Many people know that nuts are filling and healthy foods. If you often eat fruits raw, they become difficult food to digest. A person begins to feel heaviness in the stomach after eating. He may even experience severe discomfort after eating the nut mass. To get the maximum amount of nutrients from the product, it is best to always soak nuts before eating.
Soaking nuts before eating. Do you know why you need to soak nuts before eating?
Did you know about this?
Everyone loves nuts, but not everyone knows that dry nuts contain enzyme inhibitors - these are substances that slow down the digestion process. That is why such nuts are so difficult to digest and are excreted from the body almost unchanged. When soaked, the nutritional value of nuts increases significantly!
When inactive, inhibitors prevent the nut from germinating, which helps keep it dry before it enters a humid environment. It’s not for nothing that nature itself came up with this complex mechanism, similar to how seeds germinate in water. That is why it is in water that the process of activation of nutrients in nuts occurs. As a result, all the most useful things are absorbed by the body. Almost all types of nuts are beneficial for the body: they improve brain function, support heart activity, remove cholesterol, etc. However, it should be remembered that in large quantities this healthy product can become poisonous to the body. The optimal dose is a handful of nuts per day. Nuts “revivified” with water contain even more useful substances, they taste pleasant, are easier to digest and are better absorbed by the body. Use these tips to know which nuts need to be soaked for how long. Walnuts - 8 hours. Almonds - 12 hours. Hazelnuts - 8 hours. Peanuts - 1-2 hours. Pine nuts - 8 hours. Macadamia - 4 hours. Cashew - 6 hours. The basic rule: the harder the nut, the longer you need to soak it. Get the most out of your food!
Do I need to dry it?
Soaked nuts can be consumed immediately. After draining the water, the kernels are laid out on a towel to remove excess moisture. For those who like to crunch, the method of dehydration at a minimum temperature in an oven or electric dryer is suitable. But it is worth remembering that it is advisable to bake nuts on a baking sheet for at least 4 hours at a temperature no higher than 60–70 degrees. Drying quickly at high temperature will have a roasting effect.
Kernels soaked in water are healthier than dried and fried ones. They increase the amount of active ingredients that are more easily absorbed by the body. In addition, the taste improves and the nut becomes softer. You should try soaking nuts yourself at least once to feel the difference.
Do I need to soak walnuts before eating? Soaking nuts: what happens
These chemical transformations transform soaked seeds and nuts into easily digestible foods. They acquire a sweetish taste because... Inhibitors are washed out with water along with their bitterness. We can already say that nuts and seeds that have undergone the soaking procedure are full of nutrients presented in the most easily digestible form.
And there is something to be absorbed there! Imagine that even the tiniest seed, the most inconspicuous nut, contains a full-fledged active system of plant enzymes, a huge amount of macro- and microelements, flavonoids, antioxidants and vitamins. This entire rich complex of active substances is present in living plant tissue and resides in fruits in balanced quantities and ideal proportions.
Soaking significantly increases the nutritional value of seeds and nuts, changes the taste for the better - they acquire sweetness, juiciness and are almost as good in taste and appearance as fresh ones. In addition, if you doubt whether you bought a spoiled product, or whether it has been treated with some substance for the purpose of longer storage, preventing rotting, mustiness, and eating by insects and small rodents, soaking is a sure way to check this. Processed or spoiled nuts and seeds will lose their original color when soaked, become too soft, or, on the contrary, will not absorb moisture. After soaking, high-quality products should look like fresh ones.
Could it be the zinc?
Yes. Phytic acid reduces the absorption of zinc. So what? Add zinc to your diet if your blood tests show very low levels. In addition, high zinc in tests is also harmful. What if it’s on the contrary elevated for you? According to the University of Arizona, USA, 2010, elevated levels of zinc in the blood can shorten life span because it increases DNA breakdown in our cells by reducing an enzyme (PARP-1) that is involved in DNA repair.
Link to the study:
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19809895
In addition, if zinc in the blood is higher than normal, this can impair the functioning of the immune system, lead to anemia, and reduce “good cholesterol” HDL in blood tests
Link to the study:
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional
How and why to soak nuts, legumes and grains
How and why do you need to soak nuts, legumes and grains? It turns out that they contain substances - natural defense mechanisms that interfere with normal digestion and absorption by our body
Meet phytic acid
An acid that preserves mineral phosphorus in plant tissues. Various varieties of nuts, seeds, legumes and grains contain huge amounts of it. The peculiarity of this acid is that our body categorically refuses to absorb it. In addition, it interferes with the proper absorption of macronutrients and minerals.
