Why Are Raw Almonds Consumed Soaked?
Author: Joe Fowler
Time for reading: ~1
minutes
Last Updated:
August 08, 2022
Dried raw almonds are almost indigestible. Soaked in water, they become many times more useful.
It is well known that nuts are most useful when eaten raw. This also applies to almonds with one additional condition - we can get the maximum benefits from their rich composition if we soak them in water for a few hours before consumption.
Raw almonds are high in dietary fiber, omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids and protein. They are rich in vitamin E and vitamin B2, as well as the trace elements manganese, magnesium and iron. A handful of raw almonds provides about 40-50% of the recommended daily allowance of these vitamins and minerals.
Many nutritionists and nutritionists refer to raw almonds as a superfood because of their diverse health benefits. However, studies show that maximum benefits are obtained when raw almonds are well soaked in water. It turns out that the choice between dry and soaked raw almonds is not just a matter of taste, but a matter of choosing the more useful variety of nut.
The almond peel is firmly attached to the core of the nut and is very rich in tannins. These are complex and difficult to degrade polyphenolic compounds. They have the ability to bind proteins and other organic compounds tightly. Thus, entering the digestive tract, tannins interfere with the absorption of proteins and other useful ingredients of raw almonds. After soaking the almonds in water, their peel absorbs part of it and is much easier to separate from the core of the nut when chewed. Thus, all the useful ingredients of raw almonds can be excreted and assimilated easily in the intestinal tract.
It has been shown, that to dry raw almonds, the consumption of pre-soaked in water kernel has several advantages:
- Supports digestion by leading to the much easier release of digestive enzymes ( lipase, etc.);
- Helps fight excess weight;
- Reduces blood sugar and bad cholesterol and increases good;
- Reduces oxidative stress due to the high content of vitamin E and other powerful antioxidants ;
Raw almonds have a number of health benefits for the body, and the only condition to take advantage of them is by consuming almonds in the easiest way to digest them.