Nutrition Information
Whilst food contains all the nutrients we need to stay healthy, it also contains anti-nutrients and these are reduced by putting them through certain processes. Processes that you use in your every day life at home - cooking, steaming, soaking and fermenting.
If you do not put the foods you eat through one of these processes first, the chance of you becoming mineral or vitamin deficient increase.
The amount of a mineral or vitamin listed on the nutritional information of a food product is the measure of that mineral or vitamin in the food but not necessarily the amount the body will absorb. The amount that is actually absorbed and used by the body is called bioavailability.
A downside to some plant foods is that they contain anti-nutrients. Examples are oxalates and phytates that bind to calcium and decrease its bioavailability. And so when you are trying to achieve your RDA calcium intake it’s good to be aware of the processes your foods need to go through to ensure optimal bioavailability. In the case of calcium, you might want to ensure that you are eating any dairy with plant food that has been processed well for maximum calcium absorption.
Nutritional labelling is an excellent indicator of how well nourished or not a food might make you.
But labels have limits. They can’t take into account your metabolism or what other foods are eaten at the same meal.
Below we have created a table for you from the National Library of Medicine to help you navigate your food intake going forward so that you can absorb as much of the promised nutrients as possible from the foods you eat.
| Anti-nutrient | Food Source | Suggested clinical implications |
| Lectins | Legumes, cereal grains, seeds, nuts, fruits, vegetables. | Altered gut function; inflammation. |
| Oxalates | Spinach, Swiss chard, sorrel, beetroot, rhubarb, nuts, legumes, cereal grains, sweet potatoes, potatoes. | May inhibit calcium absorption. |
| Phytate |
Legumes, cereal grains, pseudocereals (amaranth, quinoa, millet), nuts, seeds. |
May inhibit absorption of iron, zinc and calcium; Acts as an antioxidant. |
| Goitrogens | Brassica vegetables (kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, turnip greens, broccoli), millet. | Hypothyroidism and/or goiter; Inhibit iodine uptake. |
| Phytoestrogens | Soy and soy products, flaxseeds, nuts (negligible amounts), fruits and vegetables (negligible amounts). | Endocrine disruption; Increased risk of estrogen-sensitive cancers. |
| Tannins | Tea, cocoa, grapes, berries, apples, stone fruits, nuts, beans, whole grains. | Inhibit iron absorption; Negatively impact iron stores. |
Below are processes for reducing anti-nutrients taken from the National Library of Medicine.
| Anti-nutrient | Preparation tips for reducing anti-nutrients | Food preparation that increase |
| Lectins | Soaking, boiling, germination, fermentation. | Roasting, baking. |
| Oxalates | Soaking, boiling, steaming, pairing with high calcium foods. | Roasting, grilling, baking, low-calcium diet. |
| Phytate | Soaking, boiling, germination, fermentation. | n/a |
| Goitrogens | Steaming, boiling. | n/a |
| Phytoestrogens | n/a | Boiling, steaming, fermenting (increases aglycone content). |
| Tannins | Cooking, peeling skins of fruits and nuts. | n/a |
The above helps us to understand the following -
If you like roasting your vegetables it is better to lightly boil or steam them first.
If you like baking, it is best to soak and ferment first.
If you like Asian cooking, it is best to use soy sauce as a sprinkle over the cooked plate of food.
If you consume tannins, we favour cooking over peeling the skins off. So much of the insoluble fibre we need is contained in the skin of fruits and nuts. For example, apple crumble over a raw apple whereby the crumble ingredients has been soaking overnight.
All foods at the happy tummy co are created with this science in mind. We ferment and soak to ensure the bioavailability of the nutrients in our food is as high as possible.
