Phytic Acid - Friend or Enemy? Because of some popular teachings on grains and their phytic acid content - whole grains have gotten a bad reputation over the last couple of decades. Let’s get a little “science-y” for a moment: Plants store phosphorus in a compound known as phytic acid. Phytic acid can bind to other minerals, such iron, calcium, manganese and zinc and in doing so creates phytates. Our bodies do not have any enzymes capable of breaking down phytates, so we are unable to absorb tho