What plants need lime processing for niacin?

[Kerryhb]

I know the corn needs to be processed with the chemical lime
to make the niacin available for humans.

Is this true for most grains, including amaranth, millet
and quinoa?

What about gourds, tomatoes, peas, sunflower seeds, papayas,
kohlrabi and blueberries?

Thanks,

Kerry

[Martin Ban]

> I know the corn needs to be processed with the chemical lime
> to make the
niacin
> available for humans.
>
> Is this true for most grains, including amaranth, millet
> and quinoa?
>
> What about gourds, tomatoes, peas, sunflower seeds, papayas,
> kohlrabi and blueberries?

Trying to find out how much of the nicotinic acid in plant
food is bound and can not be absorbed in the human gut
without first treating the food with lye (a strong base) is
very hard to do. I've looked at corn because this particular
food is linked to the very high incidence of pellagra in the
U.S. (before niacin was added to all flour sold in the
U.S.). My understanding is that all of the grains have
nicotinic acid bound but I have no idea how much is free and
how much is bound.

I briefly went into medline and also did a few web searches
but came up empty. Roche's site on niacin does say that
nicotinic acid is bound in corn and wheat but does not say how
much is still free.

A diet analysis program will list the niacin content for corn
and wheat but I've often wondered how they determine this
because most of the niacin present can not be absorbed in
humans. I suspect that for all of the plant foods that have
nicotinic acid as the major source of niacin, some of it is
going to be bound and therefore can not be absorbed in the
human gut.

Plants are going to have some niacinamide (plants do form NAD
and NADP) but once you look at niacin you will be told that
most of the niacin coming in from plant foods is nicotinic
acid, not niacinamide. My understanding is that if too much of
the nicotinic acid is free, insects and animals will not eat
that plant material.

--
Marty B. "You are what you eat."

http://centernet.okstate.edu/nutrition/index.html

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in this website and posted material represents the opinion of
Martin Banschbach, Ph.D. and does not reflect Oklahoma State
University policy or position on nutrition.

Issues regarding the diagnosis and treatment of human disease
can not be addressed by material in the above website or by
Martin Banschbach, Ph.D.

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unless confirmed by your personal physician.

"KerryHB" <kerryhb@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20020226094146.01301.00000548@mb-de.aol.com...

>
> Thanks,
>
> Kerry