Confrontation between phytase and phytin
In addition to acid, nuts, seeds and beans contain phytase. An enzyme, one of whose functions is the decomposition of phytin. This process is activated only when the fruit is wet and ready to start moving upward. Having received the phosphorus necessary for development, the plant begins to grow.
How to soak properly
To properly soak seeds and nuts, they need to be placed in a glass bowl with warm and clean water. For two glasses of water there is one glass of fruit - the ratio is 2:1. Some nutrition experts recommend adding a teaspoon of sea salt to water, supposedly to neutralize substances that slow down the enzymatic reaction. After this, the vessel with the fruits must be placed overnight in a dark place at a temperature of 20-25 degrees. It is better to cover the bowl with a gauze towel so that the plants can breathe.
Let us remind you about proper nutrition in summer: basic rules and sample menu. You can live without diets by following the principles of healthy eating, allowing your body to get everything it needs and your figure to remain slim. Summer is the best time to “organize” such a diet so that you don’t go hungry and don’t weigh down your figure. Politeka also wrote how to eat everything and stay slim: the best diet.
Could it be calcium?
So what if phytic acid reduces the absorption of calcium. There is no calcium deficiency in modern diets. And osteoporosis does not arise due to calcium deficiency, but due to a violation of the ratio of osteoblasts to osteoclasts. On the contrary, phytic acid has a positive property - it prevents bone osteoporosis in women after menopause, reducing arterial calcification, leaving calcium in the bones.
Links to studies:
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22614760
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21794821
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19053869
Do I need to soak roasted nuts? Why do you need to soak nuts?
The soaking procedure helps to avoid unpleasant sensations and help the body quickly absorb healthy protein. It awakens dormant kernels and starts the germination process. As a result, the taste changes along with the structure, the nut is enriched with enzymes that are responsible for the development of the sprout, and harmful phytic acid is eliminated.
The presence of phytic acid is noted in almost all types of nuts. During ripening, it provides the fruit with natural protection from premature eating in the natural environment by animals or birds. By the time of maturity, a small percentage of phytin remains in the kernel. But with constant consumption of raw nuts, acid can accumulate, causing harmful effects.
Explaining why you need to place the kernels in water before eating, nutritionists also note the harm of daily consumption of roasted nuts. If soaked almonds acquire the softness of marzipan with the aroma of exquisite amaretto and enrich the body with beneficial enzymes, then fried almonds produce the opposite effect.
During heat treatment, the oils contained in the composition interact with phytic acid and tannin (concentrated in the shell), as a result of which they oxidize. The amount of oil that increases during frying can cause discomfort in the stomach.
The benefits of consuming soaked nuts are observed if the daily intake does not exceed 300 g.
Could it be a hardware issue?
Yes. Phytic acid reduces iron absorption. In fact, reducing iron levels in the blood is much more difficult than gaining it. And high iron levels generally cause cancer. Iron promotes the formation of hydroxyl radicals as a result of the reaction of hydrogen peroxide with iron ions, which subsequently damages DNA and RNA molecules.
Link to the study:
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29157668
And it's good that phytic acid can help reduce iron and ferritin levels. Today, elevated ferritin is a marker of future cancer risk, and lowering it to normal levels through blood donation greatly reduces cancer mortality. And if a person has an iron deficiency, which is less common, then it is easy to gain it by consuming heme iron, or intravenously in extreme cases.
Links to studies:
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18612130
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20304584
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20304584
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7918045
Why soak nuts with salt? Why soak nuts?
Many people love to chew nuts. They are known to be a source of protein and a variety of microelements. However, few people know that it is necessary to soak nuts before eating.
Why do you need soaking?
Nuts are a type of seed with which the plant reproduces. Therefore, dry nuts are absorbed by the body poorly and slowly - nature has provided a mechanism to protect the embryos. Enzyme inhibitors are responsible for this, which “preserve” the nutrients in the nut, preserving the viability of the sprout before entering the nutrient medium. In addition to preserving the viability of the embryo, they protect it if it enters the stomach and suppress the secretion of digestive juices responsible for the digestion of food. In addition, there is evidence that the phytic acid contained in nuts greatly slows down the absorption of minerals. Therefore, large consumption of dry nuts can lead to rickets and osteoporosis. An increase in humidity serves as a signal that the nut is in a favorable environment and starts growth processes. As a result, enzyme inhibitors are destroyed, the enzymes themselves are released and begin the process of converting complex organic compounds into simpler ones. There is no need to wait until the nuts sprout: most of the nutrients will go into the sprout. Several hours of soaking will activate the necessary processes, as a result of which the nuts will become healthier and absorbed faster. Also, soaking nuts before eating has a positive effect on the taste: the bitterness disappears into the water, the nuts become sweeter and more tender.
