How to remove lectins from Tomatoes or Potatoes

Tomato and Potato are the main part of my diet every day. I really can’t think of breakfast without salads and potato fries. In the last few days, the term lectin is bothering me a lot. I have read over a dozen articles about the harmful effect of lectins and for that, it is contained in tomato and potato.

So the very first question that came into my mind was—what is Lectin? Is it really harmful? If so then how to get rid of it? Finally how to remove lectins from tomatoes and potatoes? After a little research, I decided to write this article explaining the questions and the reasonable answers that I found.

What is lectin? Lectins are a type of protein, especially carbohydrate-binding protein. It is a kind of protein that binds with sugar to formulate the structure. In plants, it is an important mechanism for defense building. Lectins are essential for developing immunity against disease and pests for most plants.

Is lectin really harmful to our health and body? –No, IT may Harm You Though it is not naturally harmful to Us. some people can have difficulties with lectins mostly due to allergic reactions. Lectins are very common in most vegetables and legumes. We eat all these without being concerned about lectins.

Although You should be careful as it is not easy to digest. The complexity of these proteins makes them hard to digest. And if you have any allergic problems with lectin-rich food then You should definitely avoid them.

Never Eat Lectin Rich Food especially if you are unsure whether it is allergic to you or not.

To be sure have a medical test and then ask your doctor whether to eat or not. It is never safe to try anything without knowing the consequences.

Lectins are harmful only if you are allergic to any such food. If you find yourself in trouble, then it is always advised to reach your doctor ASAP and consult for your symptoms. It’s not dangerous for everyone, except those who are severely intolerant to lectins or any food containing lectins.

If you are not allergic then You should only care for the harmful effects of over-consumption. Lectins are harmful only if you consume too much of them, and for that, you may have to eat tons of vegetables and legumes at once. So don’t worry about lectins and have as many greens and red in your diet as possible but always be careful.

If it isn’t that Harmful Then Why do we consider lectins as a Problem?

Why Lectin is Considered Harmful?

I have said Lectins are not naturally harmful to us. It is true to some extent Though It is always considered a  worry in our diet.

Have you ever wondered why is it harmful? It is so because we have failed in the management of a properly balanced diet. In simple words- Too much of anything is bad. This is also true for every food that contains lectin. Our focus on taste deteriorates our health.

A balanced diet of pulses, beans, potatoes with carbs, fibers, and minerals can keep you safe from the harmful effects of lectin. But if you keep feeding on a lectin-rich diet then definitely you have to face consequences. Acidity and Gastric problems are very common with a lectin-rich diet.

Some people may have genetic traits that can cause a severe reaction to a lectin-rich diet. It is similar to if some of you may be allergic to lactose. That’s why it is always better to stay safe than sorry. If you have heredity of lectin intolerance then simply avoid these foods. If you know you are allergic to lectins then stay away from them. It’s a simple way to stay safe.

Even a little amount of Lectin can be dangerous to those who are allergic to these proteins. Therefore, I would always suggest keeping an eye on your health and Avoiding lectin as much as you can.  If you find difficulty in digestion of any lectin-rich food then ask your doctor for a checkup.

Do tomatoes and potatoes really contain lectin? Yes, it is 100% true. Both tomato and potato contain lectins. The amount of lectins in these vegetables is significantly very low. So having these in your diet will not harm you in any way. The only precaution to be taken is if you are allergic to high lectin content, or if your digestion is not good.

How to remove lectin? – If you are really concerned with lectins then you should try to remove them as much as possible. Having a problem with lectins doesn’t mean that you can’t have tomatoes or potatoes in your diet. In fact, you just have to be careful and treat vegetables before consuming them. Trying to get rid of lectins – you can do a few things for complete remedial.

Proper cooking is the key to removing lectins from food. Don’t Eat raw if you can’t digest it.

Know-How to remove Lectins

• Boiling the vegetables and legumes at a high temperature
• Instant cooling in freezing
• Peeling of the skin
• Pressure cooking
• Removing seeds if necessary
• Fermentation is also helpful in removing lectins.

You probably need a few pieces of equipment for this job. Don’t worry it’s not anything techy just some kitchen appliances. You will need a Pressure Cooker, a vegetable peeler, some plates and so on. Check out the given links for their latest prices.

How to remove lectins from Tomato?

Tomatoes are really soft to treat and fast to cook. Actually, there is no need to do anything to remove lectins from tomatoes. It will not harm you even if you consume it without cooking.

The amount of lectins in tomatoes is very low and to get harmed by this much, you have to eat a lot of tomatoes in a single meal. So believe me you will not fall ill if you consume fresh tomato in a salad.

