What is a lectin-free diet and does it work? A nutritionist tells us

What is a lectin-free diet and does it work? A nutritionist tells us

The creator of this type of diet promises a reduced risk of many diseases.

nutritionist and nutritionist

“Research and technology don’t stand still. And just recently, a new trend in nutrition has emerged in the field of dietetics, namely lectin-free nutrition. I’ll tell you what it is.”

What is a lectin-free diet?

The lectin-free diet involves a menu that excludes lectins. The creator of this type of diet, Stephen Gundry, an American physician and author of many books on proper nutrition, claims that this “insidious” plant protein is found in many common foods.

Gundry believes that lectin proteins bind carbohydrate molecules, disrupt their breakdown and digestibility, thus serving as a cause of inflammation, which in turn provokes various diseases.

About the lectin-free diet became known after the release in 2017 of the doctor’s book entitled “The Plant Paradox: The Hidden Dangers of “healthy” food”. In his work, he refuted the unconditional benefits of foods that most people consider healthy.

The doctor’s main focus was specifically on lectins. With their help, plants defend themselves against insects, animals and people. The famous cardiac surgeon is sure that proteins cause various diseases in living organisms, up to paralysis of limbs. Once in the body, they slow down its development and assimilation of useful substances, as well as negatively affect the digestive process and contribute to weight gain.

Principles of the diet

Allowed products on this diet

• Vegetables: cabbage, rucola, celery, carrots, onions, mushrooms, spinach, asparagus.
• Fish: white fish, tuna, salmon.
• Seafood: anchovies, lobsters, clams, crabs, squid, oysters.

• Meat: chicken, duck, goose, ostrich, quail, beef and pork.
• Fruits: all berries, avocados.
• Nuts: walnuts, pine nuts, chestnuts, macadamia, pistachios.
• Seeds: sesame, flax, hemp.
• Flour: yam, sesame, almond.
• Sugar substitutes: stevia, xylitol and inulin.

Does this diet work?

According to Gundry, minimizing your intake of lectin-containing foods is enough to maintain a healthy gut microflora. Some researchers suggest that this type of diet would benefit people with irritable bowel syndrome, as plant-based protein can exacerbate constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal bloating.

A 2017 study published in the Journal of Immunology found that lectin acts as a dangerous trigger for healthy cells in the body, so eliminating it from the diet helps reduce the risk of autoimmune diseases.

However, it should be understood that such a diet will not suit everyone, given that there is not enough research on this topic. In addition, the creator of this type of diet lives on another continent, where the climate and conditions are different from our strip of residence. By excluding several food groups from your diet at once, you can contribute to nutrient deficiencies.

Apply this type of diet should only be under the supervision of a specialist. It will not be superfluous to undergo an examination before experimenting on yourself, take a consultation with several doctors and take the necessary tests.