Zucchini – eat without skin and seed
Zucchini belongs to the gourd family and as with others in the gourd family, zucchini contains lectins, which are plant proteins that may negatively affect your health, so when cooking them, make sure to peel and remove the seeds first.
Foods that are high in lectins are red kidney beans, soya beans, wheat, tomatoes, potatoes and peanuts. The first three are not eaten raw; while in the last three evidence of their health benefits is far stronger than that of any risks.
By cooking, sprouting, or fermenting foods that are high in lectins, you can easily reduce their lectin content to negligible amounts.
Animal studies suggest that certain lectins can reduce the body’s ability to absorb nutrients. In that sense they are anti-nutrients.
Lectins are thought to have evolved as a natural defense in plants, essentially as a toxin that deters animals from eating them.
Lectins are found in many plant- and animal-based foods, yet only about 30% of the foods you eat contain significant amounts.
All lectins are not bad; research suggests that plant lectins could even have a role in cancer therapy.
However, eating large amounts of certain types of lectins can damage the gut wall causing irritation that can result in diarrhea and vomiting.
In times to come, we may know more about lectins; but for now it is good to know that all food containing lectins are not bad signifying there are good lectins and bad lectins much like the good and the bad cholesterol!
