凝集素在生物学中的应用（凝集素名词解释）
The real story on lectins
凝集素的真相
原文网址：https://www.drfuhrman.com/learn/library/articles/115/the-real-story-on-lectins
原文作者：Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
Unfortunately, nutritional misinformation abounds and the consumption of health fortifying nutrient-rich plant foods in our society is dangerously low. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 声明过：75%的医疗消费投入到了治疗慢性病中，其中大部分都是可预防的，也是跟饮食相关的。这种误人信息的一个例子是：原始人饮食提倡者建议不要吃豆类和谷物。还有一本新书宣称：这些食物，加上坚果、番茄、茄子、辣椒等等，对健康有害，因为它们含有称为凝集素的神秘蛋白。
The truth is, the scientific evidence does not support the view that lectins are harmful to our health. What is harmful to our health is promoting this idea which has led to many people being afraid to eat health-promoting foods like beans and tomatoes.
真相是：凝集素对人体健康有害的观点，没有科学证据予以支持。对健康有害的是散布这种观点，它误导很多人害怕吃豆类和番茄等有益健康的食物。
It is acceptable to have a theory, but this idea about lectins being “disease-causing” and that people need to avoid beans, vegetable and nuts in order to get healthy and lose weight, has been thoroughly disproven by the thousands of studies documenting the health and longevity benefits of these foods. The most recent book warning against lectins is full of twisted and incorrect information that will further confuse and harm the public – who are already eating an insufficient amount of plant foods.
一个说法，如果有理论依据，还是可以接受的。但是，说凝集素“致病”，为了得到健康，减重，人们应该避免吃豆类、蔬菜和坚果，这一想法，跟成千上万记录这些食物健康与长寿益处的研究完全不符。最近有一本警告人们不要吃凝集素的书，充斥着扭曲而错误的信息，这进一步让大众感觉迷惑并受害——他们吃的植物性食物已经不足了。
What are lectins?
凝集素是什么？
Lectins are proteins that bind carbohydrate. There are many different lectins, which have different functions because they bind to different carbohydrates. Lectins are not only present in plant foods; they are ubiquitous in nature – in plants, animals, and microorganisms.
凝集素是可结合糖类的蛋白质。有多种不同的凝集素，因为它们能跟不同的糖类结合，所以有不同的功能。凝集素不仅仅存在于植物食物中，在自然界中，它们无处不在——植物、动物和微生物中都有。
The main function of lectins in animals is to facilitate cell-cell contact – lectins on one cell recognize and bind to surface carbohydrates on another cell. In plants, the function of lectins is less clear but some lectins are thought to be plant defense proteins, to protect against pathogens and insects. This is similar to other phytochemicals; flavonoids, for example, also serve as natural defenses in plants.
动物中凝集素的主要功能是促进细胞之间的接触——一个细胞上的凝集素识别并结合另一个细胞表面的糖类。在植物中，凝集素的功能没那么清晰，但某些凝集素可认为是植物防御蛋白，用来保护植物免于病原体和昆虫的侵害。这类似于其他植物化学因子；比如说类黄酮，也在植物中充当自然防御物。
Potential benefits of plant food lectins
植物食品凝集素的潜在益处
Plant lectins bind carbohydrates during digestion, slowing or preventing their breakdown, and thereby reducing the glycemic effects of the food. You may hear a claim that lectins “disrupt digestion,” but this is misleading. This action of lectins is most likely a contributing factor to the pro-weight loss and anti-diabetes effects of beans and other plant foods. Beans are rich in anti-cancer phytochemicals and are the foods demonstrating the most powerful association with lower rates of breast cancer in massive epidemiological studies, including the Nurses’ Health Study.
植物凝集素在消化过程中跟糖类结合，减缓或阻止它们分解，从而降低食物的血糖效应。你可能听到过一种说法，凝集素“干扰消化”，但这是误导人的。凝集素的这种作用，最可能的是充当一种促进因子，帮助减轻体重，使豆类及其他植物食品具备抗糖尿病的效果。豆类富含抗癌的植物化学因子，在大型流行病学研究，包括护士健康研究中，这类食物展示出，它们跟降低乳腺癌发病率有最强的相关性。
A lectin in common mushrooms has been foundto inhibit proliferation of cancer cells in vitro. Mushrooms are another food offering powerful protection against cancer. And that’s not the only one: similar results have been found for lectins from fava beans, soybeans, bananas, buckwheat, jackfruit, and wheat. Some of these lectins are being investigated as potential cancer therapies. Certain plant food lectins may also help prevent cancer development by blocking the actions of angiogenesis-promoting lectins on human cells.返回搜狐，查看更多