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You may have heard that some foods, such as wheat and beans, can actually prevent the absorption of certain nutrients. This is caused by a compound called phytic acid, which is found in most plants, but in especially high quantities in grains and legumes. Phytic acid prevents the absorption of minerals such as iron, calcium, manganese, and zinc by binding to them before your body can absorb them.11

Plants store phosphorus in a compound known as phytic acid. Phytic acid can bind to other minerals, such as those mentioned above, and in doing so creates phytates. Our bodies do not have any enzymes capable of breaking down phytates, so we are unable to absorb those nutrients.

However, by the time most of these foods get to our plate, they no longer contain enough phytates to cause problems. This is because sprouting, cooking, baking, processing, soaking, fermenting, and yeast leavening all help to destroy phytates. Since we typically don’t consume completely raw and unprocessed grains and legumes, by the time we consume these foods the amount of phytates remaining is considerably lower. In addition, there might even be health benefits to consuming phytic acid, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.12

Most of these foods contain a wide array of nutrients, and many individuals consume them safely on a daily basis. The phytic acid does affect the total amount of minerals you absorb, but you still end up absorbing plenty. It only affects the meal that you consume them in, so eating a phytate-heavy lunch will have no influence on the amount of minerals you absorb from dinner. Avoiding these foods due to the fear that you aren’t absorbing the minerals can cause you to miss out on many nutrients. However, if you currently have mineral deficiencies (such as iron or zinc), you might want to limit your intake of phytic acid, or speak with a registered dietitian or your physician about any concerns.

CONCLUSION: Yes, phytic acid can bind to other minerals, but it doesn’t prevent you from absorbing all of the nutrients, and phytic acid itself might be beneficial.

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daz01 said:

5 grams of nori laver seaweed provides 150% RDA B12.

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Bardy said:

No amount of linked studies can negate the 300,000 years of meat eating that humans have done… people can act like they’re doing revolutionary science all they want by trying to prove meat is unhealthy, but it’s bullshit.

I’ll say it again, there is nothing unhealthy about eating a balanced diet which includes meats. It’s not a conspiracy.

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The diary, egg and meat industry have quite literally been caught corrupting data to say animal products don't cause disease and that it's healthy.
The notion that "it's natural" is nonsense. Sure, it was necessary for our ancestors to consume animal products to survive but not now. If you live in a first world country with access to internet and money, then it is no longer necessary. Is it natural to kill humans? You'd go to jail if you killed humans. Why are animals any different? In the Western world pigs, cows, sheep and chickens are all very intelligent, conscious sentient beings.

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Dude... I brought this "it's natural" argument last post. You don't need meat, eggs and dairy to survive like our ancestors did. Why does it matter if our ancestors ate animals because it was necessary to survive. It just doesn't make any sense Eating meat for 300,000 years is not a substantial reason to eat meat for us homo sapiens on planet earth. We humans can't process or metabolise cholesterol; it causes a whole range of diseases.

Buster_Brown said:

daz01 said:

5 grams of nori laver seaweed provides 150% RDA B12.

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I believe the Harvard School of Nutritional Health contends that:

https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/seaweed/

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christopera said:

India has the largest vegetarian population in the world, with hundreds of millions being vegetarian. They seem to be doing just fine.

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Stunting and wasting aside...



https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10346745/#:~:text=Although%20a%20high%20prevalence%20of,studies%20were%20not%20nationally%20representative.

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Although deficiency of these vitamins can occur primarily as a result of insufficient dietary intake or malabsorption, various other factors such as gender, age and genetic, ethnic and sociocultural backgrounds are likely to influence their status [37]. Further, diets that are predominantly cereal-based and low in vegetables and fruits or animal-source food could contribute to the deficiency of these vitamins.

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christopera said:

India has the largest vegetarian population in the world, with hundreds of millions being vegetarian . . .

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Smellyhobbit said:

If your argument for a vegan diet is that meat is unhealthy you’ve already lost. The only argument for a vegan diet is the ethical one

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daz01 said:

Another question, do you feel no sympathy for the animals that were created to be reared for food and the way we kill them?

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SonicTitan said:

Its not so much sympathy but respect to the animal for what it provides. That being said, I feel sympathy for animals especially in factory farms or illegally hunted to near extinction or for sport not nourishment.

Same with plants and trees. Food is one thing but clearcutting and destroying ecosystems for shopping malls or whatever industrialization is horrid.

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