Research
Micronutrients & recovery
Reducing antinutrients (e.g., phytate, polyphenolics) in staple crops to improve micronutrient bioavailability must be done with caution due to potential negative impacts on plant stress resistance and human health benefits (e.g., anticarcinogenic effects).
When breeding or processing foods to increase iron or zinc absorption, do not simply strip away all 'antinutrients' like phytates, as they may offer health benefits and protect the plant. Balance is key.
ModerateQualifiesMEDIUM confidence
doing so is not without risk and should be done with caution because many antinutrients are major plant metabolites that may play important roles in plant metabolism, in plant stress resistance, and in plant resistance to crop pests or pathogens... some of the antinutrients, such as phytate and polyphenols, may play important beneficial roles in human diets by acting as anticarcinogens
Why this rating
Based on general nutritional science cited (Shamsuddin, 1999; Saied and Shamsuddin, 1998) rather than new primary data in this specific paper.
Source
Breeding for micronutrients in staple food crops from a human nutrition perspective
Ross M. Welch et al. · Journal of Experimental Botany · 2004
narrative_reviewCited 1,523×
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