If you’ve been a part of the health and wellness community for long, you’ve probably heard of the practice of soaking nuts before consumption. You may have read that eating unsoaked nuts is detrimental to your health, or even toxic. Does this claim hold up? Why, exactly, should we soak almonds overnight? And is it worth the hassle?
Let’s explore where this idea originated and smart ways to implement it.
Soaking Nuts for Better Digestion
Soaking, sprouting, activating -- oh my! Ancient wisdom dictates that these practices may improve the digestibility and nutritional value of nuts. The Weston A. Price Foundation and the book Nourishing Traditions, written by Sally Fallon, promoted this concept. It’s grown into a widespread but mostly unresearched claim touted by many blogs, articles, and publications.
The theory goes that soaking nuts will decrease their phytic acid content. What is phytic acid? It’s a compound found in grains, legumes, oil, seeds, and nuts. It’s a type of ‘food inhibitor’ that binds itself to micronutrients and decreases their bioavailability (your body’s ability to use them). This is because most of us don’t have the enzyme phytase in our digestive tracts, which would allow us to digest phytic acid. (1)
At this point, there is little scientific evidence to support these claims, despite the longevity of this practice and the anecdotal evidence in support of it. (2, 3) Some research indicates that our bodies can adapt to a high-phytate diet and reverse the trend of decreased mineral absorption if we regularly eat foods high in phytic acid. Further research is required on this front as well. (4)
Does this mean we should throw the baby out with the bathwater (or the almonds out with the soaking water, as it were)?
I think not. If you want to include nuts in your diet but struggle to digest them, try soaking them and see if it makes a difference for you. There are no potential negative side effects, and it’s an easy project. You may find soaked nuts are kinder to your digestive system. Almonds offer a whopping 3.5 grams of fiber per serving, which along with soaking, can help stimulate bowel movements. (5)
Do I Need to Soak the Nuts I Eat?
The good news that comes with digging into the research is the realization that you don’t need to soak all the nuts you eat. If you have a busy lifestyle but need healthy, portable snacks, nuts can still be a part of your balanced diet.
I do strongly recommend sticking with fresh, raw nuts, and storing them in your refrigerator or freezer to avoid rancidity and mold issues.
If soaking is too time-consuming, consider grinding instead. Many people report easier digestion of nuts when ground into a meal or flour. This is a quick way to incorporate bulk raw nuts into your diet. Try our Chia Breakfast Pudding recipe or our Seed Porridge recipe.
If you want to try soaking nuts, what’s the best way to do it? Here’s a super-easy way to try it out for yourself!
How to Soak Almonds Overnight
Here’s a simple, single-serve recipe for soaked nuts that you can incorporate into your routine as a satiating breakfast that may enhance digestion. If you want dry nuts after soaking, invest in a dehydrator - it’s important to either eat or dry soaked nuts shortly after preparing them to avoid mold.
Easy Soaked Almonds Recipe
1 oz. fresh raw almonds (or other raw nuts)
Pinch of sea salt
Cold filtered water
Add almonds and salt to a glass jar and cover with water. Seal and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 8 hours. Drain almonds in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse with fresh water before consuming immediately.
I find this easy recipe to be very satisfying and it really helps to gently move the bowels!
Remember, if you eat a diverse, balanced diet, limited bioavailability of micronutrients in a particular food group isn’t a big deal (if that does indeed prove to be the case with nuts -- the jury’s still out). However, if nuts are a big staple food in your diet, it may be worthwhile to explore how to maximize their nutritional content.
In the words of neuroscientist Dr. Stephan Guyenet, “The more restricted your diet, the more carefully you have to compose it to achieve adequate nutrition.” (6)
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Bridgit Danner, LAc, FDNP, is trained in functional health coaching and has worked with thousands of women over her career since 2004. She is the founder of Women’s Wellness Collaborative llc and HormoneDetoxShop.com.
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