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Phytic Acid: What You Need to Know About The Plant Substance

Phytic acid is found in whole grains, seeds, legumes and nuts. We explain what you should know about the effects of phytic acid.

Phytic acid is a phytochemical found primarily in protein-rich plant foods. According to the consumer advice center, you will find the ingredient mainly in the following products:
whole grains
Pseudo-cereals, for example buckwheat
seeds
legumes
nuts
Phytic acid is said to reduce the absorption of other nutrients in the body. That is why it is also called an antinutrient.

Phytic acid – an “antinutrient”

According to the health portal, phytic acid can form bonds with many minerals and trace elements, for example with iron or zinc. Such compounds that are formed during digestion are called phytates.

For example, rolled oats contain phytic acid and iron. When you digest oatmeal, the iron binds to the phytic acid, making it harder for the body to access.

However, the above foods not only contain phytic acid, but also an enzyme called phytase. When this enzyme is activated, it breaks down phytic acid, making more micronutrients available to the body.

Avoid whole grains because of phytic acid?

So is phytic acid good or bad? And is whole grain really that healthy?

According to the consumer center and the specialist portals, you don’t have to worry about nutrient deficiencies if you eat a balanced diet. Because how well the body can absorb nutrients from a food depends not only on the phytic acid content, but also on other ingredients. In addition, whole grain not only contains more phytic acid than white flour, but also more vitamins, minerals and trace elements.

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Food

Acrylamide: Why The Substance is Problematic

Acrylamide is found in many foods and is considered potentially carcinogenic. We’ll tell you what you need to know about acrylamide and how to avoid it.

Acrylamide forms when high-carbohydrate foods are heated to high temperatures, especially above 180 degrees Celsius. The substance is created through the interaction of sugars contained in carbohydrates and the amino acid asparagine. This is found in cereals and potatoes, among other things.

Which foods contain a lot of acrylamide?

Baked, fried or roasted foods that contain a lot of carbohydrates and little water are particularly high in acrylamide. According to the consumer center, high acrylamide levels were found in these foods, among others:

Potato products: chips, fries, croquettes, fried potatoes
Pastries: toast, crispbread, cookies, gingerbread (especially those containing staghorn salt)
Coffee, especially instant coffee
toasted nuts and cereals

How harmful is acrylamide?

According to a report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the intake of acrylamide through food potentially increases the risk of cancer. This applies to all age groups, but especially to children, since they quickly absorb relatively large amounts of acrylamide due to their low body weight.

So far, there are no human studies that can prove the increased risk of cancer. However, various animal experiments have shown that the substance glycidamide – a major metabolite of acrylamide – can cause gene mutations and promote the development of tumors.

What you can do to avoid acrylamide

It is not yet possible to say exactly what quantity of acrylamide is harmful to health. Accordingly, it makes sense if you try to consume as little of it as possible. Here are some tips on how to avoid acrylamide:
Try to eat the above foods high in acrylamide in moderation.
Prepare carbohydrate-rich foods such as potatoes or rice gently: no acrylamide is produced during cooking, stewing or steaming.
If you want to bake, roast or roast potato products, do this at the lowest possible temperatures (maximum 200 degrees in the oven or 180 degrees with convection) and as briefly as possible. Turn the food so it doesn’t get too dark – a light brown is enough. The browner the crust, the higher the acrylamide content.
When preparing fries in the fryer, you should make sure that the temperature stays below 170 degrees. Use enough oil, preheat the fryer and only cook small batches at a time. Otherwise the cooking time will be longer.
Don’t store potatoes in the fridge. The low temperatures increase the sugar content, which later promotes the formation of acrylamide during preparation.
The consumer center advises breakfast cereals that do not consist of toasted ingredients to avoid acrylamide. Put together your own muesli, for example, from fresh oats and other unroasted grains.

Reduce acrylamide when baking

Acrylamide is also formed when cereal products are baked. With these tips from a study by the University of Hohenheim, you can reduce the formation of acrylamide when baking:
Since yeast breaks down the protein asparagine and sugar, both of which are responsible for the formation of acrylamide, you should allow longer rising times for your yeast dough (about 2 hours).
You should not flour your baked goods on the outside, as the acrylamide forms in the freshly applied flour.
You should bake your baked goods at lower temperatures, between 160°C and 170°C, as the acrylamide content will probably rise sharply above 170° Celsius.
Because most acrylamide is found in browned crusts on baked goods, avoid dark browning.

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Cooking Tips

Titanium Dioxide: Why You Should Avoid the Substance

They cannot be seen with the naked eye and are nevertheless widespread: nanoparticles such as titanium dioxide. We explain why you should avoid the substance.

Titanium Dioxide – a widely used whitening agent

Titanium dioxide (also: titanium(IV) oxide) is a color pigment that is intended to optically enhance industrially produced food and other products. It is one of the three titanium oxides. You can recognize the additive on food packaging under the number E 171, in cosmetics it is listed under the designation CI 77891. Around 6.5 million tons of the additive were produced in 2013 alone. Despite its widespread use, titanium dioxide is not always harmless to health.

What products contain titanium dioxide?

Titanium dioxide is widely used in industry. The chemically produced pigment is well suited to brightening products or giving them a fresh shine.

You can find titanium dioxide as an additive in these products, among others:

paint and varnishes
plastic
adhesive
rubber
bleached paper
The chemical is also used to “beautify” food and cosmetics. Approximately in:

Mozzarella
Baking mixes & ready-made desserts
instant soups
chewing gum
Marshmallows
fondant
toothpaste
suncream
body and hair care products
Titanium dioxide is also used to bleach tablets.

