phytic acid
Inositol hexaphosphate, present in cereals, particularly in the bran, in dried legumes and some nuts as both water-soluble salts (sodium and potassium) and insoluble salts of calcium and magnesium. Magnesium calcium phytate is phytin.
It can bind calcium, iron, and zinc to form insoluble complexes; it is not clear how far phytate reduces the availability of these minerals in the diet, especially since there is phytase in yeast and legumes (and possibly in the human gut) which may liberate these minerals.
