I’ve been looking for a question about legumes for months. Can you also make the lectin in legumes harmless in the microwave? How much time does this take?
An explanation: I often make veggie burgers from legumes. Lentils, chickpeas, black beans, etc. Well, these are the best if you soak the legumes for 8 hours, puree them, make burgers, put them in the microwave for about 5 minutes (the legumes then expand, making the burger very becomes firm, it really becomes a ‘burger’ because the proteins cook) then fry in the hot oil in the frying pan, another 5 minutes or so.
The burger now tastes thoroughly cooked. But is this also safe with regard to lectin? I sometimes worry if I’m doing it safely.
Lotte
Patricia Schutte, nutritionist
Raw or undercooked legumes contain toxic plant proteins such as lectins. Not all lectins are equally toxic. For example, lectins in beans are harmful, while lectins in peas and lentils are practically harmless to humans. Lectins in a legume burger that is cooked through have been rendered inactive.
Lectins are rendered harmless by first soaking legumes and then boiling them in liquid (100 g. Celsius) for at least 10 minutes. Making lectins harmless by heating in the oven or microwave is only possible if sufficient moisture is used for cooking. How much time this takes depends on the amount of legumes. When the legumes are fully cooked, you can assume that the lectin is no longer toxic.
Raw or undercooked legumes can seriously disrupt the functioning of the intestines and eventually even damage the kidneys. The symptoms of lectin poisoning are vomiting, fever and mild diarrhoea. Sometimes blood pressure drops.
Do you also have a question? Then ask one of our experts. Always go to your doctor with urgent questions, the experts are not the right person for that. Nor do they make diagnoses. You can find the other conditions here.
Patricia Schutte has been working as an information officer at the Nutrition Center in The Hague for more than 25 years. She answers questions about healthy, sustainable and safe food.
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