Raw nuts are one food that everyone seems to agree are very healthy to eat!
Whether you are vegan, vegetarian, Paleo or someone who eats the standard American diet of burgers and fries, raw nuts are one food that all acknowledge is a good addition to the diet. Hereās where the agreement about raw nuts ends.
The problem is that most people donāt know that soaking raw nuts first before eating them is very important. Soaked raw nuts are far more digestible than plain raw nuts. The soaking process eliminates anti-nutrients and improves nutrition while still maintaining rawness. Note that soaking does not eliminate the high amount of oxalates in nuts, however.
Raw Nuts are Seeds
While raw nuts are an extremely nutritious food, preparation is key in order to unlock maximum nutrient potential. Careful soaking deactivates any substances that could be irritating to the gut. The soaking process followed is in accordance with the wisdom of Traditional Cultures.
This is because raw nuts are a type of seed. Seeds require soaking before eating. The reason is because they contain anti-nutrients such as phytic acid and lectins that can prevent all that wonderful nutrition from being digested thoroughly.
These inhibitors can also cause digestive distress if many raw nuts are consumed. For some people, even a few raw nuts cause digestive distress. Sometimes, eating plain raw nuts can cause a rash around the mouth.
Benefits of Soaking Nuts
Deactivation of the anti-nutrients in all nuts is accomplished through sprouting or soaking. Soaking raw nuts in saltwater for a few hours and then drying in a warm (not hot) oven or dehydrator is all that is required.
According to Nourishing Traditions Cookbook, soaking and drying of raw nuts mimic the wise practice of the Aztecs. This culture soaked pumpkin seeds in brine and then dried them in the sun before grinding into flour or eating them whole.
Soaking nuts is a particularly helpful practice if you find raw nuts irritating to your stomach or mouth. My husband can eat soaked raw nuts with no problem. If he eats unsoaked raw nuts, however, he frequently experiences digestive issues and sometimes irritation around the mouth.
The anti-nutrients in raw nuts really bother some people. Even if you have no symptoms, you are likely not absorbing their wonderful nutrition as well as you could.
How Many per Day to Eat?
While extremely nutritious, it is best to keep the amount of soaked raw nuts consumed each day to a closed handful at most. This is in keeping with the recommendation of Dr. Kellyann Petrucci ND, author of the Bone Broth Diet. The reason is that most nuts contain an abundance of polyunsaturated fats, which are easily overconsumed. Too many polyunsaturates in the diet can contribute to inflammation and weight issues.
The one exception to this is macadamias. These nuts that are native to Australia contain mostly saturated and monounsaturated fats and an extremely small amount of polyunsaturated fats per serving.
By the way, if youāve ever wondered how nuts rank nutritionally, the linked article provides the breakdown of the healthiest to unhealthiest types of nuts.
Where to Buy Quality Soaked Raw Nuts and Nut Butters
Donāt have time to soak and dry raw nuts yourself?
Yes, it is a bit time-consuming!
Check out myĀ shopping guide for quality suppliers of soaked nuts and nut butter. We use 4-5 jars of soaked nut butter in our home every single month. Our family favorites are soaked pecan butter, soaked macadamia nut butter, soaked hazelnut butter, soaked almond butter, and soaked 4 nut blend.
How to Soak Raw Nuts
If you like to eat raw nuts whole, soaking them yourself first is very easy! Below is a recipe on how to soak the 10 most popular raw nuts followed by a video demonstrating the basic process.
Note that the process described below does not apply to a foraged superfood such asĀ acorns. This type of nut requires an extended soaking of up to a week as practiced by Native Americans to properly remove the bitter tannins before drying and eating.
In the video below, I demonstrate how to soak raw almonds and dry them in your oven to greatly improve nutrient absorption, reduce gastric distress. You will be amazed at how soaked raw nuts taste far better than unsoaked raw nuts!
The same process can be followed for macadamia nuts, pecans, brazil nuts, peanuts, etc. The video on soaking raw nuts included with the recipe below shows how easy the process is!
Soaking Cashews
Note that soaking cashews is a bit different. This is because raw cashews from the store are not really raw.
They are heat-treated twice by manufacturers to release and remove a toxic oil between the inner and outer shell.
What to Do with Soaked Almonds?
When you make your first batch of soaked almonds, try this easy recipe for blueberry almond milk!
Blend 1 cup soaked almonds, 3 cups filtered water, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1/4 cup blueberries.Ā Serve and enjoy!
Soaked Raw Nuts Recipe
The process of soaking raw nuts to improve digestibility and eliminate anti-nutrients.
Ingredients
- 4 cups raw nuts preferably organic
- 1 Tbl sea salt
- filtered water
Instructions
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Place raw nuts in a large glass bowl (I use this one).
