Tips to reduce lectins in plants foods
What Are Plant Lectins?
Lectins (or hemagglutinins) are a group of proteins that bind to carbohydrates. They are found in most plants but are present in high concentrations, especially in grains, nuts, and legumes.
Their main function is to protect plants against external pathogens, including, us?
To put an example, the lectin found in wheat germ (the inside part of the wheat grain) is called wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and has been intensively studied. One of the characteristics that make these proteins unique is their resistance to degradation, including the degradation process that happens during digestion. In fact, WGA consumed by people travels through the intestine and appears in the feces in its intact form.
The longest-lived people eat plenty of beans daily (plenty of lectins)
You probably noticed that people from everywhere over the globe eat plants and seem to live happy and healthy lives.
In fact, consumption of foods containing lectins is associated with reduced risk for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, long-term weight management, and even certain types of cancers!
The key here is to cook the plant foods enough so that lectins get destroyed!
The small amounts of remaining lectins found in cooked foods are not damaging anymore. What’s more, they seem to have impressive anti-cancer properties!
Tips To Minimize Lectins In Foods
- Soak beans for at least 8 h before cooking at high heat (at least 45 mins if you don’t use a pressure cooker).
- The microwave can be used at full energy for 12 mins to destroy most lectins.
- If you chose the oven, use it for at least 30 mins.
- Pressure cooking is the best way to reduce the majority of lectins.
- You can also sprout beans, grains, and nuts. Lectins will leach to the water.
- Eat fermented beans such as tempeh or natto.
- Canned beans are already cooked, so these are ready to go!
- The more beans you eat, the better prepared your body is to digest them. Try eating a small serving of beans every day and slowly increase the portion sizes.
- Avoiding lectin-rich foods is not the answer! This would mean avoiding most of the foods that the longest-lived people in the world consume daily.
Read more information at BodyGutMind Blog.
