Lectin-free diet

The lectin-free diet forbids all nightshade vegetables such as eggplants, red peppers and tomatoes

The Lectin-free diet (also known as the Plant Paradox diet) is a fad diet which claims that avoiding all foods that contain high amounts of lectins will prevent or reverse arthritis, cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammation and autoimmune diseases. There is no clinical evidence that a lectin-free diet is effective to treat any disease and its claims have been criticized as pseudoscientific.[1][2][3]

Overview

The lectin-free diet forbids all foods that are high in lectins including legumes (beans, chickpeas, lentils, peas), grains, fruit, nightshade vegetables (tomatoes and potatoes), nuts, seeds and many others.[1][4] The first writer to advocate a lectin-free diet was Peter J. D'Adamo a naturopathic physician, best known for promoting the Blood type diet. D'Adamo has argued that lectins may damage peoples blood type by interfering with digestion, food metabolism, hormones and insulin production so should be avoided.[5]

The lectin-free diet has been popularized by Steven Gundry, author of the book Plant Paradox.[4] Gundry's book argues that eating tomatoes incites "a kind of chemical warfare in our bodies, causing inflammatory reactions that can lead to weight gain and serious health conditions."[6] When questioned about the high consumption of beans and grains amongst long-lived people in the Blue zones, Gundry says that such lectin foods are countered by their large intake of olive oil polyphenols, fish and red wine.[6] Gundry has stated that his lectin-free diet consists of a "cornucopia of vegetables, like kale, spinach, broccoli and sprouts, avocados, limited amounts of high-quality protein sources, and some dairy products and olive oil."[7] He says that "arthritis, most coronary artery disease, acne, eczema, and the autoimmune diseases are all caused or worsened by lectins."[7]

Gundry has a conflict of interest, because he sells supplements that purportedly protect against effects of lectins. In one infomercial that lasted almost an hour, he pronounced that supplies are running low, and told viewers to act immediately and order as much as they could store. The necessity of supplements is similarly the crucial argument of his book, in which he writes "getting all of the nutrients you need simply cannot be done without supplements."[6] Gundry sells a 'lectin shield' that is "designed to neutralize the effects of lectins" for $79.99.[6]

Reception

Preliminary studies have revealed health benefits from lectin consumption and minute evidence of harm.[4] Foods high in lectins such as beans and grains are soaked and boiled to significantly reduce their lectin content. Megan Rossi, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association has commented that lectins are relativity easy to remove by cooking and preparing in the right way so are not a concern for most people. She also noted that studies have shown that lectins possess "potential anti-cancerous effects".[7]

Registered dietitian Abby Langer has stated that the lectin-free diet is built on anecdotal evidence and has no clinical evidence to support it. Langer has criticized Gundry for using "scare tactics to sell its concept" and for promoting "unproven, inaccurate beliefs" about lectins.[8]

Registered dietitian Cara Rosenbloom has commented that "the amount of lectins found in the normal food supply is too low to be a real health concern."[1] Registered dietitian Toby Amidor has stated that "given the strong scientific data that support the health benefits of pulses, nuts, fruits, and vegetables (ie, foods in which lectin is found), and the scarce scientific evidence available on the harmful effects of lectin, it would be nonsensical for any dietetics professional to recommend a lectin-free diet."[4]

Cleveland Clinic dietitian Dana Bander has noted that the lectin-free diet contradicts "age-old vegetarian populations in many parts of the world, such as India, that have successfully thrived on a diet rich in lectin-containing beans."[9]

Nutritional biochemist Madelyn Fernstrom has warned that "it’s nearly impossible to have a balanced diet if all lectins are eliminated".[10] The lectin-free diet has been described as expensive and restrictive. The diet is costly for those with a low income who cannot afford the expensive grass-fed animal source foods that Gundry recommends, such as grass-fed beef.[8]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Rosenbloom, Cara. (2017). "Going ‘lectin-free’ is the latest pseudoscience diet fad". The Washington Post. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  2. ↑ Warner, Anthony. (2017). Lectin-free is the new food fad that deserves to be skewered. New Scientist. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  3. ↑ Torborg, Liza. (2018). "What are dietary lectins and should you avoid eating them?". Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Amidor, Toby. (2017). "Ask the Expert: Clearing Up Lectin Misconceptions". Today's Dietitian. Vol. 19, No. 10, P. 10. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  5. ↑ Goldstein, Myrna Chandler. (2002). Controversies in Food and Nutrition. Greenwood Press. pp. 221-222. ISBN 0-313-31787-9
  6. 1 2 3 4 Hamblin, James. (2017). "The Next Gluten". The Atlantic. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  7. 1 2 3 Bee, Peta. (2017). "The new gluten-style fad? It’s lectins". The Times. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  8. 1 2 Langer, Abby. (2018). "The Plant Paradox and Lectin Free Diets: Are Beans Toxic?". Abbylangernutrition.com. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
  9. ↑ "Why Weight Loss on the Plant Paradox Diet Is Itself a Paradox". Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  10. ↑ Fernstrom, Madelyn. (2017). "Should you go 'lectin-free'? Nutritionist explains latest diet fad". Today. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
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