Foods That Cause Disease, But Have Become Domesticated Part IV

Polyphenols and Tannins:

Considered part of the flavonoid group of phytochemicals that are biologically active in our organisms. Phytochemicals have antioxidant characteristics which prevent our bodies from aging and developing diseases. Not all phytochemicals are helpful in fact, these two have negative actions towards absorption, and hormonal activity.

·         Tannins: Have similar methods of action as phytate acid by preventing digestibility of proteins, and binding minerals preventing normal absorption.

·         Polyphenols: particularly in soybean and soy products contain a polyphenol termed phytoestrogen, which mimics estrogenic activity, and can act as goitrogen substances in the body. Without going into too much detail on the mechanisms behind how these phytoestrogens cause hormonal disruption, will keep it simple by stating that it can potentially impact hormones by impairing normal thyroid dynamics, disrupt menstrual cycles in females, and development of a goiter.

Examples of Foods

·         Legumes

·         Nuts

·         Fruits (berries)

Foods That Cause Disease, But Have Become Domesticated Part III

Glycosides: These are sugar molecules that are bonded with a particular functional group. Essentially, they have toxic properties, and protect the plants from becoming ingested by any predators.

Several ways these compounds cause problems:

·         Saponins have a fat soluble core and chains of water-soluble carbohydrates. This compound acts like a detergent, since it mixes with fat and water forming a soluble complex that can bind with cholesterol. Once it interacts with the cholesterol molecules dietary saponins create holes in the surface membrane of the cells which line the gut (enterocytes), allowing a variety of substances found in the gut to enter the cell. Meaning any potentially undigested proteins, toxins, bacteria, carcinogens can enter into the blood and cause an immune response. Other concerns like increased permeability by destroying the lining of the gut can create nutritional deficiencies.

·         Cyanogenetic Glycosides are found in lima beans, these compounds are extremely poisonous if eaten raw by turning into hydrogen cyanide in our intestines. Fortunately, cooking can destroy this poison. However, your problems are not over, since cooking converts the hydrogen cyanide into thiocyanate, which has been shown to have goitrogen activity in our organisms.

·         Favism Glycosides are also lethally toxic substances found in fava beans that can trigger hemolytic anemia in genetically predisposed individuals shown to have the genetic defect.

Examples of Foods:

·         Amaranth

·         Quinoa

·         Lima Beans

·         Fava Beans

Foods That Cause Disease, But Have Become Domesticated Part II

Lectins: These are proteins which have a high affinity to bind towards sugars. They have a protective role against predators, by essentially being a toxin once ingested. These proteins trigger problems in our gut which can eventually lead to a leaky gut and other potential conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, and coeliac disease.

Several ways in which these proteins cause problems:

• ·         Resist being broken down by our intestinal digestive enzymes, as a defensive mechanism for preventing the predator to absorb any of the nutrients, hence making predators avoid eating these foods. The main concern here is the initial gut inflammation that occurs by having undigested proteins in the gut.

• ·         Our mucosal lining in the intestines is composed of connective tissue in which have a protective role to constantly repair damage of our lining. Lectins have a high moieties towards specific sugar marker found in our gut like N-Acetylglucosamine. By binding onto this molecule, causes cellular ‘clumping’, which mechanically damages the structural integrity that protects our mucosal lining.

• ·         In genetically predisposed individuals towards coeliac disease, our lining contains a protein called Zonulin, which regulates permeability of tight junctions in our digestive tract. Predisposed individuals have higher levels of this protein, and lectins have the coding to open these junctions and cause paracellular absorption of lectin fragments, causing further inflammatory responses.

  

• ·         We have another enzyme called tissue transglutaminase that contains sugar markers on the surface of the enzyme. This particular enzymes role is healing the mucosal lining by attaching amino acids for repair and reconstruction. When lectins ‘clump’ onto the enzyme, it deactivates the normal functioning of the enzyme, which triggers an autoimmune reaction by a way of molecular mimicry. The large foreign substance is causing too much havoc, our immune system wants to destroy it, while at the same time damaging our normal enzyme transglutaminase, since it now recognizes it as a foreign substance, or in other terms, autoantigen.  

Foods That Cause Disease, But Have Become Domesticated Part I

Introduction

Many of us have gotten used to enjoying vegetables, grains, legumes, and even eggs in the belief that they contain all the essential vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. This is very true in fact, however what we are not shown is how many of these foods often do more harm to our bodies than good.

Let’s begin with the night shade vegetables, these vegetables have common characteristics of how the seeds are arranged and the shape of the plant. The issue with night shades is that they are poisonous.  Over consumption of these vegetables can potentially lead to complications in your health in both short-term and long term. The extent will depend on just how sensitive you are to these foods, and if you genetically have the predisposition to develop problems once you consume them.

Glycoalkaloid: These compounds are essentially toxic, and protect the plants from becoming ingested by microbes and insects.

·         Solanine: is a glycoalkaloid poison that inhibits enzyme acetylcholinesterase. This enzyme is necessary to breakdown acetylcholine, which is an important neurotransmitter essential for interpreting messages signaled from the central nervous system.  However too much activation of this neurotransmitter can cause excess salivation, muscle spasms, and watering of eyes.

·         Solanine: can also signal apoptosis in cells, triggering cell death, by activating inflammatory agents.

·         a-Tomatine: is used in vaccines to make sure that the immune system develops immunity towards the virus trying to treat. In the case for us, who are sensitive to this particular compound, can cause an excess of inflammatory signalling by revving up the immune system.

·         a-Chaconine: Contains fungicidal and insecticidal properties. For those reasons, can be used as a commercial pesticide product.