What Are Lectins and Why They Matter
I recently received a comment to a post that I had shared on LinkedIn. The comment simply said, “We wont [sic] discuss lectins in peas” to which I responded, “Why not?”. The comment did get me thinking about one of the fringe, but important, topics that tends to hang around the food and beverage worlds: anti-nutritionals or anti-nutrients, of which lectins are one. While I realize this post may not interest a lot of people, the team at PURIS prides itself in being transparent as well as a solid, science-based source for information related to pea protein. So when the gauntlet is cast we say, “So why not indeed!”
Anti-nutritionals are defined by Merriam- Webster as “A naturally-occurring substance (such as saponin or tannin) found in plant-derived foods that interferes with absorption or proper functioning of nutrients in the body”. While it is true that the plant kingdom is heavily represented (some theorize that anti-nutrients may have been an evolutionary defense mechanism), these compounds are also represented across the animal kingdom including the human body as well. Lectins fall under the umbrella of anti-nutritionals and are a large class of carbohydrate binding organic proteins that are common in legumes, such as soybeans, peanuts, beans, pulses, grains, vegetables like tomatoes and potatoes, as well as various types of seafood. Many types of receptors in our own bodies are lectins and essential to our own immune systems. These lectins carry the name “complement proteins” because of the complimentary way they work within our bodies with other parts of our immune system. Some lectins that we consume are believed to provide anti-cancer protection.
Lectins can become a problem when consumed in large amounts within a diet. Lectins are hard to digest and interact in the gut in a negative way interfering with nutrient breakdown and absorption. However, lectins reside at the highest concentrations within raw seeds, and by washing, fermenting, sprouting or cooking the seeds many lectins are dramatically reduced or even eliminated depending on the plant source.
At PURIS, we sell our non-GMO and organic yellow field peas (psium sativum), to farmers here in the USA and then buy their crop back. We clean the peas, dehull and grind them to a fine flour at our facility in Iowa. We then send that flour to our facility in Wisconsin where we add water and separate the various components (primarily protein, fiber and starch) before further processing the protein to remove unpleasant tastes and anti-nutritionals. The next steps involve pasteurizing, testing and bagging the final product, ensuring a safe, great tasting, plant-based protein source for our customers and consumers to enjoy. Our FDA approved process resulted in the first GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) approval ever for pea protein. For generations, a large portion of the world’s population has looked to legumes, pulses, grains, etc. to provide a significant, if not the major share, of its daily nutritional intake. PURIS is committed to ensuring that Food Eaters can continue to harness and enjoy the nutritional benefits of peas, knowing that their food has been processed with care to maximize these benefits. Just don’t forget to wash your quinoa before cooking!!
Who said we shouldn’t discuss lectins in peas!