Soaking & sprouting to enhance bioavailability and digestibility of foods!

Beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds are great whole food additions to a healthy diet. But they can be hard to digest in not properly prepared.

Ayurvedic practices recommends eating turmeric or ginger with proteins (legume sprouts) as a digestive aid, as a number of other herbs/spices can serve as digestive aids and/or counteract the vata dosha effect of legumes.

Soaking and sprouting decreases the anti-nutrients in these foods, making them easier to digest while increasing their nutrient availability

Sprouting enhances a legume’s digestibility. Amongst the legumes, mung and adzuki beans.

Activating nuts and seeds doesn’t go as far as sprouting, but it’s very beneficial as it helps remove the natural enzyme inhibitors that make them difficult for our bodies to break down and digest.

Here is a general guideline for common nuts, seeds, legumes and grains that require soaking & sprouting:

Use these times as a minimum guide but remember not to over-soak them, especially in warm climates, as they will start to turn. Wash all your nuts and seeds thoroughly after soaking and drain well. They may be stored in the refrigerator for us to 2-3 days in an airtight container.

Soak times for activating:

Almonds 10-12 hours

Cashews 2-4 hours

Hazelnuts 4-6 hours

Pecans 4-6 hours

Pumpkin Seeds 4-6 hours

Sesame Seeds 4-6 hours

Sunflower Seeds 4-6 hours

Walnuts 4-6 hours

Sprouts to try at home:

Whole Food Soaking time Sprouting time

Buckwheat 2 hours 1-2 days*

Millet 8-14 hours 1-2 days

Quinoa 2-4 hours 12 hours

Rye 8-14 hours 1-2 days

Mustard 6-14 hours 1-2 days

Wheat 8-14 hours 1-2 days

Sesame 8-14 hours 1-2 days

Sunflower 8-14 hours 18 hours

Chickpea 12-18 hours 2-3 days

Lentils 8-14 hours 1 day

Mung beans 8-14 hours 18 hours

Adzuki beans8-14 hours 1 day

Peas 12-14 hours 1-2 days

*Wash very thoroughly as they let off a mucilaginous substance each time you wash them.

When you’re enjoying your soaked and or sprouted foods, notice how your body feels after you eat it. How does your stomach feel?

Did you experience or maybe not experience things you’ve felt while eating before? If you’re feeling a positive difference, consider adding in more soaked and foods into your diet.

With love,

xx

Tara