You are what you eat, so don’t be fast, cheap, easy, or fake.
Lectins can be found in many foods that are part of the average diet. Many sources of lectins are also good sources of important nutrients. Understanding what foods may be dangerous raw can help you remain healthier, longer.
“Do dietary lectins cause disease?” This at the very least, got people’s attention.
Some people find that they feel dramatically better when they cut down on their intake of lectins. Besides simply avoiding foods high in lectins, there are also other ways to lower the number of lectins you eat.
These foods are some of the worst sources of lectins in the diet when consumed raw.
Kidney Beans
Red kidney beans are a great source of plant-based protein and they are a low-glycemic-index food. However, it’s critical that you boil them thoroughly before you eat them. Eating undercooked kidney beans exposes you to an incredibly high level of phytohemagglutinin. Cooking beans thoroughly reduces the activity of this lectin to undetectable levels.
Peanuts
Peanuts are another form of legume, and like kidney beans, they contain lectins. Peanut lectins can be detected in the blood after eating peanuts in large amounts. While no studies have been done to determine whether this has health effects, it does show that peanut lectins are absorbed by the body.
Whole Grains
Raw wheat and other whole grains are high in lectins. Raw wheat germ, which is often sold as a source of fiber, can contain as much as 300 mcg of wheat lectins per gram. If you’re trying to avoid lectins, do not eat raw whole grains.
Soybeans
Soybeans are another legume that’s full of lectins. However, unlike some other legumes, soybeans are often eaten toasted or roasted. This type of dry heat does not appear to be as effective at breaking down lectins as boiling. Be cautious when eating raw or toasted soybeans if you are avoiding lectins.
Potatoes
Potatoes are part of the nightshade family and contain high levels of lectins. Raw potatoes, in particular the skin, appear to contain potentially harmful lectins that may affect your health.
More studies need to be done to see whether these lectins are the cause of health problems after eating raw potatoes in humans.
Disclaimer: The information on this POST is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional advice. The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this article is for general information purposes / educational purposes only, and to ensure discussion or debate.
Thank you …. Lectin-Free Alternatives
All of the above foods have associated health benefits as well as lectins. In most cases, cooking these foods with “wet” heat, such as stewing, boiling, cooking in sauce, or mixing into dough and baking, breaks down lectins to negligible levels.
Simply avoid eating raw legumes, grains, or potatoes, and eat these foods cooked instead.
All of the above foods have associated health benefits as well as lectins.
In most cases, cooking these foods with “wet” heat, such as stewing, boiling, cooking in sauce, or mixing into dough and baking, breaks down lectins to negligible levels.
Simply avoid eating raw legumes, grains, or potatoes, and eat these foods cooked instead.
Many vegetable oils are made from GMO crops that have even more lectins for the purpose of resisting pests.
The fats in vegetable oils are also primarily Omega-6’s, contributing to an Omega-6 to Omega-3 imbalance that has been linked to inflammation.
Additionally, these conventional seeds and legumes are sprayed with the same glyphosate pesticides as wheat.
Consuming vegetable oils can subject your body to a triple dose of inflammatory compounds.
I can’t stomach the thought that we are passing down to the next generation a country that is less viable, less good, less competitive, less compassionate than the one we g
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Dairy
Most dairy comes from cows that produce the A1 dairy casein protein beta-casomorphin-7. This protein acts much like a lectin and has been associated with various health issues including:
Type 1 diabetes,
Cardiovascular diseases
Autism (in people with immune deficiencies)
Schizophrenia (in people with immune deficiencies)
Sudden infant death syndrome
Apnea
Constipation
On the bright side, A2 dairy from goat, sheep, buffalo milk, and specific breeds of cows contains A2 dairy protein. A2 dairy has been shown to be far easier to digest.
Your comments….
High Lectin Foods:
Between 33-60% of the foods most people eat are high in lectins. For vegans and vegetarians, the percentage is higher.
Though a significant portion of lectins can be eliminated through proper processing, eating an abundance of high lectin foods can lead to chronic exposure with cumulative effects.
In addition to lectins, many high lectin grains and legumes contain various plant toxins and anti-nutrients and have been exposed to toxic pesticides.
Some foods are said to be genetically modified to have more lectins, which can act as a larger deterrent against bugs and animals. Ultimately, however, this also means an increased amount of intake for humans.
You can avoid lectin exposure by centering your diet around grass-fed and pastured meats, fish, A2 daily, proper preparation of grains and legumes, and by practicing a carnivore diet.
Foods that are extremely high in lectins include:
All legumes – beans, lentils, peas, peanuts, cashews, soybeans, and all soy products.
All grains – wheat, rice, corn, barley, oats, rye.
Nightshade vegetables – like tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, and every type of pepper.
Fruits and veggies that contain a lot of seeds – squash, zucchini, cucumbers, melons, …
When food was scarce, the lectins in grains and beans could provide body fat to survive rough winters.
However, today, in times of abundance, the same effect works against us.
Since the supermarket does not close from November to March, the fattening effect of foods high in lectins is redundant.
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