Are the Negative Effects of Lectins a Myth or a Real Threat to Health?
Lectins are substances found in plant foods that have raised concerns among many people. They have been accused of causing obesity, type 1 diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and even ruining health. But how true is this? Unfortunately, lectins have recently become one of the most common topics in the yellow press, blogs and even among nutritionists. This begs the question: should we believe the horrible rumors about the harms of lectins, or is it just a myth? In this article, we will understand what lectins are, their effects on health, and determine how dangerous they are to our bodies.
What Are Lectins Really?
Lectins are a class of proteins that are commonly found in plant foods. They are found in many foods, including tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, nuts, mushrooms, and in legumes such as lentils, beans, and peas. Interestingly, many of these foods also form the basis of the Mediterranean diet, which is considered one of the healthiest ways to eat.
Lectins in plant foods serve a number of important functions. They help plants defend themselves against pests and diseases, and they are also involved in cellular communication and signaling pathways. In humans, lectins can bind to certain carbohydrates on cell surfaces, which can lead to a variety of effects, from beneficial to undesirable.
Interestingly, lectins can also be found in animal foods such as milk and meat. However, they are usually present in small amounts and do not cause as many problems as in plant foods. There are many different types of lectins that have different structures and functions. Some lectins can cause allergic reactions in humans, while others can be beneficial to health.
Why Have Lectins Become the Subject of Criticism?
Why are lectins causing such a wave of negativity? In fact, in large quantities, lectins can do a bit of harm to human health. For example, phytohemagglutinin, the best known lectin found in beans, can interact with intestinal cells and cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and other disorders.
However, this only happens if you eat large amounts of uncooked beans. If you choose to eat some raw beans, you may get a small dose of phytohemagglutinin. However, if the beans or legumes are boiled and the water drained off, there will be no trace of lectins.
Other foods have so few lectins that you can’t eat enough to be detrimental to your health. For example, you would need to eat about 10 pounds of tomatoes or eggplants or half a kilo of nuts at a time to get a dose of lectins. For example, the lectins found in cereals such as wheat can cause poisoning if eaten in large quantities. However, most people eat cereal products in normal amounts and do not have this problem.
So, although lectins are found in foods, their concentration is so low that a normal person cannot consume so many lectins that it would cause harm to their health.
Another reason why lectins are attributed negative health effects is their ability to bind to certain types of cells in the body, which can lead to inflammation and tissue damage. This is especially true for those who suffer from diseases related to the immune system.
Some studies have linked lectins to the onset of diseases such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome. However, these studies are not definitive and more research is needed to confirm these findings.
Some people may experience poorer health after eating lectin-rich foods, such as rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune thyroiditis and other sorenesses. And so, after eliminating certain foods from the diet, these people feel better. However, this does not mean that lectin is the only cause of these symptoms. There are many other substances in foods, and each of them can cause food allergies. Many factors can cause the development of food allergies, and these can cause adverse changes in the body.
Therefore, it is important to distinguish food allergies from the adverse effects of lectins or other substances in foods. Simply removing lectins from the diet will not necessarily solve the problem, as the cause may be other components of the food. Saying that lectins can have an adverse effect on health is not valid, since lectins are found in negligible amounts in most foods, and only in exceptional cases can their consumption cause problems.
Positive Properties of Lectins and Benefits for the Human Body
Lectins play an important role in plant defense against pests and diseases, but they also have a number of beneficial properties for the human body. One of the main beneficial effects of lectins is their ability to slow down the release of carbohydrates from food into the bloodstream.
When we eat foods containing lectins, they bind to carbohydrates in food and slow their breakdown and absorption into the bloodstream. This leads to a slower release of glucose into the blood and a decrease in fluctuations in blood sugar levels. This can be especially helpful for people with diabetes or problems with carbohydrate metabolism.
In addition, lectins may have a protective effect on the intestines. They can bind to the surface of intestinal cells and protect them from harmful effects, such as inflammation and oxidative stress. Some studies suggest that lectins may prevent the development of colon cancer.
Lectins may also play an important role in maintaining a healthy gut microbiota. They can serve as food for beneficial bacteria, which promotes the growth and multiplication of these bacteria. This can improve digestion and strengthen the immune system.
Another useful property of lectins is their ability to bind to viruses and bacteria, so they can protect the body from infections. Some lectins, for example, can prevent viruses and bacteria from entering the body’s cells, thereby preventing infections from developing.
Conclusion
In conclusion, lectins are important proteins in our food and serve many functions in the body, including being involved in protecting the gut and can lower blood glucose levels. Although there are some types of lectins that can cause adverse reactions in some people, most studies do not confirm that they are harmful to health. As with any food, it is important to monitor the quality and quantity of lectins consumed, and to consult a specialist if there are any problems.