Is It Necessary To Soak Nuts?
Many of us consume nuts for their healthy fats and their good source of protein. They make a great quick snack that can easily be taken with you, making it an ideal snack. But many of us do not know how to properly prepare nuts so that we can better digest them. Is it necessary to soak nuts? The answer to that question is yes, absolutely!
Nuts have phytic acid. Phytic acid is also found in grains and legumes. Just as with grains and legumes, soaking nuts is essential for proper digestions. When eating nuts that haven’t been soaked, the phytic acid binds to minerals in the gastrointestinal tract and can not be absorbed in the intestine and to many bound minerals can lead to mineral deficiencies. By soaking, you are breaking down the phytic acid so it can be absorbed properly.
Nuts also have high amounts of enzymes inhibitors. This is another reason why un soaked nuts are hard to digest. Soaking nuts can neutralize the enzymes allowing for proper digestion.
Signs That You Aren’t Digesting Nuts
Have you ever had a heavy feeling in your lower stomach after eating too many nuts that were not soaked?
Have you noticed the next day that the nuts are in your stool? These are a few signs that the nuts were not properly digested.
It isn’t hard to soak and dry your nuts. It actually only takes a few minutes of hands on work to accomplish this task. Time is what you need to allow the nuts to soak and dry.
How To Soak Nuts
I have learned this method of drying and soaking from the research of Sally Fallon and her great book ~ Nourishing Traditions: The book that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats. If you do not have a copy of her cookbook it is a great resource of information and is an essential cookbook for traditional cooking.
So the basic method of soaking nuts is pretty much the same with some slight variations. Basically, you soak the nuts in salt water (salt is necessary to help neutralize the enzymes) and then you dry them.
Be sure to fully dry your nuts or they could become moldy. You do not want to dry your nuts any higher than 150°F. You can use a Nesco American Harvest Snackmaster Encore Dehydrator or an oven to dehydrate your nuts.
A lot of the newer ovens do not go below 200ºF. You can most likely change the default setting of 200°F. Check your owners manual to learn how for your make and model. You can also set your oven to the lowest temperature and leave it slightly a-jarred. Use an internal thermometer to reach the desired temperature.
One last thing I want to note. Soaking the nuts not only helps with digestion but it enhances the flavor tremendously! They are slightly crispy, have a nice texture, and taste amazing. That alone encourages me to soak my nuts! If you haven’t tried to soak your nuts, give this method a try. I think you will be pleasantly surprised how easy and delicious soaked nuts are!
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Recipes
Almonds
- 4 cups almonds – shop for quality nuts here
- 1 tbsp unrefined sea salt – shop for unrefined salt here
- filtered water (enough to cover nuts)
Soak overnight or a minimum of 7 hours
Dehydrate for 12-24 hours or until crisp
Macadamia Nuts
- 4 cups raw macadamia nuts – shop for quality nuts here
- 1 tbsp unrefined sea salt – shop for unrefined sea salt here
- filtered water (enough to cover nuts)
Soak overnight or a minimum of 7 hours
Dehydrate for 12-24 hours or until crisp (do not use temperature above 150°F)
Cashews
- 4 cups raw cashews – shop for quality nuts here
- 1 tbsp unrefined sea salt – shop for unrefined sea salt here
- filtered water (enough to cover nuts)
Soak overnight or a minimum of 7 hours
Dehydrate for 12-24 hours or until crisp (do not use temperature above 150°F)
Pecans & Walnuts
- 4 cups raw pecans or walnuts – shop for quality nuts here
- 2 tsp unrefined sea salt – shop for unrefined sea salt here
- filtered water (enough to cover nuts)
Soak overnight or a minimum of 7 hours
Dehydrate for 12-24 hours or until crisp (do not use temperature above 150°F)
Pine Nuts & Hazelnuts
- 4 cups pine nuts or hazelnuts – shop for quality nuts here
- 1 tbsp unrefined sea salt – shop for unrefined sea salt here
- filtered water (enough to cover nuts)
Soak overnight or a minimum of 7 hours
Dehydrate for 12-24 hours or until crisp (do not use temperature above 150°F)
Pumpkin seeds
- 4 cups pumpkin seeds – shop for quality seeds here
- 2 tbsp unrefined sea salt – shop for unrefined sea salt here
- filtered water (enough to cover pumpkin seeds)
Soak overnight or a minimum of 7 hours
Dehydrate for 12 hours or overnight (do not use temperature above 150°F).
