What are lectins?

Lectins are a type of protein that can bind to cell membranes. They are sugar-
binding and become the “glyco” portion of glycoconjugates on the membranes.
Lectins offer a way for molecules to stick together without getting the immune
system involved, which can influence cell-cell interaction.

Lectins are abundant in raw legumes and grains, and most commonly found in the
part of the seed that becomes the leaves when the plant sprouts, aka the cotyledon,
but also on the seed coat. They’re also found in dairy products and certain
vegetables. While lectin content in food is fairly constant, the genetic altering of
plants has created some fluctuations.

Lectins in plants are a defense against microorganisms, pests, and insects. They
may also have evolved as a way for seeds to remain intact as they passed through
animals’ digestive systems, for later dispersal. Lectins are resistant to human
digestion and they enter the blood unchanged.
The diagrams of these legume lectins probably don’t mean much to you, but they
look neat.

Why are lectins so important?

Lectins are thought to play a role in immune function, cell growth, cell death, and
body fat regulation.

Immune response and toxicity

Because we don’t digest lectins, we often produce antibodies to them. Almost

everyone has antibodies to some dietary lectins in their body. This means our
responses vary. Certain foods can even become intolerable to someone after an
immune system change or the gut is injured from another source. The presence of
particular lectins can stimulate an immune system response.

There are some lectins that no one should consume. Ever wonder why you don’t see
sprouted red kidney beans?

It’s due to phytohaemagglutinin – a lectin that can cause red kidney bean poisoning.
The poisoning is usually caused by the ingestion of raw, soaked kidney beans. As
few as four or five raw beans can trigger symptoms.

Raw kidney beans contain from 20,000 to 70,000 lectin units, while fully cooked
beans usually contain between 200 and 400 units.

Beneficial lectins

While many types of lectins cause negative reactions in the body, there are also
health promoting lectins that can decrease incidence of certain diseases.
Furthermore, the body uses lectins to achieve many basic functions, including cell to
cell adherence, inflammatory modulation and programmed cell death.

What you should know about lectins

Ingesting lectins can cause flatulence. Consuming legumes and grains in their raw
form can even result in nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. Indeed, researchers
speculate that many apparent causes of bacterial food poisoning may actually be
lectin poisoning.

Lectins and the intestinal wall

This GI distress happens because lectins can damage the intestinal lining.

As food passes through the gut, it causes very minor damage to the lining of the GI
tract. Normally the cells repair this damage rapidly. Since the purpose of the gut
lining is to let the good stuff past and keep the bad stuff contained, it’s important for
the cellular repair system to be running at full efficiency.

But lectins can blunt this speedy reconstruction. Our cells can’t regenerate as fast as
they need to in order to keep the intestinal lining secure. Thus, our natural gut
defenses are compromised after the damage occurs and the gut can become
“leaky,” allowing various molecules (including stuff we don’t want) to pass back and
forth amid the gut wall. We may also not absorb other important things, such as
vitamins and minerals, properly.

When enough lectins are consumed, it can signal our body to evacuate GI contents.
This means vomiting, cramping and diarrhea. It’s similar to consuming large
amounts of alcohol, which can damage the GI lining and cause GI evacuation.

Lectins and immune response

When lectins affect the gut wall, it may also cause a broader immune system
response as the body’s defenses move in to attack the invaders.

Symptoms can include skin rashes, joint pain, and general inflammation. Other
chronic disorders may be correlated with leaky gut — for example, researchers have
even noted that children with autism have very high rates of leaky gut and similar
inflammatory GI tract diseases.
When someone suffers from Crohn’s disease or irritable bowel syndrome, the gut
lining seems to be more sensitive to food lectins. This might be due to the high
turnover of cells and greater population of the immature variety. These immature
cells have plenty of spots for lectins to attach.

The effects of dietary lectins only extend for as long as they are in the body, and the
effects can be reduced by eating a variety of fruits, vegetables (rather than high
amounts of one type) and foods with beneficial bacteria (e.g., fermented foods).

Lectins and grains

Unrefined grains are more nutritious than refined versions because they contain
more nutrients. However, they also provide more lectins (and other anti-nutrients).

While this was likely never a problem when we grew and harvested our own grains,
we now have access to MANY whole grain products. Before the invention of modern
agriculture, grains were a minor and seasonal crop. Now we can go to the market for
15 minutes and have a cart full of whole grain pasta, bread, rice, quinoa, kamut,
amaranth, oats, barley and chips.

The average North American diet is highly grain-based: bread, pasta, rice, cereals,
etc. are everywhere, especially in processed foods.

Was the body ever equipped to deal with that type of grain onslaught?
Our ancestors grasped the concept of “survival of the fittest,” and found a solution to
the problem of lectins. Soaking, fermenting, sprouting and cooking will decrease
lectins and free up the good nutrients. The content of lectins in foods differs year to
year and crop to crop.

