SOAK your NUTS!!!
Phytic Acid
All nuts, seeds, and grains contain phytic acid, or phytates.
Phytic acid is a concern for people who get most of their nourishment from these sources, since phytic acid may interfere with the absorption of some nutrients like iron, zinc, calcium, and magnesium. Phytic acid also inhibits certain enzymes needed for protein and starch digestion. This is why vegans and vegetarians who eat phytate-containing foods more often will try to neutralize the phytate by soaking, sprouting, and fermenting these foods.
For nuts the preferred technique is overnight soaking followed by gentle dehydration. RAW nuts contain an enzyme called phytase which breaks down phytic acid after being activated by soaking and sprouting. Non-RAW foodists may also roast their nuts for the maximum removal of phytic acid. These precautions are only mandatory for diets dependent on phytate-rich foods, especially when the diet is low in calcium and Vitamin A (usually from dairy and animal products). Also, phytic acid only inhibits absorption while it is in contact with foods, so snacking on a handful of nuts in between meals is unlikely to cause any problems.
Comments
is it true that brazil and hazelnuts are the only nuts that don’t require soaking? Also are there any organic raw almond butter brands you recommend that do soak their almonds? Just found out my favorite brand doesn’t.
Usually white (or yellowish? like pasta?),but I rencetly saw a box of black Quinoia and a box of red Quinoia at the regular Super Market! Even before having read this article, I just looked at it and thought it looked like a good idea. I mean, black foods? Aren’t they supposed to have goodforyou stuff in’m? I bought the black Quinoia. Yum! It was sooo good, just boiled in water to absorb like the way I simply cook rice. Seemed nutty, maybe seemed oily? So I went back to check the calorie content feeling like uhoh, I don’t think I should have been eating this by the bowl-ful. But even that wasn’t too bad. Not exactly Low-calorie, but I was easily satisfied with an amount of Quinoia that would have been a normal’ (small for the amount I choose to eat) amount of pasta. Now I just wish I had a way to eat this stuff without getting it all a-caught in my teeth. Must floss and rinse after eating.