The Truth Behind Phytates and Lectins
Nuts and seeds contain substances like phytates and lectins, which are considered "defensive chemicals" because they can inhibit the absorption of certain nutrients. However, these compounds aren't harmful when eaten as part of a balanced diet.
Phytates
Foods high in phytates include legumes, wheat, barley, oats, brown rice, nuts like almonds, seeds like pumpkin seeds, and potatoes.
Phytates can bind to minerals like iron, calcium, zinc and magnesium, reducing their absorption in the digestive tract.
It's not recommended to avoid foods high in phytates, since many of them are nutritious and healthy.
That said, soaking, sprouting, cooking and fermenting these raw foods can help reduce their phytate content and improve mineral bioavailability and digestibility.
Lectins
Lectins are a type of protein found in plant foods that bind to carbohydrates. They can interfere with the absorption of vitamins and minerals and cause digestive discomfort, like nausea, bloating or diarrhea, especially in people with a sensitive digestive system, such as those with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), when eaten in large amounts.
Foods high in lectins include beans, cashews, chickpeas, lentils, oats, eggplant, soy, wheat, wild rice, zucchini, bell peppers, corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, squash, pumpkin, peanuts, green peas, melons and green beans.
That said, cooking, soaking, fermenting and sprouting these foods helps deactivate lectins, making them easier to digest and less likely to affect nutrient absorption.
Currently, there's no solid evidence showing that eating lectin-rich foods causes inflammation in humans. So there's no good reason to avoid these foods.
The Benefits of Eating These Foods
These foods are beneficial for your health and shouldn't be avoided, since they contain fibre, B vitamins, minerals like iron and magnesium, protein and healthy fats like omega-3s. They also contain polyphenols, antioxidants that can help protect against cell damage by neutralizing oxidative stress.
Phytates found in beans have been shown to inhibit cancer cell migration in vitro, in part by blocking the ability of cancer cells to produce the enzyme needed for tumour invasion. That said, eating beans, which contain phytates, may help lower the risk of colon and breast cancer.
Lectins can also slow down food absorption, which is helpful for regulating blood sugar, especially for people with diabetes or insulin resistance. This also helps lower cholesterol, which helps reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease.
Nuts and seeds may contain high amounts of phytates and/or lectins, but they're anti-inflammatory thanks to their high omega-3, fibre, vitamin and mineral content. For most people, they help reduce inflammation rather than cause it. However, people with specific allergies may experience inflammation or other adverse effects.
Clearly, the health benefits of eating nuts, seeds and other plant foods outweigh these potential downsides.
Conclusion
So the takeaway is to cook or soak raw legumes (of course, no one eats those raw), buy roasted nuts and seeds, soak raw nuts for various recipes, cook or soak whole grains, or sprout legumes or grains, all of which also supports your health.
References
- Greger, M. (2015, May 28). Phytates in beans: Anti-nutrient or anti-cancer? NutritionFacts.org. nutritionfacts.org/blog/phytates-in-beans-anti-nutrient-or-anti-cancer
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2022, January). Lectins. The Nutrition Source. nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/anti-nutrients/lectins
