More than half of the world populations is affected by micronutrient malnutrition and one third of world’s population suffers from anemia and zinc deficiency, particularly in developing countries. Iron and zinc deficiencies are the major health problems worldwide.
Phytic acid is one of the most famous anti-nutrients found in cereals, legumes, oil seeds and nuts. It is known as a food inhibitor which blocks our digestive tract from being able to absorb nutrients from foods. It binds important minerals like zinc, iron, calcium and magnesium, preventing their absorption, which results in mineral deficiencies that further lead to slow metabolism, weakness, anemia, decreased immune system, poor bone health and tooth decay. At the same time, phytic acid (inositol hexaphosphate or IP6) is an important antioxidant — often used commercially as a preservative — and has a number of health benefits, which makes the story a bit more complicated.
Phytic acid is nature’s clever storage system for plants – it functions as a phosphorous store, or an energy store, that plants draw on when conditions are right for germination. In order to be able to effectively digest foods that contain phytic acid and to unlock its phosphorus stores, animals need to have a supply of the enzyme phytase in their digestive tract. Ruminant animals (e.g., cattle, sheep, goats, buffalo) possess phytase producing flora for digesting phytic acid. Non-ruminant animals (e.g., pigs, chickens, dogs, cats) do not have the enzyme phytase. Phytic acid passes through their digestive tract without breaking down at all (producing phosphorus-rich manure). Humans fall into the category of non-ruminants: we do not have the necessary enzyme phytase to break down phytic acid.
Avoiding these foods due to the fear that you aren’t absorbing the minerals can cause you to miss out on many nutrients. Foods containing phytic acid are nutrient-dense, overall. For most people, these foods are important to include in a healthy and well-balanced diet. Luckily, it’s possible to overcome the anti-nutrient effects of phytic acid in our foods while still getting the benefits of a plant-rich diet. Here are a few strategies that may be more or less helpful depending on the specific situation:
- Soak, sprout and ferment cook plant foods before cooking them. Here, on NutriFix, we love to include in our kitchen traditional ways of preparing and cooking for extra-nutrition meals.
- Consume vitamin C-rich foods with meals that contain phytic acid. Dense sources of vitamin C include guava, bell pepper, kiwi, oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, papaya, broccoli, sweet potato, pineapple, cauliflower, kale, lemon juice and parsley.
- Use vinegar in salad dressings and cooking to activate phytase and enhance mineral absorption and offset phytic acid
- Supplement with enzyme phytase if necessary
- As a last resort, eat mineral fortified foods
- Supplement with minerals if there is still a shortfall in your diet
If you’re eating a plant-based diet and have confirmed nutrient deficiencies and you’ve tried all the above strategies with no success, adding small amounts of animal foods on occasion might boost stores of necessary minerals in your body. People who regularly consume high amounts of phytic acid — such as vegetarians and vegans — can benefit from eating mineral-absorbing enhancers like garlic and onions. These foods increase the absorption of minerals like iron and zinc. Side note for confused vegans: bone broth is particulary useful for enhancing mineral absobtion through its hydrophilic colloids.
It’s important to also know that phytic acid only affects the meal that you consume it with, so eating a phytate-heavy lunch will have no influence on the amount of minerals you absorb from dinner or on your mineral stores.
~ Andreea
