Beans.

[NoraKathleen]

Just finished my second whole 30.... Feel great.

Something I still am not clear on, why no beans??

I didn't consume any beans while on whole 30, but it seems to be a common question that friends have. Is it a carbohydrate thing? Not sure the reasoning.

Can someone explain?

Thanks.

[ShannonM816]

There's a basic summary of their thoughts on it here: http://whole30.com/2012/09/the-legume-manifesto/  and I know there's more about it in ISWF.

 

It does sort of sound like, when you're not on a W30, there could be worse things to eat, especially if you prepare them correctly by soaking and all of that. 

[NoraKathleen]

Thanks Shannon,

I knew there was something, I just couldn't find it.

[look_alive]

I've wanted to ask this question since reading one of the blog posts a few days ago. It was a post about the coconut "Pure Wraps" and why they shouldn't be on the Whole30.  There was some heated discussion in the comments that I'll leave for you to read, but a response from Melissa herself caught my eye.  She was explaining the "why" of certain foods being non-compliant, when she said this (emphasis hers):

 

 

We chose to eliminate grains, legumes, and dairy because these are, in our experience, the “heavy hittersâ€: the foods that most people have the biggest chance of being sensitive to. (And honestly, we're kind of rethinking most legumes these days.)

 

That's an interesting statement.  Makes me wonder if they are considering allowing legumes on the Whole30 at some point in the future.  I'm certainly not trying to put words in her mouth, and will always stick to the prescribed foods as outlined, but I did find her statement somewhat curious.
 

Any mods care to weigh in and possibly "pick her brain" about that quote?   :-)

 

Link to blog post:  http://whole30.com/2013/12/pure-wraps/

 

The comment from Melissa I'm referencing is December 9th, 10:14am

[Vian]

This is why I don't eat legumes.

[praxisproject]

Beans are also very confusing for most people as they don't know the difference between a green bean, a lima bean and a peanut.

 

Look_alive - If you've never read it, it's very much worth reading the post that Vian linked. Of interest to many is:

 

Once lectins are floating around in the bloodstream, they can bind to any carbohydrate containing protein cells, including insulin and leptin receptors, desensitizing them. Without proper insulin and leptin function, problems like diabetes and metabolic syndrome can emerge. It is speculated that lectins may cause insulin and leptin resistance, two major factors in obesity and diabetes.

 

 

For those of us with insulin and leptin resistance, this has a significant purpose and was very important for me in my first Whole30. I also can't have grains or dairy, these make me really sick. I doubt they'll be added back in for Whole30, but the way things are reintroduced, or recommended to be prepared could change. A big part of modern food issues is the way it's prepared. Whole30 stops at the point of reintroduction, but legumes may be something many people can live with just fine

 

Whole30 is a good diagnostic tool for many. If you feeling amazing on it and have big health impacts when adding some things back, it's very very useful. I had no idea so many of my health problems were from wheat!

[NoraKathleen]

Wow. Lectins... Sticky little buggers!

Vian, thanks for the link, I find is easy to avoid beans, I did notice I was craving a nice split pea soup while on whole30 (which I did not have)... But I always cook it slow, soak the split peas, so I think I am good post whole 30.