Kaempferol Blocks Bean's Healthful Iron

The bioavailability of iron found in red, white and pinto beans has been a puzzle to scientists for a long time. These legumes which are staples of developing countries in South and Eastern Asia are very important source of iron and a substitute for animal sourced-iron. Collaborating scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) Raymond P. Gahn and Cornell University researchers picked up the research focus of former ARS research plant physiologist Ross M. Welch on iron bioavailability of these legumes.

The scientists were able to confirm the initial results of the research on Caco-2 human digestive system cells cultured in petri dishes in their poultry feeding studies, whereby kaempferol is the inhibiting substance. This study is the first to identify kaempferol as the major player in decreasing iron bioavailability. This investigation opens possibilities for further research on bioavailability of iron, a very important micronutrient in the developing countries.

View the article for more details at http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/090924.htm