Nutrition Diet: How to get rid of antinutrients? A practical guide

November 1, 2025 •

4 min read

For centuries, cultures worldwide have used methods like soaking, sprouting, and fermenting to improve food quality. This practical guide explains how to get rid of antinutrients found in common plant-based foods, helping to maximize nutrient absorption and overall dietary benefits.

Quick Summary

Antinutrients inhibit mineral and nutrient absorption but can be effectively reduced using simple food preparation techniques. Soaking, sprouting, fermentation, and proper cooking are key methods to minimize phytates, lectins, and oxalates in grains, legumes, and vegetables.

Key Points

Soak grains and legumes: This dissolves water-soluble antinutrients like phytic acid and lectins, reducing their impact.
Sprout for enhanced nutrients: Germination activates endogenous enzymes that naturally break down and reduce phytates.
Cook thoroughly: Boiling and pressure cooking are highly effective at degrading heat-sensitive antinutrients, including lectins.
Use fermentation: This process, as seen in making sourdough bread or fermented vegetables, uses microorganisms to significantly reduce antinutrients and improve digestibility.
Combine methods for best results: Using a combination of soaking, sprouting, and cooking yields the most substantial reduction in antinutrients.
Pairing matters: Combine vitamin C-rich foods with iron sources to enhance absorption and counteract inhibitory antinutrients.

Understanding Antinutrients and Their Role

Antinutrients are natural compounds found in a wide variety of plant-based foods, including whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. While these foods are nutritional powerhouses, antinutrients can interfere with the body's ability to absorb certain vitamins and minerals. For most people with a varied and balanced diet, antinutrient intake is not a significant health concern. However, for those with nutrient deficiencies, or for individuals consuming very large quantities of specific antinutrient-rich foods, simple preparation techniques can greatly enhance nutritional benefits.

Common Types of Antinutrients

Phytates (Phytic Acid): Found primarily in seeds, grains, and legumes, phytates bind to essential minerals like iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium, making them unavailable for absorption.
Lectins: These proteins are present in all plants but are particularly high in legumes and grains. In large quantities, some lectins can disrupt gut health and interfere with nutrient absorption.
Oxalates (Oxalic Acid): Found in leafy greens, nuts, and beans, oxalates can bind to calcium, hindering its absorption and, in some cases, contributing to the formation of kidney stones.
Tannins: These polyphenols are in tea, coffee, and legumes and can impair the absorption of minerals, especially iron.
Protease Inhibitors: Present in raw legumes and grains, they interfere with the enzymes needed to digest protein.

Practical Methods to Reduce Antinutrients

Fortunately, humans have developed effective food preparation techniques over millennia to reduce or deactivate antinutrients. Integrating these simple methods into your cooking routine can significantly boost the nutritional value of your meals.

Soaking

Soaking is one of the easiest and most cost-effective methods. Since many antinutrients, such as phytates and tannins, are water-soluble, they leach out into the water during soaking. For grains, nuts, and legumes, soaking can also activate endogenous enzymes like phytase, which help break down phytic acid.

How to soak effectively:

Place grains or legumes in a bowl and cover with water. For harder beans, soak overnight (at least 12 hours).
Add a splash of lemon juice or a pinch of baking soda to the water for an extra boost, especially for legumes.
Thoroughly rinse the food and discard the soaking water before cooking to remove the leached antinutrients.

Sprouting (Germination)

Sprouting involves soaking and then rinsing seeds, grains, or legumes over a few days until they begin to germinate. This natural process dramatically increases nutrient bioavailability and activates enzymes that degrade antinutrients.

How to sprout effectively:

After soaking and rinsing, place the food in a sprouting jar or colander.
Rinse and drain the food two to four times a day, keeping it out of direct sunlight.
Continue until small sprouts appear, typically in 2–4 days, depending on the food type.

Fermentation

Fermentation uses microorganisms like bacteria and yeasts to break down compounds, including antinutrients. This is particularly effective for reducing phytates and lectins in grains and legumes. Sourdough bread is a classic example of this process improving the digestibility of grains.

