Food Freedom Friday Edition 257 - Plants: The Dark Side
Did you know that most plant foods have anti-nutrients?
Anti-nutrients are found in grains, legumes, beans, nuts, plant roots, vegetables, leaves and fruits. These are compounds that essentially protect the plants from bacterial infections and from being eaten by bugs. Since plants can’t run from predators, anti-nutrients are essentially a plant’s self-defence mechanism.
The bigger concern is that these anti-nutrients affect the absorption of nutrients from other foods eaten at the same time. There is no exact science to figure out how many nutrients are lost with anti-nutrient foods. The answer will also vary on the individual as well as how the food is prepared.
Not all anti-nutrients are bad, as long as they are consumed moderately and prepared appropriately.
Common anti-nutrients (that you might even think are health-promoting) include:
Polyphenols
Polyphenols known as phytochemicals are anti-nutrients that are touted for their health benefits. Dark chocolate, flaxseed meal, cocoa powder and many fruits and vegetables contain polyphenol compounds. Polyphenols may have some health benefits, such as possible body weight regulation and decreasing blood pressure, but there are studies on high doses of polyphenols causing kidney damage, tumor development and altered thyroid hormone production.
Flavonoids
Flavonoids are part of the polyphenol family. They are found in tea, coffee and some whole plants. Whilst it is well known that there are benefits to drinking green tea and some perks with coffee consumption, even these “good” flavonoids do inhibit mineral absorption. They can be relatively harmless as long as you are mindful not to overconsume.
Gluten
Gluten is a group of seed storage proteins found in cereal grains. Although, strictly speaking, "gluten" pertains only to wheat proteins, this term is frequently used to refer to the combination of prolamin and glutelin proteins naturally occurring in other grains.Common sources of gluten include wheat (wheatberries, durum, emmer, semolina, spelt, farina, farro, graham, KAMUT® khorasan wheat and einkorn), rye, barley and triticale – a cross between wheat and rye.
Gluten causes gut distress for many as it is one of the most difficult plant proteins to digest. Almost everyone does better without gluten.
Phytic Acid (Phytates)
Phytic acid is primarily found in whole grains, legumes, seeds and some nuts. Phytic acid can decrease the absorption of iron, zinc, magnesium, copper, phosphorous and calcium. Studies show that 80% of zinc-rich foods (cashews, chickpeas), 80% of phosphorous-rich foods (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds) and 40% of magnesium-rich foods (spinach, almonds, avocado) can be blocked by phytates.
Research has shown that less phytic acid in porridge (oatmeal) improves iron absorption. If you are eating it yourself, or feeding your child oatmeal, try to swap it outl for some soft protein or fat as this may be a contributing factor to iron deficiency (anemia). Phytic acid added to white-bread has been shown to inhibit magnesium absorption.
Lectins
Lectins are found in legumes (beans, peanuts, soybeans) and whole grains (wheat). They can interfere with nutrient digestion and absorption of calcium, iron, phosphorous and zinc. Lectins are notorious for surviving GI tract digestion. They can then penetrate cell lining in the digestive tract and cause damage to gut epithelial cells and membrane lining, change bacterial flora and trigger autoimmune reactions.
An immune response from lectin can look like hives, rashes and joint pain.
Oxalates
Oxalates are found in green leafy vegetables (spinach), sesame seeds, teas, and soybeans. Oxalates can bind to calcium and iron and prevent them from being absorbed. Oxalates are enzyme inhibitors that can prevent proper digestion, cause gut problems and protein deficiencies. Enzymes create chemical reactions in the body that help support your body in functioning properly and efficiently. Enzymes are especially important in the digestive process. Without the enzymes to properly metabolize food, you may experience gastro-intestinal issues can occur, including bloating and constipation.
Tannins
Tannins are similar to oxalates as they are also enzyme inhibitors. Tannins are found in teas, coffees, wines and legumes. They can interfere with iron absorption.
Saponins
Saponins are found in legumes (green lentils) and whole grains. They can interfere with normal nutrient absorption (iron, zinc) and similar to lectins, can affect the GI lining, causing leaky gut and autoimmune responses.
(You may have begun to notice a pattern with regards to anti-nutrients and grains and legumes…)
Glucosinolates
Glucosinolates are found in cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts) and can interfere with the absorption of iodine, which can then interfere with thyroid function. You may be more susceptible if you have hypothyroidism or are iodine deficient.
Solanine
Solanine is found in nightshades (potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes, peppers). For some, these can cause inflammatory bowel disease and autoimmune conditions. Others may feel a slight feeling of poisoning. (nausea, throat burning, headaches, etc.) Not everyone is adversely affected by nightshades. You can learn more about nightshades and decide for yourself, in my previous post
Trypsin Inhibitors
Trypsin inhibitors are found in grain products (cereals, porridge, baby foods). Studies show that heat can remove some of the trypsin inhibitors but these foods can cause mineral deficiencies in infants, children and people with pancreatic disease.
Isoflavones
Isoflavones are another polyphenol antinutrient and found in soybeans. Isoflavones are classified as phytoestrogens as they can have estrogen-like effects. They are endocrine disruptors, causing adverse effects to hormone regulation and hormone changes. Soy isoflavones consumption have been linked to a higher risk of breast cancer here along with an increase in other disease risks.
You may be wondering what is left to eat..
The first time I read about anti-nutrients, I also felt a little disheartened, thinking there’s nothing left to eat.
Reducing Your Anti-Nutrient Load.
1. Avoid grains and legumes. Please stop the oatmeal — especially with kids!
2. Food preparation is critical.
Soaking and sprouting foods and boiling vegetables can remove some of the anti-nutrients. Not all anti-nutrients will be removed but proper food preparation will you’re your body absorb more of the nutrients. There are numerous resources available to learn about soaking and sprouting legumes, grains and seeds, preparing phytates and optimal ways to cook vegetables.
Something important to note is vegetables are best consumed cooked as opposed to raw. This may seem counter-intuitive, but nutrient availability and absorption are increased with cooking!
3. Try not to consume too many anti-nutrients at once. This may require breaking up the foods into different meals
4. Eat anti-nutrients separate from meals. For example, drink tea between meals to reduce iron being poorly absorbed or take a calcium supplement a few hours before eating phytates.
5. Figure out the foods your body has an intolerance to, like nightshades. Taking the Coca Pulse Test will give you. Good idea of which foods are inflammatory for your body:
How to perform the Coca Pulse test:
· Be in a calm, relaxed state.
· Take the test on an empty stomach (2 hours)
· Take your pulse for a full minute (manual is best). This is your baseline.
· Take a bite of food (e.g., wheat bread), chew it, taste it for 30 seconds. DO NOT SWALLOW. Keep in it your mouth.
· With the food still in your mouth, take your pulse for another full minute.
· If your pulse increases by 6 points or more, this likely indicates a stressful reaction to the food being tested. (read: you probably have a sensitivity to the food in question)
· Spit out food, rinse mouth and repeat steps with other foods.
· Wait at least 2 minutes for your pulse to reach baseline.
When discussing anti-nutrients, the goal is not you from eating plant foods. That is an informed decision you need to make on your own. It is, however, important to bring awareness to some nutritional areas that may challenge your status quo. It is a fact that there are anti-nutrients in all plants, including vegetables. It is also a fact that a high oxalate (spinach, nuts) diet causes kidney stones.
It is important for you to learn as much as you can on any topic and make your own informed decision based on your research, your understanding of the matter and your personal experiences. Figuring out what works best for you and your family is always the best route to take. Nothing’s set in stone and you can always make shifts and changes as necessary.