Zinc, calcium, phosphorus, and nitrogen balances of Iranian villagers following a change from phytate‐rich to phytate‐poor diets†

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Abstract
Metabolic balances of zinc, calcium, phosphorus and nigrogen were measured in 13 villagers resident in the Shiraz region of Iran for the purpose of surveying the state of mineral nutrition of a population that subsists on diets containing large amounts of phytate. Strikingly high retentions of zinc, calcium and phosphorus occurred during the latter six days of nine day periods during which a nutritious diet containing an abundance of these elements in available form was fed. Nitrogen, by contrast, was not retained. The results support the belief that severe depletion of mineral elements exists in the villagers studied. This is attributed to the action of phytate in decreasing the availability of these elements. Destruction of phytate in the gut apparently is not sufficient to overcome the effects of the high phytate intakes.

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