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Thank you for clarifying this!! So, if I only have a gas oven with no pilot, I need to bake them at the lowest setting (possibly with the door ajar) for 12-24 hours? If I can borrow a dehydrator, is that better? (probably cheaper!) Thanks!
I think a dehydrator works best. I set mine at 105 and the pecans were actually done in 8 hours and the almonds were done in 15 hours.
Thank you so much for this information! I have Sally Fallon’s book, I need to get into it some more! I had been wondering if it was necessary to soak nuts, so this answered a lot of my questions! Thank you!
Haven’t tried this yet, but it’s on my list! Thanks!
Do you need to dry them before eating them? I suppose I shouldn’t eat 4 cups of nuts in one sitting (should I?), but if I do smaller portions, or if i share the portions, surely i can eat them without drying them. The suggestion to dry nuts in an oven seems to defy holistic lifestyle – no consideration of the environment. Am I wrong?
@Inspired Economies The oven was given only as an alternative method if you do not have a dehydrator. Certainly you can dry them in a warm spot in your house if you would like, but I am afraid that mold might start to form on the nuts if they don’t dry out fully.
I would not recommend eating 4 cups at once. I have about an ounce per sitting. Nuts are very filling and a little should keep you satisfied for a long time.
Thank you for posting this information. I have on my “to do” list to purchase Nourishing Traditions, but it’s just not in the budget right now.
If you haven’t gotten it yet, do what I did before purchasing it. I borrowed it from the library. But once I returned it I purchased it from Amazon.
Question: For pumpkin seeds, are those in the shell or hulled. And if hulled, is there an easy way to do it?
What happens to the nuts if you dry they say at 300 degress until dry?
@Chef Art I am a bit confused by this question? 300F is to high, it would roast the nuts and destroy the good fats.
@hallecottis Hi Halle, I understand it would alter the nuts, but love them roasted in my moring yogurt. They seem to last longer in the frig if roasted a little. No?
@Chef Art Roasting may alter and damage the polyunsaturated fats in the nuts and they are more vulnerable to oxidation. Oxidized fats/rancid oils is what makes a nut taste off or have a “bad” taste. Rancid oils are pro-inflammatory and carcinogenic. Roasted, chopped, and ground nuts go rancid more quickly than raw nuts. You can heat raw nuts slightly on the stove at a very low temp to give it a bit crunchy taste. Also soaking and dehydrating the nuts also gives them a crispy texture.
Thanks for the info Halle. I am sprouting them, draining and drying them in the oven at a little higher temp to get them dryed quicker. I also like them a little crisper also.
Hi…Can you tell me how long soaked raw nuts last w/o drying them. I like to make nut milk, but I don’t drain the nuts. Thank you!
Is drying the nuts in kitchen wipes or paper napkins for 5 minutes sufficient ? And can I soak almonds and walnuts together in the same container ? Thank you in advance 🙂
After soaking the nuts, is it sufficient to wipe and dry them in kitchen wipes for 5 minutes (and then its ready for consumption) ?
And can I soak almonds and walnuts together in the same container ? Thank you in advance 🙂
@sutejsharma yes you can soak the two nuts together, just adjust the salt a bit. You can soak them between 2 paper towels, but they won’t be crisp and dry. If you are okay with that, then it should be just fine.
@[email protected] Hi Halle thanks for your reply. I want to know if it is sufficient to dry them using paper towels after they have been soaked. That is, drying them with paper towels as opposed to using an oven… Thanks !
@sutejsharma @hallecottis no I don’t think they would dry between 2 towels. I think it is important to dry them fully in the oven or dehydrator so mold doesn’t start to form as they dry.
HI thank you so much for answering my question. My oven only goes down to 170… do know if cracking it will bring it down enough not to hurt the nuts? I do have a candy thermometer but I’m not sure how to use it to find this out.
Oh! and do they have to be soaked in filtered water? My water sits out long enough for the chlorine to be evaperated, would that be doable?
