Corn contains phytic acid that makes it difficult to absorb iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium in the corn. In fact, iron is particularly poorly absorbed in corn. There are simple kitchen preparation techniques you can use to reduce the phytic acid in your grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. You will find such discussions peppered around…
Monthly Archives: February 2010
Grains and phytic acid: Soak, sprout, ferment?
Do grains have phytic acid (phytates) and should we care? Generally speaking, grains have high levels of phytic acid, a substance that reduces our absorption of minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc, and magnesium. As an example, compare the milligrams of phytic acid in grains to a random collection of other foods. (This is a…
Almonds and phytic acid / phytates
Do almonds have high levels of phytic acid or phytates? Should we care? Nuts and seeds as a class tend to be high in phytic acid, a substance that reduces your ability to absorb the minerals in the mineral-rich nuts and seeds. Almonds are no exception. From a 1987 review article by Harland and Oberleas,…
Cornflakes and phytic acid
I know people love corn flakes and do not want to give them up. Someone sheepishly emailed me asking if cornflakes have high levels of phytic acid / phytates. The reader is concerned about phytic acid because it can interfere with your body's absorption of important body-building minerals. Typically, corn is pretty high in phytic…
Phytic acid in nuts
Do nuts have high levels of phytic acid / phytates? Should we care? Nuts and seeds as a class tend to be high in phytates which reduce your ability to absorb the minerals in the mineral-rich nuts and seeds. The only exception I have seen is chestnuts. From a 1987 review article by Harland and…
Phytic acid / phytates in whole wheat
Whole wheat is high in phytic acid, a fact that has made devotees of Sally Fallon (author of Nourishing Traditions) diligently soak their grains or choose options like oatmeal. Fallon recommends soaking grains, legumes, and nuts to reduce the phytic acid in the food and increase your absorption of key dietary minerals. Fallon lit the…
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Amanda Rose, Ph.D., is a political scientist and author of "Rebuild from Depression," on the link between nutrient deficiencies and depression. Her own zinc deficiency led to a keen interest in phytic acid, a component in grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds that inhibits our digestion of zinc and other minerals. A thorough examination of kitchen remedies for phytic acid is in the Phytic Acid White Paper. -
