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Why it helps to activate nuts and seeds
The SK60® recipes and the 7-Day Kickstart Meal Plan include raw nuts and seeds.
Nuts and seeds can be difficult to digest for some people.
If you are not used to consuming nuts and seeds, you may experience some gas, bloating, stomach aches, and diarrhea while your body adjusts to the new foods.
WHY NUTS AND SEEDS CAN BE DIFFICULT TO DIGEST
Nuts and seeds contain natural protective agents (phytates) in their bran and hulls that act like "armor", protecting the foods from early germination until the conditions are perfect to sprout into healthy plants.
It is this natural armor that also prevents them from sprouting in your pantry.
This armor is a brilliant protective protective mechanism for the plants, but it can wreak havoc in our bodies, particularly if your digestion is not functioning properly.
When we eat nuts and seeds, the phytates interfere with enzyme function, and inhibit the absorption of calcium, iron, zinc, and other key nutrients.
ACTIVATE YOUR NUTS AND SEEDS FOR BETTER DIGESTION
Soaking and dehydrating (or toasting) nuts and seeds essentially “tricks” the foods into sprouting, neutralizes the phytates, and activates the full nutrient potential of the food to support better digestion.
Soaking nuts, seeds, and grains starts the sprouting process and neutralizes the phytic acid, which activates the nutrient potential of the food and the enzymes that aid in their digestion.
Rinsing and toasting nuts, seeds, and grains is a quicker way to remove some of the phytic aid, but not all of it.
You can purchase “activated” nuts and seeds but they tend to be expensive.
NOTE: Many participants choose not to activate their nuts and seeds and still get great results. But, implementing this strategy will maximize your results.
Read the rest of this page for detailed instructions for how to soak and dehydrate nuts and seeds or toast them.
Refer to the SK60® Activating Foods sheet in the Food Guide for quick instructions.
GOOD: Toasting
Toasting raw nuts and seeds (that have not been soaked before) is a quick way to make them more digestible for the 7-Day Kickstart.
Rinsing and toasting helps to remove some of the phytic acid, but not all of it, and it does not activate the full nutrient potential of the food like soaking does.
But, if you’re pushed for time and need those nuts and seeds, toasting is a great option to reduce the stress on your belly! AND toasting nuts and seeds make them taste absolutely delicious.
HOME-TOASTED VS COMMERCIAL ROASTED
Home-toasted nuts and seeds are not the same as “roasted” or ‘toasted” nuts and seeds you purchase at the store.
These commercially available varieties are not approved foods on the program as they are processed using low quality oils and refined salts and flavorings. These foods rarely taste fresh, and are often rancid.
How To Toast Nuts and Seeds
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C), and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Measure out 2 cups of your chosen nut or seed. Seeds need rinsing before toasting to remove any dust and dirt. Nuts do not need to be rinsed. Place the seeds in a medium bowl, cover with filtered water. Swish the seeds around, and strain with a fine-mesh strainer.
- Spread the drained seeds in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, and place in the middle rack of the oven. Toast for the prescribed time using the list below (eg 10 minutes), then remove from the oven, toss, and then toast for the further amount of time prescribed (eg 10 minutes).
- Remove from the oven, taste one, and once crunchy and they crumble within your fingers, they are ready. If not, place back in the oven for a minute at a time, until they are done.
- Once done, transfer the parchment paper with the seeds from the hot baking sheet to a cutting board to cool, or the seeds will continue cooking, which you don’t want.
- Once completely cooled, transfer the toasted seeds to a sealed glass jar, and store in the fridge, or a cool dark pantry.
TOAST TIMES
- Almonds: 10 minutes, stir. Then, 8 to 10 minutes more, until insides are light brown.
- Sesame Seeds: 10 minutes, stir. Then, 10 minutes more, until fragrant and easily crushed between your fingers.
- Pumpkin and Sunflower Seeds: 12 minutes, stir. Then, 12 minutes more, until puffed and fragrant.
- Walnuts and Pecans: 4 to 5 minutes (pieces) or 6 minutes (halved and whole), until crisp and fragrant. For walnuts, rub between your fingers to remove papery bitter skins.
- Hazelnuts: 10 minutes, stir. Then, 4minutes more, until insides are light brown. Rub between your fingers to remove much of the brown papery skins.
Download the Toasting Cheat Sheet for a full list of foods and toast times.
Expand this section for more tips so your foods don't spoil.
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USER A TIMER
Use a timer so you don’t burn your nuts and seeds. Cooking times may vary depending on the accuracy of your oven temperature and the amount of nuts and seeds. If you toast more than the amount prescribed, they will take longer. Be sure to place the food in single layers so that they toast evenly.
USE PARCHMENT PAPER
Use parchment paper so you can slide them off the trays the moment you take them out of the oven as they will continue cooking. Reuse the parchment paper to reduce waste.
STORE AND CRISP UP
All toasted nuts and seeds will last longer if you store them in the fridge. If your toasted foods lose their crunch, place them in the oven at 300°F (150°C) for 5 minutes or more to crisp them up again.
BETTER: SOAKING AND DEHYDRATING
Soaking nuts, seeds, and grains (getting them moist) essentially replicates the perfect moist conditions required for germination and neutralizes these anti-nutrients and enzyme inhibitors to make them more digestible.
Foods require different soaking times for full germination. As a general rule with nuts: the harder the nut, the longer the soak.
Long-soak foods (almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds) need at least 8 hours.
*Quinoa requires 10 to 12 hours to "sprout". You can also add a piece of kombu or wakame (seaweed) to assist with disabling the phytic acid.
Medium-soak foods (pecans, walnuts, Brazil nuts) are oilier and swell up quickly, so require less soaking time.
