Page 32 - Spring2008

One striking in B to the animal foods richest in the vitamin. rather mild, leading to only fi ve percent loss in
6
comparison Tuna and liver are the best sources, and, in scrambled eggs, ten percent loss after heating of
general, animal foods contain twice as much as milk for ten minutes and 45 percent loss after
between plant foods. Figure 6 shows the proportion of heating milk for one hour. The true effect on
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lactating pyridoxine bound to sugars in various plant foods, the biological activity of B , however, is much
6
Nepalese which ranges from zero percent in almonds to 82 greater because heat-damaged B can interfere
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with true B and when fed in purifi ed form can
percent in caulifl ower.
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vegetarian The sugars that bind to pyridoxine can actually accelerate the symptoms of defi ciency.
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women and be broken down by microbial enzymes and the Cooking most animal foods leads to a 25-30 per-
their mammalian intestine appears to produce a limited cent decrease in activity while cooking soybeans
quantity of the enzyme as well. Studies con-
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30
leads to a 40 percent decrease in activity. Many
American ducted with humans suggest that the sugar-bound plant foods require more extensive cooking than
omnivore form has at most fifty percent bioavailability animal products, which could further decrease the

counterparts and at worst, none at all. One study conducted yield of active B in vegetarian diets.
6
in men with a purified form of glucose-bound
One striking comparison between lactating

illustrates pyridoxine, for example, examined the urinary Nepalese vegetarian women and their American
the low output of a B breakdown product and found that omnivore counterparts illustrates the low bio-
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bioavailability roughly half of the pyridoxine was absorbed. A availability of B from plant foods. The Nepal-
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more realistic study conducted in women using ese women in this comparison were consuming
of B from whole plant foods, however, examined not only twelve percent more B but had 35 percent lower
6
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plant foods. the urinary output of breakdown products, but serum levels of the active form after three months
also the concentration of the active form in red of lactation and 77 percent lower levels after six
blood cells and the activity of enzymes dependent months. Their breast milk had the same amount
on it. This study suggested that the portion of of B as that of American women, but a large
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plant-based B in the diets bound to sugars had proportion of it was glucose-bound pyridoxine.
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no activity at all. 30 Despite the fact that the Nepalese vegetarians
Heating destroys vitamin B . The effect is were consuming more B in the diet and had
6 6
FIGURE 6. PERCENTAGE OF VITAMIN B IN PLANT FOODS THAT EXISTS AS PYRIDOXINE GLUCOSIDE.
6
Pyridoxine glucoside is the sugar-bound form that has little if any bioavailability in humans. Data taken from
reference 33.

FOOD Percent glucoside FOOD Percent glucoside
Cauliflower, frozen 63-82 Peanut butter 18
Carrots 51-75 Whole wheat bread 17
Orange juice, fresh 37-69 Bananas 3-16
Soy beans, cooked 57-67 Peas, frozen 15
Broccoli, frozen 65 Apricots, dried 14
Raisins 65 Rice (white), cooked 14
Green beans, canned 28-58 Whole wheat flour 11
Broccoli, raw 35-57 Green beans, raw 10
Orange juice, concentrate 47-53 Corn, frozen 6
Cabbage 46 White bread 6
Navy beans, cooked 42 Fortified wheat flakes cereal 5
Wheat bran 27-36 Cauliflower, raw 5
Spinach 35 Rice bran 4
Tomato juice 32 Filberts, raw 4
Shredded wheat cereal 28-31 Avocados, fresh 3
Dark rye bread 23 Walnuts 1
Peaches, canned 21 Almonds, raw 0

32 Wise Traditions SPRING 2008