Ingredient tips for plant-based diets: are chelates the missing link?

The popularity of plant-based diets has skyrocketed in recent years, reflecting a seismic societal shift.

What was once a niche lifestyle choice has evolved into a global phenomenon.¹

Whether influenced by ethical, environmental or health concerns, millions of people around the world are reducing their consumption of animal products in favour of plant-based options.

This transformation is supporting a robust global plant-based food market, which is predicted to more than triple in the next decade from $14.2 billion in 2025 to $44.2 billion by 2035.¹

Plant-based diets can present challenges when it comes to getting enough key micronutrients.²

Although many consumers turn to supplements to fill these gaps, there is a hidden bioavailability barrier in plant-based diets that is limiting the absorption of some essential nutrients.

In this article, Oliver Riemann (pictured), Senior Manager Marketing and Business Development, Albion Minerals at Balchem Human Nutrition & Health, explores what’s causing the nutritional challenges of plant-based diets and how effective, highly bioavailable supplements can support vegan and vegetarian consumers.

Antinutrients: the hidden challenge of plant-based nutrition

Many staple foods in plant-based diets, including legumes, nuts and seeds, are rich in so-called “antinutrients,” such as phytates and oxalates.³

These compounds can interact with specific minerals, such as calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, forming complexes that the body can’t absorb efficiently.^4–7

As a result, instead of entering the bloodstream to perform specific functions and support crucial aspects of health, some of these minerals could simply be passed out during the digestive process.

The effects of antinutrients can be remarkable. For example, just 10 mg of phytates can inhibit iron absorption by approximately 60%.⁸

What’s more, this may limit the accuracy of intake recommendations and measurements. One recent analysis estimated that calcium absorption could be overestimated by as much as 26% if phytate content is not accounted for.⁹

This means that, even if consumers on plant-based diets up their micronutrient intake through adjustments to their diets or supplementation, the uptake may still be falling short — possibly leaving many without the full and rounded nutrition they need to stay at their healthiest.

So, what role can supplements play? One tactic is to load products with higher amounts of essential minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc.

But not only does this limit formulators to large, inconvenient and unappealing format options, many common mineral salt ingredients also come with unpleasant gastrointestinal (GI) side-effects that could be exacerbated with large doses.¹⁰

A better solution is to prioritise mineral ingredients that are highly bioavailable and are less likely to interact with antinutrients. Here’s where chelation comes in.

Chelation chemistry: building better mineral absorption

Chelation is a process by which mineral ions are bound to organic molecules, such as amino acids. Many of the mineral chelates found in foods and dietary supplements are bisglycinates, meaning that mineral ions are bound to two molecules of glycine.

This forms a relatively low molecular weight, neutrally charged ring structure in which the ions are shielded from the external environment, preventing interference from antinutrients in the GI tract.

These chelate structures are efficiently absorbed intact in the small intestine before the mineral is released and delivered to its target tissue to perform its given function.¹¹

In addition to being less likely to interact with antinutrients, organic mineral amino acid chelates offer another bioavailability boost; they have been scientifically proven to be more easily absorbed into the human body than non-chelated varieties.

For example, Albion Minerals’ calcium bisglycinate ingredient demonstrates 1.5–2.0-fold greater absorption than calcium citrate and calcium carbonate in lab testing.¹²

Similar tests show that the absorption of Albion’s magnesium bisglycinate is up to three times greater compared with magnesium oxide or magnesium citrate (Balchem internal data).

This absorption advantage is particularly strong in the presence of antinutrients such as phytates; one clinical trial estimated that Albion Minerals’ chelated iron ingredient Ferrochel (ferrous bisglycinate) is up to five times better absorbed than ferrous sulphate.¹³

In fact, ferrous bisglycinate was selected by the World Health Organization as a “fortificant of choice” for specific applications because of its high bioavailability and greater resistance to phytates.¹⁴

Benefits beyond bioavailability

In addition to enhanced absorption, research shows that mineral chelates also offer greater tolerability compared with conventional mineral salts.

A review and meta-analysis of iron supplementation in pregnant women reported that supplementation with ferrous bisglycinate results in significantly fewer GI adverse events for mums-to-be compared with other iron salts.¹⁵

This enhanced tolerability may help to elevate consumer compliance to supplement routines — another essential consideration when supporting optimised nutrition in plant-based diets. 

From an application standpoint, the unique chemistry of mineral chelates delivers technical advantages compared with traditional mineral forms.

For one thing, the stability of chelates enables brands to create a wide range of solutions with various dosage forms, including fortified food and beverages, without compromising on efficacy.

Plus, in multi-ingredient solutions containing chelated minerals, there is less degradation of vitamins (including A, K, B6 and C) compared with those using traditional mineral salts.¹⁶

Thanks to the presence of glycine molecules around mineral chelates, these ingredients also offer significantly greater solubility compared with conventional forms, allowing more formulation versatility as well as an enhanced experience for consumers.

For example, formulating with calcium carbonate can result in sediment, a gritty texture, a soapy flavour and a chalky mouthfeel.

Alternatively, calcium bisglycinate has the highest solubility among common Ca salts, making it far more suitable to create appealing and enjoyable plant-based beverage applications.¹²

Chelated minerals make the difference

As plant-based diets continue to gain popularity, the role of chelated minerals is becoming increasingly vital.

From a molecular level, fewer interactions with antinutrients, right up to GI-gentle and appealing finished product formulations, these powerhouse ingredients offer a unique tool to help consumers get the full benefits from their nutrition.

By integrating chelated minerals into their product lines, supplement brands can play a pivotal role by supporting the health and wellness of consumers going plant-based.

References

1. www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/plant-based-food-market.
2. https://doi.org/10.52570/DGAC2020.
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39895386/.
4. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK222309/.
5. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK222317/.
6. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK109816/.
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK109827/.
8. L. Hallberg, et al., “Iron Absorption in Man: Ascorbic Acid and Dose-Dependent Inhibition by Phytate,” Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 49(1), 140–144 (1989).
9. C.M. Weaver, et al., “An Algorithm to Assess Calcium Bioavailability from Foods,” J. Nutr. 154(3), 921–927 (2024).
10. Z. Tolkien, et al., “Ferrous Sulfate Supplementation Causes Significant Gastrointestinal Side-Effects in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” PloS one 10(2), e0117383 (2015).
11. E. Hertrampf and M. Olivares, Iron Amino Acid Chelates,” Int. J. Vitam. Nutr. Res. 74(6), 435–443 (2004).
12. R.P. Heaney, et al., “Absorbability of Calcium Sources: The Limited Role of Solubility,” Calcif. Tissue Int. 46(5), 300–304 (1990).
13. A.C. Bovell-Benjamin, et al., “Iron Absorption from Ferrous Bisglycinate and Ferric Trisglycinate in Whole Maize is Regulated by Iron Status,” Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 71(6), 1503–1509 (2000).
14. www.who.int/publications/i/item/9241594012.
15. J.A.J. Fischer, et al., “The Effects of Oral Ferrous Bisglycinate Supplementation on Hemoglobin and Ferritin Concentrations in Adults and Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials,” Nutr. Rev. 81(8), 904-920 (2023).
16. M. Marchetti, et al., "Comparison of the Rates of Vitamin Degradation When Mixed with Metal Sulphates or Metal Amino Acid Chelates," J. Food Compos. Anal. 13(6), 875-884 (2000).