Debunking the Lectin Controversy

Why you shouldn’t cut legumes and other lectin-rich foods out of your diet

Hello everyone. I write to you from Cincinnati where I am excited to be speaking about brain-protective diets at the UC School of Medicine tomorrow. But first, I want to share a few thoughts on a topic that I get asked about a lot—lectins, a type of protein found in legumes and other foods.

Let’s get something straight right away: the brain health nutrition science supports eating many of the foods that harbor lectins. But, perhaps you’ve come across articles that claim lectins—a substance that occurs naturally in whole grains, beans and other legumes—increase inflammation. This isn’t true, but rather than categorically dismiss, it can be helpful to understand what lectins are, anyway.