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Add enough filtered water to cover.
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Stir in sea salt.
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Leave uncovered on the counter forĀ 8 hours or overnight for almonds, European almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, pili nuts and macadamias.
Soak no more than 3 hours for cashews, and no more than 4-6 for walnuts, peanuts, pistachios and brazil nuts (else they will get moldy and/or slimy).
Do not mix raw nuts while soaking. You may mix while dehydrating.
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Drain water completely.
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Dry in a warm oven no hotter than 150 F/ 66 C until dry. If your oven can't be set that low, use a food dehydrator (I like this one). Dry soaked cashews in a 250 F oven.
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Store crispy nuts in airtight containers in the refrigerator or cool, dark pantry.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Do not mix different types of raw nuts together when soaking. Soak almonds separate from cashews, for example. This minimizes chances for mold developing. Also, the soaking times for various nuts are different.
Instead of soaking peanuts, this traditional boiled peanuts recipe is an option too.
Sarah-
I can eat soaked and dehydrated nuts, however I get a terrible jaw and neck ache when I eat nuts right out of the bag.
Sarah,
I’m wondering about the whole California Raw Almonds thing – since it is nearly impossible to find truly raw, unpasteurized almonds (all are gassed or steamed or blanched), can this method of soaking and drying still be used on those almonds? I’m having a devil of a time trying to find truly raw almonds but want to be soaking and drying them to reduce the phytic acid. Also, does soaking and drying them reduce the oxalic acid as well? Thank you!
Nourished for Free:
I’ve done some research in this area and can answer part of your question. It IS possible to find truly raw, unpasteurized, organic, U.S. almonds but not in stores; you have to buy them directly from the CA farmers who grow them. Many have been put out of business by this onerous law, but there are some wonderful ones remaining who are definitely worth supporting. They’re restricted in how many they can ship in a given period, so you won’t find them in stores. Look online and in the comments above.
You can learn the background and any updates regarding the law here:
ActionForAlmonds.org
Apparently a US Court of Appeals decision is expected in the spring.
As for oxalic acid in almonds, sadly it cannot be neutralized to any significant degree by soaking and dehydrating. Oxalic acid is different from phytic acid in this way and also in how it affects the body for people who don’t have the oxalobacter formigenes bacteria necessary to excrete it from the body. For many people oxalic acid does not present a problem but for others it does. I’ve learned much about oxalates from places such as:
lowoxalate.info (website)
(Yahoo group)
(blog)
lowoxalateinfo.com (blog)
I heard you talk about how consuming too much peanut butter can inhibit absorption of other nutrients on the Healthy Mouth Summit. How much is too much and what about other nut butters?
I noticed your lovely kitchen has an electric stove.
Do you prefer electric over a gas stove?
I am starting out – fixing my diet !
I have been soaking almonds often. Sometimes, after soaking, they have black spots on them that I’m sure are mold. They taste okay once the skin is off, but I don’t like to eat them. Has anyone else had experience with this? Are they bad almonds (I just bought them), or am I soaking them too long (12-24 hours)? It seems to me that this means the almonds had mold spores when I bought them, and soaking has brought them to life.
Thanks
I have experienced the exact same problem but usually eat them anyway and have not experienced any reaction to it. It’s possible that the nuts are old (i.e. have been sitting on the store shelf for a while) and like you mentioned have mild spores on them. My curiosity prompted me to do further research on the toxicity of moldy almonds and have concluded that it is not lethal or carcinogenic as, say, aflatoxin in peanuts.
I soaked raw walnuts in salt water and had them in my oven for about 13 hours. I then left to oven door open, forgot to put them in the fridge and they ended up being in the opened oven all night. Will they still be okay to eat since walnuts should be store in the fridge?
Thanks so much!! š
What can be used to ferment salsa and probiotic drinks if there is no raw whey available?
I would love to make the drinks in your videos, but I don’t have access to raw whey.
after recalibrating my oven according to the instructions in the manual the lowest setting is 170 degrees F. will that temp destroy enzymes? if so i guess i will have to buy a dehydrator. thanks.
Does soaking these nuts and drying them make them easier to eat. Almonds are very tough on my teeth and I don’t eat them because of this. I’ve broken two teeth in the last two years on certain foods and don’t want to break anymore. Both teeth had to be extracted. since I am using the fermented col liver oil and high vitamin butter oil, I hope this is not an issue in the future.
How long would I soak raw sunflower seeds for?
I am also wondering how long to soak the sunflower seeds for
Soak sunflower seeds for 7 hours.
Pumpkin seeds can be soaked 7 hours or up to 24 hours.