Sprouting Isn’t Just for Grains; It Works for Nuts, Too!

As a recap from the past few days, nuts and seeds can play a small role in a True Paleo regime; and the ‘small role’ part is  primarily due to the fact that they’re high in Omega 6s, low in Omega 3s …and because they contain anti nutrients. So why eat them at all, if anti nutrient content is one of the main reasons we avoid grains and legumes? Granted, the anti nutrients contained in nuts have similar negative consequences as those found in grains and legumes, but since you’d only ideally be having a handful now and then (versus cups of pasta or rice and the like), you’re getting far less anti nutrients simply due to portion sizes. And aside from simply eating less nuts and seeds, there’s another thing we can do to prepare them and decrease the anti nutrient content, by sprouting or soaking. Soaking and sprouting are processes whereby raw nuts or seeds (or grains, for those who don’t follow a Paleo diet) are soaked in water for a period of time in order to decrease the anti nutrients they contain. Soaking Soaking helps to breaks down the phytic acid (or phytates, a type of antinutrient) in nuts so we can better assimilate their nutrients. Sprouting The main difference between soaking and sprouting is purely the amount of time the seed or nut remains in the water. It’s recommended that you soak for at least twenty-four hours while sprouting may take upward of seventy-two hours. In either case, make sure the nuts or seeds you use are raw. Nothing’s going to happen if you try to soak the contents of a canister of Planter’s Peanuts! Click here for a simple method to lowering the concentration of those nasty little phytates- a recipe for Sprouted Walnuts which is a peak into Pocket Paleo Snacks!