Hey all you grain nay-sayers, what do you think of this? I appologize in advance for the weird G_d talk, it nearly made the article impossible for me to read. Why people mix their religion with with food is a mystery to me but there ya go, that's a zealot for ya! Anhoo...

[info.breadbeckers.com]


Phytic acid’s “chelating” ability is considered by some to be a detriment to one’s health. On the other hand, many researches embrace this ability to bind with minerals as its most powerful asset. In her book, Diet for the Atomic Age, Sara Shannon, lists 11 nutrients in particular that protect against heavy metal toxicity and radiation damage. Phytates bind with radioactive and toxic substances and carry them out of the body. Aware of phytic acid’s mineral binding properties, Shannon states that an adequate diet will more than compensate. One must also remember that whole grains themselves are an abundant source of iron, calcium, and zinc. After extensive research, Shannon found that the more toxic our environment becomes, grains are our best source of protection, particularly due to the phytate content. She believes that “for optimal health, at least half of every meal should be grains”. Why would one want to denature something that is so beneficial? In fact, a supplement company is actually isolating this “powerful antioxidant” because of its anti-tumor, anti-carcinogenic, and blood sugar regulating properties!

Studies show that phytic acid, particularly from wheat bran, actually stimulates the productions of phytase in the small intestine. The fact that phytase can be produced in the small intestine eliminates the necessity of fermenting all grains before consuming them, as in the case of unleavened breads, quick breads (that do not use yeast as a leavening), and parched or boiled grains. Phytase activity in the small intestine actually increased, not decreased, the absorption of minerals, especially, calcium. (Journal of Nutrition 2000:130: 2020-2025). Over the years we have seen numerous people healed of life long anemia issues after they began grinding their own grains to make their bread. How could this be if phytic acid in the bran kept iron from being absorbed?

Other studies have also shown that this increase of phytase activity, stimulated by phytic acid, offered significant reduction in the formation of cancer cells in the colon. This anti-carcinogenic protection was also attributed to phytic acid’s mineral chelating properties. If phytic acid strengthen and protects the colon, how could it cause colitis and irritable bowel syndrome? Again we have heard numerous testimonies of healing of both colitis and IBS from eating “real bread”.

Phytic acid can be digested by humans and actually releases inositol during the process. Inositol is a key B vitamin necessary for the metabolism of fat and cholesterol. Whole grains are a valuable source of inositol, as well as choline and lecithin, which are also important in the break down of cholesterol. This may explain why so many people have reported a significant reduction in cholesterol levels once they began making their own bread from freshly milled grains. Inositol is also an essential nutrient in reducing depression. Again I ask - why would we want to denature this valuable nutrient?

One should really wonder why whole grains and phytic acid were “picked on” at all. Why not oxalic acid? It is a mineral chelator found in spinach, chard, cranberries, almonds, rhubarb and other vegetables. Should we quit eating these healthy foods as well? Sally Fallon encourages the use of flaxseed for its rich source of fatty acids, stating that it is low in phytic acid. Yet sources that herald phytic acid as a nutrient, give wheat bran and flaxseed as the richest sources. Does soaking the grain over night actually denature the phytic acid? Not from what I have read. Only about 10% of the phytic acid is broken down in an overnight soak and that is not enough to make a significant difference.

It all depends on who you are and what your needs might be. Some people benefit from phytic acid and others don't benefit. You can even buy phytic acid supps, I think. However, it is impossible to know what is really going on in anyone's body, it is too complicated. They say our bodies are constantly doing a dance of balance. The doctors & scientists probably understand about 1% of this.

Half of every meal should be grains, says Sara Shannon? That sounds like the standard macrobiotic diet, which back in the 1970s, 80s and 90s gave quite a few of its most well known adherents cancer. Just reporting the facts, not looking to gore anyone's ox! Different strokes.

Great post, coco.

See, I don't know that modern grains are all that health giving. They've been so mucked about with over the generations. I would be willing to concede some health benefits remain but it's such a controversial issue. I do know that I like quinoa and some others. Wheat not so much but it makes a good base for some things.

Anyhow, thanks for the reply.

Hi Coco - I'm afraid the G_d references do make it impossible to read for me. I just can't take what they say seriously!!

Interesting subject though.

Isn't that frustrating? Don't people know how alienating that is when they are trying to share information? Sheesh! It's like throwing in a few random sentences of gibberish here and there. Makes the rest nearly unreadable...

Horsea,

Agree that phytic acid needs might depend on the person. Also, generally people have been healed of cancer using [true]macrobiotics, rather than have developed cancer from using macrobiotics. I have never heard cancer correlated with macrobiotics, actually(I don't count the nonsense over at that "Onion" competitor, Quackwatch)

coco,

I actually like the Old Testament stuff. Interestingly, mixing grains: good; mixing fabrics: grounds for public stoning.

