On Sun, 19 Nov 2000 11:48:56 -0500, William Schnell
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>...Stopped using it when I learned of "phytates",
>which are said to be present in the surface of all seeds, and interfere
>with
>the absorption of nutrients.  ..
> Can anyone refer me to info on the influence of flax phytates on
>digestion/absorption?

I collected a little information about phytin (in order to inform my
friends).
You can find it at: http://www.geocities.com/paleolix/phytincollect.htm

I think it is probable that phytins play their role in some mineral deficit
deseases (e.g. with calcium) for people with a nutrition which is very low
in them anyway. Many traditional dishes (of India or of anywhere) require
soaking or germinating which reduces phytins.

Taking a second look, i found that phytin may be not that bad guy i thought
first (I also changed my habits because of it).
It does have some positive properties.
The lindow man (last item) with the fingernails showed biotin defficiency.
But actually that was not an example of phytin toxicity.
Only "possibly".
You need to eat 50% of all protein from wheat to develop disease.
I suppose you eat less than 5% protein from flax. So.....

And phytin can work on iron and calcium only from food items eaten in the
same meal. I suppose you wouldn't add phytin-seeds to every meal.

I don't know how high flaxseed is in phytin anyway. It *could* be that it
contains even no phytin at all. Do you know how much it is, compared to
say wheat? (I only found one book reference about phytin studies, which i
haven't read yet).

> I won't use the oil - never fresh enough, and Udo writes
>that
>flax oil becomes rancid very quickly.

That's true but there are good brands available (at least over here in
Europe a growing variety).
I buy small 0.25 l bottles for about 4$ and keep them in the fridge.
Tastes delicious.

>William

Amadeus