Phytic acid in products: benefits, harms, applications and reviews

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Recently, in various sources, you can hear the expression: "A knife in the back of vegans." What does this mean and how is it related to phytic acid? First of all, we note that this applies exclusively to food. No ideological or other views are taken into account.

People on a particular diet, who call themselves vegans, have foods containing a substance called phytic acid as their main food source. The attitude of specialists towards it is becoming increasingly negative. Learn more about why in the article.

How phytic acid works

Many have long heard that whole grains, raw nuts and seeds, bran and legumes are the key to a he althy diet. But recently a completely different opinion has begun to appear.

The fact is that these and some other products contain phytic acid. This substance blocks phosphorus, calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium. Phosphorus is known to be essential for bones and teeth. Contained in plant products, it is stored inside phytic acid, due to which it becomes inaccessible to humans. Besides,phytic acid interferes with the work of enzymes such as trypsin and pepsin, which are used to digest food.

Of course, the above does not mean at all that you need to abandon these products forever. Moreover, these provisions are not fully proven, and scientists are still arguing about what effect phytic acid has. Benefit and harm are interpreted in two ways. For the time being, we will consider the point of view, the adherents of which oppose the substance.

Food content

The vast amount of phosphorus found in the foods mentioned above is mostly phytic, meaning it cannot be absorbed. If phytic acid is found in high amounts in the diet, it reacts with calcium, resulting in the creation of insoluble chelates. Thus, such important trace elements as fluorine and calcium are lost by the body. In addition, it is known that a large percentage of other important substances - magnesium and zinc are absorbed much better without this acid.

In addition to the type of plant, the content of phytic acid depends on both the place and the method of cultivation. For example, it is much more abundant when grown with a high percentage of phosphate fertilizers.

Most of all it is in bran and seeds. Therefore, the benefits of oat bran are put under a big question mark. If cocoa beans are not fermented, then they also contain large amounts of phytic acid. In food, the table below gives the exact numbers.

Harm

Unfortunately, a growing body of evidence suggests that diets high in phytic acid cause mineral deficiencies in the body. Thus, diseases such as osteoporosis and rickets are common among those who consume a lot of cereals.

If such a diet continues for a long time, then the metabolism slows down. Mineral starvation begins. For an adult, the process is not as critical as for a child. In a growing body, such nutrition is fraught with poor development of the skeletal system, short stature, unhe althy teeth, narrow jaws, and also leads to anemia and even mental retardation.

Research and experiments

The fact that phytic acid has such an effect was demonstrated in the middle of the last century by Edward Wellanby. He was able to prove that highly phytic cereals disrupt the development of the skeletal system and the metabolism of vitamin D, resulting in rickets. But vitamin D can neutralize the acid to some extent.

Experiments have shown that whole grains, compared to white rice and unbleached flour, have more minerals. But they also contain more phytic acid.

On the other hand, it has been proven that if ascorbic acid is added at the same time, it will significantly reduce the harmful effects of phytic acid.

Later, already in 2000, a number of studies were also carried out, during which otherfactors that neutralize the harm of acid. Iron, together with keratin and vitamin A, creates a complex that does not allow itself to be absorbed by phytic acid.

Phytase to help he alth

Plant products containing the substance we are considering also contain one that neutralizes the action, releasing phosphorus. It was named phytase.

It is thanks to phytase that ruminants do not have problems with phytic acid. This substance is contained in their body, in one of the sections of the stomach. In those animals that have one stomach, phytase is also produced. But its number is several times less than that of the first. But in this sense, mice are very lucky: they have thirty times more phytase compared to humans. That is why mice can eat cereals in large quantities with little or no harm to themselves.

But the human body in a he althy state has lactic acid bacterium lactobacili and other microorganisms that are capable of producing phytase. Therefore, even if a lot of foods containing phytic acid are consumed, neutralization occurs due to these microorganisms, making food safe.

Germination

Phytase has been proven to come from sprouting, reducing phytic acid. Soaking in an acidic and warm liquid is also very beneficial, such as when making sourdough bread.

Before, before agriculture was developed on an industrial scale, farmers soaked grain in hot water, and thenfed them to animals.

But not all grains contain the required amount of phytase. For example, its amount is insufficient in oats, millet and brown rice. Therefore, phytic acid in oatmeal, millet and rice porridge, when regularly consumed in large quantities, according to some scientists, can adversely affect he alth. But in wheat and rye, phytase is much higher. And if these two cereals are still soaked and fermented, then phytic acid will not be able to cause harm, as it will simply disappear completely.

