Soak your Nuts!
2012
When using nuts and seeds in a raw food kitchen we always soak them fist. This turns them into a living food and makes them easier to digest and more nutritious.
Wake them up!
Soaking awakens nuts, seeds and grains from their dormant state. As they begin to grow the energy and vitality is increased in them; they now become a ‘live’ food. Kirlian photography clearly shows this – with the soaked seed having a bright aura around it, while the dormant seed has none.
Kirlian photo showing the energy of a person seated in lotus position.
Benefits of soaking
Soaking removes their enzyme inhibitors – this is the protective shield, which Mother Nature has placed around them to prevent them from growing until they have found a place in the earth and a source of water. Removing these inhibitors releases the enzymes contained within them, which they need to grow, which are also the same ones our body uses to digest them. Soaking removes oxylates and phytates, which keeps the minerals ‘locked up’ in the seed. It makes these minerals, not only more available and accessible, but more easily absorbed by the body. Soaking also increases the vitamin content. Seeds, nuts and grains which have been soaked are much easier to digest as this process begins the digestion process by turning fats into fatty acids, transforming starches into simple sugars, and breaking proteins down into amino acids. I know of people who are allergic to nuts who can comfortably eat them with no allergic symptoms when they are soaked first. This process of soaking nuts and seeds also makes them more alkaline, which is beneficial to our bodies. Soaking also reduces calories.
General guidelines
- Use pure or filtered water to soak.
- Rinse well after soaking. The soak water will still contain the released enzyme inhibitors, which are toxic, very acidic and which will neutralize our body’s own store of enzymes.
- Do not soak very soft or mucilaginous nuts and seeds prior to using them in recipes, unless indicated; these include: Macadamia, Pine and Brazil nuts and Hemp, Flax and Chia seeds.
- All others should be soaked unless otherwise specified. A guideline for soaking times for various nuts and seeds are as follows: Small seeds, grains and soft nuts, such as Sesame, Quinoa, Walnuts and Pecans – 3 to 4 hours Larger, hulled seeds, such as Pumpkin and Sunflower – 4 to 8 hours Larger nuts, such as Almonds, Hazelnuts – 6 to 12 hours
- Almonds are great to have readily available and are best soaked under 12 hours, but can be soaked for up to a week in the fridge. Rinse and cover with water in a glass jar and refridgerate Leave them without a lid, so they can breathe. Rinse then daily, as they are alive and produce waste, which will get in the water. Fill bottle with water again after and return to fridge
- If you require a shorter soaking time soak nuts and seeds in warm water. This can speed up the process by an hour or two. Heat water up until just warm to the touch; if the water is too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for the food and will begin destroying beneficial nutrients and enzymes.