How to soak nuts correctly
The nuts are poured with boiled or filtered water, maybe hot, but not boiling water. Water takes twice as many nuts. Many health experts recommend adding sea or pink Himalayan salt to your water. There are tips on using soda for these purposes. It is believed that salt and soda accelerate the destruction of protective mechanisms. The time for soaking nuts depends on their type. Experts say that a sign of a high content of enzyme-inhibiting substances is the brown color of the skin. Therefore, nuts such as walnuts, almonds or pecans need to be kept in water for several hours. It is convenient to soak the nuts overnight and eat them in the morning. Light-colored fruits require less processing time; 2-3 hours are usually enough for them. Small nuts, for example, pine nuts, can be eaten without soaking at all, although many supporters of a healthy diet prefer to first fill them with water for at least a quarter of an hour. After soaking, the nuts need to be washed and peeled. When they are planned to be eaten not immediately, but over several days, the nuts are dried naturally, placed in a dry glass container and put in the refrigerator, where they can be stored for several days.
How to soak nuts without salt. How and why should you soak Nuts?
How and why do you need to soak Nuts? It turns out that they contain substances - natural defense mechanisms that interfere with normal digestion and absorption by our body. Soaking nuts is a traditional method of deactivating these substances, which will allow us to consume nuts without harm to health.
I love Nuts. And I think that the people who don't like them are a minority.
I have always held pine nuts in high esteem! Having read a lot of research and information about the beneficial properties of Nuts in general, without any doubt I decided to seriously introduce them into my diet.
And not just Nuts for a snack, but their daily use. I decided to start with almonds.
And so, one evening, sitting and eating roasted almonds, “nutty” questions arose in my head.
For example, which Nuts are healthier: raw or roasted? Imagine my surprise to discover that the healthiest nuts are the soaked ones!
And why and how I will tell you in this post.
Why do you need to soak Nuts?
It turns out that all Nuts, without exception, just like grains and beans, have special protective mechanisms.
They protect themselves from predators who try to eat them all. And if herbivores can calmly cope with these protective mechanisms without any harm to their health, then we humans are not so lucky.
Nuts contain:
* Phytic acid, which attaches to minerals (Zinc, Magnesium, Iron, Calcium, etc.) and prevents their absorption in our gastrointestinal tract.
Recent studies say that without it, we are able to absorb 20% more Iron and 60% more Magnesium. And if you think carefully, these are very serious numbers that over time can lead to mineral deficiency.
It is for this reason that rickets and osteoporosis are diseases common among populations whose main diet is grains, beans and nuts.
The human body is able to cope with small amounts of phytic acid. About 100-300 mg per day.
But almond meal alone contains 1300!!! mg Phytic acid. And most people seriously lean on grains and cereals. It turns out that this is already a much larger amount than our body can handle without harm to our health.
* Digestive enzyme inhibitors, which deactivate our digestive enzymes and interfere with the normal digestion of food. This is one of the reasons why most people feel heaviness or pain in their stomach after eating Nuts.
Soaking deactivates Phytic Acid and digestive enzyme inhibitors, allowing us to better digest and absorb Nuts.
How to soak Nuts?
Our ancestors always prepared nuts before eating. Traditionally, they first soaked them in salt water, dried them in the sun, ground them and then cooked them.
Nowadays, when people want everything easier and faster, this practice has been forgotten over time. Which I think, like many other things, affects our overall health and well-being.
Soaking Nuts is a very simple and not labor-intensive process.
You will need:
- 1 part nuts
- 2 parts filtered boiled hot water
- pink Himalayan or sea salt (1 teaspoon for 1 cup of nuts)
- glassware ( )
Place the Nuts in a glass bowl, add salt and hot water, stir and wait.
Soaking time depends on the size and structure of the Nuts. For example, almonds and Brazil nuts should be soaked for 12 hours. Hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans and pine nuts for 8 hours. And cashews are 6.
After soaking, the nuts must be thoroughly washed and dried.
I simply place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place them in the turned off, closed oven for 24 hours. After that, I take them out and use them in my recipes or put them in the refrigerator, where I store them for up to 2 weeks.
Don't forget to skin the nuts (like almonds). Most antinutrients are concentrated in the skin.
In general, it is better to store all Nuts, even unsoaked ones, in the refrigerator, as they contain delicate oils that spoil very easily.
Every evening I soak 10 almonds, which I rinse in the morning and eat right away. It has already become a habit and I do it automatically, as one of the rules of a healthy diet.
Soaking Nuts is a traditional preparation method used by our ancestors and which has unfortunately lost its importance in modern times.
Soaking is necessary for the complete digestion of Nuts, so don’t be lazy and make it a necessary part of your diet.
