🥜 Why to activate nuts before eating them? 🥜

Have you seen or heard of this process? I'll show you why you've been eating nuts wrong if you haven't done it and how to do it yourself!

The process of soaking nuts and seeds increases the nutritional value and aids in the breakdown of problem compounds by helping to make them much easier to digest.

Soaking them with salt activates the production of enzymes, B vitamins and other nutrients. They also become easier to digest, eliminating the compound that produces gases. Activation stimulates the early germination process within nuts, seeds, legumes and grains.

The reason nuts are soaked in water with salt is because the salt acts to awaken enzymes that can then break down and neutralize enzyme inhibitors. Phytic acid, tannins and goitrins that have a negative effect on the nutritional and digestive level are reduced or even eliminated. These components adhere to the intestinal tract, inhibiting the absorption of minerals such as calcium, copper, iron, and magnesium.

Phytic acid prevents nuts from sprouting prematurely and stores many important nutrients. If we eliminate it through activation, we increase the capacity of our body to absorb all the nutrients.

Thus, soaking nuts and seeds begins the germination process, thereby breaking down phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors. There is also research that suggests that soaking nuts and seeds for long periods of time increases their nutritional value, contrary to other studies that mention the opposite. In my opinion, there are many more benefits when activating them, than not doing it.

Nuts Activation Process:

1️⃣ Soak the nuts in water. 3 cups of water for 1 of nuts.

2️⃣ Add pink or Himalayan salt preferably.

3️⃣ Let them soak for 8-12 hours. Below you’ll find the specific times for each type of nut.

* If you live in hot weather, place them in the fridge so they don't go bad.

4️⃣ Turn on the oven to about 40°Cor 104°F.

5️⃣ Remove them from the water, strain them and dry them with kitchen paper.

6️⃣ Put them on a tray with parchment paper and spread them out so that they are not all together.

7️⃣ Place them in the oven for the time required for each one.

8️⃣ If possible, check them halfway through.

9️⃣ Take them out and put them into glass containers.

Ready!!

*Take special care with these nuts as they are quick to go slimy.

Soak for 3-6 hours (no more) and dry quickly. Oven temperature can be turned up between 90-120°C or 194°F-248°F. Cashews can produce a disagreeable taste if they leave too long, so keep an eye on them. Dehydrate in oven: 12-15 hours. Cashews are never sold raw as they need a process of heating to get rid of the toxic oil, cardol, present in them.

**Preferably skinless hazelnuts