Let’s talk legumes.

I was reminded last night at the Hilo nutrition seminar about why we avoid legumes in a paleo lifestyle. Legumes include varieties of beans, lentils, garbanzos, peas, and peanuts. This includes soy beans (tofu, soymilk, edamame, soy cereals!).

The simple, paleo argument behind it is that legumes are toxic when uncooked. The toxic ingredient – lectin. Even with prolonged soaking, rinsing, cooking and fermenting, you can neutralize some of the lectins, but not all.

Lectin is a plant protein that helps that plant survive but it’s also resistent to digestion in the stomach and small intestine. This means that you will have large, intact proteins in your gut. When in the small intestine, lectin can cause damage to the walls of the intestine and increase it’s permeability (ability to let gases and liquids out) and create an imbalance of gut bacteria.

Increasing the permeability of the intestine wall means that integrity is compromised. Paleo nutrition people call this leaky gut. It is just how it sounds - contents of the intestines can leak their way into your system. Yes, it’s as crazy as you think. At the same time, immune tissue in your gut is exposed to inflammatory substances such as these lectins and other intact proteins. Our body sees these intact proteins as foreign invaders and mounts an attack against them by making antibodies against them and causing an immune response, attacking the once healthy tissue.

The simple gist of this is that consuming legumes and other lectin-containing foods on a regular basis will continue to damage important tissue walls in your intestines and cause systemic inflammation. Anything that causes damage to the gut lining can predispose you to autoimmunity, chemical sensitivities and allergies to foods.

For a more complex paleo explanation on legumes, click here.

Here’s a great substitute for the traditional chickpea hummus (from Niki) that won’t damage your intestines:

Paleo Hummus

2 cups soaked almonds
1/2 cup tahini
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 large lemons, juice of (organic is best)
1/3 cup olive oil

In blender or food processor add soaked almonds on slow speed. Then add tahini, garlic and lemons. Blend these ingredients while slowly adding the olive oil. For smooth consistency, add water in small amounts until you have the consistency you like. Top off with black sesame seeds. Can be served with apples, sliced veggies of choice or served in green romane lettuce or kale.

WOD

Three rounds for time of:
Dumbbell squat snatch, 15 reps, right arm (35 lb)
15 GHD sit-ups
Dumbbell squat snatch, 15 reps, left arm (35 lb)
15 Toes to bar