Rebuild from Depression Blog

Amanda - does your phytic acid paper address the arguments made in favor of phytic acid? That isn't really an anti-nutrient, but essential for preventing things like colon cancer?

I've always struggled a bit to answer questions like that.

I don't address it in the paper but I should. I'll post on the issue here in the next week or so. Thanks!

Of course I haven't read my ecourse yet, but I'll get around to it. It wasn't until I learned about Phytic Acid from you a couple years ago that I was once again able to eat grains. I'm so grateful for the knowledge. I've yet to master sourdough of my own. Are you strictly a whole wheat gal or do you also use white (paste) flour? Although I love sourdough bread....I find that it puts the pounds on me and I hate that.

I've finished your Rebuild book. I put it aside for a while bc your story caused me too much pain in remembering my own postpartum years of depression (I'd pick rocking my baby too!)....now I need to write a review on my blog. I recommend your book everywhere to anyone. It's full of important information for everyone! Nutrition is everything!

I have read article regarding the phytic acid food.I like post very much as it contain informative in nature.I've finished your Rebuild book.I know that You can increase your absorption of calcium, zinc, iron, and magnesium by 100% (and perhaps even upwards of 1000% in some cases) by soaking, sprouting, and fermenting your grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
I want to know suggestion from other user.

Thanks for the prod, Martin. I have intended to respond to this since Jenny's question and haven't, so I'll address it briefly for now.

The anti-cancer properties of phytic acid are not that well known, but it does seem effective in the case of colon cancer. In the colon it is going to bind to minerals like iron and copper. That may be a very good thing depending the stage of your life cycle.

It may also work more generally to reduce your body's mineral load, particularly in the case of iron. Men and postmenopausal women (and people with specific medical conditions) could get too much iron. Phytic acid could be a good thing for them in reducing their absorption of iron.

It is being used as topical sprays on meat to reduce carcinogens. In this case, it's good -- meat is rich in so many minerals, it isn't going affect your nutrient load.

Stepping back on all of this, we really need to be mindful of our individual circumstances. If you are iron anemic or borderline and especially if you eat little or no meat, reducing phytic acid in your diet is probably going to make a big difference for you. If you eat a lot of red meat anyway, you really don't need that extra iron or zinc that is locked up in the bran of wheat or spelt.

Increasingly we are following the steps in reducing phytic acid not so much because we need more dietary zinc but because the processes are simple and we do feel like we digest grain better. (I should add here that we don't use any "soaked flour" recipes -- they are all easy sourdough techniques that create better tasting food in an easy manner.)

Amanda