Hi there thanks for your post! Do you know if it is ok to use an acidic medium, such as lemon juice, to soak the nuts in, instead of salt? I know you have to use an acidic medium for soaking grains, but I’m not sure if the same can apply to nuts and seeds? Thanks, Steph
If I’m wanting to make almond butter do you think I still need to dehydrate them before putting them in the food processor or could I just put them in after soaking?
@kayleeh I definitely would. I haven’t made nut butters with soaked, undehydrated nuts, but I can imagine it would make for a somewhat watery nut butter. Also, with the extra moisture, the nut butter might turn moldy a lot quicker. Goodluck!
Do you do the same with all seeds? Sunflower, sesame, and hemp??
I just purchased a Nesco Dehydrator and want to dry some almonds….my question is at what temp do you dry your nuts as the dehydrator indicates 105….above you are stating not to go above 150 so just wondering at what temp you have found to be the best tks
In order for a seed to germinate, it has to take in water. If the salt concentration is too high around the seed, it will actually prevent germination by keeping water from it. If it does take in the salt water, once it sprouts, it will immediately die. The water evaporates from the sprout and leaves the salt behind drying it out and killing it.
So please can you tell me why on earth it is nescessary to soak nuts in salt water? I mean the nutrient content is a thousand fold in sprouted nuts especially if you just soak them in fresh UNSALTED water for two days, after this they are sweet/milky and have a little white tip on the end. I personally take the skins off before I eat them (and when i make almond milk) which makes them easier to digest, and i assume it is the skins which are left with most of the anti-nutrients, oxalic acid, etc. Soaking is the same with legumes. The best tasting sprouted nuts and legumes are FRESHLY dried ones because they sprout the quickest and have the lowest amount of natural anti-nutrients.
Ulie So, what is the verdict? To salt or not to salt
Food for thought: Are the gardens of this earth watered with salty water or fresh water?
Ulie here is why salt is so important: salt in soaking water activates the enzymes that neutralize enzyme inhibitors.
I have been reading your posts regularly. I need to say that you are doing a fantastic job.
Ulie That makes no sense. Doesn’t apply to human digestion.
Ulie The point is reducing enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid. Sprouting is another topic.
What about LSA mix? Has that been pre soaked before the sesame, linseed and almond hits the grinder?
That’s a lot of sodium, will it taste very salty if you just want to eat the nuts by itself? I am planning to do this, oing to be eating them by itself so should I still use salt? or should I use lemon juice freshky squeezed out of a lemon? Thanks!
It does add a slight salty taste but it isn’t overwhelming. I would use the salt and see what you think.
@AdamIt does add a slight salty taste but it isn’t overwhelming. I would use the salt and see what you think.
Even the nuts that we buy in containers ready to eat, are we suppose to eat? Even the nuts in little handy packages bought at sores or vending machine, are these already presoaked?
This is confusing. No container of nuts I have ever purchased has told the consumer to presoak and this in dangerous then. Why is it this way? Can you explain further which nuts that are sold are indeed presoaked and where to purchase; and vice versa. Thank you
What about my favorite…pistachio nuts?
Let me look into that. I think most pistachio nuts are roasted already aren’t they?
This is good. Thank you, Linda
Got any outcome research on this?
Are all nuts created equal? Do they all need soaking?
What if someone doesn’t have trouble / issues with digesting nuts?
Sounds fadish to me..
LMA, Durham NC
My oven goes as low as 170 degrees. Will that work, or will I still need to leave the door ajar?
150F is recommended.
What is the salt for? Is it necessary to add it?
Yes it needs to be added. The salt helps break down the phytic acid.
Whole Foods now has a large section of SPROUTED nuts, seeds and granolas. Are the sprouted nuts and seeds at Whole Foods already soaked and dehydrated then? Or do I need to do the soaking/drying process on those too?
Thank you!
Good questions and I am not sure what the answer to that question is. I would recommend you call the company who makes them and ask them.
Can anyone confirm how long soaked / dehydrated nuts will last if stored in an air tight container in the fridge or freezer?
Hi there. I was wondering about peanuts and how long/how much salt to use. And Im assuming that most pre roasted nuts arent soaked and should be avoided? And that,anything sprouted does not further need to be soaked? Thank you!!
