Q. What foods do not have lectins? A. Food with less or no lectins are meats (grass-fed), fish, seafood, poultry, meat without soy, sheep and dairy products, cruciferous veggies, avocado, celery, and broccoli, sweet potatoes, and nuts and seeds.
What foods does Dr. Gundry recommend? Overall, Dr. Gundry recommends a diet that relies on pasture-raised meats and eggs; fermented foods like sauerkraut; limited fruit; foods high in resistant starches, such as green beans; vegetables that are not in the nightshade family; and healthy fats such as olive oil.
Three foods that Dr. Gundry recommends you never eat are whole grains (including bread, cereals, and grain-fed animal meat), sugary and sweetened food and beverages, and undercooked legumes such as raw red kidney beans, which contain high levels of lectin, phytohemagglutinin.
Yes, blueberries are lectin-free and some of the best fruits you can have on a low-lectin diet. Wild blueberries are the best because they are lower in sugar and more nutritious.
Still, there are some fruits and vegetables that contain only some amount of lectin-like: apples, arugula, artichokes, asparagus, beets, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cherries, chives, collards, kale, leafy greens, leeks, lemons, mushrooms, okra, onions, ...
Dr. Gundry also recommends some fruits that are always in season, including bananas, mangoes, papayas, and avocado.
Eggs Eggs too are included in the lectin-free way of life, but must be pasture-raised.
While bananas do contain lectins, they are not considered to be a major source of lectins. Bananas are a good source of dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They are also low in calories and fat. Lectin is a protein that is found in the pulp of ripe bananas and plantains.
What You Eat. Whole, unprocessed foods are key, starting with low-lectin vegetables such as greens, carrots and cauliflower, in-season berries, and avocado. Fish, grass-fed beef, and pasture-raised poultry are on the table, as are healthy oils such as olive and coconut.
Studies show that boiling legumes, soybeans, and even kidney beans (which have extremely high lectin levels when raw), greatly reduces and often completely eliminates lectin activity.
If consumed regularly, eating potatoes, legumes, grains, and other foods high in lectins and saponins can increase the risk of autoimmune diseases or flares in those who are genetically predisposed. [2] Fortunately, sweet potatoes do not contain these compounds!
Lectin is a carbohydrate-binding protein that can be found in varying amounts in most plants, including beans, pulses, grains, fruits and vegetables (eg, potatoes, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, zucchini, carrots, berries, watermelon), nuts, coffee, chocolate, and some herbs and spices (eg, peppermint, marjoram, nutmeg).
The Problem With Lectins
They contain phytohaemagglutinin, a type of lectin that can cause red blood cells to clump together. It can also produce nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, and diarrhea. [2] Milder side effects include bloating and gas.
Cow's Milk: As a reminder from chapter 2, almost all products from cow's milk contain a lectin-like protein called casein A-1, so avoid ice cream, yogurt (even Greek yogurt), and cheese.
FOODS HIGH IN LECTINS INCLUDE:
Certain vegetables, especially nightshades such as tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant. Certain nuts and seeds including cashews, peanuts, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds. Grain-fed and farm-raised animal proteins. Beans and legumes.
Lectins are found in all foods, but wheat and other whole grains have the highest concentrations. The current belief is that whole grain bread is good because it contains fibre, minerals and B vitamins, but when you eat grains and seeds intact, you are eating the outer shell of the grain that holds all the lectins!
Broccoli – Not all vegetables have lectins. Broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts are also lectin-free. Asparagus, celery, garlic, and onion are a few others.
Chicken contains a Blood Type B agglutinating lectin in its muscle tissue.