Achiraya Kamchan. In-vitro bioavailability of calcium and the presence of some inhibitory factors in vegetables, legumes and seeds . Master's Degree(Nutrition). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2003.
In-vitro bioavailability of calcium and the presence of some inhibitory factors in vegetables, legumes and seeds
Abstract:
In addition to cow milk and fish with bone, green leafy vegetables, legumes and seeds are
good sources of calcium. However, they contain inhibitory factors, i.e., dietary fiber, phytate and
oxalate, which can have negative effects on the bioavailability of some minerals especially
calcium.
Plant foods high in calcium were selected based on the analytical data available in the
Thai food composition tables and new generated data. They were 11 vegetables, seeds of black
and white sesame and soybeans. The samples were collected from five representative markets
(three sources in each) in Bangkok. Single composite samples of foods from each market were
prepared as commonly consumed and analysed, in duplicate, for in-vitro bioavailability using
equilibrium dialysis after simulated gastric digestion. Dietary fiber, phytate and oxalate were
determined by AOAC methods.
Compared to milk powder, at the same level of calcium (25 mg Ca), five out of 11
vegetables had a higher calcium dialysability than milk powder (24.7±2.2%). The mean
percentage (mean±SD) of the five markets for each food item for dialysable calcium was ranked as
high in kale (38.9±2.1) > celery (36.2±4.1) > tree kale (33.4±1.6) > pak-chee-lao (Aanethum
graveolens L.) (32.7±4.5) > Chinese cabbage (32.3±4.6) > soybean sprout (20.3±2.0); they
contained a low dietary fiber, phytate and oxalate amount. A medium level of calcium
bioavailability was found in Indian mulberry (17.8±1.6) > young soybean (15.4±0.8) > sesbania
(14.8±1.6) > soybean seeds (11.1±0.6%); vegetables in this group contained a medium level of
oxalate (291 and 580 mg/100g) whereas soybean seeds (young and mature) contained a medium
level of phytate (292 and 398 mg/100g). Calcium with low bioavailability was found in pak-paw
(Polygonum odoratum Lour.) (6.6±1.1) > white sesame seeds (4.2±0.5) > amaranth (4.1±1.5) >
black sesame seeds (3.5±0.4) > wildbetel (2.5±1.0). They contained a high level of oxalate (682-
2,621 mg/100g). Sesame seeds were also found to be high in dietary fiber and phytate. The
presence of any of these inhibitory factors at a high or medium level could limit the calcium
bioavailability of plant foods. However, among three inhibitory factors, oxalate may show the
strongest effect on the reduction of calcium bioavailability. The correlation coefficients of oxalate,
dietary fiber and phytate content to the calcium dialysability in the studied plant foods were -0.79,
-0.61 and -0.42, respectively. It was indicated that a high content of any inhibitory factors can
predict the calcium bioavailability, however, a low content of any of these factors did not indicate
high calcium bioavailability. The presence of all possible inhibitory factors must be analysed
before a prediction of calcium bioavailability can be made. The direct analysis of the calcium
dialysability of each food item is recommended, which is less laborious than an analysis of all
inhibitory factors.