Grain, cereal, dairy, and legume (especially peanut and soybean) lectins are most
commonly associated with reports of digestive complaints. Legumes and seafood
are the most abundant sources of lectins in most diets.

How can we reduce or neutralize lectins?

Sprouting

Sprouting seeds, grains or beans decreases the lectin content.

Generally, the longer the duration of sprouting, the more lectins are deactivated. In
some cases the lectin activity is enhanced by sprouting (like alfalfa sprouts). The
lectins in some grains and beans are in the seed coat. As it germinates, the coat is
metabolized – eliminating lectins.
Soaking and cooking

Even wonder why grandma bothered with the long soak, rinse and boil session when
preparing beans and grains? Lectin reduction. This is probably the most classic
method of preparing beans and grains.

Soak beans and legumes overnight, and change the water often. Drain and rinse
again before cooking. Adding sodium bicarbonate (aka baking soda) to the soaking
water may help neutralize the lectins further.
Fermenting

Fermentation allows beneficial bacteria to digest and convert many of the harmful
substances.

This might be why the healthiest populations stick with fermented soy products like
tofu, miso, tempeh, tamari and natto. Even some vegetables, such as cabbage, may
have fewer antinutrients when fermented. Cultures with a history of grain eating
traditionally have used some form of fermentation to treat grains. If you’ve had
sourdough bread or beer, you’ve had fermented grains.

Not all lectins are completely destroyed by these methods, and some particularly
stubborn lectins in beans remain no matter how lengthy the treatment. Thus, these
techniques don’t totally reduce the negative effects for everyone.

Some have argued that since agriculture is a relatively recent invention, humans did
not evolve to tolerate grains nor beans well in any case. For some susceptible
people, consuming a “Paleo-style” diet, where carbohydrates come from fruits and
vegetables, rather than grains and beans, may be beneficial.
Summary and recommendations

Since lectins are so widely distributed in food items commonly consumed by

humans, and have been for many centuries, most nutrition experts assume they
don’t pose a significant risk to human health.

Still, it does appear that chronic ingestion of untreated high-lectin foods may warrant
further consideration. If you consume a diet with plenty of lectin-rich foods, try to
reduce the amount by soaking, fermenting, sprouting and/or cooking.

Extra credit

Certain seaweeds and mucilaginous vegetables have the ability to bind lectins in a
way that makes them unavailable to the cells of the gut.

Lectins are resistant to dry heat, so using raw legume flours in baked goods should
be done with caution.

The “Blood Type Diet” is based on how our blood cells react with lectins in foods.
Some experts hypothesize that it’s no coincidence the top 8 allergens also contain
some of the highest amounts of lectins (including: dairy, egg, wheat, soy, peanuts,
tree nuts, fish, shellfish).

Some experts theorize that lectins cause urinary tract infections.

Some experts theorize that the reason anemia is higher in developing countries is
due to excessive levels of lectin consumption.

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References

Click here to view the information sources referenced in this article.

Parts reprinted with permission from Eat Right For Your Type  by Dr. Peter D'Adamo
and Catherine Whitney

Lectins: The Diet Connection

A chemical reaction occurs between your blood and the foods you eat. This reaction
is part of your genetic inheritance. It is amazing but true that today, in the twenty first
century, your immune and digestive systems still maintain favoritism for foods that
your blood type ancestors ate.
We know this because of a factor called lectins. Lectins, abundant and diverse
proteins found in foods, have agglutinating properties that affect your blood and the
lining of your digestive tract. Lectins are a powerful way for organisms in nature to
attach themselves to other organisms in nature. Lots of germs, and even our own
immune systems, use this super glue to their benefit. For example, cells in our liver’s
bile ducts have lectins on their surfaces to help snatch up bacteria and parasites.
Bacteria and other microbes have lectins on their surfaces as well, which work rather
like suction cups, so that they can attach to the slippery mucosal linings of the body.
Often the lectins used by viruses or bacteria can be blood type specific, making
them a stickier pest for people of that blood type.

So, too, with the lectins in food. Simply put, when you eat a food containing protein
lectins that are incompatible with your blood type antigen, the lectins target an organ
or bodily system (kidneys, liver, gut, stomach, etc.) and can begin to interact with the
tissues in that area.

Here’s an example of how a lectin agglutinates in the body. Let’s say a Type A
person eats a plate of lima beans. The lima beans are digested in the stomach
through the process of acid hydrolysis. However, the lectin protein is resistant to acid
hydrolysis. It doesn’t get digested, but it stays intact. It may interact directly with the
lining of the stomach or intestinal tract, or it may get absorbed into your blood stream
along with the digested lima bean nutrients. Different lectins target different organs
and body systems.

