Are sneaky substances hiding in healthy foods that could be derailing your health efforts and making you feel bad? Parsley Health investigates the role of antinutrients, such as phytates and oxalates.
Antinutrients are compounds found in plants that are part of their chemical defense mechanism.
These defenses help the plant avoid being attacked by animals, but they may also pose problems for some humans when consumed.
Read on for the real deal on antinutrients and find out if you should be worried about them or not.
How do antinutrients work?
Most antinutrients work in two ways: by either binding to important micronutrients to keep your body from absorbing them, or by inhibiting digestive enzymes from working to properly break food down.
In some people, antinutrients can also cause inflammation in the digestive tract, which can lead to systemic inflammation over time.
Oxalates, for example, bind to calcium and prevent it from being absorbed in the body. By contrast, excessive consumption of tannins can inactivate the enzymes in our body responsible for breaking down and absorbing proteins.