I've never understood that mixed fibers thing, what is up with that? That and the whole women being dirty business. That one just ticks me off.
Have you read The Year of Living Biblically by AJ Jacobs? Hoo boy, funny read that book. More quirky bible facts that you'd believe. The snake handling, the bird nest touching, the Tassels!

Tamukha Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Horsea,
>
> Agree that phytic acid needs might depend on the
> person. Also, generally people have been healed
> of cancer using macrobiotics, rather than have
> developed cancer from using macrobiotics. I have
> never heard cancer correlated with macrobiotics,
> actually(I don't count the nonsense over at that
> "Onion" competitor, Quackwatch)

I'd opine that the standard, strict, 50% grain macro diet did indeed work as a genuine cure for cancer when eaten for a limited period of time. The macro intelligentsia, though, were consuming this form of high grain diet for 20 years some of them; it was almost like a religion, they couldn't stop themselves (orthorexia) because the style of eating came bound up with a philosophy and overall lifestyle that they liked.

I have read more than a few articles about how these macro leaders & "true believers" just kept eating and eating their macro diet in spite of worrisome symptoms developing, e.g.,cravings, osteoporosis & receding gums for 3 examples only.

I think they couldn't expand their strict diet because of some emotional attachment to the original healing version of the diet. This is too bad, because the basic philosophy is one of flexibility, not rigidity.
>



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2010 12:51AM by Horsea.

Man, that totally sounds like some cases I've read on here! Sticking to a raw diet that isn't working ~ loose teeth, hair falling out, cessation of menstruation, etc being blamed on "detox"... It's weird to get so wrapped up in the philosophy of something that it blinds you to what's really going on. Freaky.

Re cessation of menstruation: some macrobiotic women would experience that at first - it was indeed a healing reaction - and then their periods returned and they felt healthier than ever. However, the ones who stuck with the diet in a strict way for years, their menstruation ceased in a pathological way due to deficiencies in nutrients. It is an issue of knowing the difference.

Hmm, that's interesting. I've never read it put quite like that, that a temporary 'pause', so to speak, in menses could be attributed to an initial healing reaction. Something to think on.
I tend to think though, for myself, that anything so powerful as that is unneccessarily overwhelming to the system, taxing and possibly, probably doing as much harm as good. If a transition is so quick and complete as to disrupt normal hormonal function... is that not a sign to slow down? Sometimes we are in such a rush, to lose weight, to transition to a healthier diet, to get in shape via exercise, that we bite off more than we can reasonably chew.
The old adage that less is more is in this case true I think. If I were to lose my period, if my teeth got loose, if I lost weight too rapidly, if I had to sleep for endless hours on end, etc etc I would take that as a sign that I was being too hard on my body, moving too quickly, doing too much too soon. I realize not everyone will be in agreement about that but one of the elements of health that I most value is learning to listen to my body, turning off my thinking for a second and really checking in with how I feel.
I confess that it's not a perfect system, I get distracted and logic will often get in the way, but I'm practicing and I think it works.

Horsea,

Yes. The problem with macrobiotics is that it is based somewhat on ascetic principles--ulitmately, one becomes so pure that one can subsist on brown rice(the "acme" of foods)alone, which is crazy.

Anyone else notice that you can sing the title of this thread to "Camptown Races"?

Phytic Acid, friend or foe, doo-dah, doo-dah!
Phytic Acid, friend or foe, o doo-dah-day!

Just thought I'd inject some levity into the discussion

Personally, I would not think that the initial loss of menstruation for only a few months is pathological, so long as it returns after this few-months' cleansing. When your body is busy detoxifying, it will shut down those things that aren't totally necessary to life. That is how I see it; I would not place hair loss or tooth-loosening in the same category but that is just my opinion. Hair loss & tooth-loosening are bad things. Not being able to get pregnant for 3 months is not, I don't think.

Tam, I'm laughing. Girl, you're in a rare mood these days .


I don't agree that detoxification symptoms that are that drastic are healthy though. Detox can be incredibly taxing on the body if done too fast or incorrectly. You can attain the same results without the inherent stress to the body systems if done at a slow, steady pace. I believe that following a healthy diet and healthy practices is often enough to facilitate this cleansing and detox that people are so often in such a hurry to accomplish. The body Wants to be healthy and it strives to achieve and maintain that state, we only have to give it what it needs to do so and what it needs is fairly basic. Good food, clean wter, adequate rest, peace of mind...
If you're detoxing so heavily that your body is too busy doing so to maintain normal, healthy function it rather reminds me of the fight or flight mechanism. This is a natural response to danger but it's not a particularly healthy one for all parts concerned (blood flow shunted away from all but neccessary systems, won't kill you but won't do those neglected systems any good either). When there is a slower less traumatic route to the same destination I have to say I think the healthiest path is not the quick one.

Hard to argue with that! Slow & steady always wins the race, but some people have an overactive mind and are impatient for relief of symptoms!