Once the intact lectin protein settles someplace in your body, it literally has a
magnetic effect on the cells in that region. It clumps the cells together and they are
targeted for destruction, as if they, too, were foreign invaders. This clumping can
cause irritable bowel syndrome in the intestines or cirrhosis in the liver, or block the
flow of blood through the kidneys – to name just a few of the effects. Lectins can
also act as 'fake hormones,' latching onto the receptor for a hormone and either
blocking the normal action of the hormone (this is called an 'antagonist') or revving
up the hormone receptor non-stop (termed an 'agonist.')

Lectins: A Dangerous Glue

You may remember the bizarre assassination of Georgi Markov in 1978 on a London
Street. Markov was killed by an unknown Soviet KGB agent while waiting for a bus.
Initially, the autopsy could not pinpoint how it was done. After a thorough search, a
tiny gold bead was found embedded in Markov’s leg. The bead was found to be
permeated with a chemical called ricin, which is a toxic lectin extracted from castor
beans. Ricin is so potent an agglutinin that even an infinitesimally small amount can
cause death by swiftly converting the body’s red blood cells into large clots which
block the arteries. Ricin kills instantaneously.
Lectins are a type of molecular Velcro. On the left is a slide of a normal blood smear.
On the right a blood sample after agglutination.

Fortunately, most lectins found in the diet are not quite so life threatening, although
they can cause a variety of other problems, especially if they are specific to a
particular blood type. For the most part our immune systems protect us from lectins.
Ninety-five percent of the lectins we absorb from our typical diets are sloughed off by
the body. But at least 5 percent of the lectins we eat are filtered into the
bloodstream, where they react with and destroy red and white blood cells. The
actions of lectins in the digestive tract can be even more powerful. There they often
create a violent inflammation of the sensitive mucous of the intestines, and this
agglutinative action may mimic food allergies. Even a minute quantity of a lectin is
capable of agglutinating a huge number of cells if the particular blood type is
reactive.

Signs that you might be experiencing problems from lectins in your diet:

 Bloating and flatulence after meals

 Changes in bowel habits
 Achy joints and muscles
 Hormonal fluctuations
 Skin eruptions
 Fatigue and tiredness
This is not to say that you should suddenly become fearful of every food you eat.
After all, lectins are widely abundant in legumes, seafood, grains, and vegetables.
It’s hard to bypass them. The key is to avoid the lectins that agglutinate your
particular cells—determined by your blood type. For example, wheat germ
agglutinin, the most common lectin found in wheat, binds to the lining of the small
intestine, causing substantial reactions and irritation in some blood types –
especially Type O.

Lectins vary widely, according to their source. For example, the lectin found in wheat
has a different shape from the lectin found in soy, and attaches to a different
combination of sugars; each of these foods is dangerous for some blood types, but
can sometimes be beneficial for others. In the case of blood type A and soy, the
lectin in soy can actually help the immune system keep guard against cellular
changes that could go on to be problematic.

Many people with joint problems feel that avoiding the nightshade vegetables such
as tomatoes, eggplant, and white potatoes seem to help their symptoms. That’s not
surprising, since most nightshades are very high in lectins. 

A Few Common Foods That Contain Problem Lectins For Each Blood Type

Type A Type B Type AB Type O

 Lima bean  Chicken  Chicken  Wheat
 Tomato  Corn  Corn  Soy
 Eggplant  Soy  Bell pepper  Peanut
 Garbanzo bean  Lentil  Fava bean  Kidney bean

Lectins: A Summary

Lots of information on lectins can be found on the internet. Unfortunately, the great
majority of it is either extremely technical or just wrong to some degree or another.
One common misconception is that all lectins in foods are inactivated either by
heating, or through the process of digestion. This is true, but only to a certain
degree. Some lectins, such as the lectins from beans, are usually rendered inactive
by slow and long cooking, but this may not result in all lectins being inactivated.
Studies have shown that a percentage does tend to resist destruction, despite
heating. Other lectins, such as the lectin from bananas, actually become more
potent after heating. Digestive juices can inactivate lectins, but many people simply
do not have the levels of stomach acid to do this. If you currently suffer from
digestive problems, it is more than likely that you have some degree of lectin
sensitivity, and following the diet prescribed for your blood type is the best way to
start the healing.

Lectin Blocking with Deflect

Deflect is a natural product I designed composed of 'blocking sugars' designed to

interfere with the adherence of troublesome dietary lectins. Since many lectins are
ABO blood type specific, there are four different Deflect formulas: one for each blood
type. The blocking sugars in Deflect can be considered 'sacrificial molecules' that
attach to carbohydrate receptors on the lectins, rendering them unable to bind to the
cells of the body. The Deflect formulas provide a source of free blocking amino
sugars, which bind and block lectins before they can attach to the cells. Since each
blood type is susceptible to lectins with different carbohydrate specificities, I
designed formulas to block lectins by using mono and polysaccharides specific for
each blood type.

To learn more about Deflect, Click Here.

To read a more technical paper about lectins, Click Here.

Click Here to read more helpful articles about the Blood Type Diet.