Short-soak foods(cashews, macadamias) have the highest fat content and require only 2 to 4 hours soaking. Do not soak these nuts for longer than 4 hours. Soaking them for extended periods of time break down their health-promoting oils.
Reasons To Soak
- Improves digestion: Soaking raw nuts, seeds, and whole grains in warm acidulated and salted water simulates the ideal moist germinating conditions these foods wait for in nature, essentially tricking the food into “sprouting”, which neutralizes enzyme inhibitors.
- Unlocks nutrients: Soaking activates the full nutrient potential of food. The potency of vitamins like A, C, and B get a boost, proteins become more available, and enzymes are released.
- Improved flavor and texture: Soaking softens food, making it easier to blend. Hydrated nuts, seeds, and dried fruits liquefy more completely, even in high-speed machines. The silky, creamy consistency you get by soaking nuts before blending into soups and smoothies isn’t achievable with unsoaked nuts. Similarly, soaking dates for smoothies and sweets, and sun-dried tomatoes for raw sauces yields the best results.
- Reduces prep and cook times: Soaking hard and fibrous foods for smoothies, soups, dips, and sauces results in creamier consistencies, particularly with conventional blenders. Soaked quinoa cooks more quickly and requires less water.
How To Soak Nuts, Seeds, and Grains
The easiest way to practice soaking for long-soak foods is in the evening right before bed. Then, upon rising, rinse, drain, and dry. Alternatively, soak in the morning to use at night.
If you’re using more than one soaked food in a recipe such as making a nut milk or sauce with multiple nuts, soak the ingredients separately, drain, rinse, and then combine in the recipe.
- In a glass or ceramic container, place your food, and fully cover it with a solution of warm filtered water, natural salt, and apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. I generally use two parts water to one part food by volume; per quart or liter of water, I add 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. (The addition of acid can help activate phytase, which breaks down phytic acid.) So, to soak 1 cup of almonds, I’d add 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon acid to 2 cups (480ml) of water, and immerse the nuts in the mixture.
- Cover the bowl with a breathable dish towel, and let stand at room temperature for the directed period. (See specific soak times on the Cheat Sheet.) During soaking, it’s normal to see a few nuts, seeds, or grains floating on the surface. These are possibly rancid. Discard them. It’s not uncommon to have a lot of floaters. In this case, keep the nuts. It’s the nature of the nut. You will also see food particles, a murky film on the surface of the water, and sediment on the bottom of the container. This is absolutely normal. These are the anti-nutrients that the soaking process has drawn out.
- Empty the contents of the bowl into a colander or large fine-mesh strainer, rinse the bowl, and then place the food back in. Refill the bowl with clean water, fully submerging the food, then swish the contents around, strain, and rinse again. Repeat this process again if needed so that the food and water is completely clear.
- Use the soaked food to make milk, smoothies, sauces, or other dishes, or dehydrate or oven-dry per the instructions below.
Quick Soaking (for texture; no health benefit)
If you haven’t prepared ahead of time or are making recipes in a hurry, you can soften nuts, seeds, and grains for quicker cook times and better textures.
Note: Quick soaking in hot water has no nutritional benefit. Anti-nutrients are not neutralized and the heat kills the digestive enzymes present in the raw food.
Nuts, seeds, and grains: Place in a glass or ceramic container, cover with boiling water; let stand for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse.
BEST: Purchase Activated Foods
If you want to supercharge your results in the 7-Day Kickstart but feel nervous about activating your nuts and seeds or don't have time, you can purchased activating nuts and seeds.
This is the easiest approach: Let somebody else do the work for you!
Purchase activated (sometimes labeled “sprouted”) nuts and seeds online or from health food stores. Then can be quite expensive. So, it is much cheaper to do it yourself.
Costco Shoppers: You can find inexpensive sprouted pumpkin seeds and sprouted oats at stores in the United States.
See our SHOP for brand recommendations.
But, here are the top ones:
UNSALTED (for use in recipes)
SALTED (for snacks)
How To Use soaked foods
Sometimes, the SK60® recipes call for nuts and seeds to be soaked in order to achieve a smooth consistency for smoothies, soups, sauces, dressings, and desserts.
Freshly soaked and drained nuts, seeds, and grains (that are still wet) need to be used immediately.
You cannot leave them wet after soaking or they will spoil.
NOTE: When you use long-soaked nuts and seeds wet right after soaking it does shorten the shelf-life of raw recipes as the wet food is semi-fermented.
So, if you long-soak nuts and seeds and use them wet to make plant milks, raw sauces, cheeses and dressings, ice creams, etc your dish will only last 2 to 3 days.
A BETTER APPROACH
I soak and dehydrate all nuts and seeds (except chia seeds, hemp seeds, and flax seeds that NEVER need to be soaked and dehydrated) as soon as I purchase them.
I then store them in sealed glass containers in the pantry or fridge.
Then, when I need them for a recipe, I either use them activated and dry (for a crunchy element for salads and toppings etc) OR I quick-soak them (pour boiled water over them for 10 minutes) just to soften them for the best texture for sauces, dressings, smoothies, and desserts.
When you use soaked and dehydrated (activated) nuts and seeds and then quick-soak them right before you need to use them in a recipe, your dish will last longer, typically 5 to 7 days in the fridge.
Adjust the cooking time for soaked grains
When cooking soaked grains, use about half the water you would to cook unsoaked grains.
As a general rule: Use a one-to-one ratio (by volume) of water to soaked grain to cook them to al dente.
When using soaked grains in recipes, start with half the liquid called for, and add more liquid as needed to reach the desired consistency.
NOTE: We temporarily exclude grains in the 7-Day Kickstart to help improve your digestion quickly. Grains can be difficult to digest and are known trigger foods for digestive problems (gas and bloating) and menopause symptoms (hot flashes and sweats).