Why you should avoid titanium dioxide

Several studies cast doubt on the harmlessness of titanium oxide. For example, a large-scale study at the University of Zurich from 2017. The study suspected that titanium dioxide could increase or even promote intestinal inflammation.

The problem: Titanium dioxide is often added in the form of tiny particles, so-called nanoparticles. These are often included in sunscreen, for example. According to gastroenterologist Gerhard Rogler from the University of Zurich, if the particles are less than 100 nanometers in size, they can penetrate cells. According to the study, the substances should also accumulate there and cause inflammation. The researchers at the University of Zurich therefore recommend that people with intestinal diseases in particular avoid foods with titanium dioxide.
Furthermore, it is feared that inhaling titanium dioxide particles can be carcinogenic. According to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), the EU Commission has decided to classify titanium dioxide as a hazardous substance with the note “probably carcinogenic by inhalation”. The risk mainly affects cosmetic sprays, aerosols and powders and not products that contain the whitening agent in solid form.
Due to the uncertain facts, France was the first European country to enforce a ban on titanium dioxide in food at the beginning of last year. The Netherlands also want to follow. In Germany, however, such a ban does not yet exist.

No ban on titanium dioxide in Europe yet

France’s ban on titanium dioxide is based on the French Agency for Food Safety (ANSES), which concludes that there is insufficient scientific evidence to show that the substance is safe. As long as it is not absolutely clear that titanium oxide does not pose a risk, it will be banned in our neighboring country.

In Germany, people tend to follow the recommendations of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). From there it was said in May 2021 in an updated assessment that titanium dioxide “can no longer be considered safe as a food additive”. The authorities could not find conclusive evidence of a toxic effect, but a harmful effect cannot be ruled out. So more research is needed.

By the way: Dr. Oetker has not used titanium dioxide in its products since April 2020 after foodwatch launched a protest campaign signed by around 40,000 people.

Overall, it’s arguably safer to avoid the substance. It’s not that complicated: Just look for titanium dioxide/titanium oxide or the numbers E 171 and CI 77891 when shopping.

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Food

Prussic Acid: These Foods Contain the Toxic Substance

Hydrocyanic acid is a highly toxic substance that is also found in some foods. We will show you which plants produce the toxic substance and which foods you should avoid.

Prussic Acid: A highly toxic substance

Prussic acid (or hydrogen cyanide) is a highly toxic substance that is deadly even in small quantities. The smell of the colorless liquid is slightly reminiscent of bitter almonds, but not everyone can smell it. Prussic acid is water-soluble and, with a boiling point of 26°C, is an extremely volatile substance.

Throughout history, the poison has been used against humans several times; among other things during National Socialism and for the execution of the death penalty in the USA until 1999.

Prussic acid: effect of the toxic substance

The absorption of hydrocyanic acid inhibits an important enzyme in the human organism that is responsible for cell respiration. The result is what appears to be a lack of oxygen in the cells, which leads to internal suffocation and death within seconds.

Just one to two milligrams of hydrocyanic acid per kilogram of body weight can be deadly. The amount that is still harmless can vary greatly from person to person, which is why the tolerance range of the human body is quite wide at 1-60 milligrams per kilogram of body mass.

Hydrocyanic acid in food

There are some foods that contain hydrocyanic acid. Over 1000 plants worldwide are known to produce the toxic substance. This serves as a natural protection against feeding and germination inhibitors, for example with stone fruit. Only after the pericarp has decomposed can the hydrocyanic acid evaporate and the seeds begin to germinate.

These plant foods contain hydrocyanic acid:

Immature bamboo shoots (up to 8 g/kg)
Bitter Almonds (2.5 g/kg)
Bitter apricot kernels
stone fruit pits
cassava tuber
kidney bean
lima bean
yam
Certain varieties of sweet potato
sweet millet
linseed
You should be particularly careful with bitter almonds and apricot kernels. Even 5-10 bitter almonds or 10 drops of bitter almond oil can have a fatal effect on children. A safe alternative is bitter almond flavoring. Bitter apricot kernels also have a relatively high hydrocyanic acid content.

Unlike bitter almonds, apricot kernels are not only sold in controlled small quantities, but are offered in 200 gram packs. You should therefore be careful when using apricot kernels as a dietary supplement with an alleged healing effect on cancer, because the amygdalin they contain splits off hydrocyanic acid when the kernels are digested.

The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) warns against eating more than two bitter apricot kernels a day and emphasizes that there is no scientific evidence of any healing effects. Sweet apricot kernels can also contain hydrocyanic acid.

Eating unripe bamboo shoots is particularly dangerous because they have a very high hydrocyanic acid content (up to eight grams per kilo). In Asian countries, there are repeated cases of poisoning from bamboo shoots if they are not sufficiently cooked.

Hydrocyanic acid in food: How to protect yourself

In order to render the toxic hydrocyanic acid in food harmless, it is sufficient for you to boil the vegetables beforehand. With a boiling point of 26°C, the poison evaporates during cooking and you can safely eat foods that have a low level of hydrocyanic acid when raw. Cassava tubers or haricot beans, for example, must be boiled before consumption.

Also: Small amounts of hydrocyanic acid, which occur in natural foods, can be rendered harmless by the body itself. The enzyme rhodanase converts the poison into the substance rhodanide, which is harmless to humans.

You should largely avoid foods that contain relatively large amounts of hydrocyanic acid (such as bitter almonds or apricot kernels).

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