I am so glad I saw the post on this post on facebook. I never knew about soaking nuts before. I was so surprised at how much better they taste. It may be time consuming, but everything in life is hurry up and wait. Well worth it. Thanks.
I agree, they totally taste better!
Phytic acid is a big problem – especially for those of us who have taught ourselves to eat healthy! Most grains, and in particular whole grains contain phytic acid too – so ironically all those people who don’t eat any whole grains, wholemeal products, nuts or seeds are probably just fine for iron and zinc etc (although maybe lacking elsewhere)!
I don’t have a dehydrator, but I’ve just been drying nuts in the sun after soaking (cover with muslin/cheesecloth to keep the bugs off) same as I do sun-dried tomatoes. Just move them to partial sun if it’s a really hot day though.
Hi Halle,
after soaked, how many time I have before they got not edible ?
Store them in a cool dry place and they should last quite awhile. You will know if the fats go rancid, the nuts will taste off a bit.
So how do i drained them and let them dry properly?
Just wondering how salt activates these enzymes? Is it a process that naturally occurs in nature… with the salt water I mean? Thanks.
Great post! I’ve recently gone raw & tried a couple recipes that called for soaked walnuts & got terribly ill. (Vomiting+loose stools). I’m wondering if anyone else has experienced this. I will definitely try soaking+dehydrating to see if that makes a difference. Thanks!!
#1: I have soaked my nuts for years now, but I think the nut butter made from these nuts usually tastes bland. I dehydrate them so they are nice and crunchy, but…sometimes the taste is just too bland! ???
I also read on a blog post from a nutbutter manufacturer, that roasting hazelnuts brings out the oils, (so one will have a nicer end product). I use up my nut butter quickly, so I can’t see that they would go rancid in the fridge for a week., after gently roasting them. Doesn’t heating them remove enzyme inhibitors as well?
Thank you for your reply!
I forgot about the frosting I’m making for a German Chocolate cake, which calls for 2 cups of pecans. I have about 17 hours until the party, so assuming they dry for 12 hours, that’s 4 hours of soaking (and an hour to put the frosting together). In this circumstance I’m guessing a little soaking is better than none at all?
I normally blend a cup each of peeled almond, pumpkin seed, pine nuts, pecan, cashew nuts, walnut, chia seed, eggs, almond milk, banana and brown sugar to make muffin without soaking the nuts. I bake it for about 45minutes at 350 degrees. I eat this as lunch as I am trying to lose weight. Is this safe and healthy?
It is best to soak the nuts for best digestion. Also, with that many nuts, watch the calorie intake…it might be high. Less is often more when eating nuts.
Thanks.
I have a water softner that uses salt. Will this be sufficient? First time I soaked nuts I did add salt but after drying they tasted too salty for me.
It really isn’t enough. I would add a little more salt into the nuts.
Do you think the pink himilayian salt would be ok to use or does it have to be the sea salt. I haven’t read the book so I wasn’t sure if the reference specifies only certain salts can be used? Thanks
Hi there Halle, I was just browsing through your site and noticed above that you put the soaking times for all the nuts at 7 hours. With all do respect, that’s impossible because of the different density of the nuts. The one type absorbs the moisture a lot quicker than the other. The link I placed here below is a list of soak times necessary for each type of nut. You can however mix the nuts in one jar as long as you make sure they come out of it at the same time. For instance, I just made a new batch starting with Almonds(12 hrs) I start at 1 o’clock in the afternoon. That means they’re ready at 1am(I’m a chronic insomniac…but that’s another story). To mix with Hazel nuts(8 hrs) I just count back from 1am to 5pm and put them in then. Cashews(2 hrs) are then put in at 11pm. That way you can leave them to dry together at 130-150 degrees over night(on a timer of course) and in the morning you can dig in for your morning juice or smoothy. Nutrients are safe and sound, enzyme inhibitors deactivated and actual nutritional value of each nut at least quadrupled. I’m just saying….grtz from across the pond (the Netherlands) Steve
Soak time list:
http://www.sixstepstobetterhealth.com/seeds.html
Thank you for posting this link. When you state times Does it matter how many ounces of nuts or seeds ?.. And how much water should it be in?
