Phytic Acid
Who doesn´t love a good warm bowl of ethnic food pulse-grain
centered with some good spices, veggies in a cold day? Maybe it doesn´t have to be a cold day, maybe every other day or couple times a day? It´s common for certain people to eat a grain or pulse dish 2-3 times a day, maybe more if you take in to consideration the wide range of foods with a grain, seed or pulse as a main ingredient or derived from one, and what is wrong with that? Well debatable as it might be let´s try to focus and discuss a specific phyto-component which lately I came across though we might hear of it really never cared about it. Yet as of short, some recent studies have uncovered the extreme complexity of this component and it´s relevance to our health, let´s take a look
This so controversial component is phytic acid, known also with a more familiar name IP6 (insolitol hexakisphosphate) or phytate when in salt form. IP6 you might recognize this name from a certain hype build around it a couple years back, where it was marketed as a powerful cellular protector. Where it was claimed enhanced natural killer cells and chelated reactive iron halting hydroxyl free radicals, among many other claims. Most notably was the source of most of the IP6 in the markets, Rice bran! So even though it´s interesting to know we can find a source of cellular health with amazing claims obtained from rice bran, how does that affect us in general on a day to day basis? Well for one phytic acid is a quite ubiquitous substance present in nearly most vegetables, some fruits, nearly all seeds, nuts, grains and pulses. Knowing that we might be consuming this substance nearly every day, sometimes a couple times a day makes things more interesting doesn´t it?
What makes this substance so abundant in nature is the fact that plants utilize this form as a sink or storage form for the element phosphorus. 
This essential micronutrient which metabolizes in to the structural framework of ATP, RNA, DNA and Phospholipids the later one form all cell membranes, calcium phosphates salts assists in stiffening bones. Though generally not available for non-ruminants, given the lack of the essential digestive enzyme required for the hydrolization of the complexes in order to separate the phosphorus from the phytate molecule. Other molecules, ph ranges, acids, phytonutrients and anti-nutrients found in the vast diversity and complexity of nature allow for plants to protect themselves from being eaten completely, prematurely, from out competing other varieties of flora, attracting pollinators, defending from pests etc. Phytic acid plays a role in the development and health of the plant, constituting 1 to 5% by weight, concern about its presence in food arises from evidence that it decreases the bioavailability of many essential minerals by interacting with multivalent cations and/or proteins to form complexes that may be insoluble or otherwise unavailable under physiologic conditions.
It forms fairly stable chelates with almost all multivalent cations which are insoluble about pH 6 to 7, although pH, type, and concentration of cation have a tremendous influence on their solubility characteristics. In addition, at low pH and low cation concentration, phytate-protein complexes are formed due to direct electrostatic interaction, while at pH > 6 to 7, a ternary phytic acid-mineral-protein complex is formed which dissociates at high Na+ concentrations. These complexes appear to be responsible for the decreased bioavailability of the complexed minerals and are also more resistant to proteolytic digestion at low pH. Development of methods for producing low-phytate food products must take into account the nature and extent of the interactions between phytic acid and other food components.
Thus a strong argument is being collected, trying to discredit the nutritional roles certain foods most notably legumes and grains
, centering more directly on wheat. Play in our current diets though these studies have been corroborated with other studies in Mexico and China, signaling phytic acid as a primary component in the intervention of bioavailability of minerals, niacin and certain proteins by forming complexes through chelating.
Being it as it may, before we all jump on the ¨wheat-hating¨ bandwagon or ¨all legume, grain-hating¨ one for that fact lets consider the following. First of all if we are to completely eliminate phytic acid or similar components out of our diet, we would be limiting out choices to a handful at the most, the component is very abundant in nature as previously stated. Here below is a list of common foods and their relative amount of Phytic acid in the product
Sesame Seed 5.36-5.38%
Brazil Nut 1.98-6.34%
Almond 1.48-3.22%
Tofu 1.46-2.90%
Linseed 2.15-2.78%
Bean Pinto 2.38-2.38%
Soy protein 1.24-2.47%
Soy Bean 1.00-2.22%
Corn 0.75-2.22%
Peanuts 1.05-1.76%
Wheat Flour 0.25-1.35%
Oat 0.42-1.16%
Brown Rice 0.84-0.99%
Polished Rice 0.14-0.60%
Chickpeas 0.56-0.56%
Lentils 0.44-0.50%
NOTE all this percentages are based on minimum to maximum dry weight volumes. sources REDDY, N. R. and SATHE, S. K. (2002). Food Phytates. Boca Raton, CRC Press.
