You may not have heard of the "lectin-free" diet, but you probably know folks who avoid legumes, whole wheat, and nightshades.
But what are lectins? Should your diet exclude lectins? It depends.
More facts to help you decide if you should be eating lectins.Lectins bind carbohydrates, according to 2021 Journal of Biosciences research.
They're called "anti-nutrients" because they're not digestible in the human gastrointestinal tract and may inhibit your body from absorbing calcium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc.
Intestinal cells can also hold lectins for a long time.
A 2020 Journal of Immunology Research study found that lectins can cause an autoimmune response,
which has fueled an anti-lectin movement (the paleo and Whole30 diets, for example, avoid many lectin-containing foods).