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unbleached flour and white rice are less anti-calcifying Sprouting activates phytase, thus reducing phytic acid than whole grains that contain more minerals but also content.” The use of sprouted grains reduces the are higher in phytic acid. While whole grains contain —_ quantity of phytic acid in animal feed, with no significant more minerals, in the end equal or lower amounts of — reduction in nutritional value.” Soaking grains and flour minerals are absorbed in comparison with polished rice in an acid medium at a very warm temperature, as in the and white flour. This mineral depletion outcome is sourdough process, also activates phytase and reduces primarily a result of the blocking mechanism of phytic or even eliminates phytic acid. acid, but it may be secondarily the result of other anti- Before the advent of industrial agriculture, farmers nutrients in grains. typically soaked crushed grain in hot water before Thus, absorbable calcium from bone broths and raw feeding it to poultry and hogs. Today, feed dairy products, and vitamin D from certain animal fats, | manufacturers add phytase to grain mixes to get better can reduce the adverse effects of phytic acid. growth in their animals. Commercial phytases are Studies show that adding ascorbic acid can _ typically produced using recombinant DNA technology; significantly counteract inhibition of iron assimilation by for example, a bacterial phytase gene has recently been phytic acid,” and can significantly inserted into yeast for commercial counteract phytate inhibition from production. phytic acid in wheat.” One study Not all grains contain enough shows that anti-iron phytate levels in . phytase to eliminate the phytate, even rice are disabled by vitamin C in Interestingly, when properly prepared. For example, eee plished in 2000 indicates Mellanby's een oo hclant ohutace that both vitamin A and beta-carotene experiments show eliminate all the phytic acid they f I ith iron, keeping it tain. On the other hand, wheat soluble and preventing ‘the inhibitory that unbleached ond wwe contain high levels of shytase: effect o phytates on ven absorption.” flour and white wheat has 14 times more phytase than Here we have another reason to . . rice, and rye contains over twice as consume phytate-rich foods in the rice are less antl- much phytase as wheat.” Soaking or contex Hl a diet containing organ calcifying than souring these grains, when freshly meat and animal fats rich in 5 ground, in a warm environmen vitamin A, and fruits and whole grains that destroys all phytic acid. The high vegetables rich in carotenes. contain more eves of phytase in ne explain . why this grain is preferred as a The Phytase Enzyme minerals but also starter for sourdough breads. Phytase is destroyed by steam eat at about 176 degrees Fahrenheit [~80 degrees Celsius] in 10 minutes or less. In a wet solution, phytase is destroyed at 31-149°F [~55-65°C]|.*’ Thus eat processing, as in extrusion, Phytase is the enzyme that neutralises phytic acid and iberates the phosphorus. This enzyme co-exists in plant foods hat contain phytic acid. Ruminant animals such as cows, sheep and goats have no rouble with phytic acid because completely destroys phytase. phytase is produced by rumen Think of extruded "all-bran" micro-organisms. Monogastric animals produce cereal: it's very high in phytic acid, and all of its phytase phytase, although in far less a quantity. Mice produce 30 __is destroyed by processing. Extruded cereals made of imes more phytase than humans,” so they can be quite bran and whole grains are a recipe for digestive appy eating a raw whole grain diet. Therefore, data problems and mineral deficiencies! are higher in phytic acid. rom experiments with phytic acid using rodents cannot Phytase is present in small amounts in oats, but heat- be applied to humans. reating to produce oatmeal renders it inactive. In general, humans do not produce enough phytase to Even grinding a grain too quickly or at too high a consume large quantities of high-phytate foods safely on emperature destroys phytase, as does freezing and long a regular basis. However, probiotic lactobacilli and other — storage times. Freshly ground flour has a higher content species of endogenous digestive microflora can produce _ of phytase than does flour that has been stored.” In phytase.” Thus, people who have healthy digestion have raditional cultures, grain is generally ground fresh an easier time with foods containing phytic acid. before preparation. Weston Price found that mice fed Increased production of phytase by the gut microflora whole-grain flours that were not freshly ground did not explains why some people can adjust to a high-phytate —_ grow properly.” diet. Cooking is not enough to reduce phytic acid content. Interestingly, Mellanby's experiments show that unbleached calcifying than whole grains that contain more are higher in phytic acid. NEXUS ¢ 35 flour and white rice are less anti- minerals but also AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2010 www.nexusmagazine.com