One of the things I want to do this year is to get back to eating in a NT (Nourishing Tradition) style more regularly. It is this “template” that makes the most sense to me, and is the way my body prefers to be nourished. I already have incorporated raw dairy, fermented foods, healthy fats (pastured lard, tallow, olive oil, raw or pasture butter), and pastured meats into my diet, as well as adhering to the practice of preparing my grains properly – by soaking, souring, or sprouting them.
One missing link from all is this properly preparing nuts by soaking them in a salt water solution, then dehydrating them to increase digestibility. I must admit – I didn’t always think this was necessary. But now I think differently, thanks to the positive feedback from my digestive system – for me, it makes a big difference!
When I eat raw nuts (not roasted), I sometimes wouldn’t feel all that well in the belly. Kind of a sour stomach and feeling a bit nauseated. In short, I wasn’t able to digest them very well. Gassiness would sometimes ensue (TMI, but oh well). This was probably my digestive tract reacting to the enzyme inhibitors present in the nuts. Enzymes help start the digestive process, so anything that blocks that process puts a strain on the digestive system.
Soaking the nuts in salted water deactivates those enzyme inhibitors, and thus makes it easier for our bodies to digest them. According to Nourishing Traditions, “All enzymes are deactivated at a wet-heat temperature of 118 degrees F and a dry-heat temperature of about 150 degrees.”
