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Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins (not to be confused with glycoproteins, which are proteins containing sugar chains or residues).
Lectins in plants are a defence against micro-organisms, pests, and insects.
If an animal eats a lot of the plant it gets digestive disturbances when the sticky lectins bind to the lining of the digestive system.
Lectins may also have evolved as a way for seeds to remain intact as they passed through animals’ digestive systems, for later dispersal.
Lectins are resistant to being broken down as part of the digestive process in humans.

Foods with high concentrations of lectins, such as beans, cereal grains, seeds, nuts, and potatoes, may be harmful if consumed in excess in uncooked or improperly cooked form.
Soaking, sprouting and fermenting helps to break down lectins in food, but much modern food is cooked as quickly as possible, so does not break down the lectins before they are ingested.
Some people are also more sensitive to lectins than others.

Because we do not digest lectins, we often produce antibodies to them.
Almost everyone has antibodies to some dietary lectins in their body.
This means our responses vary. Some individual can have full blown allergic reactions.
Certain foods can become intolerable to someone after an immune system change or the gut is injured from another source.
Adverse effects may also include nutritional deficiencies (through damage to the villi in the small intestine).
Lectins may also cause leptin resistance, which may translate into diseases, particularly weight loss issues in individuals who have high levels of leptin.

Lectins may also be responsible in part for ‘leaky gut syndrome’.
Plant lectins have been found attached to other organs indicating that some may get through the gut wall.
Lectins appear to aggravate existing inflammatory such as rheumatoid arthritis.