Phytic acid (PhA), phytates and phytins are present in plants as reserves of mineral phosphorus. Despite popular belief, oatmeal “Hercules” is not rich in available phosphorus. Phytic acid, phytates and phytins are not absorbed by humans and non-ruminants, and, accordingly, such phosphorus will not be absorbed.
In addition to phosphorus, Ca, Fe, Mg, Zn are most easily bound and excreted into phytates. Excessive amounts of phytic acid cause mineral deficiency. Iron concentration decreases, calcium is washed out, magnesium and zinc deficiency occurs. After some time, the body tends to go into a state of mineral starvation, a minimum of deficient substances is used and only for the most necessary. As a result, caries, rickets, arthritis, osteoporosis, anemia occur, vision deteriorates, skin dries and wrinkles, nails and hair deteriorate, and gray hair appears.
There is no need to completely eliminate phytic acid consumption; it is enough to keep its level within acceptable limits. Phytates in acceptable doses are useful.
Benefits of phytates
The human body synthesizes phytic acid when necessary. Phytates, phytins, and decay products are used in neurotransmitters and hormones. Among the effects of phytic acid: hypoglycemic, immunostimulating, antioxidant.
Industrial phytic acid as an additive E-391 is prohibited in the food industry, but is allowed in pharmaceuticals and medicine. Phytic acid is used to treat nervous disorders, vascular hypotension, anemia, dyspepsia, smoothes scars and wrinkles, has a lifting effect, optimizes the sebaceous glands, cleanses and brightens the skin, relieves inflammation of problem skin, neutralizes carcinogens and free radicals, suppresses cancer tumors.
Norm of phytic acid
There is a scientific answer to the question of how much phytic acid is acceptable to consume per day: 30 – 800 mg. If the food of a healthy person is rich in nutrients, vitamins C, D, A, fermented milk products, fermented vegetables, then 400 – 800 mg is acceptable.
Content of phytic acid
Average content of phytic acid in “phytic” products fluctuates from 0.06 to 12.5%:
- White polished rice – 0.06 – 1.08%
- Cashews (nuts) – 0.1 – 5.0%
- Macadamia (nuts) – 0.15 – 2.6%
- Pecans (nuts) – 0.18 – 4.5%
- Split peas – 0.2 – 1.2%
- Lentils – 0.2 – 1.5%
- Millet – 0.2 – 1.7%
- Pistachios (nuts) – 0.2 – 2.83%
- Peanuts – 0.2 – 4.5 %
- Walnuts – 0.2 – 6.7 %
- White wheat flour – 0.27 %
- Chickpeas – 0.3 – 1.8 %
- Sunflower seeds (seeds) – 0.35 – 9.4 %
- Pearl barley (groats) – 0.38 – 1.2 %
- Wheat (grain) – 0.39 – 1.35 %
- Quinoa – 0.5 – 0.54 %
- Oatmeal – 0.5 – 1.2 %
- Rye (grain) – 0.6 – 1.5 %
- Beans – 0.6 – 2.3 %
- Corn (grain) – 0.7–2.2 %
- Soybeans – 1.0–2.2 %
- Whole wheat flour – 1.35 %
- Sesame (seed) – 1.4–5.4 %
- Flax (seed) – 2.1 – 2.8 %
- Rice bran – 2.8 – 9 %
- Pumpkin seeds – 4.2 – 4.3 %
- Brown rice – 12.5 %
The actual percentage varies depending on the variety, climate conditions, soil characteristics, the amount of phosphate-containing fertilizers and other factors.
Decrease in percentage f.c.
Simple soaking for a period of several hours to a day allows you to significantly reduce the percentage of f.c. In addition, phytase, and accordingly, the percentage of f.c., is activated by germination and fermentation. Roasting and baking destroy phytic acid more effectively than boiling.
Nuts are not fermented or boiled, but they are not systematically consumed in large quantities. However, if consumed in large quantities, they should also be soaked with rye, wheat or buckwheat and, possibly, dried in the oven or fried.
But legumes should always be soaked. This is necessary to reduce the concentration of f.c. and the breakdown of polysaccharides, which are the cause of gas formation. The main “legume” polysaccharide raffinose consists of fructose, glucose and, mainly, galactose. The small intestine absorbs raffinose minimally. The first two simple carbohydrates are absorbed easily. Digestion of galactose is difficult due to an insufficient amount of the necessary enzymes, in particular alpha-galactosidase. At the same time, galactose in nature is often found in the form of lactose, glycosides, cerebrosides, keratan sulfates and polysaccharides (raffinose, gum, mucus, galactan, stachyose, pectin, hemicellulose, melibiose). However, due to an unbalanced diet, dysbacteriosis and dysbiosis, gastrointestinal diseases, inflammation, enzyme deficiency and poor microbiome, a person is not able to effectively digest galactose. In such cases, the bulk of galactose enters the large intestine, where the anaerobic intestinal microflora feeds on galactose, simultaneously producing gases. At temperatures above 60 °C, the processes of phytase destruction begin. Thus, for maximum destruction of phytic acid, the processes of leavening and fermentation should take place at a temperature of 40 – 55 °C.
Whole grain sourdough bread
As for the harm or benefit of whole grain bread, if it is prepared correctly and there is no negative reaction to gluten, it can be eaten. Whole grain rye bread (with added wheat flour) with normal fermentation time contains natural vitamins B1, B2, B3 (PP), B4, B5, B6, B9, B12, E, H, biologically available minerals Mg, K, Mg, Mo, Fe, P, Na, Cu, I, Al, Zn, S, fermented fiber, 8-10% proteins, 40-50% carbohydrates with a minimum of phytates. Among the advantages of whole grain sourdough bread: easy digestibility, safety for intestinal microflora, low calorie content (about 150-200 kcal per 100 grams).