Cooking and Pressure Cooking

High heat is effective at destroying many heat-sensitive antinutrients. Cooking, especially methods like boiling and pressure cooking, is crucial for eliminating lectins and reducing oxalates.

Boiling: Boiling leafy greens like spinach and then discarding the water can significantly reduce their oxalate content. Boiling legumes for a prolonged period also helps break down lectins.
Pressure Cooking: This method is highly efficient for cooking legumes, reducing both lectins and oxalates significantly in a shorter time compared to standard boiling.

Antinutrient Reduction Methods: A Comparison


Antinutrient	Food Sources	Most Effective Reduction Methods
Phytates	Whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds	Soaking, Sprouting, Fermentation
Lectins	Legumes, grains, seeds	Soaking, Boiling, Pressure Cooking, Fermentation
Oxalates	Leafy greens, nuts, beans	Soaking, Boiling (discarding water), Pressure Cooking
Tannins	Tea, coffee, legumes	Soaking, Boiling
Protease Inhibitors	Legumes, grains	Soaking, Sprouting, Boiling

Practical Tips for Maximizing Nutrient Absorption

While reducing antinutrients is beneficial, it's equally important to consider how foods interact to boost nutrient absorption. A balanced and varied diet is the cornerstone of good nutrition.

Combining Methods for Maximum Effect

Combining several preparation techniques can be more powerful than using a single method. For instance, soaking and sprouting your beans before cooking them in a pressure cooker can lead to a near-complete reduction of phytates and lectins.

Strategic Food Pairing

Some food pairings can counteract the effects of antinutrients or enhance absorption. For example, consuming vitamin C-rich foods like lemon juice or bell peppers with iron-rich plant foods (e.g., lentils) can significantly increase iron absorption, helping to overcome the inhibitory effects of tannins and phytates. Similarly, eating calcium-rich foods alongside oxalate-rich ones can help prevent the binding of calcium to oxalates.

Mindful Consumption

Instead of eliminating entire food groups, focus on dietary diversity. For most people, the benefits of eating nutrient-dense plant foods far outweigh the potential negatives of their antinutrient content. Rotate your green vegetables, use different types of grains and legumes, and don't rely excessively on a single food item.

Conclusion

Antinutrients are a natural part of many healthy plant-based foods, and their presence should not be a reason to avoid these nutritional staples. By utilizing traditional and modern food preparation methods—like soaking, sprouting, fermenting, and cooking—you can significantly reduce their impact and make valuable nutrients more bioavailable. The goal is not elimination but intelligent preparation. By adopting these simple habits, you can confidently enjoy the full spectrum of health benefits from a diverse, plant-rich diet.

For more information on the science of antinutrients, explore reputable resources such as the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health's dedicated nutrition section.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most common antinutrients include phytates (in grains, nuts), lectins (in legumes, grains), oxalates (in leafy greens, nuts), and tannins (in tea, coffee, legumes).

No, for most people with a balanced diet, antinutrients are not a major health concern. They can even offer some beneficial effects like antioxidant properties. Concerns typically arise with excessive consumption of a single, unprocessed food or in individuals with pre-existing nutrient deficiencies.

Cooking with high heat, particularly boiling or pressure cooking, is very effective at reducing or eliminating many heat-sensitive antinutrients like lectins and protease inhibitors. However, some antinutrients, like phytates, are more heat-resistant and benefit more from other methods like soaking and sprouting.

For beans and lentils, the best approach is to combine methods. Start by soaking them overnight, then rinse and drain thoroughly. Following up with either sprouting or pressure cooking will most effectively reduce antinutrients like phytates and lectins.

The most effective way to reduce oxalates in leafy greens is to boil them and then discard the water. While steaming also helps, boiling is generally more effective for pulling oxalates from the vegetable.

No, it is not recommended to avoid these foods entirely. Foods containing antinutrients, such as legumes, grains, and nuts, are rich in fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. The benefits of these nutrients generally outweigh the effects of antinutrients when food is properly prepared.

Yes, fermentation is a traditional method that is very effective at breaking down antinutrients in grains. Making sourdough bread, for example, uses fermentation to significantly reduce phytic acid and other compounds in the flour, improving digestibility.