Another aspect to consider is where the phytic acid is found in the product in question, in cereals it´s mainly found in the husk and bran. So one might deduct that by simply removing or easier yet purchasing polished cereals we eliminate this problem, well not that easy not only do you eliminate the phytic acid component but along with it goes high volume of the fibers, minerals, vitamins and other nutrients. So the question arises if it´s worth eliminating this parts and compromising the integrity of the product because we might not assimilate the nutrients due to the phytic acid or eliminate the parts and all together eliminate an important source of nutrients? Good question……
It´s all in nature
Time and time again when we observe and be attentive to nature with admiration and reverence, obstacles tend to turn in to opportunities and blessings. As we might be very aware all legumes, seeds, grains, nuts in essence are seeds to be replanted though various means natural or human induced to propagate the variety. 
Even the very popular pseudo-grains like Quinoa, Amaranth, wild rice are actually seeds thus the biochemical alterations the seeds is exposed to when planted changes the chemical structure allowing for a shoot to come forth under right conditions. Thus we can deduct that germination changes an acid, nutrient-locked, enzyme paralyzed in to a relative PH neutral depending on variety, nutrient-unlocked, enzyme active food. With in the same example we acknowledge that in order to have germination we need key elemental components one being water, the essence of life. This leads us to the second obvious nature proven model of how to eliminate obstacles soaking through soaking the chemical processes are activated primarily through enzyme catalytic functions. This is a key process in germination, and it must be stated that germination by all accounts is the best way to really potentiate and reap the highest benefits out of your sproutable foods. Yet due to lack of knowledge, time, energy, will, space etc. we tend to not do it, making soaking the second best option, another way of viewing this is ¨sprouting cut short¨. The 3rd and potentially least understood and practiced method is the following, nature tends to have a way to attract animals (humans included) towards picking and eating the fruits thus making the seed exposable through the digestion of the meat of the fruit and once eliminated via defecation you have not only exposed the seed but also changed the chemical composition of it. As it passed along the GI track, digestive juices, enzymes, intestinal flora secretions , and different PH ranges influenced this change. Providing us with the first step of what we can expand to understand as fermentation, though no actual fermentation occurs given the process of digestion is uninterrupted or altered, the seed tends to be eliminated with out actual fermentation taking place. Possibly understanding this principle past cultures such as Japanese, Koreans, Chinese, Finnish and other began fermenting their grains. The most current widely accepted form of fermentation is lacto-fermentation(Lactic acid bacterium induced).
Potential health benefits
Though many claims are being made as we previously stated about IP6, no actual concrete evidence which links this component solely, directly and effectively with any of the related claims. Though it is in effect an active antioxidant in plants, from which it is considered a phytochemical. Phytochemicals of the nature of pigments (lycopene, carotenoids) polyphenols (flavonoids, tannins, etc.) are widely recognized and furthered studied in depth to provide a more concrete evidence of their health benefits. From this we can conclude that much the same way other phytochemicals benefit our health, so can phytic acid. The extend and the form this benefit can occur is yet to be determined with more precision. Other interesting considerations is the release of inositol though not an essential nutrient, great potential is being experienced with depressed patients and other psychiatric disorders. Acting as a secondary messenger in cells, nerve guidance, intracellular calcium concentration control, gene expression, serotonin modulation etc. All in all phytic acid is not our enemy trying to deprive us of our much required nutrients, it serves it´s purposed when in the right conditions.
On another note provided pH and other environmental conditions are favorable. Phytic acid can also influence certain functional properties such as pH-solubility profiles of the proteins and the cookability of the food.
What now?
Ok we are aware of the polar opposite characteristics of this component, now what? Well for one you don´t have to stop eating all the foods with phytic acid for one you will end up eating pretty much close to nothing (mainly fruits unless you repress the inhibition factors though one of the 3 processes explained earlier). Given that it is present in almost everything, now a day it is even present in meats (farmed fish included), since they are being feed phytic acid rich untreated grains.
Cooking tends to reduce the phytic acid contents but also everything else worth ingesting as well, industrial processes are starting to look in to mechanical, enzyme, chemical, gene manipulation and other techno-fixes in the attempt to lower phytic acid from commercial mass consumed foods. I believe the answer lay in the natural processes and the multiple interactions which can be encountered in the growing, processing, preparation, mixing and ingestion of the product.
More research has yet to be carried out in order to clearly state where phytic acid stands though I personally don´t agree in jumping in to a premature conclusion and defaming the component and the foods it is part of. Rather if we put in to practice the most efficient methods of eliminating the inhibiting effects of the component from our foods, we are as closely as currently known to harnessing the nutrients from them. Rather than concluding on phytic acid being natures warning to stay away I think is one of natures processes by which it emerges, and one which can provide us with nutrients if proper managing of the product at hand is applied.
REFERENCES
http://www.thepaleodiet.com/articles/Cereal%20article.pdf
http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/botanytextbooks/economicbotany/Amaranthus/index.html
http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/History/2006/Projects/J0523.pdf
http://www.phytochemicals.info/phytochemicals/phytic-acid.php
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_255/ai_n6211958/
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