It Takes Time

Natural living, one step at a time

Navigation
  • Home
  • Natural Living
    • House
    • Beauty
    • Foodie
    • By Kids for Kids
  • DIY
  • Recipes
  • Natural Health
    • Dental
    • Gut Health
    • Detox
    • Type 1 Diabetes
  • Unseen Reality
    • Microbes & Mold
    • Electromagnetic Radiation
  • About Andrea

How to Soak and Sprout




Yum

May 8, 2014 by Andrea Fabry 4 Comments

Wondering how to soak and sprout your nuts, seeds and legumes? Curious why it can be beneficial for your health?

How to Soak and Sprout Nuts, Seeds, and Legumes #realfood

Plants are power-packed with nutrition and detoxifying capabilities, but contain certain hazards by design. These hazards are protective mechanisms to keep animals from eating them, and so are toxic to animals.

Humans, therefore, can have difficulty with them as well. Among the most important of these anti-nutrients is phytic acid. Phytic acid works against our ability to absorb nutrients and is one of the primary reasons humans have for centuries utilized methods such as sprouting and soaking.

The techniques are quite simple but require time—something contrary to our culture of convenience, but well worth the nutritional rewards.

If soaking or sprouting is a foreign concept, pick something simple and start small. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you adapt!

How to Soak and Sprout

1. Sprouting

Sprouting activates phytase, the enzyme that breaks down phytic acid and neutralizes enzyme inhibitors. In addition, sprouting can reduce some of the carb content in grains and beans, transforming them into something more akin to a vegetable than a starch.

Nuts like cashews and walnuts need only be soaked. Almonds, pictured above, will sprout slightly during the soaking process. Not all seeds are conducive to sprouting. Flax seeds are sticky and difficult to rinse properly, and oat seeds will not sprout once separated from their outer hulls. Alfalfa is easy to sprout; however, the seeds contain an amino acid called canavanine that can be toxic when consumed in large amounts, so caution is advised.

Directions:

Place 1/2 -1 c. seeds or beans in wide-mouth mason jar or comparable container. Cover with filtered water and allow to sit on counter for a minimum of 12 hours. (This can be done overnight.) After the soaking time, drain the water using cheesecloth or mesh screening. Fill jar with fresh water and drain again.

Invert jar and let it sit at an angle to allow air circulation. If possible, do this in a sunny spot in your kitchen. Rinse the seeds/legumes every few hours or at least twice a day to avoid mold growth. Sprouts will be ready in 1-4 days. Rinse well, shake out excess moisture, and store in refrigerator.


 

2. Soaking

Soaking is a bit easier than sprouting. The process accomplishes the goal of neutralizing the enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid and allows the vitamins and minerals to be unleashed. Soaking methods vary depending on the food, so here is a brief summary of each type.

Legumes
Place 2 c. legumes such as adzuki beans, pinto beans, chickpeas, or lentils in a strainer. Rinse thoroughly. Transfer legumes to a large bowl. Cover with warm filtered water, leaving 2 inches at the top of the bowl. (Water can be heated on the stove and should be warm to the touch.) Add 2 tbsp. neutralizer such as whey or lemon.

Cover with a towel or plate and allow to soak for 24 hours. (Lentils require only 7 hours and chickpeas up to 48 hours, but 24 hours is a good general rule for most other legumes.) During this time, drain and rinse at least once, adding new neutralizer.

After soaking, drain and rinse the legumes. Place in pot and cover with fresh water. Bring pot to a boil. Skim scum. Turn heat to low and cover with a lid. Cooking times vary depending on the legume. Kidney, pinto, and adzuki beans are best cooked for 2-3 hours, chickpeas 4-7 hours, and lentils 1 hour.

Grains
Soak grains such as rice, millet, quinoa, and wheat for 12-24 hours at room temperature, adding 1-2 tbsp. neutralizer to the filtered water. (Whey and lemon juice make excellent neutralizers; other possibilities include yogurt, kefir, or raw apple cider vinegar.) Rinse grains to remove acidic taste and cook in fresh water.

