Go Soak Your Nuts
“Nuts and seeds contain the genetic potential for starting new life and are endowed with sufficient nutrition to sustain their offspring" -Bridgitte Mars
Many generations ago our ancestors understood many simple basic principles. Time-honored techniques to enhance the availability of nutrients while enjoying sumptuous levels of deliciousness fell into disuse as families dispersed and knowledge was lost.
We see now that people who reemploy these practices experience much healthier levels of vitality, zest and wellbeing.
Science has now progressed to the point where we can now detect (using electron microscopes, for example), measure and then understand how and why these traditional practices work. For example, premature aging is known to be, in large part, a problem of mineral, enzyme and electrolyte deficiencies. Our genetic potential is at least 140 years old and many people around the world who stick to their indigenous, unrefined diets live to be well over 100 years old in vigorous condition and without disease.
Benefits of Nuts
Nuts contain beneficial fats, vitamins, minerals, proteins and carbohydrates. By volume they provide more protein than milk or meat and contain beta-carotene, B-complex vitamins, Vitamin D and E and calcium. They support the endocrine system with the plant hormones they contain. They also help regulate blood sugar levels and relieve constipation. Raw nuts contain lipase, a digestive enzyme, which can actually help control fat and cholesterol levels in the body.
Be careful about doing too many of these little powerhouses a day though. More than about 6 oz. of nuts daily can contribute to digestive problems and pimples in people with sensitive digestion.
Phytates and Mineral Absorbtion
Nuts, seeds and grains contain enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid, also known as phytates. They also contain digestive enzymes, which allow their nutrients to be absorbed by the body.
However, phytic acid interferes with mineral absorption, particularly calcium, iron and zinc absorption. For example, low levels of zinc are usually seen associated with prostate problems.
Nature endows nuts, seeds and grains with enzyme inhibitors, which curb their ability to sprout until conditions are favorable rather than in winter or in grocery store bulk bins. When soaked these blockers and inhibitors are neutralized. This imitates what happens in nature when you put a seed in the ground. Roasting the nuts neutralizes the phytates but it also destroys the enzymes that allow the nutrients to be absorbed into the cells, which is the main purpose of eating in the first place.
Keeping the Enzymes
Enzymes are critical to good health because they are the triggers, the catalysts that initiate chemical processes in the body, strengthen the immune system and improve cellular metabolism, all of which boost energy levels and the body’s ability to heal itself.
As we age, we use up our digestive enzymes digesting cooked food because the enzymes are destroyed by heat. If we then use up our supply of enzymes just digesting food we don’t have enough to heal properly, which is, of course, why children heal so rapidly and we heal more slowly or not at all as we age. Enzymes also rebuild nerves, including the myelin sheaths around nerves and tissues.
Without enzymes, our cells only absorb 1/10 of 1% of these nutrients, especially the minerals. We can put food in our mouths until the cows come home, but if the cells don’t absorb it, the food just goes in one end and out the other and we wonder why we are hungry all the time.
Soaking nuts over night and sprouting seeds also begins their metamorphosis into nutritious, young plants, alive and full of energy. This energetic electro-magnetic aura can be measured by Kirlian photography for any one to see. The more our auras increase, which is a measure of our alkalinity, the more energy we have as we recharge our internal alkaline batteries.
Soaking the Nuts
Soaking nuts is very simple and not in the least time-consuming. Put them in a bowl with a pinch of sea salt. Cover with water, preferably filtered, unchlorinated water. Soak overnight and rinse thoroughly in the morning. Replace with fresh water after every 12 hours if soaking longer. Crisp them back up by either placing them in the sun (under a screen to keep bugs away) or in a food dehydrator, not more than 115 degrees until crisp, about 8 hours. Or you can put them in the oven with only the pilot light on or on the lowest setting with the door ajar. They should be stored in glass jars in the freezer to prevent mold.
Removing Mold
One last tip: nuts which have been on the ground too long before being harvested can become contaminated with molds and mildews. Mold can be removed by soaking for a couple of minutes in 3% food grade hydrogen peroxide (diluted from 1 oz. of 35% food-grade hydrogen peroxide to 11 oz of water or ¼ cup of food-grade hydrogen peroxide to 2 pints of water.) This peroxide doesn’t contain aluminum like commercial brands do. Some health food stores carry it or you can find it on the Internet. I get mine from Momentum98.com. The food-grade hydrogen peroxide doesn’t affect the flavor like other sterilizing choices might. You can, alternatively, remove the mold by rinsing with ¼ teaspoon of vitamin C powder with 2 pints of water. Rinse with boiling filtered water for 15 seconds to remove any lingering peroxide taste and dry on a towel or dry in 5 minutes with a hair dryer.
Soaked Nuts Make Creamy Sauces Like Whipped Cream
Soaked uncrisped nuts have a creamy texture if blended in a blender. You can make nut milk. You can use them as the basis of a deliciously creamy sauce, dressing or dessert or a fluffy whipped topping to use like whipped cream. They are great in cookies, salads, pates and pie crusts, puddings and even nut milk ice creams.
There are a lot of raw food recipes on the Internet.