> Yeast is among the foods that Loren Cordain has listed as containing
> those troublesome lectins. So I think yeast has to be counted out.

Thanks Hans but so far I have been unable to confirm this. Can you point me
to the reference in which Cordain or some other authority states that yeast
contains lectins?

I did a search on "yeast" in the paleodiet research list archives and found
this message from Cordain:

http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?A2=ind9803&L=paleodiet&P=R1522

I've quoted the relevant section below. In the first quoted paragraph and in
the concluding statement of the article he quite obviously suggests benefits
to paleodiets devoid of grain, dairy, legumes and yeast. In the text of this
article he discusses the problems with lectins. But curiously he never
actually states anywhere in this article that yeast contains lectins or in
any way explains why yeast should be avoided. The presence of lectins in
yeast might be implied but his explicit statement  that "Both cereal grains
and legumes contain glycoproteins called lectins", could be construed to
mean that yeast is not included in the list of those foods that contain
lectins.


Loren Cordain wrote:
"Paleodiets are characterized by their lack of cereal grains, legumes,
dairy products, and yeast containing foods.    Both cereal grains and
legumes contain glycoproteins called lectins which bind intestinal
epithelial cells and change the permeability characteristics of these
intestinal cells (4,5).   Not only do these lectins cause an increase
of
the translocation of gut bacteria to the peripheracy, they cause an
increased overgrowth of gut bacteria as well as a change in the gut
flora (4,5).   Further, cereal and legume derived lectins (WGA, PHA
respectively) cause increased expression of intracellular adhesion
molecules (ICAM) in lymphocytes (6) which allow bacterial/immune
complexes to move from gut to the affected tissue.   Additionally,
cereal and legume lectins increase lymphocytic expression of common
inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFa),
interleukin 1 (IL-1) and IL-6 which are known promoters of autoimmune
disease.
        The cell walls of cereals and legumes contain a storage protein,
GRP 180, which also can act as a ligand to self presented MHC peptides
(7).   Further, peptides contained in dairy proteins (bovine serum
albumins - BSA, among many) also may contain peptide sequences which
can
interact with endogenously presented peptides (8).  Cereal, legume,
dairy and yeast free diets potentially have therapeutic benefit in many
autoimmune related disorders via their ability to reduce gut
permeability and decrease the exogenous antigenic load both from
pathogenic bacteria and from potentially self mimicking dietary
peptides."

-gts