Almonds, walnuts & Co. are one of the best sources of protein and essential fatty acids. It is increasingly recommended to let the healthy nuts soak before consumption so that they become more digestible and lose harmful “anti-nutrients”. We will tell you whether there is anything to the so-called activation and whether you should soak nuts before eating in the future.
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Should you soak nuts to activate them?
Like legumes and grains, nuts contain what is often referred to as an “anti-nutrient” , phytic acid (phytate). This ingredient is considered harmful because it can inhibit the absorption of healthy nutrients, such as minerals such as calcium, iron or zinc, in the gut. Soaking nuts for hours is said to significantly reduce the levels of phytic acid and other anti-nutrients. In some places it is therefore recommended to soak nuts before eating them to increase the absorption of iron or calcium in the intestine and, for example, to prevent osteoporosis.
In addition, soaking is said to make the nuts more digestible and easier to digest. But what about the benefits promised by “activating” nuts?
Why you shouldn’t soak nuts
Activated nuts are not more digestible
In 2018, a New Zealand research team compared the digestibility of untreated and soaked nuts. In an eight-week study , 76 participants received 30 grams of almonds per day in various presentations. Contrary to expectations, significantly more digestive problems in the form of flatulence occurred after eating the soaked almonds than after eating the untreated nuts. Soaking doesn’t seem to have any benefit in terms of digestibility, and actually increases bloating.
Minerals are lost during soaking
A 2020 study by the University of Otago, New Zealand , showed why soaking can even be counterproductive . The study found that nuts can even lose minerals when soaked . In particular, chopped nuts had lower mineral content in soaked form than in non-soaked form. Fortunately, we can save ourselves the time and effort of soaking.
“Anti-nutrients” have beneficial properties
Sind die in rohen und unbehandelten Nüssen enthaltenen „Anti-Nährstoffe“ wirklich so schädlich, wie vielerorts behauptet? Da die Phytinsäure in geringem Maße Mineralstoffe wie Calcium an sich bindet, wird ihr zum Teil nachgesagt, dass sie das Risiko für Osteoporose und sogar Krebs erhöhen würde. Solche Behauptungen stammen jedoch in der Regel von fachfremden Personen ohne ernährungswissenschaftliche Qualifikation. Beim Betrachten der Studienlage zeichnet sich nämlich ein gegensätzliches Bild der Phytinsäure.
As early as 2009, a study at the Max Rubner Institute in Karlsruhe found that phytates have antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic effects in the intestine and reduce the formation of kidney stones. It is true that calcium, zinc and iron were also found to bind to the phytates in the intestine. However, this does not occur to an extent that could lead to a deficiency in the western diet. The benefits in terms of cancer prevention and prevention of kidney stones far outweigh this. Another study in 2013 also disproved that phytates would increase the risk of osteoporosis. In fact, during the 12-month study period, the subjects with high phytate levels exhibitedhigher bone density and a lower predicted risk of osteoporosis.
When it makes sense to soak nuts
However, for certain recipes or when preparing products like vegan cottage cheese, it may be necessary to soak nuts first to give them a softer texture . This is also completely harmless. However, you can still eat fresh nuts raw and without soaking them first.
Tip: Try making your own vegan cheese from nuts. We show you how easy it is to do with cashew nuts in our recipe for vegan cheese >>
