compound
Phytate
Phytate is a plant compound that can bind minerals and reduce non-haem iron absorption within a meal.
Single-meal effects can overstate the long-term effect of an inhibitor. Overall diet and the body’s adaptation matter.
A meal-level mineral binder
Phytate, the stored form of phytic acid in many plants, can bind mineral ions in the digestive tract. EFSA discusses phytate as an inhibitor of non-haem iron absorption, while the size of that effect depends on the food matrix and wider meal.
Related topics
Phytate can reduce absorption of Iron
Phytate can inhibit non-haem iron absorption in a meal. EFSA notes that single-meal studies can overstate the effect across a whole diet.
Worth knowing
Its effect is context-dependent. The presence of phytate does not let us calculate how much iron a person will absorb from an entire diet.
It affects non-haem iron absorption. Phytate is one dietary factor that can reduce absorption of non-haem iron from a meal.
A closer look
Food sources set the context
Phytate is found in grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Its effect on non-haem iron absorption depends on the meal matrix and the broader diet.
Meal composition changes the interaction
Other foods and nutrients in the meal influence mineral absorption, so phytate’s presence is one part of the overall absorption context.
References
Source-checked local draft.
Human editorial review pending.