Dr. Gundry's Miracle Rice Pudding Recipe (Lectin-free) (2025)

FAQs

Why does Dr. Gundry say rice is bad for you? ›

In his book, Dr. Gundry calls lectin (which is not to be confused with the phospholipid lecithin) a "highly toxic, plant-based protein" that can lead to autoimmune disorders, diabetes and weight gain. It's common in fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, dairy and ... you guessed it, rice.

Dr. Steven Gundry first coined the term “lectin-free diet.” He is a former heart surgeon who now promotes alternative diets and supplements. Advocates claim that excluding foods high in lectins from the diet can have numerous health benefits, such as weight loss and prevention of chronic conditions.

Plant foods like millet and sorghum grains are great when dining lectin-free. If you think you'll miss rice, try giving cauliflower rice a try. You can also load up on resistant starches like sweet potatoes, taro root, and jicama to satisfy your craving for rice-based comfort dishes.

List of foods high in lectins: Nightshade vegetables: tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, eggplant, goji berries. Cucurbits: cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin, squash. Beans and legumes: chickpeas, peas, lentils, soy, all beans, and especially red kidney beans.

Some foods that contain higher amounts of lectins include beans, peanuts, lentils, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, fruits, and wheat and other grains.

The soaking process also helps remove lectins, potential pesticides, and also arsenic. Follow the package instructions on the rice for cook time, but make sure the rice is not still al dente after the cooking process is complete.

Active lectins are what's found in raw plants. But boiling, baking, pressure-cooking and soaking can deactivate those lectins, so they're not going to have the same effect as they would if you ate them raw. Fermentation, sprouting and removing peels and seeds can also reduce the amount of active lectin in plant foods.

Certain types of lectin may bind with the walls of your digestive system which can lead to serious problems. Eating one particular lectin, phytohemagglutinin, can lead to severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Some proponents of lectin-free diets claim that lectins can cause symptoms of auto-immune disorders.

May be hard to consume enough key nutrients: Going without lectins might mean going without certain key nutrients, too. Curating a well-rounded diet with plenty of fiber is especially tough when you can't eat grains or legumes, as is getting plenty of antioxidants when fruits are off the menu.

What foods have little to no lectins? ›

Food with less or no lectins are meats (grass-fed), fish, seafood, poultry, meat without soy, sheep and dairy products, cruciferous veggies, avocado, celery, and broccoli, sweet potatoes, and nuts and seeds.

Basmati rice contains lectins, like most grains, but compared to other rice varieties, its lectin content is relatively low.

Blueberries get their health-promoting properties by way of flavonoids. Specifically, they're loaded with anthocyanins. Contrary to what some people have heard, blueberries do not contain lectins. There's a catch though: blueberries are highly seasonal, and are best consumed fresh and local.

“Overall, the lectins found in zucchini, carrots, rhubarb, beets, mushrooms, asparagus, turnips, cucumbers, pumpkin, sweet peppers, and radishes, whether cooked or consumed raw, do not appear to cause significant GI problems,” assures Gomer.

The lowest lectin content options are asparagus, garlic, celery, mushrooms and onions. Cooked root vegetables like sweet potatoes, yucca and taro, along with leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, avocados, olives and olive oil are all examples of healthy foods that do contain some lectins.

For example, whole grains are better for our health when compared to simple carbs – which is why brown rice or black rice are regarded as the healthiest options. You should certainly be looking into eating whole grain rice.

There are 3 superfoods in particular that he says you should never eat: goji berries, chia seeds and wheat grass. The problem is that some so-called superfoods also contain lectins, those pesky plant proteins that can cause inflammation and set the stage for a variety of diseases, as well as weight gain.

Brown rice

The nutrients in this healthy wholegrain help to feed healthy gut bacteria. So to get the benefits, opt for brown rice over white rice wherever possible. Red and black rice are also good options for the gut. And, luckily, they are becoming more available in some supermarkets.