Why Sprouted Foods Are Easier to Digest
For many people, eating grains, beans, nuts and seeds is problematic when it comes to digestion and frequently causes inflammation. Sprouting is when the nut/seed/bean germinates and starts to grow into a little plant. The reason sprouted nuts and grains are good for you is because it makes them more easily digestible and increases the bio-availability of the nutrients. The nutrients actually change during the germination process, converting the proteins to amino acids, the fats to essential fatty acids, and a form of pre-digestion also occurs. This also helps increase beneficial flora levels in the gut so you experience less of an auto-immune type of reaction when you eat these various forms of foods.
Sprouting also helps to drastically cut down on the level of carcinogens and anti-nutrients present within seeds. Carcinogens, known as aflatoxins, are present naturally within plant foods including peanuts, almonds, corn and other nuts. These can act like toxins within the digestive tract and may cause a range of digestive problems. And anti-nutrients, including phytic acid, have the ability to leach on to minerals and make them unabsorbable by the body!!!
According to the Phytic Acid Organization, soaking beans for just 18 hours can reduce the content of phytic acid in beans by up to 70% depending on the kind! Check out my RAW SPROUTED HUMMUS recipe!
Almond skins, in particular, contain an enzyme-inhibiting substance to protect the almond – That’s great for the almond!…But not so great for us humans. This is why many people have difficulty digesting almonds (and may not even know it!).
*Sprouting (soaking) almonds removes their enzyme-inhibitor and allows our bodies to properly digest them and absorb the nutrients much easier (and for many, less painful!)
How To Sprout Almonds:
Soak raw almonds in a mason jar with purified water overnight for 12 hours in the fridge. The next day you can rinse them and store in the fridge (do not drink/use the soaking water as it contains the toxins). The skins should be easily removable and “slip” right off!
