Written by Martina Grace, RD
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Nuts and seeds do contain substances like phytates and lectins, which are considered ''defensive chemicals'' because they can inhibit the absorption of certain nutrients. However, these compounds are not harmful when consumed as part of a balanced diet.

PHYTATES

Foods high in phytates include foods such as 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, and therefore reducing their absorption in the digestive tract.

Avoiding high-phytate food is not recommended, as 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 their digestibility.

LECTINS

Lectin is a type of protein in plant foods that binds to carbohydrates. Lectins can interfere with nutrient absorption of vitamins and minerals and may cause gastrointestinal discomfort, such as nausea, bloating, or diarrhea, especially in individuals with sensitive digestive systems like IBS (irritable bowel syndorme) when consumed in high amounts.

High-lectin foods include beans, cashews, chickpeas, lentils, oats, egglplants, soy, wheat, wild rice, zucchini, bell peppers, corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, squash, pumpkin, peanuts, green peas, melons, green peas and green beans.

However, cooking, soaking, fermenting and sprouting these foods help deactivate the lectins, making them easier to digest and less likely to impact nutrient absorption.

As of today, there is no strong evidence showing that consuming high-lectins foods causes inflammation in humans. So, there aren’t any good reason to avoid these foods.

BENEFITS OF EATING THESE FOODS

These foods are beneficial for your health and should not be avoided, as they contain fiber, B vitamins, minerals like iron and magnesium, proteins and healthy fats like omega-3. They also contain pholyphenols, which are antioxidants that can help protect against cell damage by neutralizing oxidative stress.

Phytates found in beans was shown to inhibit cancer cell migration in vitro, by blocking the ability of cancer cells to produce the tumor invasion enzyme in the first place. That said, consumption of beans, which contain phytates, may help de reduce the risk of colon and breast cancer.

Lectins can also slow down the absorption of food, which is beneficial to regulate blood sugar levels, especially for those who are insulin resistant, diabetic. This also help to lower cholesterol levels, which help to reduce the risk of developping atherosclerosis and heart disease.

Nuts and seeds may contain high amounts of phytates and or lectins, but they are anti-inflammatory due to their high content of omega-3, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. For most people, they help reduce inflammation rather than cause it. However, individuals with specific allergies might experience inflammation or adverse reactions.

Clearly, the health benefits of consuming nuts, seeds, and other plant foods outweigh these potential downsides.

CONCLUSION

So, the takeaway of this is to cook or soak raw legumes (obviously, nobody eats them raw), buy roasted nuts and seeds, soak raw nuts for various recipes, cook or soak whole grains or sprout legumes or grains, which also boosts the nutrients.

REFERENCES

Greger, M. (2015, May 28). Phytates in beans: Anti-nutrient or anti-cancer? NutritionFacts.org. https://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. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/anti-nutrients/lectins/

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