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Lectins are sugar-binding glycoproteins found in many foods, including corn, soybeans, and gluten-containing grains. When consumed improperly, lectins can be toxic and cause health problems such as autoimmune diseases and inflammation. Dietary intervention, such as eliminating high-lectin foods or taking supplements, can help reduce the harmful effects of lectins.
Lectins are glycoproteins that have sugar-binding properties that allow them to attach to cell membranes. Food lectins are often harmful because viruses use them to attach themselves to body cells and help cause serious health problems. Food allergies, autoimmune diseases and inflammations are some of the medical problems obtained from foods. Some of the foods that contain these glycoproteins include corn, soybeans, and grains that contain gluten, such as wheat and barley.
Many foods contain lectin, but not all contain potentially toxic high levels. Dairy products, beans, and nightshade plants often contain high levels of these sugar-binding proteins. When consumed improperly, such as raw or when consumed in too large quantities, lectins can be toxic to some people, especially those already suffering from digestive stress. Some of the symptoms and diseases associated with too much lectin in the body include obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure. Individuals with autoimmune diseases or gastrointestinal issues often eliminate these foods from their diets to help reduce stress and allow damaged cells to heal.
Carbohydrates are found in and out of cells. When lectins enter the body, they attach themselves to carbohydrates in an attempt to damage cells and destroy them. The right lectin has to match the carbohydrate in the cell for it to work, but when it does it breaks down the cell membrane. It often causes negative immune responses, such as an autoimmune disease. How a person reacts often depends on how much healthy intestinal flora is in the body and the state of an individual’s immune system.
One way to stop the harmful effects of dietary lectins is through dietary intervention. Some diets eliminate foods that contain high levels of them. Two of the popular diets include the gluten- and casein-free diet and the special carbohydrate diet, which disallows many foods containing high levels of lectins. Another method often recommended by health professionals is to take specific carbohydrate supplements, such as glucosamine, which prevents lectin proteins from binding to carbohydrates in cells. While taking supplements is effective, it often doesn’t work for all the lectins that enter the body on an ongoing basis. For this reason, many experts recommend adopting a diet that eliminates them in the first place.
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