are tomatoes really bad for you?

tomatoes have been getting a lot of attention recently

& not necessarily the good kind of attention

I have come across claims saying that tomatoes harm your gut and are dangerous to health due to the lectins in them. Lectins, which are also referred to as ‘ anti-nutrients’, are present in tomatoes - but should we be worried about them?

Lectins - when in their active state - can cause gastrointestinal side effects. The name ‘anti-nutrient’ comes from the interference of the absorption of iron, zinc, calcium and, phosphorus - but again, this is when lectins are consumed in large, active amounts. This is a great example of why we soak beans and not eat them raw!! Raw beans contain high amounts of lectins, however the preparation process makes them safe and edible.

Lectins are deactivated during cooking, soaking or boiling in water, sprouting grains, and processing.

The lectin content in foods such as tomatoes has not been proven in current research to cause adverse health effects in humans. Eating foods with high levels of lectins is not at all common as our cooking and preparation methods deactivate them to a large extent.

Lectins are found in nearly all plant foods and when we look at the foods highest in lectins, these are all healthy, nutritious foods.

• beans & legumes

• wheat

• tomatoes

  There is no current research that says that lectins are connected to negative health conditions. In fact, eating foods such as tomatoes provide numerous benefits to our health.

  Tomatoes contains high levels of lycopene, an antioxidant. They are rich in vitamins and minerals, such as potassium, vitamin k, vitamin c and folate. They have a good bit of fiber and they taste delicious.

The proven health benefits of foods like tomatoes far outweigh the possibilities of risks associated to lectins.

If you react negatively to tomatoes, rule out any allergies first. If you don’t like them, don’t eat them. If you read this and are still worried about the lectins in tomatoes, you don’t have to eat them. But if you enjoy tomatoes and tolerate them well, there’s no need to fear them!!

sources -

Lectins | The Nutrition Source | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Adamcová A, Laursen KH, Ballin NZ. Lectin Activity in Commonly Consumed Plant-Based Foods: Calling for Method Harmonization and Risk Assessment. Foods. 2021;10(11):2796. Published 2021 Nov 13. doi:10.3390/foods10112796