Grains and legumes contain lectins. Lectins are a class of proteins found in many types of seeds (like wheat, oats, barley, rice, peanuts, soy, etc.) that are part of the plant’s natural defense mechanism. A digested seed is not one that can grow a new plant. To defend itself, the seed from these plants either deter predators (like us) from eating them by making us sick or resist digestion completely or both. The grains and legumes that have become a part of the human diet since the Agricultural Revolution 10,000 years ago aren’t toxic enough to make most of us severely ill immediately after eating them (otherwise humans never would have domesticated them!). Instead, their effects are more subtle and can take years to manifest as a life-threatening disease. You may be wondering why other seeds (like the ones in berries or kiwi or bananas) are okay to eat. These come from plants with a friendlier defense strategy: we get to eat the delicious fruit encasing the seeds and then the seeds, which pass through our digestive tracts intact, get to be planted in rich manure. How do you know the difference between a harmless seed and one that contains damaging lectins? Here’s the rule: if you can eat it raw, then it’s okay to eat. If you have to cook it, it has damaging lectins.
Posted on: Sat, 19 Oct 2013 01:16:46 +0000
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