Nuts
Principles of Healthy Diets:
Seeds, grains and nuts are soaked, sprouted, fermented or naturally leavened in order to neutralize naturally occurring antinutrients in these foods, such as phytic acid, enzyme inhibitors, tannins and complex carbohydrates.
Read more >> Principles of Healthy Diets
We recommend you use whole grains, legumes and nuts that have been prepared by soaking, sprouting or sour leavening to neutralize phytic acid, enzyme inhibitors and other anti-nutrients.
Nuts and seeds contain naturally occurring compounds such as phytic acid that interfere with the digestion of minerals and can be irritating to the gut. We recommend soaking nuts and seeds in salted water overnight (or longer) and then drying them in a dehydrator or low oven before use. You may then eat them as is, toast them, or grind into flour or nut butter. We call these soaked and dried treats “crispy nuts”. The technique was first described in Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig, PhD.
Soaking raw nuts and seeds starts the germination process, but you can also take the process a little further to the point where the seeds and nuts begin to sprout. They can be dried after sprouting, and some recipes also utilize the seeds and nuts while they are still wet. There are starting to be brands that provide sprouted or “awakened” nuts. See our shopping guide for recommendations.
When possible, avoid the temptation to buy pre-ground nut flour. Nut and seed oils are fragile. They deteriorate when exposed to light and heat. We recommend storing nuts and seeds in the refrigerator and using the meal fresh after grinding.
Almonds are particularly high in oxalates.
It is important to avoid the industrial oils used in commercial roasted nuts. Crispy nuts can be browned in the oven after this process if you like the roasted flavor. Either brown in a dry skillet or oven or cook in coconut oil or other traditional fat.
Recommendations:
NUTS & SEEDS
BEST
Fresh organic or wild raw nuts and seeds (except hemp) in sealed packages (not from bins); organic raw almonds by mail order (as store-bought organic raw almonds have been heat-treated); soaked/sprouted organic or wild raw nuts, seeds and butters (except hemp). Note: Soak raw nuts and seeds in salted water for 6-8 hours and dry in a dehydrator or in an oven at a warm setting. Store in airtight containers. Walnuts should be stored in the refrigerator.
GOOD
Fresh raw and dry roasted nuts and seeds (except hemp); peanut butter made from roasted peanuts, and other nut and seed butters (except hemp) without partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, sugar, agave, chocolate, cocoa, cacao, flavorings or other additives. Note: Soak raw nuts and seeds in salted water for 6-8 hours and dry in a dehydrator or in an oven at a warm setting. Store in airtight containers. Walnuts should be stored in the refrigerator.
AVOID
Peanut butter, other nut and seed butters and nut mixtures containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, sugar, agave, chocolate, cocoa, cacao, flavorings or other additives; hemp seeds and products. Nuts and seeds (even organic) from China.
Read more in our Shopping Guide Categories
Where to find raw almonds in Eugene:
Hummingbird Wholesale
hummingbirdwholesale.com
Suite 104
150 Shelton-McMurphey Blvd.
Eugene, OR 97401
(541) 686-0921
Articles on The Weston A. Price Foundation website:
Elsewhere on the web:
- How to Sprout Nuts & Seeds (“Crispy Nuts”) – Eat Beautiful
- Which SEEDS Should Be Soaked for Eating — and HOW {for nutrition, digestion and culinary purposes} – Eat Beautiful
- How and Why to Soak Nuts & Seeds – YouTube
