Enjoy this guest article from Homestead member, sponsor, and network provider Dianne Fleming, and try Val’s recipe for the healthiest (and tastiest) nuts you’ve ever tried
Yay for Almonds and the Super Nutrients they provide!
…And Yay for our local nutritional specialist, Val Jacobson, who turned me on to the method outlined below for maximizing the nutrient value of this super food and for her help in editing this article.
Why sprout?
Let’s start with the reason to buy organic, and how soaking and sprouting your raw organic almonds will increase your body’s ability to absorb and utilize these minerals.
If you care deeply for you and your families well-being, and for that of Mother Earth’s, organic is the way to go. In this world of toxins being thrown at us in every thing from our food and water, to the clothes we wear and the air we breath, the healthier our choices the stronger our resistance to inevitable breakdowns in those systems.
Though organic almonds are pricey compared to conventional, when soaked, they double in size, so the cost balances out!
Soaking your raw organic almonds until a little sprout is sticking out, ohhh so cute, will take 24 to 48 hours. This process releases enzyme inhibitors which make the nut’s nutrients more available to our bodies by releasing their phytic acid, which is an anti-nutrient that binds with minerals and prevents absorption. Sprouting makes Lipase available, an enzyme which helps break down inhibitors that block digestive enzymes.
EASY recipe for delicious sprouted almonds
Put your almonds into a jar or bowl and fill with water which is clean sourced, such as well or spring water. I started with one cup of almonds in a quart jar filled to the top, but feel free to start with less, just making sure the almonds are totally covered. Water treated with chemicals will kill the enzymes and make a sticky mess. Cover with cheesecloth or a clean towel. Leave for 24 to 72 hours, rinsing and giving fresh water to these little growing life force foods every day until the sprouts appear.
Drain, shuck the loosened skins, which still contain enzyme inhibitors, and rinse again. If you would like a little flavoring, soak for another 24 hours with a tsp or so of Himalayan or Celtic salt.
Val’s favorite way to enjoy almonds
These nutritious gems are ready to eat as is, or to make into almond milk, or my favorite, to dehydrate at a low temperature,155 degrees or less for 10 or so hours. Anything hotter will kill all the nutrients that required all that time to release.
This turns almonds into more of a supplement than a snack food, as 4 or 5 a day can help strengthen your body’s immune system and digestive health. Enjoying a few a day can keep you regular and help you feel satiated longer between meals. The Riboflavin now available can help with metabolism, the Magnesium with energy production, Manganese can do its job as an antioxidant and Omega 3 and 6 will help maintain a healthy blood sugar level.
It’s good to note that roasting almonds and other nuts will damage the fats by turning them into free radicals. This process turns these superfoods into carcinogenic junk food…so think twice before grabbing that handful of roasted peanuts, almonds, cashews etc.
I love the feeling of healing! As I make dietary changes, inch by inch, centimeter by centimeter, my body responds with healthier cravings, increased energy and emotional stability. I say…why not try it?
