Benefits Of Soaking Nuts & Seeds Before Eating

By Irrm Majid

Saturday, November 7, 2015, 14:33 [IST]

Have you ever wondered why some people soak nuts and seeds before eating? Most people believe that soaking nuts makes it tasty and easy to digest.

However, soaking nuts before eating has immense health benefits too. And we are sure that you will always soak nuts and seeds after reading this article.

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Phytic acids, tannins and other toxic substances present in the nuts, seeds and grains are not fit for consumption. They can cause many health complications especially to those who are sensitive to phytic acid and tannins. Soaking nuts also helps to cleanse colon and keeps your intestines healthy.

Some grains should also be soaked before eating as they also contain some harmful substances for humans. It is also true that most people won't find any discomfort after eating unsoaked nuts. However, in the longer run, it can pose health problems as only a limited amount of phytic acid can be tolerated by a person at a time.

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In this article, we will help you to know why nuts are soaked and the best method to soak nuts, seeds and grains. Have a look at the health benefits of soaking nuts and seeds.

Soaking Removes Phytic Acid

Raw nuts are coated from outside with phytic acid.This phytic acid benefit the nuts but not humans. Too much of phytic acid in human body can cause gastrointestinal problems and can interfere with the absorption of nutrients (especially minerals). Soaking nuts before eating removes phytic acid from them.

Prevents Irritable Bowel Syndrome

The enzyme inhibitors present in the nuts cause gastrointestinal problems including irritable bowel syndrome. However, soaking removes enzyme inhibitors in nuts and seeds. This makes them safe for consumption, especially to those who are already suffering from gastric problems.

Soaking Also Removes Tannins

Most people are allergic to tannins (which can also be found in black tea) present in nuts. Tannins may cause digestive problems and other health issues if the individual issensitive to it. Therefore, it is better to soak the nuts to remove tannins content from them.

Promotes Colon Health

Soaking nuts before eating them also helps to cleanse your colon thus removing the harmful toxins. It also helps in the better absorption of nutrients. Eating nuts without soaking them causes irritation and discomfort to the intestines. This makes the colon less functional and there is minimum digestion of food.

Increases Mineral Absorption

Phytic acid blocks the absorption of minerals in the body. This can result in deficiency of minerals such as iron, zinc and magnesium.

Nuts & Seeds High In Phytic Acid

Almost all nuts such as walnuts, almonds, cashews etc are high in phytic acid. Seeds also contain phytic acid which includes sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds etc. It is important to soak them if you are going to eat these nuts and seeds in larger quantities at a time. Grains such as oats, barley and wheat also contain phytic acid.

Steps To Soak Your Nuts & Seeds

To get the most out of nuts and seeds, you must soak them before eating. Put the nuts or seeds into a large bowl containing water. Add 2 tablespoons of sea salt and cover it with a lid. Soak the nuts or seeds for about 6 hours. You can also leave it overnight. Rinse them and dry well in an oven but not higher than 150 degrees. Remember to use boiled or filtered water for soaking.

Soaking Grains

There are some grains that also contain phytic acid such as wheat, barley and oats. While soaking these grains don't forget to add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice into the soaking water. This aids in the easy removal of toxic coating present in these grains.

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