It is noteworthy that at a temperature of 80 degrees under normal conditions and at 55-65 degrees in a humid environment, phytase will collapse very quickly. Therefore, it is better to give up extruded whole grain bread if you do not want to get digestive problems.

It contains little in oats, and when heated, it completely loses its activity. However, for its destruction, even grinding at high speed is enough. There is more phytase in fresh flour than in one that has stood for several months.

How to neutralize phytic acid

To activate phytase and reduce the presence of phytonic acid, heat treatment alone is not enough. Be sure to soak cereals or legumes in an acidic environment. This combination can then eliminate most phytates.

Let's look at how this is done with a specific example of quinoa or quinoa.

If you boil the product for 25 minutes, then 15-20% of the acid will decrease.

When soaking from 12 to 24 hours at a maintained temperature of 20 degrees and then boiling will leave60-77%.

If you carry out fermentation with whey from 16 to 18 hours, maintaining a temperature of 30 degrees, and then boil the product, the percentage of purification will increase to 82-88.

By soaking for half a day, sprouting for 30 hours, lacto-fermentation for 16 to 18 hours and then boiling for 25 minutes, phytic acid will be eliminated by 97-98%.

Both soaking and sprouting are excellent in removing the substance, but not able to get rid of it completely. For example, with a content of 57% in barley, wheat and green beans, sprouting will be more effective than roasting.

This is the best way to reduce the phytic acid content of legumes, but not completely. For example, after 5 days of germination, almost 50% of it will remain in lentils, 60% in chickpeas, and 25% in black-eyed beans.

The process will be more efficient if the germination is carried out at a high temperature. So, in millet, 92% will collapse. Well, at normal temperatures, this procedure is a good preparatory step for getting rid of the harmful substance as much as possible.

Roasting

Phytic acid is already present in much smaller quantities after processing. But it will be better if you soak the product first with the one where there is additional phytase, even before the start of the heat treatment.

Soaking

In corn, soybeans, millet and sorghum, when soaked for a day, the acid content will decrease by 40-50%. In cereals and legumes - by 16-20%.

For cereals that contain a large amount of phytase (this is a rye and wheat product), it is best to make a sourdough. In just four hours, about 60% of the acid will leave wheat flour at 33 degrees. Sourdough bran for 8 hours will reduce its content by 45%. And if you ferment on sourdough for 8 hours, then there will be no phytic acid left in whole grain bread at all.

Experiments have shown that if industrial yeast is used in home baking, the effect will be much less successful. For example, only 22 to 58% of phytin will be eliminated in whole grain bread with yeast.

The norm of the content of phytic acid in products

Of course, you don't have to cut out phytic acid products completely. The main thing is to understand how you can reduce its content, and do it. Then phytic acid in food will remain at an acceptable level.

It is interesting that in the diets of different countries the norm of the content of this substance is different:

• in America is 631 mg;
• in Britain - 764 mg;
• in Finland - 370 mg;
• in Sweden - 180 mg.

If the diet contains foods high in vitamins A, C, D, as well as calcium, high-quality fats and lacto-fermented vegetables, then he alth is usually normal. For a person in good he alth, the content of the substance is acceptable in the range of 400-800 mg. Those who have decayed teeth and deteriorated bones, its consumption should be brought toup to 150-400 mg.

A he althy diet should contain no more than 2-3 servings of meals prepared correctly from foods that contain phytic acid. If you use them daily, they will benefit the body. But if such foods become the main food, then this can cause he alth problems.

Benefits of Phytic Acid

To be fair, we need to consider the other side of the issue. It cannot be said that phytic acid is the only problem. Benefit and harm in it for a person accompany each other.

In industry, phytic acid is used as a nutritional supplement of plant origin, called E391. In the field of medicine, it is added to the medicine for the treatment of the nervous system and liver.

Even in cosmetology, the substance has found its application as a cleansing procedure - peeling. Raw materials are obtained in this case from the cake of wheat grains. Peeling not only effectively exfoliates the skin, but also fights pigmentation and inflammation. At the same time, the skin does not even have irritations inherent in this procedure carried out with other drugs.

Until recently, acid was actively added in the manufacture of alcohol to purify products from iron. But when works about the dangers of the substance appeared, they decided to abandon it.

Conclusion

Today, phytic acid in products causes very mixed opinions. The table in the article will help you figure out how to reduce its content in food before eating.

Worth itIt should be noted that at present, only we ourselves can provide ourselves with a he althy diet. Therefore, decide how important it is for you and whether it is worth doing slow but proper cooking.