Nut, Seed or Legume?

What is a nut?  What is a seed?  What is a Legume and how is that word said?

Why does it matter?

Nut

A nut is a fruit with an outer coating generally containing a kernel called a seed within.

Seed

A seed is the embryo of a plant enclosed in a protective shell.

Legume pronounced “leg-yoom”

A legume is a plant or its fruit or seed in the family Fabaceae. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for their grain seed called pulse, for livestock forage and silage, and as soil-enhancing green manure.  Wikipedia

Soil-enhancing green manure is what they term the benefit of a cover crop.  So, this is how it works.  A farmer wants to add nitrogen to his field and rather than spraying which is costly, in the past crop rotation was used as many plants add “green” meaning from the plan, nitrogen to the soil.  Adding a cover crop of beans or clover will add a great deal of nitrogen and nutrients to the soil as a green way of fertilizing the soil, thus the Wikipedia term “green manure”.

Interestingly, a pea is a legume as is a peanut and a cashew.  Of course, we think of both a peanut and a cashew as nuts when in fact they are legumes.

The argument that Dr. Gundry makes is that if you don’t cook legumes adequately, they will be high in lectins and some are high and often eaten raw and therefore the seeds should be removed to decrease their lectins.

Lectins are molecules of proteins found in plants that can damage the lining of your esophagus and stomach or can give you an upset stomach and change the biological composition of your gut.  Needless to say, the information that Dr. Gundry shares, I am not wholly in agreement with because it conflicts with advice of other famous doctors that are also renowned cardiologists.  But, he is a highly thought of doctor and the information that he shares is somewhat different and worth a try to see what the individual reaction or effect is as a personal and further investigation.  As I learn and share, please learn and share with me.  As I try different things and share, please comment on your experience.  Dr. Gundry calls this a low lectin diet.