Blog

2

someone posted this question improperly, though I think it would be good to ponder

edited original question: Let's say I eat consume 1500 mg of phytic acid. How much will this phytic acid decrease mineral absorption in my gut? Percentages would be helpful. Also, let's say this is all I eat for 4 hours, and then I have another meal. How much phytic acid will remain from the previous meal that would bind up minerals from the new meal.

Now, I have been wondering if one had only two options: rice, whole grain or kamut pasta or similar or plain white pasta Of course alone more nutrients would come from the whole grains (what you can absorb) but...what about the rest of the meal, would it be better to forgoe those nutrients and fiber in exchange for the extra absorption of the other more nutritious foods. I live in Italy so often have this choice when we cannot avoid pasta for my duaghter when dining out. Of course with non paleo-dieters the trend is whole grain and fiber over white. I did read an interesting study (technical) about the very little additional nutrients that your body actually absorbs from whole grain bread versus white. So,I am thinking it would be better to put a nutritious sauce over white less-nutrient robbing pasta. Or am I dead wrong? Anyone have any input? kathi

flag

3 Answers

1

Wait, I don't get why you can't avoid pasta? Italy has meat and veggies last time I checked. They even know how to cook them. So I have my copy of Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking in front of me and there are about 300 consecutive pages of pretty much Paleo-friendly Italian recipes that involve eggs, seafood, every manner of terrestrial vertebrate (and their body parts), veggies and salads.

So I'm not sure why you can't just avoid pasta and polenta. And bread. And pizza. And risotto. Then you don't really have to worry about how much phytic acid is too much.

link|flag
This had to be said! – Jon Thoroddsen Mar 7 2011 at 23:14
Did you do your checking by visiting the resaurants or the internet? I very easily avoid pasta and in fact we don't have flour, bread, or any grains in the house. However, I can't very well hand over a cookbook to a restuarant now can I? When dining out in Italy, believe me vegetables are a rarity (generally potatoes) or a bowl of lettuce. I sometimes have to not be such a "hitler" when it comes to my daughter's diet. She gets tired of carpaccio, meat and more meat as well as never dining out. In fact, the restaurants THAT I KNOW don't offer much in the way of vegetables, we avoid. – Kathi Mar 8 2011 at 9:39
0

what's going here? this is strikingly similar. same "how harmful is phytic acid" question. same 1500mg example.

http://paleohacks.com/questions/26126/how-harmful-is-phytic-acid#axzz1Fq5tl1le

link|flag
1 
 The first question got ignored because it seemed to inflate eating fat and stuff that has phytic acid. I´m guessing the OP of this question would still like an answer, but is framing it more properly. I.e. in the context of eating pasta. – Jon Thoroddsen Mar 7 2011 at 0:34
um ok. who gave me a negative point? i think i have a valid question here. i could have flagged the answer, but i wanted others opinions first. the OP of this question is not the same OP of the other question, yet the question is word for word identical and then the text also contains a very similar example. if this isnt a duplicate of some kind, then i dunno what is. go figure. – Jack Kronk Mar 7 2011 at 15:23
Not me :-) I agree it is a (modified) copy, however then she adds her own context – Jon Thoroddsen Mar 7 2011 at 16:19
0

I guess I will go against the grain (no pun intended) and stick with white flour products when they can't be avoided.

From Weston A. Price foundation web site: Interestingly, his (Edward Mallanby) experiments showed that unbleached flour and white rice were less anti-calcifying than whole grains that contain more minerals but also were higher in phytic acid. Other experiments have shown that while whole grains contain more minerals, in the end equal or lower amounts of minerals are absorbed compared to polished rice and white flour. This outcome is primarily a result of the blocking mechanism of phytic acid, but may be secondarily the result of other anti-nutrients in grains

White rice and white bread are low-phytate foods because their bran and germ have been removed; of course, they are also devitalized and empty of vitamins and minerals. But the low phytate content of refined carbohydrate foods may explain why someone whose family eats white flour or white rice food products may seem to be relatively healthy and immune to tooth cavities while those eating whole wheat bread and brown rice could suffer from cavities, bone loss and other health problems.

http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/1893-living-with-phytic-acid.html

link|flag
Shame about the gluten and WGA though. – Travis Culp♦ Mar 7 2011 at 20:47
"But the low phytate content of refined carbohydrate foods may explain why someone whose family eats white flour or white rice food products may seem to be relatively healthy and immune to tooth cavities while those eating whole wheat bread and brown rice could suffer from cavities, bone loss and other health problems." That is a weird thing to read of WAPF of all places. I think you'd actually be hard pressed to find a family who eats white flour regularly that isn't plagued with dental problems. – RG73 Mar 7 2011 at 20:57

Your Answer

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.