If it is necessary to increase the amount of easily accessible carbohydrates in the diet, such bread is the best option. Some athletes saturate their diet with fast carbohydrates during certain periods of the training process. Among such products: corn syrup, starch, popcorn, puffed rice, table sugar, jams and preserves, ice cream, candy, chocolate, cakes, pastries, cookies, buns, pies, muffins, bagels, buns, baguettes, white bread, other baked goods made from wheat flour, confectionery, branded muesli, cornflakes, carbonated sweet, tonic and energy drinks, juices, as well as fast food and various cooked goods. Whole grain rye bread with sourdough (possibly with the addition of wheat flour) can successfully replace unhealthy flour products without harm to health. The glycemic index of rye bread (30% rye flour) is 60-65, which is close to pearl barley, jasmine and long-grain rice, millet and pasta, and sprouted grain bread, or whole grain sourdough bread, has a glycemic index of 30-40 and effectively reduces the desire to eat sweets and flour. Baking whole grain sourdough rye bread at home is not difficult.
Phytate balance
We should not forget that food with phytates is extremely rich in trace elements and minerals. The question is how to neutralize phytic acid as much as possible. The so-called phytate balance occurs if phytates are received by no more than 30-40% of all phosphorus received with food. Losses of microelements and minerals will be minimized, or even absorption will prevail, if enough calcium, phosphorus, vitamins A, D and C, fats and fermented products are supplied with food. Such conditions will balance up to 800 mg of phytates. It is recommended to maintain the intake of phytic acid with food at a level of 150 – 200 mg.
Considering that one kilogram of oats, barley, wheat, peas, peanuts and many other products on average contains 600 – 800 mg of phytates at 3000 – 4000 kcal, you can set the following conditions. Maximum per 1000 kcal – 200 mg of phytates, preferably 50 mg.
For example, with a BJU of 30/30/40 and a caloric content of 2000 kcal, carbohydrates account for 800 kcal. This is an average of 200-250 grams of dry cereals, which corresponds to 150-200 mg of phytic acid. At the same time, other products may also contain phytates. But it is possible to easily neutralize about half of the phytic acid in the following ways: soaking, fermentation, pickling, heat treatment.
If you use some tricks, the quality of phytic acid neutralization will increase almost twice. This will significantly increase the digestibility of amino acids, vitamins, phosphorus, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and many other macro- and micronutrients from food.
Phytase manipulation
Activation of the phytase enzyme also occurs during digestion. The presence of vitamins A, C, D in the diet, high-quality chewing, and healthy microflora can help destroy a significant portion of phytic acid. The breakdown of phytic acid (from 30 to 70%) in the gastrointestinal tract directly depends on the presence of live activated phytases in a given meal. Eating fermented milk products and pickled vegetables will enrich this meal with live activated phytases and lactobacilli resistant to acidic environments.
It is advisable to use the phytase activity of rye, wheat and buckwheat, combining them with products that have a high content of phytic acid and low phytase activity. For example, eat brown rice or millet together with sprouted buckwheat or wheat, or ferment chickpeas together with a small amount of rye.
Rye, wheat and buckwheat are famous for their high phytase activity. Adding a portion of phytase-active sprouted seeds to a meal, or when soaking and fermenting, cansignificantly improve the quality and speed of phytic acid breakdown. The optimal method is to remove phytic acid from legumes and cereals during fermentation using rye or wheat sourdough at a temperature of 40 – 55 °C. A similar effect when consuming cereals, legumes, nuts and seeds is achieved by simultaneously consuming live kefir, yogurt, kvass, wine and fermented vegetables.
If the amount of phytates cannot be reduced to acceptable levels, it is advisable to saturate the diet with proteins, vitamins, minerals (especially P, Ca, Fe, Mg, Zn). In particular, it is worth paying attention to the phosphorus content in other food products, excluding cereals, legumes and nuts, per 100 grams of product: hard cheeses (694 – 390 mg), red granular caviar (490 mg), black granular caviar (465 mg), pollock caviar (230 mg), beef liver (314 mg), mackerel (280 mg), herring (280 mg), horse mackerel (260 mg), meat (130 – 200 mg), cottage cheese (220 mg – 189 mg), quail egg (218 mg), chicken egg (192 mg), dried apricots (146 mg), raisins (129 mg), horseradish root (130 mg).
“Trained” microbiome
People with healthy intestinal microflora are easier cope with the processing of phytic acid. But few can boast of such microflora. Microflora is suppressed by alcohol, sugar, trans fats, antibiotics (in meat, milk), synthetic dyes, stabilizers, preservatives, flavor enhancers and other food additives. Microflora suffers from dysbacteriosis and dysbiosis, gastrointestinal diseases, inflammation. Improper and unbalanced nutrition has a destructive effect on the microbiome.
Few human organisms are able to produce phytase in sufficient quantities to eat only food with a high phytate content every day. Mice can only eat whole grains because they are able to produce 30 times more phytase than humans. Gut health and a balanced microbiome open up the possibility of taking the digestion of cereals, legumes and nuts to a whole new level. To take the first step in the issue of proper balanced nutrition, we recommend download FatSecret on an Android tablet or smartphone, iPhone, iPad, other mobile devices.