If you’re gonna ‘soak your nuts’, you should definitely do it in the kitchen! ‘Soak your nuts’- hee hee. Cooking really is fun!
I’m not actually getting creepy over here, there is a real reason why you should be soaking nuts, seeds and even grains and legumes. Let’s break down what it is and why it’s important.
What: Soaking nuts and seeds is pretty much what it sounds like- it means to cover them with water let them sit for a period of time.
Why: Soaking does a couple of things:
- improves the nutrient bio-availability of the food.
- removes the phytic acid exterior which is hard on our digestion system (think of it as their natural defense mechanism.)
- begins the sprouting process (again, increasing nutrient density.)
- helps softens the nut for smooth and easy blending.
How: Cover item with fresh filtered water and a few pinches of Himalayan pink salt. Soak on the counter. Strain, throwing out the soaking water, and rinse well. Soaking time varies from 20 minutes to 8 hours. As a general rule, the harder the nuts, the longer the soak.
- Long-soak: almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios
- Medium-soak: pecans, walnuts, Brazil nuts
- Short-soak: cashews, macadamias, pine nuts, seeds
Even a 20 minute soak can begin to reduce enzyme inhibitors and is worth the effort.
What else: Use the nuts freshly soaked or re-crisp them in a dehydrator or low oven. Soaked nuts are often referred to as ‘Activated Nuts’. They cost more in the store so I recommend doing it yourself.