Activated nuts are nuts that have been soaked in a salt water solution to stimulate the early germination and sprouting process within the nut or seed. Any nut can be activated: almonds, hazels, cashews, Brazils, etc.
Consuming activating nuts as apposed to raw or plain roasted nuts helps digestion. As the naturally occurring anti-nutrients, such as phytates are broken down and the soaking process softens the nuts. Phytates are plant compounds that bind minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium and phosphate, making them less available for absorption.
As nuts contain an array of beneficial nutrients, we ideally want to be absorbing as much of these as possible. For anyone with impaired gastrointestinal function, increasing the bioavailability of minerals can make a profound difference, as well as helping out their digestion. Additionally, for those who eat lots of nuts, soaking and ‘activating’ ensures you are getting the most out of all your meals.
Activated nuts can be purchased from health food stores. The flip side is they are very costly, almost quadruple the cost of raw nuts so consider making them at home, they do taste delicious, see below recipe.
How To Make Activated Nuts
You’ll need:
- 3 cups of nuts
- Water
- 2 tbsp salt
Directions
- Soak the nuts/seeds* overnight in a pot of water with salt. The water should be covering the nuts.
- After 8-12 hours, drain the water away, rinse the nuts and lay out the nuts/seeds on a baking tray. Dry in the dehydrator for around 12-24 hours. If drying in the oven, set the oven at the lowest temperature possible, preferably no more than 65C. Stir or turn them occasionally, for the required drying time.
- Once the nuts and dry and crunchy, store in glass jars or paper bags and keep them in the fridge to retain freshness.