Just Raw nuts 🙂
Hi. I just soaked and dried my almonds and realise I totally forgot the salt. Would I have lost any benefit from the soaking having missed the salt? What would you do with these nuts? Use as is or re do them? Thanks
I’d use as is and on the next batch use the salt.
Thnx for the post! I haven’t been doing this and feel terrible – my children love nuts and seeds – u think everything raw us so much healthier but Infact in this case NOT! what can be done to undo the damage on their digestive system? What about sunflower seeds and the white Egyptian nuts? Do you eat bread from outside knowing that the grains have not been sprouted? What about spelt and amaranth grains low in gluten and practically untouched… If they are organic and put in a flour from organic companies are they safe? Have they been sprouted? Or do they even need to be? Thnx for your time. Peace!
I’m about to make some muesli. I have peanuts(goundnuts here in India), almonds, cashew nuts, walnuts, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds & melon seeds. Into this I’m going to put in some other stuff. Question:
Do the peanuts need to be soaked too?
and the seeds?
Does it matter if they are over soaked? As according to the chart that Steve referred to, cashew needs only 2 hrs soaking time…
Tx for your helpful post. Have been eating raw nuts all my life and not realizing why the heavy stomach!
*groundnuts
Thx so much for this post! I’ve adopted this new (for me) way of healthy eating nuts straight away, they are so delicious! My question is as folllow: does this way of soaking and drying nuts take the alkalinity away from (blenched) almonds? (as almonds are the most alcaline nuts…) Thank you for your reply.
I soak my almonds overnight. The nut mimics nature, where it falls to the ground, then water creates it to sprout, just like any sprouted food, its better for you. It releases the protective enzyme which is not healthy to the digestive system.
I soak my almonds overnight. The nut mimics nature, where it falls to the ground, then water creates it to sprout, just like any sprouted food, its better for you. It releases the unhealthy enzyme which is not healthy to the human digestive system.
I think your soak time for cashews is off, it is not in line with NT at all. No more than 6 hours.
Thanks so much for bringing that to our attention!
How long am I drying nuts in overn?
Will soaking the almonds also help take the propylene oxide off the almonds? I just found out those 6 bags of “Premium California Nonpareil Almonds, Raw, Pasteurized” I have in the cupboard probably have PPO on them : ( I am starting an antifungal diet because I accidently ingested black mold spores and was not sure why my almonds said pasteurized on them, only to find out they most likely have PPO : ( I could throw them all away and get certified organic almonds, but right now they are all I have to snack on. Thank you for any responses.
Hi Halle Cottis,
I have few doubts regarding this soaking and dehydration process. I will list them down one by one.
1) What are the maximum and minimum times to soak almonds ? What are the effects if we cross those timings ?
2) Can’t we dehydrate nuts without oven or dehydrators, I mean if we keep them in a box or in a dry place ?
3) Is this dehydration stage necessary ? what are the effects if we don’t dehydrate after soaking them ?
Can you please help me?
Thanks in Advance !
Hello, can you please give me some insight to almond flour ( almond meal flour) and it`s connection to Phytic acid…?
For the most part it appears across the board the way the blanch almonds is boiling them in water for a short time then let them cool before removing the skins, so my question is does the Phytic acid still pose a health risk after this process ?
And would making pancakes out of the Almond meal flour create enough heat to neutralize Phytic acid ?
Thank you for your time, lots of great detail in the comments you should do another page or update the old one with all the new info :]
Cheers
My oven’s lowest temp setting is 350° and I do not own a dehydrator. Must I invest in a dehydrator or can I work with a normal oven at 350° for a much shorter time?
That high of a temperature will destroy the fats in the nuts. You really do need lower temperatures.
Hi Halle,
I wanted to make vegan cashew cream. I only have roasted cashews by hand. Do I still have to soak them or are they already soaked by the company that makes them. Or can I just use them without soaking?
Are roasted nuts bad for your health?
Thanks for answering
David
Sorry, I missed this out..
BTW, when we mix the water to blend to make almond milk, it should be’drinking’ water ie not just unfiltered tap water because we are not going to boil the almond milk right?
