Why legumes are not good for us #LeakyGut #GutFlora
Part of the established wisdom is to eat more healthy legumes. If you are a vegetarian, they offer you one of the few protein sources possible. If a vegan then the only source. They are inexpensive and they can be very tasty. Baked beans are a staple of kids food in England where I grew up.
But they are not good for us. In fact they are amongst the least healthy foods that we can eat. Here is the opening of a comprehensive post that will tell you why.
From Paleo Diet Food List
Agents of gastric turbulence
Known for causing digestive inconsistencies, legumes are storehouses of anti nutrients called lectins. A natural defense mechanism for plants, lectins do wonder to protect plant species. They are low grade toxins that when consumed by humans can cause many inflammatory and gastrointestinal complications. Highly undesirable for our consumption, lectins are hard to break down.
While lectins are present in all plant and animal products, grains and legumes are a more concentrated source than others. Modern cooking methods of soaking, fermenting and sprouting promise to neutralize these toxic substances but their consumption can still lead to direct gastric issues like flatulence, bloating, cramps and other non gastric aggravations like headaches, painful joints and fatigue. Moreover, foods that do not agree with the digestive system compromise the body’s immune system as well.
Leaky gut syndrome
One of the more particular conditions associated with consuming lectins is known as leaky gut syndrome in which intestinal permeability is increased. The damage incurred by the lining of the intestines allows toxins and partially digested food particles to pass through its protective coating and enter the bloodstream. Here the unwanted components wreak havoc and may trigger an autoimmune reaction.
Leaky gut syndrome can be a convenient precursor to food sensitivities, chronic inflammation, asthmaand even rheumatoid arthritis.
More on this long post here
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