, Miranda PM, et al. Effect of gluten and wheat on symptoms and behaviours in adults with irritable bowel syndrome: a randomised, double-blind, sham-controlled crossover trial. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03664531
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