Benefits of soaking nuts and seeds

While this article was intended for raw foodists, but it will be interesting not only for them, because Nuts like all of us, no matter what kind of system power stick.

It is no secret that the nuts of all syroednyh products are the most difficult to digest food. In dry form they are hard and bitter to the taste, and even by a small amount, you can feel the heaviness in the stomach.
Why is this so?
The fact that the seeds and nuts, which are commercially available - are dormant. As such, they are practically not absorbed and excreted unchanged.

At rest, dry nuts and seeds kept contained within the material, called enzyme inhibitors (substances that suppress the activity of enzymes), whose function - to protect the seed and restrain germination under adverse conditions. They give a bitter taste on the palate.

When a seed falls from the tree, deprived of a source of moisture, it dries up and falls asleep embryo to the spring, when snow melts, re-awaken and give a new life. Nature does not give seed to germinate before a certain period, preserving its viability, thereby insuring that the soil is assured of sufficient moisture to germinate and continue the race.

According to Dr. Edward Houell when we eat dry seeds and nuts, we neutralize some enzymes, which highlights our body that can even lead to an increase in the pancreas.

There are two ways to destroy enzyme inhibitors. First - cook food, but in this case also be dissolved and enzymes, this embodiment does not fit in the raw foodists supply system. The second option - the more preferable. We put the seeds in a moist environment that is soaked or germinated. Thus inhibitors are destroyed, and the amount of enzyme is increased twice.

What happens

The soaked nuts and seeds chemical composition changes and starts sprouting mechanism.

The essence of this process - the transformation of complex substances into simpler: being inactive in the bud growth substances are activated and promote the synthesis of enzymes that break down complex replacement substances into simpler. First produced enzymes that convert starch into simple sugars (fructose is in wheat, so the seedlings have a sweet taste). Somewhat later, under the action of other enzymes, storage proteins are converted to amino. Approximately on the third day the decomposition of fats into fatty acids.

These chemical processes soaked nuts and seeds are more digestible. They are sweet, water flushes inhibitors, taking with them the bitterness. We get nutrients in the most accessible form: an active enzyme system of plant macro-and micronutrients, flavonoids, and a huge amount of vitamins and antioxidants. This whole complex of nutrients are organically built into the living tissue of a plant, and is in balanced quantities and ratios.

When soaking significantly increases the nutritional value of nuts and seeds. Also, taste changes, they become juicy, sweetish and almost no way inferior to its fresh counterpart. In addition, if in doubt, whether the product is not processed, soaking - a sure way to find out. Spoiled or roasted seed in the process of steeping rotten, soft and will dramatically different color than the live nuts and seeds.

How to soak

Quite simply, roasted nuts or seeds to pour water and leave for several hours or overnight (depending on species) at room temperature, in the morning and rinse water drained. The germs wait necessarily as simple soaking already triggers germination. Once hatched germ, nutritional value is on the wane, as the substance is spent on growth.

Soaked nuts and seeds can be stored in the refrigerator for about three days. But if they wash, dry thoroughly and place in a container or jar with a tight lid, they can be stored and retain the natural flavor for about a week.

Taste and useful properties busiest nuts.

Soaking nuts and seeds, we enliven them. In the waking state to its taste and nutritional value, they are far superior to sleeping.

Live like a macadamia nut cream, fresh walnut becomes very tender and juicy pretty young hazelnuts, almonds and soft enough so that it can crush fingers.

Here is some information and advice on different types of nuts:

Walnut

Taste lively walnut is very gentle and sweet, without bitterness. Many nuts like these because they are quite nutritious and soft. Crouse walnut compared with a sleeping nut contains 2 times more nutrients that are in an active, easily digestible form. That is, your body does not need to spend almost their strength to digest busiest nuts, because they are deprived of heavy substances, and for a few minutes soak in the stomach.

Walnuts are dried to a moisture content of 8%, to destroy the mold and whiten the shells. When selling in shell subjected to disinfection and heat-treated to kill insects that are then processed by bleach. Shelled nuts are not bleached, but may be subjected to chemical treatment during storage. Walnut grows not at home. It is recommended to look for eco-friendly walnuts (organic).

Almonds

Most raw foodists know that whole raw almond nuts germinate. Indeed, germinated almonds delicious dry. Do not germinate almonds longer than 2 days (at least 6 hours, but not more than 1 day), otherwise the shoots become rancid taste or faded out. There are two ways of consumption: with and without skin. The peel contains a lot of tannin and is poorly absorbed.

The most useful is the so-called paper almonds and almonds in whole shell. In nature nut shell preserves more useful properties, because it not only protects the fruit from external harmful influences (dirt, dust, fungi, etc.), but also creates a special microclimate that allows you to save all the benefits of nature.

Peanut

Peanut refers to legumes, sprouts easily. Like almonds delicious germinated than dry. Some raw foodists prefer to remove the skin before eating. Part husk goes dry, residues are relatively easy to go after 1-2 hours of soaking. In dry peanuts large number of inhibitors, and they are mainly concentrated in the skins. They have earned him the reputation of a hard and even poisonous in the raw product form. But everything changes with the soaking: Part inhibitors washed out, some destroyed, starches are converted to sugar, the accumulated reserves of nutrients converted to the biologically active form, forms of vitamins and amino acids weight and as a result it is quite another, quite friendly and energetically valuable product <. br>
Some nuts may be contaminated with toxic mold (aflatoxin), in which case they should be thrown out. Most useful have prorschenny peanuts without skins.

Pine nuts

After collecting the dried and crushed to remove the shell, while the embryo is damaged, depriving walnut viability. The probability of germination shelled nuts small. Unpeeled sprout like almonds.

Hazelnut

His washed and dried to 8-10% moisture content prior to transport. It is believed that the drying temperature does not exceed 38C. Not harmless (non-organic) nuts are bleached with sulfur dioxide. Hazelnut not germinate at home. Soaking in water gives a negligible effect.

Cashew

Cashews with botanical point of view - the seeds of the cashew tree fruit, a tropical tree, the next of kin of mango and pistachio. Walnut is located in a dense rigid shell containing toxic substances. To separate the shell uses the temperature to 200 ° C for vegetarian cashew use light (above 40 degrees) heat treatment to neutralize the poisonous vapors oil contained in the peel. Processing this is still quite gentle and many useful properties of cashew nuts it retains.

Macadamia

Strong shell Macadamia exterior color similar to milk chocolate, and the inside has two beautiful halves, white and brown. Processed nuts quickly turns yellow and becomes a heavy taste, so you can easily distinguish the raw nuts by not raw.

Brazil nuts going from wild trees in the Amazon. Due to the difficulties of cultivation, there are only a few Brazilian plantations. Often before transporting them to the nuts are dried to 11% moisture in the shell and shelled to 6%. Nuts are free from the shell maceration in water (salted possible) and subsequent 5 minute boiling, the shell becomes softer and it is removed by hand or machine. But there are also raw Brazil nuts. Distinguish roasted nut from raw can be broke it in half and looking at whether there is a dark spot inside zhёlye. Raw nut must be smooth pale yellow, almost white. The taste of raw Brazil nut pleasant enough, more fat than the macadamia, slightly salty.