6 foods high in Lectins

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Lectins are a type of protein found in most of the foods we eat. Just consuming a small amount of lectins in food has many health benefits. However, if you eat too much lectins, your body will be severely affected by its ability to absorb nutrients. Here are 6 foods that contain a lot of lectins for your reference

How is Lectin in food understood?

Lectins are a type of protein that has the ability to bind sugar. They are sometimes thought to be antinutrients. According to animal studies, lectins have the potential to affect the body's ability to absorb nutrients. This is thought to be a substance capable of defending plants from invasion.
Lectins in foods come from plants to animals. However, foods high in lectins only account for 30% of what you normally use. It is very difficult for humans to digest lectins because they do not change as they move through the digestive system. The activities of lectins are not yet fully explored and detailed.
Although lectins have the ability to bind to intestinal parietal cells in animals, it is unlikely that this will happen in humans. Animal studies have shown that lectins have the ability to communicate with cells to trigger a response. Animal lectins play a large role in a number of processes such as immune function or cell growth.
When studying animal lectins, scientists discovered they have a role in cancer treatment. However, if you use too much lectins in the diet, it will lead to destruction of the intestinal wall. From there, your body is irritated leading to some symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea. At the same time, the ability of the intestinal wall to absorb nutrients is also reduced.
According to analysis, the highest lectins content is in foods such as beans, cereals... However, we do not completely have to give up and can use methods to reduce lectins content in this food. use. When you cook, ferment or sprout lectins-rich foods, the lectins content of the food will decrease by a certain amount.

2/6 foods high in lectins

Here are 6 foods rich in lectins for your reference:
Red beans Red beans are a rich source of healthy plant protein. They are also a low glycemic index carb food group. This causes them to release sugar into the bloodstream more slowly, preventing a sudden spike in blood sugar. Moreover, red beans contain starch and insoluble fiber that support weight loss and improve gut health.
Red beans contain many vitamins and minerals such as iron, potassium, folate, and vitamin K. However, raw beans contain a lot of lectins called phytohaemagglutinin. If you use raw or undercooked beans, you will experience nausea and diarrhea. With a very small amount you take also cause an unpleasant reaction to the body.
Hau is a unit used to measure lectins, and raw red beans contain about 20,000 - 70,000 ha. After the beans are cooked, quantitative studies show that they contain only about 200-400 hay. This number is considered to be safe for users. Therefore, red beans need to be properly processed to ensure their nutritional value.
Soybean Soy protein is an ideal source of protein for our body. This is also the protein favored by vegetarians. They also provide molybdenum, copper, manganese, magnesium and riboflavin. In addition, soy contains isoflavones, which have an impact on cancer and the risk of osteoporosis.
In some other studies, soy helps reduce cholesterol, the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. But with that comes the high lectins content in soy. Like red beans, we need to remove the amount of lectins in soy. However, that will only work if you cook them long enough with high heat.
At 100 degrees C lectins in soybean showed signs of being completely deactivated when boiled for about 10 minutes. In contrast to soybean carcasses or moist beans, you boil at 70 degrees Celsius with almost no effect on the lectin content. In addition, making fermented soybeans is also a solution to minimize the lectins content. Fermented beans reduced lectins by 95%, while bean sprouts reduced by 59%. You can use some fermented soybean products such as soy sauce, miso or tempeh to spice up the dishes.
Wheat Most of the world's population considers wheat as a staple food. Refined products from wheat have the ability to suddenly increase the body's blood sugar and lose many inherent nutrients. Whole wheat has a higher fiber content and is better for our health.
Some cases of gluten intolerance found in wheat. But if you're not one of them, this is a great source of the nutrients you need. People who are gluten-tolerant can get some nutrients from wheat, such as vitamins, minerals, selenium, copper, and folate. In addition, whole wheat contains antioxidants such as ferulic acid that have been shown to reduce the incidence of heart disease.
Unrefined wheat varieties contain about 300 mcg lectins/g. However, when cooking and processing, the lectins content will decrease significantly. Whole wheat flour will reduce to about 270 mcg lectins/g. According to research from 65 degrees Celsius you cook or boil will not be able to detect signs of lectins. Therefore, all types of noodles and flour are recommended to be cooked before use to reduce the amount of lectins.

Peanuts Peanuts or lentils are a group of legumes that contain a lot of unsaturated fats that help create energy for the body. Not only contain protein, peanuts also provide biotin, vitamin E and thiamine. It's also a healthy antioxidant-rich food that also reduces the risk of heart disease and gallstones.
Unlike the beans above, when heating the lectins in peanuts are not reduced. When eating about 200 g of roasted peanuts, your body will appear lectins in the intestines and have the risk of increasing the growth of cancer cells. However, the current conclusions show that the ability to prevent cancer in peanuts is higher than causing the disease.
Tomato As a type of plant related to eggplant, bell peppers and potatoes, tomatoes contain a lot of fiber and vitamin C enough to provide 20% of the body's needs. They also add potassium, folate and vitamin K and the antioxidant lycopene. This substance has been found to be effective in reducing inflammation and treating heart disease.
Although lectins in tomatoes are not completely dangerous to humans, in animal experiments they show that they pass through the intestines into the bloodstream after absorption.
Potato Potatoes are one of the popular foods that have been used for a long time. They contain potassium, which helps reduce the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Like tomatoes, the effects of lectins in potatoes have not yet completely affected human health.
Lectins in foods can be removed after cooking or processing. However, you need to do it properly to ensure health safety when using foods high in lectins. If you have any questions, please contact your doctor or nutritionist for specific advice on how to reduce lectins in food.

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Reference source: healthline.com