Do you soak or sprout your nuts, seeds, grains and legumes?
Why is that? Is it to increase their nutrition? To help make them easier to digest?
Perhaps, it’s to reduce phytic acid?
Phytic acid is naturally present in most seeds, nuts, grains and legumes; it is the plant’s storage form of the mineral phosphorus and when the plant starts to grow it is used as energy.
Foods that have the highest levels of phytic acid are rice bran, wheat bran, wheat germ, almonds, and walnuts.
Phytic acid and minerals
Have you heard of phytic acid being called an “anti-nutrient” by some people?
This is because phytic acid binds to the minerals zinc, calcium and iron preventing them from being fully absorbed by the body when eaten; this is why phytic acid is known as a “mineral reducer.”
FUN FACT: Phytic acid’s effects only apply to mineral-containing foods in the current meal. Once digested, there is no mineral reduction on the next meal and there is no impact to the minerals your body has absorbed previously.
Phytic acid’s health benefits
Phytic acid isn’t all bad though – it actually has some health benefits too!
It can act as an antioxidant. And, it can also help reduce your risk of kidney stones, heart disease, and even some cancers.
Because it loves minerals (which are metals), phytic acid in your gut can also bind to any heavy metals (the ones that we don’t want too much of) that may have hitched a ride with your food.
How to reduce phytic acid
As you can see, phytic acid shouldn’t be a massive concern for most people, unless your main foods at most meals are nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes. Because a lot of these are nutritious foods, you probably don’t want (or need) to cut them all completely out of your diet.
Considering phytic acid has both good and bad properties, you may still want to reduce how much you are consuming. Perhaps you want to increase your mineral intake. If so, here are two popular methods to naturally reduce phytic acid:
- Soaking – Place nuts, seeds, grains or legumes in a bowl, cover with water and leave overnight. Then drain the water and rinse before eating or preparing.
- Sprouting – After soaking, draining, and rinsing, place damp nuts, seeds, grains or legumes into a container that’s exposed to the air (like a mason jar with a mesh lid). Every 8 hours or so, re-rinse them and drain the water. Continue doing this for a few days until you see sprouts peeking out.
Why do soaking and sprouting help reduce phytic acid in certain foods?
It is because being wet is a “sign” to leave their dormant (dry) state and start a new life. Enzymes activated during soaking and sprouting deactivate phytic acid to use its energy and stored minerals for the plant as it begins to grow.
Conclusion
Phytic acid gets a bit of a bad rap as a mineral reducer. It’s found in nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes. Yes, it most definitely prevents absorption of critical minerals like iron, zinc, and calcium, if they’re in your gut at the same time. Phytic acid in food can become a health concern if you are lacking in these minerals, or if your diet is pretty much made up of nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes.
But, if you eat a varied diet, then phytic acid shouldn’t be that much of a concern. In fact, phytic acid does actually have some health benefits.
If you want to reduce it in your food, you can soak or sprout your nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes.
Recipe (soaked almonds): Almond Vanilla Latte Smoothie
Serves 1
¼ cpp almonds, soaked overnight & rinsed
½ cup coconut milk
½ cup strong coffee, cold (or chai tea if you prefer)
½ banana, frozen
1 tsp vanilla extract
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend on high until almonds are smooth.
- Add ice, if desired
- Serve & enjoy!
Tip: By using soaked almonds, they tend to blend up smoother than hard and crunchy dry almonds do.
References:
https://authoritynutrition.com/phytic-acid-101/
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-phytates-phytic-acid