Let's take a moment and think of every time we have been asked to eat vegetables because what else is the easiest route to being healthy. But, according to a new study, that might not be quite true. As reported by NDTV Food, not all vegetables are as healthy as we seem to think.
According to the report, some health experts have claimed that some vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, and cucumbers contain a protein, called lectin, that could cause Alzheimer's disease.
Dr. Steven Gundry, a California-based heart surgeon and cardiologist, conducted a study and discovered that there is a link between loss of memory and lectin, which is found in cucumbers, potatoes, tomatoes, soy, peppers, sprouted grains, whole grains and even some dairy products. The study also points out that lectins can be harmful for the gut.
Nikki Ostrower, a holistic nutritionist and founder of NAO Nutrition & Wellness, told the Daily Mail that lectins are anti-nutrients that can cause "leaky gut issues" and could also be responsible for autoimmune diseases.
Lectin is a type of protein found in plants
that acts as a defence system for them, in a way that consuming these plants activates this protein. The lectin then acts as a natural repellent by attacking human blood vessels.
Another study on the effect of lectins on different blood types claims that it can cause brain disorders. the study also mentions that the effect mostly depends on the individual's genetic makeup. Lectins can also block insulin receptors and have a negative impact on blood vessels.
Another researcher, Dr. David Jockers has backed these studies and added that lectins can block nutrient absorption as well, leading to health problems.
As mentioned in the Daily Mail article, the American Academy of Neurology published a report in April suggesting that Parkinson's disease starts in the stomach and is triggered by a protein that eventually spreads to the brain.
These studies could shine new light on Alzheimer's disease, as its cause is not clear till date. It appears that genes could be responsible for this chronic neuro-degenerative disease, but there could be other causes as well.