Phytic Acid in Health and Disease

Jin R. Zhou, John W. Erdman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Phytic acid (PA), a major phosphorus storage compound of most seeds and cereal grains, contributes about 1 to 7% of their dry weight. It may account for more than 70% of the total kernel phosphorus. PA has the strong ability to chelate multivalent metal ions, especially zinc, calcium, and iron. The binding can result in very insoluble salts that are poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, which results in poor bioavailability (BV) of minerals. Alternatively, the ability of PA to chelate minerals has been reported to have some protective effects, such as decreasing iron-mediated colon cancer risk and lowering serum cholesterol and triglycerides in experimental animals. Data from human studies are still lacking. PA is also considered to be a natural antioxidant and is suggested to have potential functions of reducing lipid peroxidation and as a preservative in foods. Finally, certain inositol phosphates, which may be derived from PA, have been noted to have a function in second messenger transduction systems. The potential nutritional significance of PA is discussed in this review.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)495-508
Number of pages14
JournalCritical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
Volume35
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1 1995

Keywords

  • calcium
  • colon cancer
  • heart disease
  • iron
  • phytic acid
  • renal stone
  • second messenger
  • zinc

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Food Science
  • Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

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