When a “healthy plant-based diet” may be bad for your health
My first realization that a “health’ plant-based diet” actually made me sick happened almost 3 decades ago when I went to a retreat in California that focused on ultra-low fat nutrition. One day into meals featuring mainly grains and legumes my GI system began to rumble like a volcano about to erupt and expel noxious gases from both ends. The resident dietician suggested I take a supplement of digestive enzymes to help me tolerate the food. Didn’t help. That was also the first time I experienced the feeling of being “hangry” – hungry, headachy and miserable. When I returned hoe to my regular diet of meat, fish , eggs and salads, both my gut and my personalty reverted to normal. It was aonly later that I learned that lectins may have been part of the plant soldiers attacking my gut.
Lectins are a type of protein found in many plant foods—like legumes, grains, nightshades, and certain vegetables. They act as a defense mechanism for plants, binding to carbohydrates and resisting digestion. While small amounts may not be an issue for most people, some experience bloating, inflammation, or digestive distress when consuming lectin-rich foods.
For those with leaky gut, autoimmune issues, or IBS, lectins can worsen symptoms by irritating the gut lining or triggering immune reactions. However, not all lectins are villains, and cooking methods matter. Soaking, sprouting, fermenting, or pressure-cooking foods like beans and lentils significantly reduce their lectin content.
Although the plant-based and vegan proponents advocate to learn how to prep these veges properly I have simply eliminated them from my diet of whole, fresh foods … and thrived.
3 Easy Action Steps:
Pay attention to your body. If a certain plant food gives you trouble, take note—it’s not in your head, and eliminate it.
If you must eat them soak and cook legumes thoroughly. It breaks down most lectins and makes nutrients more bioavailable.
Use a pressure cooker for beans. It neutralizes lectins far more effectively than stovetop methods.
Action Steps for overall health
Book a One-on-One talk with Dr. Gillian Lockitch
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Interesting. I had read before that raw or undercooked they can cause digestive issues, and can be harmless when consumed in cooked foods. Always good to know all the details as you show above.