Lectin Free Pumpkin Pie (2024)

FAQs

Can you remove lectins from pumpkin seeds? ›

Soaking grains, legumes and seeds can help reduce lectin content. The best way to do this is to submerge the food in water with 1 T. of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice and to allow the foods to soak for 4-24 hours. Soaking foods can make them more digestible and can also make the nutrients more bioavailable.

Seeds and skins of pumpkins are lectin loaded, so of course we won't eat them. When canned, pumpkins have rinds and seeds removed in the process. If you're making pumpkin pie just use a good organic canned puree or, better yet, make your own. And pressure cooking your pumpkin ensures the lectins are removed.

Seeds: Lectins are contained in the seeds and skins of fruits and vegetables, so avoid pumpkin, sunflower, and chia seeds. Cow's Milk: As a reminder from chapter 2, almost all products from cow's milk contain a lectin-like protein called casein A-1, so avoid ice cream, yogurt (even Greek yogurt), and cheese.

List of foods high in lectins: Nightshade vegetables: tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, eggplant, goji berries. Cucurbits: cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin, squash. Beans and legumes: chickpeas, peas, lentils, soy, all beans, and especially red kidney beans.

Active lectins are what's found in raw plants. But boiling, baking, pressure-cooking and soaking can deactivate those lectins, so they're not going to have the same effect as they would if you ate them raw. Fermentation, sprouting and removing peels and seeds can also reduce the amount of active lectin in plant foods.

All of the above foods have associated health benefits as well as lectins. In most cases, cooking these foods with “wet” heat, such as stewing, boiling, cooking in sauce, or mixing into dough and baking, breaks down lectins to negligible levels.

Some foods that contain higher amounts of lectins include beans, peanuts, lentils, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, fruits, and wheat and other grains.

Lectins are also associated with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Almonds, cashews, pine nuts, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds are all high in lectins. Coconut, chestnut, macadamia , pecans, pistachios, walnuts, flax, hemp, pumpkin and chia are low in lectins.

Clarkson credited her weight loss to an eating plan known as the “Plant Paradox” diet, though weight loss was never her goal. Instead, Clarkson said the diet helped improve her overall health. The author of the book, “The Plant Paradox,” claims that removing lectins from a person's diet can improve their health.

It's no secret that Dr. Gundry advocates for gut health, and recommends that you do everything you can to boost your microbiome. For that reason prebiotic fiber, which supports healthy gut flora, is the number one superfood that you should consume every day.

Are eggs high in lectin? ›

Eggs are not full of lectins. Chickens raised on pasture and not fed grains or soy produce eggs that contain little to no lectins. How do lectins work? Lectins are proteins found in plants that can bind to carbohydrates.

Squashes and pumpkins are also a lectin-free diet no-no, despite containing a range of phytonutrients with strong antioxidant activity.

If consumed regularly, eating white potatoes, beans and legumes, grains, and other foods high in lectins and saponins can increase the risk of autoimmune diseases or flare-ups in those who are genetically predisposed. [2] Fortunately, sweet potatoes do not contain these compounds!

Soaking: Soaking legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds in water for at least 4-6 hours or overnight can help to reduce lectin content. Discard the soaking water before cooking or roasted, as it may contain the leached-out lectins.

Like mentioned earlier, pumpkin seeds may prove to be hard for some people to digest. If you find that raw pumpkin seeds cause your stomach to grumble, you can quickly fix this problem by soaking or boiling your seeds before roasting them.

This is because the fiber-rich seeds may worsen intestinal inflammation and lead to stomach upset, diarrhea, pain, bloating and possibly other symptoms. However, most people should be fine after eating raw or roasted pumpkin seeds – just don't overdo it!

Pumpkin seeds.

These are high in the essential mineral zinc. Studies show that zinc deficiency is a key risk factor for leaky gut [5]. Other zinc-rich foods include red meat and oysters.