Posted by Margaret on December 10, 2001 at 17:02:25:
In Reply to: Re: The importance of taking practical hi-side 1 action to break lo-side 4 depression when dealing with something not positive: posted by Sharlee on December 08, 2001 at 04:53:45:
Nutrition labels are misleading because they say how much mineral and vit are in the food before it enters the body, but does not measure the actual rate of absorbtion the body is actually getting after the food is digested (bioavailabilty).
Phytate is the ingredient in oats that you are talking about and it not only block calcium, but magnesium, iron, and others. Phytate is found in mostly high fibre foods, such as whole wheat, bran, oat, cereals, and soybeans. So even though some brans, cereals and soy products are calcium fortified, it's worthless, because none of it gets absorbed, becuase the phytates block it. Also, oxalate, blocks the same minerals, oxalates found in dark leafy veg, such as spinach (which like calcium fortified foods mentioned above) has in this case naturally high calcium content, but again is completely worth less, because none it it gets absorbed. Not only that, but when taken together with additional calcium foods, the calsium in the other foods gets blocked as well!
So just when I thought high fibre, high veg, lo white starch carb diet was great, I now find it's not!
I've concluded that it's best to just avoid them for the most part, however, I still need lot of fibre to regulate my digestion and constipation problems, so I think I'm just going to not have them together during the same meal. Hopefully by the time, the pyhtate and oxalates are digested, I can then have my calcium content without worrying they will be blocked. But that is just a guess on my part. I don't know if that will actually work, or how long the phytate and oxalate stays in the system to damage the minerals.
That menas milk and fortified orange juice seem to have the greatest bioavailability (mineral absorbtion rate). However, I am having a hard time trying to locate mineral water that contains calcium though.
: Margaret,
: Glad to hear you are taking positive action. Doing weights is supposed to help. I do this myself (I have a family history of osteoporosis)and taking more calcium supplements help. There are certain foodstuffs which reduce absorption of calcium such as calcium/phospate ratio (meat only diets will produce rickets in animals) and there is an ingredient in oats which binds calcium preventing its absorption (avoid porridge). Weight bearing exercise is also beneficial so aerobics is more beneficial than swimming. Good luck! Sharlee