This guide will highlight how to remove lectins from tomatoes using different methods.
Keep on reading if you want to find out more!
Contents
How To Remove Lectins From Tomatoes?
Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins. The skin and the seeds of the tomatoes have the highest lectin content. You may peel the skin and scoop the seeds to remove lectins.
Now, let me explain the different methods of removing lectins from tomatoes in detail.
Method 1
Boil the tomatoes and peel the skin to remove the lectins. Also, removing the seeds helps to take off the lectin content from tomatoes.
Time Taken: 30 minutes
What You Need
- Tomatoes
- Pressure cooker Or Large container
- Knife
- Boil the tomatoes– Make an X on the tomatoes with a sharp knife. Wash the tomatoes before cooking. Place them in a pot and cover them with enough water. Boil them for about 20 minutes to make them soft and decompose the lectins. You may also use a pressure cooker.
- Strain the cooked tomatoes– Do not cook the tomatoes for too long. Drain the tomatoes thoroughly and cool them after cooking. It helps in removing lectins.
- Remove the skin and seeds– Peel the skins from cooked tomatoes to remove lectins. Cut the tomatoes into pieces and scoop the seeds as it contains a lot of lectins. Some experts suggest fermenting tomatoes to further break down lectin content.
You may go through this video for steps in removing lecithins from tomatoes:
Method 2
Soak the tomatoes in salt water for at least five hours. It may reduce the amount of lectins in tomatoes.
Time Taken: 5 hours
What You Need:
- Tomatoes
- Salt
- Bowl
- Soak the tomatoes– Add a few tablespoons of salt to the bowl of water. Soak the tomatoes in a bowl of water. The amount of salt will vary depending on the size and variety of the tomatoes.
- Leave them overnight– Leave the tomatoes for at least five hours. Some may even leave them overnight.
- Drain the water– Drain and rinse the tomatoes well before using. This will reduce the amount of lectins in the tomatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cooking, especially with wet high-heat methods, including boiling or stewing can inactivate most lectins in tomatoes. You may also soak them in water for several hours to inactivate them. Exposure to water kills lectins as they are water-soluble and found on the outer surface of the food.
Lectins are proteins that bind to carbohydrates and may cause problems during human digestion. They resist being broken down in the gut and cause nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, and diarrhea in people with weak immune systems. It may cause red blood cells to clump together.
The other food that has a high amount of lectins are legumes, including red kidney beans, lentils, peas, soybean, and peanuts. It also includes nightshade vegetables, including eggplants, potatoes, peppers, and tomatoes. Dairy products, grains, and corn-fed meat also contain a lot of lectins.
Summary
I hope this guide has helped you to know how to get rid of the lectins from the tomato plants.
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