Recently, a lectin-free diet has become the key for many people to lose weight, as they see it as the way to an ideal weight, but many health and nutrition experts are not only skeptical of the diet’s results, but warn against following it.
And lectins are “proteins that bind carbohydrates” and are found in a variety of foods: legumes, such as: beans and peanuts, vegetables such as: tomatoes and eggplant, dairy, and grains such as: quinoa and rice.
Most lectins are safe to eat, but some, such as kidney beans, can lead to severe nausea, vomiting and other digestive problems if not cooked properly.
These digestive issues are one of the main reasons why so many are turning to a lectin-free diet, but as with other diets, actual, long-term health results are rarely the bonus.
Why might a lectin-free diet not help you lose weight?
If you’re looking to lose weight, diets promise to give you what you want quickly and simply, but according to experts, not only can any dietary restrictions be harmful, but “cliched diets can be especially harmful, as they are often more restrictive and marketed.” more”.
Although you may see temporary results, these diets are more likely to leave you with more eating problems, as studies have shown that the only surefire way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you eat in a day.
And if your body can’t process lectins, it makes sense to exclude them from your diet, but for those who aren’t sensitive to lectins, research shows that not eating lectins potentially hampers your body’s ability to properly absorb nutrients.
Thus with a lectin-free diet, you are unnecessarily cutting out a food group, such as gluten, which can be harmful not only to your physical health, but also to your mental health.
Experts say you actually need lectin-containing foods, and eliminating one food group from your diet sounds like an easy way to lose weight, but the complications from this diet far outweigh the positive results. It means cutting a lot of fiber from your diet.
In addition, many foods also contain lectins, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are essential for a healthy, balanced diet and body.
In fact, studies have found that eating whole grains reduces the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, and these foods often have “disease-preventing properties” and help promote healthy cholesterol and a healthy gut.
It could be argued that “instead of using a general approach and trying to apply it to everyone”, a diet that is regulated and supervised by a dietitian, and based on scientific evidence can be customized to accommodate a person’s individual sensitivities. After all, these diets are not the healthiest and safest, but they can provide the lasting results you are looking for.
