Pointing the finger

Many healthy foods contain a plant protein that may have harmful effects, but there's not enough evidence to chop them from your diet.

- Jennifer Bowden

Question:

Seeking dietary advice, I was directed to Dr Steven Gundry's The Plant Paradox. He claims to have transformed countless lives, but his list of foods to avoid includes a raft of vegetables, grains, legumes, dairy products and vegetable oils. This seems to fly in the face of many other advisers.

Answer:

Steven Gundry's book recommends a lectin-free diet for health. But despite the claimed benefits, no clear scientific evidence shows that lectin-free diets can cure chronic health conditions or autoimmune diseases. Indeed, Gundry's diet was labelled a fad by many health authorities, who advised consumers to avoid it. But is there any truth to what Gundry, a former cardiothoracic surgeon turned-nutritionist, writes about lectins? He recommends avoiding foods high in this plant-based protein that binds to carbohydrates. He claims they disrupt cellular communication and cause inflammation, harming the gut and leading to various health issues and weight gain. However, because they are found in a wide range of food groups - such as beans, legumes, vegetables, dairy products, seeds and nuts - avoiding lectins means severely restricting your food intake.