Lectin-Free Seeds
If you’re interested in what seeds are lectin-free diet friendly, you’re in the right place.
Let’s discuss what seeds are considered lectin-free based on research, benefits, how much to eat, and more.
The following seeds showed no lectin content in research:¹ ² ³
- Pumpkin seeds
- Hemp seeds
- Chia seeds
- Flax seeds
- Poppy seeds
- Sesame seeds
There are many different types of seeds you can eat, however not all of them have research that shows them being lectin-free.
What Seeds Can You Eat On A Lectin-Free Diet?
Pumpkin, hemp, chia, flax, poppy, and sesame seeds all showed no lectins in research.¹ ² ³ Based on that, these seeds would all generally be considered great options on a lectin-free diet.
What Are Lectin-Free Seeds?
Lectin-free seeds, simply put, are seeds that don’t contain lectins, which are a type of protein that can be found in some foods.
While many foods contain some amount of lectins, the quantity is generally reduced when cooking and in edible seeds, the quantities are generally safe for eating.
Other Reasons Seeds Could Bother Someone Besides Lectins
There are at least a couple other reasons that eating seeds could bother someone. The first is that the fat content in seeds tends to be very high. Some people struggle to digest fats, and as such may struggle with eating seeds, whether they are lectin-free or not. Some people have said that eating fat towards the end of the day is easier to digest, so if that’s you then you might consider that.
Another reason that seeds could bother someone is the fiber content. Certain seeds, for example flax seeds and chia seeds are very high in fiber. Having too much fiber could create a digestive upset for someone, so you may want to pay attention to how much fiber you’re eating if you’re eating chia or flax seeds.
Additionally, certain seeds can be high in magnesium, such as pumpkin seeds. Magnesium, while it generally can help digestion, including by inducing a relaxing state and helping the person to get better sleep (since food is best digested in a parasympathetic or “rest and digest” mode), it could take some time for the person to get used to and temporarily cause a digestive upset.
Resources:
1. http://medicinalplants-kr.org/
2. https://sciendo.com/article/10.1515/sjecr-2016-0031
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8618113/