To soak or not to soak, that is the question! ..and what the hell is an ‘activated’ nut anyway?

You may have heard of the term ‘activated’ in relation to ‘nuts’ – but what does it really mean?

Or perhaps you wonder why some people soak nuts before consuming them – is this just another time-wasting health obsession?

While not being a chemist or food scientist, I hail from an applied science and plant ecology background and love a little research, so I have attempted to bring together some of the conflicting arguments on soaking nuts – to soak or not to soak? And, are phytates/ phytic acid really that bad for you?

Phytic acid – phytates

Nuts (and beans, grains and other seeds)* contain natural chemicals in their outer coating, or bran (in botanical terms: testa). Of particular note in relation to nutrition, is the group of chemical inhibitors called phytates or phytic acid, but they can also contain tannins and other chemicals, which can affect the uptake of nutrients. Phytic acid is the storage form of phosphorus in many plant tissues, particularly the outer bran portion. Phytic acid in food unfortunately binds with other beneficial nutrients such as iron, magnesium, calcium and zinc, and block these from being absorbed by the body.

This seems like quite a contradictory evolution if we look through the eyes of hungry humans, but we must remember, a nut is created to perpetuate its own life foremost, and these natural chemicals protect it from insect attack and act to halt the seed from germination until suitable conditions are met, otherwise it may attempt to grow on barren ground.

Potential damage to health

Research into the effects of phytic acid on health finds that it binds, or chelates, important minerals and also inhibits enzymes needed to digest our food. Over consumption has been linked to demineralization of tissues in the body including tooth decay. It has also been found that the addition of Vitamin C in a meal can reduce the loss of iron and perhaps other minerals that are bound up in the phytic acid. For more reading on this and further references, see the article by Ramiel Nagel published by the Weston A Price Foundation.

It must be pointed out that not much research has been done into the effects on health of phytic acid in nuts, most research has been done on grains such as soy. Additionally, phytic acid has been found to have beneficial properties as an anti-oxidant with some research shown an ability to reduce the proliferation of cancer cells.

Nuts about nuts?

This is where proper preparing of nuts comes in.  Using methods such as soaking, sprouting and dehydrating or a combination, has been recommended by many well known nutritionalists and ‘real-food’ advocates such as Sally Fallon of Nourishing Traditions.

Sally Fallon recommends soaking raw nuts in sea salt and filtered water in a warm place at least 7 hours.   The nuts can then be drained. She recommends drying in an oven (or dehydrator), although the nuts are fine to be eaten as they are after drained from the soaking water.

This, my friends is what is known as an ‘activated’ nut.

Pretty cool term huh…activated. I reckon I might just go and get ‘activated’ – a soak and roast in a sauna finished with a plunge in a cool pool certainly does activate me!

…If a seed falls in a forest

The process of soaking is akin to when a seed falls on the earth and is rained upon. Chemical inhibitors leech from the nut and it may sprout roots (although germination usually requires other conditions to be met such as optimal temperature).

Soaking nuts also helps make digestion easier as the nut is softer and able to be chewed into smaller pieces. Another benefit of soaking is that is starts the fermentation process which can release phytase, the enzyme which breaks down phytic acid, as well as release more of the beneficial vitamins, especially the B vitamins. Soaking also swells the nut, increasing its size and can assist in feeling full.

Soaking nuts (and grains) may seem like a time consuming task but it’s really simple once you set up a habit of doing so.

How to prepare nuts for optimal nutrition

In a nut-shell (bahahah bad pun intended), the easiest methods for preparing nuts for better digestion and long term health is to soak them overnight in warm salty water, drain and either store in the refrigerator until required or dehydrate for later use. Soaking nuts (and grains) may seem like a time consuming task but it’s really simple once you set up a habit of doing so.

Store soaked nuts in the refrigerator for up to a week, or use to make almond milk, nut butter etc.

Sprouting is a secondary step after soaking and is only possible if you have a truly raw nut/seed to begin with**.

Dehydrated nuts will last for a couple of weeks if store in an airtight container, and in a cool location.

• 1 cup nuts
• 1/4 tsp salt/celtic sea salt/natural sea salt
• filtered water – enough to adequately cover nuts

1. Place nuts into a glass or ceramic bowl or jar.
2. Warm filtered water in a kettle (don’t boil it), or use room temperature water
3. sprinkle about a quarter teaspoon salt into the mix
4. Soak overnight or for about 7-12 hours
5. drain water – can use a colander/ strainer or I just use my hand as a strainer (less fuss)
6. (Optional) To sprout – once drained, leave the nut/seed 1 to 4 days  to sprout, rinsing every day preferably in the morning and again in the evening. Best left out of direct sunlight. Only possibly with raw nuts**
7. (Optional) Dehydrate using a dehydrator (or an oven which can be turned to a very low heat – below 47’C/150’F).

 Still confused?

There is much conflicting information on health that it is sometimes a challenge to know what choice to make. Personally, I like to follow the health motto that it’s better to consume a healthier food over a less healthy food.  I also go by what makes me feel good and gives me sustained energy. So, in the case of phytic acid, if you have to decide between raw (non-activated) nuts over processed snacks like a bag of chips/crisps, choose the nuts (although I have to admit I am a sucker for a salt and vinegar chip, sigh). Again, with chocolate, if you have to choose raw chocolate over a sickly sweet cherry ripe, go the raw chocolate.

As always, ensure you are having plenty of fresh vegetables and some fruits (green leafy and brightly coloured foods), plenty of protein, good quality fats and oils and fresh spring /filtered alkaline water.

*This article refers to culinary ‘nuts’ which are not always true ‘nuts in a botanical sense. Most culinary nuts are in fact seeds. A botanical nut in the true sense is a fruit composed of a hard shell and a seed, where the hard-shelled fruit does not open to release the seed (indehiscent), an example of a true nut is a hazelnut.

**If you live in America or Canada, unfortunately for you, all American/Canadian- grown almonds (but not other nuts as far as I’m aware) are all pasteurized (heated to a very high temperature or treated with a chemical, so they are not raw). Hard to believe, I know, but it was the result of a small outbreak of salmonella and the industry passed a law (more info here).