So why activate your nuts and seeds?
Nuts and seeds are such a wholesome, nutritious snack. Also a delicious and healthy addition to any meal.
They are high in protein, contain healthy and essential fats, are high in antioxidants, have an abundance of vitamins and minerals, are high in fibre and so much more.
One thing to be mindful of when eating raw nuts regularly, is that they contain natural compounds that can interfere with your digestive system. These chemical compounds can result in poor digestion and could stop you from absorbing nutrients.
So is it dangerous to eat nuts? Most definitely not!
It is so important to include a wide variety of nuts and seeds in your daily diet as they have so many health benefits.
So how can I eat nuts and seeds safely? You just have to activate them.
Why is it important to activate your nuts and seeds?
Like all grains and legumes, nuts also require soaking for proper digestion..
Did you know that seeds and nuts are sleeping?
They're life in dormancy, just waiting for the right conditions to awaken and grow, ready for the ideal state for human consumption.
All raw nuts and seeds contain enzyme inhibitors and components that can turn toxic, sometimes causing an upset stomach, irritation, bloating, a heavy or full feeling and inflammation.
When consuming nuts or seeds that have not been soaked, the phytic acid that is present, binds to minerals such as zinc, iron, magnesium, calcium, chromium and manganese within the gastrointestinal tract. This makes it incredibly hard for them to be absorbed and can lead to mineral deficiencies. This in-turn will then lead to many health issues.
To avoid the upset tummy and assist with proper digestion, we suggest activating all your nuts and seeds.
How do you activate your nuts and seeds?
- To activate your nuts and seeds, they require soaking for an extended period of time in slightly salted water.
This soaking process acts to simulate their sprouting and germination conditions.
Activation helps to remove a significant amount of toxins, such as phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors. All nuts and seeds naturally contain these compounds as they act as natural defense mechanisms.
This process also helps improve digestion and nutrient absorption in the body.
- After soaking, the nuts and seeds then need to be dehydrated at a very low temperature until they are crunchy again, all whilst maximising their natural nutritional value.
This process takes time, requires preparation and care.
Soaking times vary depending on the individual nut and seed.
For example, It has been said that almonds need soaking for roughly 14 hours and then an additional 24 hours of drying time.
This is a 38 hour process.
Where possible, buy products already activated as this will save you time. Or, allow the time yourself to activate.
Health benefits of activated nuts and seeds;
Nuts and seeds are highly nutritious. They are an important source of minerals, healthy fats and protein in a vegan diet, plant-based diet, vegetarian diet or any other diet. Many large, long-term studies have shown that regular consumption of nuts and seeds protects against heart disease, sudden cardiac death, diabetes, some types of cancer, erectile dysfunction, osteoporosis and inflammatory diseases.
Nuts and seeds, rather than extracted oils, should be the major source of healthy fat in our daily diet.
Here are some health benefits of walnuts;
Studies have proven that eating walnuts daily helps to improve brain function, particularly mood due to the high amounts of omega-3’s.
Walnuts have been known to help fight heart disease, promote positive gut health and help maintain a healthy weight. They contain Manganese, Copper, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Vitamin B6, Folate, Thiamine, Zinc and Iron. They also contain Vitamin A, C, E, K, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Choline, Betaine, Calcium, Potassium and Selenium.
Walnuts have been suggested to help fight depression, improve brain health, help preserve memory, aids in heart health, supports weight management and improves reproductive health.
By eating a wide selection of nuts and seeds every day, or varying the types you eat from day to day, you will receive so many amazing health benefits.
Check out the range of activated and certified organic, raw nuts and seeds, blends, nut butters, seed butters and breakfast muesli's and granola's that Garden of Vegan have on offer; https://gardenofvegan.com.au/collections/shop
References:
Robyn Chuter- Lifestyle Medicine Practitioner; https://empowertotalhealth.com.au/
https://draxe.com/
ActivEarth; https://www.activearthfood.com.au/
Dr Michael Greger; https://nutritionfacts.org/
