Lectins on pulses and beans (legumes) are there to discourage insects from eating them. They can easily be removed as they are water soluble, so
soak them in water overnight - voila gone - and then cook them and they will definitely be eradicated.
Phytic Acid is also found on pulses and beans (legumes) they can bind to minerals- eg. iron, calcium and zinc making them difficult for the body to absorb.
Solution - Follow the below method, using boiling water to cook beans has been proven to remove more of the phytic acid.
1. Soak the beans overnight.
2. Strain the beans from the soaking water and give them a quick rinse.
3. Place in a saucepan and pour boiling water over them. Refill the kettle and boil the kettle.
4. Cook the beans on a high heat until the water starts rolling.
5. Discard the water by straining the beans.
6. Place the beans back in the saucepan add more boiling water and cook on a medium to low heat for the following times:
Lentils 10 to 15 minutes
Mung beans 10 to 15 minutes
Adzuki beans 20 to 45 minutes (if they are older beans they can take up to an hour)
For large beans like chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans and cannellini beans you may want to invest in a pressure cooker as these can take up to 1 hour to cook in a regular saucepan.
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