Still, want to remove lectins from tomatoes, then follow these steps carefully.

• Wash the tomatoes carefully before cooking.
• Boil the tomatoes at high temperature for at least 10 minutes
• Boiling tomatoes will break down the lectins.
• Instant cool the tomatoes in icy cool water.
• Peel off the tomato skin carefully.
• To remove the skin mark cut over it before boiling the tomato.
• Finally, scoop out the seeds.
• Removing the seeds will remove the last possible chance of lectin in tomatoes.
• This is all you need to do to remove lectins from tomatoes.

How to remove lectins from a potato?

Similar to tomato, Potato also contains lectins, and this time the amount is a little high. Still, you need not worry as we usually consumed cooked potatoes, raw potato is not very preferable.

Cooking potatoes will remove lectins easily and for sure it does not contain seeds for extra lectin. Just boil the potato carefully at a high temperature for a few minutes. Try to boil till it gets soft and the skin starts coming out easily on its own.

Other than general cooking, you can even cook it in a pressure cooker for better results. Also, you can wash it carefully before cooking to reduce starch and even lectins from potatoes.

Special tip: – Add a pinch of salt to the water and leave the raw potatoes in it for a few minutes before cooking. This will reduce a large amount of starch and breaks down the lectins. Always remember these steps: –

• Wash potatoes thoroughly before cooking.
• Boil carefully. The use of a pressure cooker is preferable.
• Peel off the skin.
• Consume as much as your diet permits.
• Overconsumption is always harmful.

Other vegetables that contain lectins

There are several vegetables and legumes that contain a high amount of lectins in it. If you are affected by bad immunity and digestion then you should always be careful with your diet. Some of the food items that contain a high amount of lectins are:-

• Legumes are the main source of lectins. Basically, lenticels, beans, peas, and peanuts contain a high amount of lectins.
• Grains
• Corns
• Especially the animal meat that is fed on corns.
• High fatty milk contents.
• Vegetables and some seasonal fruits. Especially nightshade vegetables like eggplant, tomato, and potato contains lectins.

Check out this article: How to Remove lectins from Beans and legumes

What is the harmful effect of Lectins?

(Be Careful all of this information is only for educational purposes. Consult your Doctor for Medical Advice. Site or the Author Never Validates Consumption of Lectins in any Manner. Always Stay Aware About the Foods you consume. ) 

The main effect of lectins is the suppression of nutrition absorption. It is really a big problem. It is claimed in several reports that lectins can reduce the absorption rate of some nutrition from our diet. Ultimately it may cause nutrition deficiency.

Another popular concern for lectins is with our health. It may create a problem in dealing with a heart attack.

It is sometimes treated as a cause of ill health and reduced immunity. The reason for such concern has occurred due to several unconfirmed reports for lectins, very popular these days online.

If you ask me for concern, then I would only recommend taking care of your health and your diet, and no need to worry about lectins at all. No lectins can’t harm you if you care for them. Just maintain a healthy lifestyle with a quality diet plan.

General precautions such as washing and cooking the food properly are always a good habit. It not only reduces lectins but also keeps you away from several diseases.

Special Precautions should be followed especially by those who are allergic to Lectins. You must have a diet suggested by your doctors & dietician.

Some really serious problems that are associated with lectins are  – diabetics, depression, indigestion, constipation, cancer, and heart diseases. Therefore Never consume anything without knowing it properly.

What are the benefits of lectins?

The best and most important benefit of lectins in our diet is improved immunity.  It is proposed and believed by many dieticians that lectins are actually good for our health. The only concern is with the amount of food we consume.

On contrary to its harmful effects lectins can improve the quality of the heart. It actually improves the chances to fight against heart attacks.

Sometimes it is said that lectins are related to autoimmune diseases, but believe me, so far now it has never been proven any of its harmful effects. So there is no need to throw everything out of your plates before confirming the authenticity of the reports.

What to do If you are intolerant to Lectins?— If you are intolerant to lectins then first make a habit to consult your doctor regularly. Before anything try to figure out what actually causing the reactions. It is important to know that not all food containing lectins can harm you. So try to learn what’s affecting you and avoid those foods. Make some changes in your daily lifestyle. If possible take some time daily for proper meditation and yoga, It is effective with such problems.

In fact, a little amount of lectin in our diet is good for digestion. Actually, it helps in building better digestion and a healthier lifestyle.

Do you really think Lectins are harmful to us? Do you have anything special to share then please let me know in the comment section below? Please tell me what you think about removing lectins for tomatoes and potatoes, is it really helpful?

Lectins are Harmful so Cook your Food properly before eating.