Are Vegetables Trying to Kill You?

In today’s world, where veganism is often celebrated, you should know: Vegetables might not have your best interests at heart. You might be surprised to learn that those leafy greens in your smoothie are packed with substances that can make you unwell. Plants don’t want to be eaten. I know this sounds crazy. Even if you’re not a vegan, most people include plants in their diets. How can it be true that these foods could be harmful?

For those following a typical Western diet, the idea that plants could be dangerous might seem like a wild theory. However, there is some scientific backing for this claim. Plants create various toxins that can harm animals, and these toxins can be found in every part of the plant, from leaves to roots to fruits.

When we examine our biology, it becomes clear that humans aren’t ideally suited for a plant-based diet. Our digestive systems struggle to break down cellulose found in plant cell walls, and we lack the enzymes needed to process many plant toxins.

The health issues that affect modern society, like obesity, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, are largely linked to our excessive intake of plants.

Every plant has its unique mix of toxins. These natural chemicals account for about 99.99% of all pesticides that people consume in their everyday diets.

There are certain harmful substances and cancer-causing agents in plants that we need to steer clear of:

Oxalates

Oxalates are compounds that naturally exist in plants and can attach to calcium, leading to the formation of kidney stones. You can find oxalates in a variety of foods, such as vegetables, nuts, and seeds. When you consume these foods, the oxalates enter your bloodstream and are processed by your kidneys. If there’s an excess of oxalate in your urine, it can combine with calcium and create kidney stones.

Eating a lot of foods rich in oxalates can raise your chances of getting kidney stones. Some examples of foods that contain high levels of oxalates include:

• Spinach
• Rhubarb
• Beets
• Swiss chard
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Chocolate
• Tea

Phytate (Phytic Acid)

Phytic acid is a natural compound that acts as a protective agent in many plants, especially in their seeds, such as nuts, grains, and legumes. Its primary role is to store essential minerals that are crucial for the growth of the young plant. Phytates, which are rich in whole grains, legumes, and nuts, help plants keep phosphorus stored. However, they don’t release it for our bodies to use. Instead, phytates can bind to important minerals and nutrients in our bodies, like calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, copper, and some proteins. They can also interfere with our digestive enzymes.

Polyphenols

(study here)

Lectins

Lectins are present in foods like beans, peanuts, soybeans, and whole grains such as wheat. They can disrupt how our bodies digest nutrients and absorb important minerals like calcium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc. One of the reasons lectins are concerning is that they can survive the digestive process in our stomachs. Once they get through, they can invade the cells lining our digestive tract, potentially harming those cells and altering the balance of bacteria in our gut, which might lead to autoimmune responses.here.

Salicylates

Salicylates are substances that can be found in various foods, medicines, and other items, and they may trigger negative reactions in people who are intolerant to them. Recently, there has been a growing interest in how salicylates might impact food intolerance, attention-deficit disorders, and heart-related diseases.

Glucosinolates

Glucosinolates are compounds present in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale, and brussels sprouts. They can affect how well iodine is absorbed in the body, which might lead to problems with thyroid function. Additionally, a study involving more than 100,000 people revealed that individuals who consumed the highest amounts of glucosinolates had a 19 percent increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. (study)

 Saponins

Saponins are present in foods like green lentils and whole grains. They can disrupt the absorption of important nutrients like iron and zinc. Similar to lectins, saponins can also impact the gastrointestinal lining, potentially leading to issues like leaky gut and autoimmune reactions.You can read more here.

Solanine

Solanine is present in nightshade vegetables like potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes, and peppers. For some people, consuming these can lead to issues like inflammatory bowel disease and autoimmune disorders. Others might experience mild poisoning symptoms such as nausea, a burning sensation in the throat, and headaches. here

 Trypsin Inhibitors

Trypsin inhibitors are present in foods made from grains, like cereals, porridge, and baby food. Research indicates that cooking can reduce the amount of trypsin inhibitors, but these foods might lead to mineral deficiencies in infants, children, and individuals with pancreatic issues. Studies here

 Isoflavones

Isoflavones are a type of polyphenol antinutrient that comes from soybeans. They are known as phytoestrogens because they can mimic the effects of estrogen in the body. This means they can interfere with hormone balance and lead to negative changes in hormone levels. If you’re interested, you can check out a study that looks at the link between soy isoflavones and breast cancer risk, as well as other health risks.  here.

Gluten

Gluten is a type of protein that our stomach acid struggles to break down and digest. Consuming gluten can cause minor harm to the intestinal lining. This can lead to issues like leaky gut and inflammation.

Antinutrients can be tough to completely avoid, but we can definitely lower how much we take in and lessen their effects. Here are two effective strategies:

First, we should focus on how we prepare our food. Many antinutrients can be neutralized or eliminated by cooking, soaking, sprouting, or boiling the foods that have them. For instance, when beans are fully cooked, they typically have between 200 and 400 units of antinutrients, while raw kidney beans can have anywhere from 20,000 to 70,000 lectin units. Soaking, sprouting, and boiling vegetables can help get rid of some of these antinutrients. Although not all of them will be eliminated, using the right cooking methods can help us absorb more nutrients from our food.

Additionally, it’s a good idea to choose vegetables and fruits that have the least amount of toxins.

Vegetables: Avocados, Zucchini, Olives, Cucumber, Pumpkin and Squash

Fruits: Apples, Oranges, Berries, Pineapple, Pears, Melons, Bananas, and Mango