Marci Nevin Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 Hello, I am currently following the Autoimmune Protocol because I suffer from Psoriasis. Ive eliminated dairy, eggs, nightshades, nuts, all grains for the past 3 1/2 months and have seen a slight improvement in my condition (its only in a few small spots anyway). However, Im confused about coffee and cocoa powder. Does anyone know if these are considered an actual bean and placed in the same category as legumes? Should they be avoided when following the AI protocol? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adagio Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 I believe they are both seeds, but don't take my word for it. Maybe someone else knows for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Jeanne Penrod Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I went to Kona and they actually grow cacao right on the island. It is the only 100% grown and made in the U.S. I took a tour and learned a lot, and Adagio is right. Per both of my tours they are referred to as a bean but are not in the legume family, but seed family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa Urban Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Neither cocoa nor coffee are a botanical part of the legume family, so there is no reason to exclude either from that standpoint. There is some anecdotal evidence that those with certain AI conditions (especially Celiac) may be sensitive to compounds found in coffee, but there has been no research that suggests removing coffee should be a standard part of a general AI protocol. (At least, not that I have read.) Of course, people are sensitive to all kinda of things (like me, with caffeine), so self-experimentation may be called for if you suspect you may be reacting negatively to either the coffee itself, or the caffeine. Best, Melissa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marci Nevin Posted July 10, 2012 Author Share Posted July 10, 2012 Neither cocoa nor coffee are a botanical part of the legume family, so there is no reason to exclude either from that standpoint. There is some anecdotal evidence that those with certain AI conditions (especially Celiac) may be sensitive to compounds found in coffee, but there has been no research that suggests removing coffee should be a standard part of a general AI protocol. (At least, not that I have read.) Of course, people are sensitive to all kinda of things (like me, with caffeine), so self-experimentation may be called for if you suspect you may be reacting negatively to either the coffee itself, or the caffeine. Best, Melissa Thank you so much (to everyone who replied). I purchased the book yesterday and am making my way through, but I couldnt find anything to answer this question. Hopefully Im not reacting to something in the coffee. Being on the AI can feel so restrictive, as Ive had to give up all of my favorite foods. Coffee is the one thing I have that I truly enjoy just for the taste. Caffeine doesnt have any negative effects on me, so fingers crossed that I can keep it in. But still wondering what could be left that is causing the psoriasis to linger.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karacooks Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 This is fairly easy to research yourself. Coffee = order: Gentianales family: Rubiaceae Beans & Legumes = order: Fabales family: Fabaceae Not even closely related. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marci Nevin Posted July 10, 2012 Author Share Posted July 10, 2012 This is fairly easy to research yourself. Coffee = order: Gentianales family: Rubiaceae Beans & Legumes = order: Fabales family: Fabaceae Not even closely related. Well then, I apologize for taking people's time with my silly question. But I have tried to research this and didnt come up with anything that answered it. Perhaps I was wondering more so if the cocoa powder was off limits for the AI protocol. And the because I have been seeing posts going around certain blogs that some individuals, specifically those with gluten intolerance (which I have) or celiac might need to avoid it. Since AI conditions are associated with leaky gut, I thought perhaps I need to avoid coffee for that reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karacooks Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 nevermind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 Hi Marci! Well, your question abuot protocol has been answered, but Melissa has a good point about self-experimentation. Have you ever tried taking a break from your coffee/cocoa and reintroducing? I have heard of both substances being a trigger of autoimmune conditions for SOME people. I'm trying to learn more about the immune response, especially as pertains to Th1 vs Th2 dominance, but my limited understanding leads me to believe that one side of the spectrum can be markedly damaged by caffeine, while the other side can be unaffected or even supported by small amounts. I think the AI protocol is a very helpful jumping off point, but my intrepretation of the program is that it's designed to give us the tools to figure out what's best for our own bodies, so just because something is "legal" doesn't necessarily mean it's best for a specific body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicheleC Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Also your skin issue might be due to something other than food. I used to have eczema on both of my hands and tried using every kind of cream and did an elimination diet and allergy testing and nothing helped and couldn't figure out what was going on. Then one night I used Weleda Skin Food and in a couple of hours my hands BURNED and the first ingredient was lanolin. Sure enough every cream I was trying had some lanolin in it and when I cut that out and stopped knitting with wool the eczema patches went away. Hope this helps! I know how frustrating it can be! Michele Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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