As Indians we are familiar with the process of soaking of grain, seeds or nuts overnight in water. In this article we shall explore the reason and science behind it.
Seeds are locked by Phytic Acid
Nature provides a way for storage of seeds almost indefinitely. You can think of a seeds as a machine to grow a plant or a whole tree. But that mechanism is locked away till the right conditions are forthcoming. A seed can remain underground in frozen condition for years without getting damaged.
The locking mechanism is held tight by phytic acid.
Problems caused by Phytic Acid
Normally our body contains microbes which break down the phytates and neutralises the phytic acid. However if that does not happen it leads to two problems. Firstly it causes bloating, inflammation and stomach cramps. It also hinders the absorption of phosphorous which is present in nuts like walnuts and almonds.
Phytic acid also creates problems in absorption of calcium, zinc, magnesium and copper.
Almonds have 9.4% phytic acid while Walnuts come next with around 6.7%. Most of the nuts have far more phytic acid than grains or legumes.
Soaking process
Leave the nuts soaked in water overnight. Before consumption take them out to dry You can even peel off the skin. A soaked nut tastes better than a raw or salted one. It also helps you with easy digestion. You can also bake them slightly to remove excess of moisture.
Soaking starts the germination process which removes the phytates.
Other ways to doing it is sprouting, fermenting or making a pickle out of it.
Summary
- Nuts like almonds and walnuts are rich in trace minerals and phosphorous
- However the phytic acid present in the nuts prevents their absorption
- Phytic acid locks the nuts and prevents it from germination
- Soaking nuts overnight in water neutralizes the phytates making it easier to digest and absorb nutrients.