It can be hard to keep track of what we should be eating for optimum health. One minute carbs are out, the next sugar is the real enemy. And now a leading cardiologist and autoimmune disease expert has come forward to say that some of the most seemingly healthy foods are actually causing people digestion issues.
As reported in the Independent, Professor Stephen Grundy explains that there is a plant protein, called lectin, that can have adverse effects on the gut. Lectins can be found in legumes, aubergines, whole-wheat flour, brown rice, tomatoes and cashews: foods that are generally considered to be healthy.
According to Gundry, "A lectin is a type of protein (susceptible to various diseases, bacteria, and viruses) that forces carbs (sugars, starches, and fibres) to clump together and even attach to certain cells in your body when you eat them."
He explains that lectins can get in the way of important cells communicating with each other and that this can have unwelcome effects: "The body's response is usually inflammation or some other type of reaction to toxicity, like nausea, diarrhoea, or vomiting."
Symptoms might also be less noticeable, he says, "A break in cellular communication can also result in symptoms like fatigue or forgetfulness."
Gundry recommends decreasing your lectin intake as much as possible. He suggests avoiding tinned or processed beans in favour of fresh ones, peeling the skin and removing the seeds from tomatoes before eating, and choosing white bread over wholemeal.
Like we said, keeping on top of healthy eating isn't easy.
