Benefits of Soaking Nuts/Seeds & Sprouting! Made Easy!

If you've started reading raw cookbooks, you've probably noticed that soaking nuts and seeds is a pretty common practice!

The main reason soaking nuts and seeds is so important is because they contain enzyme inhibitors.

The purpose of these enzyme inhibitors is to protect the nut or seed until it has what it needs for growing.

Nature allowed the inhibitors and toxic substances to be easily removed when the conditions (enough rain and sun) were met.

In nature, when it rains the nut gets enough moisture so it can germinate and produce a plant. The plant then continues to grow with the sunlight.

By soaking nuts and seeds, you release these toxic enzyme inhibitors AND increase the life and vitality contained within them!

The Benefits of Soaking Nuts and Seeds

• Enzyme inhibitors get neutralized.


• The amount of vitamins your body can absorb increases.


• Gluten breaks down so digestion is much easier.


• Phytic acid, which inhibits the absorption of vital minerals, is reduced.

Soaking times vary with the nut. Generally the more dense the nut, the longer the soaking time. Ideally, soaking should be done at room temperature.

Below is a soaking and sprouting chart. 

Soaking and Sprouting Times

Nut / Seed	Dry Amount	Soak Time	Sprout Time	Sprout Length	Yield
Alfalfa Seed	3 Tbsp	12 Hours	3-5 Days	1-2 Inches	4 Cups
Almonds	3 Cups	8-12 Hours	1-3 Days	1/8 Inch	4 Cups
Amaranth	1 Cup	3-5 Hours	2-3 Days	1/4 Inch	3 Cups
Barley, Hulless	1 Cup	6 Hours	12-24 Hours	1/4 Inch	2 Cups
Broccoli Seed	2 Tbsp	8 Hours	3-4 Days	1-2 Inches	2 Cups
Buckwheat, Hulled	1 Cup	6 Hours	1-2 Days	1/8-1/2 Inch	2 Cups
Cabbage Seed	1 Tbsp	4-6 Hours	4-5 Days	1-2 Inches	1 1/2 Cups
Cashews	3 Cups	2-3 Hours			4 Cups
Clover	3 Tbsp	5 Hours	4-6 Days	1-2 Inches	4 Cups
Fenugreek	4 Tbsp	6 Hours	2-5 Days	1-2 Inches	3 Cups
Flax Seeds	1 Cup	6 Hours			2 Cups
Garbanzo Beans (Chick Pea)	1 Cup	12-48 Hours	2-4 Days	1/2-1 Inch	4 Cups
Kale Seed	4 Tbsp	4-6 Hours	4-6 Days	3/4-1 Inch	3-4 Cups
Lentil	3/4 Cup	8 Hours	2-3 Days	1/2-1 Inch	4 Cups
Millet	1 Cup	5 Hours	12 Hours	1/16 Inch	3 Cups
Mung Beans	1/3 Cup	8 Hours	4-5 Days	1/4-3 Inches	4 Cups
Mustard Seed	3 Tbsp	5 Hours	3-5 Days	1/2-1 1/2 Inches	3 Cups
Oats, Hulled	1 Cup	8 Hours	1-2 Days	1/8 Inch	1 Cup
Onion Seed	1 Tbsp	4-6 Hours	4-5 Days	1-2 Inches	1 1/2-2 Cups
Pea	1 Cup	8 Hours	2-3 Days	1/2-1 Inch	3 Cups
Pinto Bean	1 Cup	12 Hours	3-4 Days	1/2-1 Inch	3-4 Cups
Pumpkin	1 Cup	6 Hours	1-2 Days	1/8 Inch	2 Cups
Quinoa	1 Cup	3-4 Hours	2-3 Days	1/2 Inch	3 Cups
Radish	3 Tbsp	6 Hours	3-5 Days	3/4-2 Inches	4 Cups
Rye	1 Cup	6-8 Hours	2-3 Days	1/2-3/4 Inch	3 Cups
Sesame Seed, Hulled	1 Cup	8 Hours			1 1/2 Cups
Sesame Seed, Unhulled	1 Cup	4-6 Hours	1-2 Days	1/8 Inch	1 Cup
Spelt	1 Cup	6 Hours	1-2 Days	1/4 Inch	3 Cups
Sunflower, Hulled	1 Cup	6-8 Hours	1 Day	1/4-1/2 Inch	2 Cups
Teff	1 Cup	3-4 Hours	1-2 Days	1/8 Inch	3 Cups
Walnuts	3 Cups	4 Hours			4 Cups
Wheat	1 Cup	8-10 Hours	2-3 Days	1/4-3/4 Inch	3 Cups
Wild Rice	1 Cup	12 Hours	2-3 Days	Rice Splits	3 Cups

Soaking Nuts and Seeds

1. Gather your raw, organic nuts or seeds.


2. Rinse them in purified or distilled water.


3. Place them in a glass or stainless steel bowl.


4. Cover with twice as much water as the nuts or seeds. (1 cup of nuts to 2 cups of water).


5. Cover the bowl with something breathable like a cloth towel.


6. Drain and rinse the nuts or seeds every 3 or 4 hours.

The soak water will contain the enzyme inhibitors which is very acidic to the body so make sure to rinse your nuts and seeds well.

---

Sprouting Nuts and Seeds

1. Follow the process above for soaking nuts and seeds.


2. Place the soaked and rinsed nuts or seeds in a sprouting jar. You can get this online or at a health food store.


3. Cover the jar with screening, cheesecloth, or sprouting lids.


4. Put the jar face down, at an angle in a low light place. A dish rack or a high rimmed bowl works well because it allows the excess water to drain out.


5. Rinse every 8 hours. To rinse: Fill jar with water. Shake vigorously. Drain. Repeat 2-3 times.

Make sure you drain the jar well. Seeds
that sit in water can spoil the whole jar!

6. Once sprouting begins, place in a sun lit area. Don't place in direct sunlight though. Continue to rinse every 8 hours.


7. Let the sprouts grow for the suggested number of days.

After the final rinse, let the sprouts dry completely! They should be dry to the touch. This is very important! Refrigerated produce dies quickly.

The sprouts can then be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.