For more specifics on soaking grains, see this helpful chart and explanation.

Nuts and Seeds
Raw nuts and seeds don’t require a whey or lemon juice neutralizer, as the salt and soaking neutralize the phytic acid and other enzyme inhibitors. You may, however, add whey or another probiotic neutralizer to contribute to the growth of beneficial organisms.

Place 4 c. raw nuts or seeds in a large bowl. Cover with room-temperature filtered water. Add 1 tbsp. sea salt and stir. Cover with a plate or towel and set on the counter for at least 7 hours. (Cashews should not be left for more than 6 hours.)

Drain and rinse.

The nuts or seeds can be dehydrated for use in recipes such as granola or other snack foods. Transform your oven into a makeshift dehydrator by setting it to its lowest temperature and opening the oven door partway. Place a fan in front of the oven to provide air circulation and lower the temperature. Enzymes are preserved when food is cooked at less than 116 degrees.

Remember, if these methods are new to you, start small with one food. You’ll be soaking and sprouting all sorts of foods in no time.

The following video demonstrates these techniques as part of our momsAWARE Natural Year Challenge!

 

Related Posts

  • 2 Ingredient Gluten-free Energy Bars
    44
    2 Ingredient Gluten-free Energy BarsThis simple combination of dried fruit and soaked almonds makes a yummy real food snack! [mpprecipe-recipe:13] *Wondering about soaking and sprouting nuts and seeds? See New to Soaking or Sprouting? ** I submerge any dried fruit in filtered water and leave it overnight. (Adding a bit of whey or water…
    Tags: soaking, water, sprouting, whey, will, hours, filtered, almonds, food, nuts

Filed Under: Foodie, Gut Health Tagged With: acid, almonds, anti-nutrients, enzyme, grains, jar, nuts, phytic, phytic acid, seeds, soak, soaking, soaking and sprouting, sprouted, sprouted almonds, sprouting, whey

« How to Use a Knife
Sugar-free Cacao Kisses »

Comments

  1. Lisa says

    March 27, 2018 at 7:36 pm

    You don’t say how long to keep the nuts in the oven.

    Reply
    • Andrea Fabry says

      March 28, 2018 at 8:04 am

      Until they are crispy. It can take up to 12 hours at a low temp. setting.

      Reply
    • Andrea Fabry says

      March 28, 2018 at 8:04 am

      Until crispy. It can take up to 12 hours at a low temperature setting.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. simple guest blogger :: andrea from it takes time says:
    May 18, 2014 at 10:00 am

    […] My kids love almonds. Ever since we went gluten-free four years ago they have embraced almond flour as a substitute for other flours used in baking. Even my daughter with a severe nut allergy does fine with almonds – as long as they are soaked and sprouted. Learn more about the benefits of sprouting and enjoy a tutorial here. […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

MEET ANDREA

I am a certified Building Biology Advocate, a former journalist, mother of nine, and avid CrossFitter who likes to think outside the box. After our family's health crisis in 2008, I learned to ask questions about what's in our food, our water, and our air. I hope to empower you as you seek to live safely in a complex world. Thankfully, small steps lead to big changes. Let's travel this road together, one step at a time.

Follow

Now Available on Amazon

10 Things I’ve Learned (The Hard Way)

1. The answer may be right in front of you.
2. Time is often the best medicine.
3. Speak kindly to yourself.
4. The air we breathe matters.
5. It's better to know than not know.
6. Relinquishment is a balm for the soul.
7. Symptoms will instruct if we listen.
8. Sometimes you're the expert.
9. Allow hindsight to move you forward.
10. The next step is enough.

The Connecting Place Latest Episode

Listen to "Behind the Scenes: Mold Questions" on Spreaker.

Popular Posts

A Guide to Safe Cookware

How to Make Dairy Kefir

Looking for safe products?

Natural Living

Are you learning to cook with real food? Clean without chemicals? Use safer products on your skin? Natural living is fun and rewarding. Come join the fun!

Copyright 2023 It Takes Time - Andrea Fabry