How to Reduce Phytic Acid in Food

Phytic acid is a type of phosphorous compound found in foods such as seeds, grains, beans and nuts that affect your body's ability to absorb nutrients. If you have Crohn's disease, or if your body is not absorbing enough nutrients, you will not benefit from the foods that you consume and will have greater difficulty in maintaining optimal health. There are several methods for reducing Phytic acid in food, however, that can help you improve your nutritional absorption.

Things You'll Need

• Bowl
• Water
• Oven
• Vitamin C supplement (1,000 mg)

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Instructions

• 1

  When consuming raw nuts, place them in a bowl with about an inch of water; allow the nuts to soak for 24 hours to force the Phytic acid to release. Use this same method to soak beans to reduce Phytic acid content.

• 2

  Bake foods when possible in order to destroy the food's Phytic acid content. Incorporate nuts into muffins or bake beans to minimize Phytic acid content.

• 3

  Eat seeds that have been sprouted. Natural enzymes destroy the Phytic acid content in the seeds after they have sprouted.

• 4

  Soak any grains in water or ferment them first before their use in casseroles or baked products to minimize the Phytic acid that they contain. Soak lentils and rice for 48 hours, and soak ground corn for 24 hours. This process permits lactobacillus enzymes to destroy the Phytic acid in the food.

• 5

  Dehydrate nuts and beans before you eat them as this will further diminish the levels of Phytic acids in such foods. Roast nuts before eating them to cook them, and this will lower Phytic acid levels. You can put them over an open fire in a pot, or you can lay them on a flat tray and bake them for five to 10 minutes.

• 6

  Consume 1,000 mg of vitamin C before a meal consisting of foods with Phytic acid in it. The vitamin C will aid in the prevention of the natural binding of Phytic acid to iron and will improve your ability to absorb the iron in your foods.