Antinutrient foods can be part of "healthy foods". Foods that have antinutrients are foods that carry lectins, tannins, phytic acid, calcium oxalate, and protease inhibitors toxins that pull or block nutrients from the body.
"According to the Journal of Functional Foods, antinutrients is a term used to describe plant compounds traditionally considered harmful to health due to their potential to interfere with the absorption of essential nutrients."
For some, it is merely a chance of a gut ache, for people immune compromised it can be causing an over-activating of the immune or robbing essential nutrients that are vital for the body to heal. People with gut dysbiosis or kidney imbalance these things can create more pain. This is often why people may need higher doses of vitamins and minerals.
How these foods are prepared can impact how much of these toxins are in the foods. Most of these plants carry these toxins to protect them from you. They cause irritation and malnutrition this is how they fight back.
Preparing them correctly can help reduce the toxins. Glucosinolates if you freeze and boil/heat reduces this toxin in the plants. Lectins freezing or boiling/ heating reduces them. Oxalates are also a matter of cooking or soaking to help reduce oxalates. Phytates soaking helps them to release the acid. Saponins are also a matter of soaking that helps release the toxin. Tannins by eating it with foods that boost iron absorption like meats, vitamin C, chicken, or fish. I would say most foods can reduce toxins and improve absorption and gut health when they are fermented or sprouted. Remember things that do negative things can have benefits when used properly.
I wanted to discuss this topic because so many are blown away when they are eating something high in a nutrient yet they are still low. Certain foods can be robbing you and creating nutrient deficiencies making it so you need to work harder. Plus understanding that soaking and fermenting is a big process of helping out body get what it needs. This is also an important understanding of how companies create their supplements, if they are overheated or not processed right they are not depleted or don't have the nutrition we need so we can get benefits from it.
Properly preparing your food supports balance and the body's ability to get what it needs is high on the priority list. Often times with foods that carry these antinutrients we just need a low dose of them to get the stress benefits and that all can come down to how we properly prepare it and source it. Some of us need to avoid them until the gut and immune system are capable to use them properly.
Glucosinolates are in cruciferous veggies and can impact iodine and the thyroid. Benefits help with oxidative damage, stress, and inflammation.
Lectins are in beans and legumes, plus peanuts and soybeans, which impact mineral absorption. The benefits are protein that binds to sugar and antioxidants.
Oxalates are in greens, beans, nuts, and beetroot. These bind calcium pulling it out of the gut. Support heavy metal detoxification.
Phytates(phytic acid) grains, seeds, legumes, and nuts. Bind to minerals iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium. Benefits help reduce heavy metals and antioxidants.
Saponins Legumes and grains. Impact absorption. Benefits antioxidants.
Tannins tea, coffee, legumes. Impact absorption of Iron. The benefits are EGCG, they can also help the growth of good bacteria.
If you would like help figuring out what you need you set up an appointment or do a health survey.
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