I hope you didn’t take this question the wrong way (specifically men).
Let me clarify…
Do you soak your nuts (almonds, walnuts, etc…) and seeds before eating them?
Whether you follow a raw food diet or not, you may want to start.
Here are 3 reasons why…
1. Soaking removes enzyme inhibitors
Soaking nuts and seeds (especially those that are higher in protein) will “disarm” their natural enzyme inhibitors, which improves their ability to be digested and opens up their full array of nutrients.
As a protective mechanism, nuts and seeds have enzyme inhibitors to keep them dormant until they are in a properly moisturized environment.
That’s why squirrels bury chestnuts into the soil for a few days before coming back to eat them. They know that doing so will “awaken” the full nutrient spectrum of their food.
2. Soaking leads to greater amino acid bioavailability
It has been shown that soaking higher-protein nuts and seeds can increase the bioavailability of their amino acids by up to 30%!
If you’re a vegan and want to increase your protein consumption, then simply soaking your nuts and seeds can make a big difference as to what your body will absorb.
3. Soaking turns RAW into LIVING
As I mentioned in the first point above, enzyme inhibitors render nuts and seeds dormant.
Even if they’re raw it doesn’t necessarily mean that these foods are LIVING.
However, since soaking disarms the enzyme inhibitors that keep these raw nuts and seeds dormant, it allows them to become water-rich and alive.
There is a slight difference between raw and living. Unsoaked nuts and seeds are raw but not alive. Soaking them will change that and help you to reap their full benefits.
Which ones to soak?
You don’t have to soak all nuts and seeds. Only those that have a higher protein content. The ones I usually recommend soaking include:
- almonds
- pumpkin seeds
- sunflower seeds
Walnuts, pecans, cashews, and pine nuts are generally higher in fat and don’t need to be soaked. Doing so will only make them soggy and mushy.
Hi Yuri
Firstly, thank you so much for your very informative articles on the benefits of exercise and on having a raw and living food diet. I am 62 years old and have benefited immensely from both (although I am a little bit lazy when it comes to exercise and only persevere with the ‘easy’ stuff!)
I would like your advice on a matter that worries me quite a bit. I eat a fair amount of almonds and always soak them first. I found that doing this, after some time of eating them straight from the packet, they were easier to digest – presumably becaue of the enzymes being activated.
Unfortunately I don’t like the taste of them all plumped up with water so I usually dry them out in my dehydrator until they are nice and crunchy. Will drying them out again destroy the benefits gained by the soaking?
Once again, thanks for your terrific website and I wish you and your family all the very best.
Pam Leigh
how do you soak them and for how long?????
thanx 4 all your info. you are a super guy
Hey Shaka,
Most “soakable” nuts and seeds only need to be soaked for about 8-12 hours. I usually put them in a bowl of water before going to bed so that they’re ready in the morning.
They will keep in the fridge (still in the water) for about 3-4 days.
Yuri
Hey Pam,
Technically, you could soak them to “bring them life” and then dehydrate them if you enjoy that taste better.
Doing so should retain the benefited of being soaked.
Thanks for the great question.
Yuri
Hi Yuri, thank you so much for your site, it helps me so much because I am working with a Wellness Centre Program of our church the Seventh Day Adventist and we are promoting Healthy Foods. People are asking me if you could share a natural Detox Diet, here in my country drugs are offered to detox the body. Hope you can share a natural way! again thank you. . . Cecile Yap
Hey Cecile,
The first place I would suggest starting with is my book, Eating for Energy. You can literally take its information and teach it verbatim at the center.
If you want to take it one step further into natural cleansing you can have a look at our Total Wellness Cleanse program which is a 30-day ALL natural approach to detoxifying and cleansing the body through foods.
Let me know if you need more assistance. Thanks again.
Hi YURI, Im struggling with eating fruit and nuts. I enjoy eating them but have a sensitivey to them. Making me gain weight water retition and ill feeling. I have been drinking the green smoothys for three months now , but cant seen to get much futher than that. Please help!…Joan
My brother and myself are eating about 65% raw food but he plays sports tennis/badmintion 4 times a week and he seems to be loosing weight since going on the raw food,can you suggest anything that may help in?
Regards
faye