Prolamins and agglutinins: The dietary lectins that cause health problems

 The only two classes of lectins known to be problematic for human health

1. Prolamins (high-content of proline and glutamine amino acids)

What harm do prolamins cause in the body?

 Can cause inflammation / damage to intestinal wall,  immune system modulation, alter gut microbiome (dysbiosis);

Which foods contain high levels of prolamins?

Prolamins are prevalent in grains.     They include:

•    Gliadin.  The digestive-troubling half of gluten (the other 50% is glutenin), responsible for digestive problems in those with celiac disease;    Gliadin is in wheat, rye, barley, triticale; there are 3 gliadin groups: α/β-gliadins, γ-gliadins, and ω-gliadins

Wheat seed is 2.8% - 8.8% gliadin ( ~40% of its 7-22% protein).   Although refined wheat products contain less wheatgerm agglutinin (WGA) than unrefined wheat, they still contain a substantial amount of gluten:

• All-Purpose Flour.   3.2% - 4.4% gliadin (~40% of its 8% -11% protein); hard/soft berry blend; bleached flour has less protein/gluten/gliadin than unbleached flour.

• Bread flour.    4.8% - 5.6% gliadin  (~40% of its 12% - 14% protein ); hard high-protein wheat;  unbleached;

•   Zein.  In corn;

•   Hordein.   In rye;

•   Avenin.   In oats, but generally in very small amounts in rolled oats (unless cross-contaminated with other grains)

2. Agglutinins

What harm do agglutinins cause in the body?

Can cause inflammation and damage to intestinal wall;

Have ability to clump red blood cells together (i.e. agglutinate);

Which foods contain high levels of agglutinins?

GMO wheat, corn and soybeans are "designed" to have higher amounts of agglutinins in seed coats   (increases crop yield by countering fungal infections);

Agglutinins are prevalent in wheat germ, peanuts, cashews, kidney beans and soy beans; 

•  Concentration of agglutinins in different types of legumes varies dramatically.   They can be reduced in most beans by soaking PLUS high-heat boiling; However, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and agglutinins in soybeans, peanuts and kidney beans resist the degradation of their agglutinins by traditional food preparation methods. 

•   Refined wheat germ contains less WGA than unrefined. However, several wheat products still contain some active WGA: