Did you know that in addition to useful substances, some food also contains so-called antinutrients – substances that prevent the absorption of other ingredients that the food contains? Depending on their function, these antinutrients can have a beneficial or detrimental effect on health. Continue reading to learn more.
What are Antinutrients
Antinutrients are substances without nutritional value, of natural or artificial origin, which interfere with the absorption of essential nutrients from food and can reduce their utilization and cause unwanted effects. They are naturally synthesised in plants and can cause headaches, nausea, flatulence, rash and nutritional deficiency of certain nutrients. Antinutrients can be found in wheat, seeds, nuts and leafy greens.
The Main Antinutrients
The main antinutrients include:
- Phytates from wheat, nuts and seeds can interfere with the absorption and bioavailability of minerals such as iron, magnesium, zinc and calcium and reduce the functionality and digestibility of proteins and carbohydrates.
- Oxalates from spinach, kale and broccoli bind calcium, preventing its absorption in the intestines. Spinach is one of the well-known sources of oxalic acid, and the preparation on milk ensures the binding of calcium from milk with oxalate, which makes this calcium unusable by the body but at the same time solves the problem of oxalates that can cause stones in the body.
- Tannins from tea, wine, some fruits, and chocolate deactivate enzymes responsible for protein absorption. Plant tannins are one of the most important groups of antioxidant polyphenols that have numerous positive effects on health.
- Lectins are found in tomatoes, capsicum and eggplant. When a large amount of lectins is ingested, the intestinal wall becomes a preamble, which leads to symptoms of leaky gut.
- Saponins are toxic and can cause damage to red blood cells, enzyme inhibition and disruption of the thyroid gland. They are present in legumes, onion, garlic, oats, spinach and tea. Saponins have also been reported to have a wide range of biological activities such as haemolytic, pesticidal, antimicrobial, insecticidal, anthelmintic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, sedative and antitumor activities. They have positive effects on health, too, as they can decrease cholesterol and glucose in blood.
How to Reduce the Amount of Antinutrients in Food
Ways to reduce the amount of antinutrients in food include:
- Mechanical processing – Grinding the grain removes the outer layer from the grain, and reduces the amount of phytates;
- Soaking in water or a solution of baking soda or salt reduces the amount of phytates by 21&, tannins by 35%, and Phenols by 33%, but doesn’t affect the amount of lectins.
- Fermentation of wheat flour with L. Acidophilus culture at 37°C for 24 hours reduces the amount of polyphenols and phytates.
- Sprouting is one of the processes that achieves the greatest reduction in the amount of phytates.
- Cooking grains, legumes, and vegetables reduces the amount of phytates, tannins, oxalates and goitrogens.
Although antinutrients are harmful to health, some may also have health benefits. Their influence depends on the amount taken into the body. While the name antinutrient indicates something bad and undesirable, in moderate amounts, these substances do not pose danger to a healthy organism. People suffering from kidney and thyroid diseases should avoid eating foods that contain them.
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➥ DISCLAIMER: This post is not intended to replace medical treatment. The information provided is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.