I would like to know if boiling it will kill all nuts nutrients? (Because I have a gadget that makes soya beans and other drinks – it can blender to very fine and also at same time can boil the liquid – ie can also make pumpkin soup, 5or 10grains drink which requires boiling. They have recipes to include nuts and sesame seeds http://www.joyoung.com.sg/
Thank you very much
This is more so a question than a comment. I soaked Organic Almonds in a glass jar in the fridge for three days without using Celtic Sea Salt or lemon Juice. As I was doing further research someone said they would not soak that it would stop that process. My fridge gets pretty cold on low had to loosen the nuts with a spoon they looked fresh and vibrant to myself. I rinsed them under filtered water and then put sea salt and lemon juice in the water and put them back in the glass jar with a towel over the jar with the top loosely on top on my counter. My question to those who know will I be able to make this work soaking for about 45 min. or hour?, making almond mayo with avocado, garlic cloves water, and olive oil. I am a newbie to this experiment.
I have two questions. Where do I buy raw nuts? And what about peanut butter and almond butter?Are they made with soaked nuts? Probably not I guess. Do we just make our own out of soaked nuts?
Peanut butter is tricky because raw peanuts are not really edible without roasting. Almond butter can easily be made with soaked nuts. You may need to add a little oil to your nut butter though. Here are the almonds I bought the last time I ordered and they were great! http://amzn.to/1MY3rkF
Another question, can you put seasoning on the nuts before drying in a dehydrator?
I don’t see why you couldn’t.
I see blanched nuts at the store. Do these have the Phytic acid removed? Does blanched almond flour have the phytic acid removed?
Hi, I have The Nourishing Traditions book by Sally Fallon. In the book alot of the nut recipes are 300 degrees to bake after the nut has been through 12-24 dehydration, and some are for 350 degrees on page 532. Surely this isoxidation of the nuts?
Hi. If I’m using my nuts & seeds for daily smoothies for my family, is it safe to NOT dehydrate them after soaking, but just rinse & store in the freezer until ready for use? I’m concerned that if the nuts/seed soak up the phytic acid inside them, is it only removed (fully) when dehydrated? Also, I’d like to start making nut kefir and seed kefir. After soaking, should I rinse them before adding water & chopping them up in my VitaMix? Thanks!
How long will the dehydrated nuts last?
Thanks for the info. All this time I have been missing out on the benefits of not soaking my nuts
Do I have to soak and roast nuts that already roasted
It is best not to eat nuts that are already roasted. The healthy fats can go rancid it the roasting process.
Do you have to dehydrate/dry them out??I’ve been soaking almonds and placing them in ziplocs to munch on through out the day. They’ve never once become moldy or rancid and I keep them in the fridge at night.
They taste much better when dehydrated, Lauren. 🙂
Okay, I tried the soaking method for my walnuts, and my macadamia nuts, and dries them in my Excalibur dehydrator, and I couldn’t keep my hands off the walnuts. This one is usually my least favorite nut too, but after the pink Himalayan sea salt soak, the walnuts are sooo much more flavorful, and have now become my 2nd favorite nut, next to macadamia nuts.? I’m glad I found your website!
Hi,
Thanks for sharing the useful information on nuts. Still got some doubts. Hope to receive a reply.
What if drying using gas stove ?
Can the nuts be stored after soaking and drying and consumed whenever one feels like?
Hi Purvi,
You can dry in a low heat oven, preferably under 200F. Yes the nuts can be stored after drying and consumed when you are ready.
I just soaked my almonds overnight in the frig–I swear I read that somewhere! Now I see that they shouldn’t be in the frig. ? Do I resoak them sitting on counter or are they find to use now or did I totally ruin them??!
There are so many different times regarding how long to soak my cashews it’s just getting confusing now.
Dear Halle Cottis,
May I ask you to expound the correlation between salt, phytic acid and enzymes inhibitors? Basing on what you’ve said salt helps to prevent enzymes inhibitors and reduce phytic acid. Could you clear up how salt works in this case, Thank you for your time.
Hi I prefer to soak a few everyday. Can I soak them and then dry it in a microwave and eat it immediately. Thxs.
I don’t recommend using a microwave for this or any food. Using a dehydrator is your best option.
Hello! Iv’e been soaking hazel nuts for some time now but I like eating them when they are still wet. Is it safe to eat them without dehydrating them? Also I was curious if the calorie count changes once soaked.