Why You Need to Soak Your Grains, Beans, Nuts and Seeds | Yogitrition

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If youre ready to switch to a wholefoods, plant-based diet, congratulations!! Im absolutely thrilled to guide you! Non-gluten
grains, beans, nuts and seeds are a big part of the Yogitrition PlanI want you to eat them regularly, and I want you
to reap the full benefits. But before you rip open your next bag of raw nuts, or throw those dry beans into a pot to boil, there are
some very important things you should know. While these types of foods can be truly divine when prepared with proper
care, they can become a serious health hazard when taken for granted.
Apparently our ancestors understood this very well, because grains, beans, nuts and seeds in their natural form were never consumed
without being soaked or fermented first. It was a time-honored tradition of food preparation that kept agrarian cultures thriving. It
wasnt until food mechanization took the reigns and the processing of food became an industry, that soaking and fermenting became a
dying tradition.

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Although mechanization and convenience has changed the way humans eat, Mother Nature still hasnt changed much with the not-sohumble grain, bean, nut or seed. They still need to be soaked or fermented before they are consumed.
It is no coincidence that in the modern world, where these foods are largely consumed in the form of breads,
crackers, cereal, nut butters, etc., that millions are suffering from digestive issues, autoimmune disorders, and a
host of other nutritionally related diseases.
Its not enough to take processed foods off your plate. Yes, this is a big step, but there is still more to go!! If youre serious about taking
your wholefoods, plant-based eating to the next level, your days of simply tossing dry beans and grains into a pot and boiling them, or
eating raw nuts and seeds out of a bag are over.

Those Pesky Anti-Nutrients

Grains, beans, nuts and seeds appear to be innocent foods, but they arent. In fact, theyre pretty bad-ass in the wild. Mother Nature
equipped these foods with an arsenal of weapons known as anti-nutrients, that are locked in the outer bran or seed
coat. These toxic anti-nutrients protect them from insects and predators, and invasion by bacteria, viruses or fungi. The lioness has
her sharp fangs and claws, the humble plant seed has its anti-nutrients!!

Much of these anti-nutrients are naturally eliminated from the outer coating when there is enough moisture, warmth and acidity to
sustain the plant seed once it enters the ground to germinate. This is why soaking has been an important process in food
preparation for thousands of yearsit mimics the natural germination process that takes place in nature.
Germination neutralizes anti-nutrients and unlocks precious enzymes and nutrients that render these foods edible.
But before we go into the benefits of soaking, lets take a look at the different types of anti-nutrients.

Phytic Acid and Mineral Deficiencies

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The most known anti-nutrient found in grains, beans, nuts and seeds is phytic acid (or phytate), a phosphorous-bound organic acid
that protects the plant seed from premature germination. When you eat foods with these phytic acids still intact, they bind with
important minerals such as calcium, zinc, magnesium, iron and copper and prevent absorption. Phytic acid also has the potential to
block protein absorption.
Over time, regularly consuming foods (processed or whole) that contain phytic acid can lead to serious mineral
deficiencies and cause a wide array of health problems including digestive irritability, impaired immune function,
allergies, skin irritations, decaying teeth, bone loss, anemia, hormone disruption, and poor physiological
development in infants and children. These health issues are especially prevalent in babies and young children who are fed diets
high in phytate foods such as cereal, crackers, bread, nut butters, soy formula, etc. I am thoroughly convinced this is why so many
youngsters have digestive issues, allergies and skin irritations.

Enzyme Inhibitors
Plant seeds, especially nuts and seeds, also contain enzyme inhibitors that ward off predators. These inhibitors block enzyme function,
most notably the uptake of trypsin, an enzyme responsible for digesting protein. Animal research has shown that overly
consuming foods containing trypsin inhibitors can lead to hyper-secretion of pancreatic enzymes, an enlarged
pancreas and benign tumors. The increased requirement for pancreatic enzymes also depletes the body of valuable resources for
other physiological functions as well, and sets up the conditions for chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, impaired digestion,
immune suppression, increased allergies, severe intestinal issues and declined mental function. Any peanut butter lovers
cringing right now?

Lectins
Although lectins can be found in almost all foods, they are highly concentrated in grains (especially wheat), beans (especially soy), and
nuts. They act as very powerful insecticides that ward off predators. When they are consumed in large quantities, such as a diet high in
wheat and soy, lectins are a natural disaster for the small intestine. They are carb-binding proteins that stick to the lining of the small
intestine and damage the sensitive villi responsible for transporting nutrients into the bloodstream.
Eventually, lectins damage the villi so badly that leaky gut syndrome occurs. Leaky gut means that the very
delicate lining of the small intestine is so damaged that particles of undigested food, proteins, toxins and other
pathogens are able leak into the bloodstream and bind to tissues and organs throughout the body. As a reaction,
the body increases inflammation to protect the affected tissue. This is why lectins are also linked with autoimmune
disorders like IBS, Chrons, colitis, thyroiditis, fibromyalgia, arthritis and so on.
Side Note About Wheat & Soy: I am an advocate of removing wheat and soy entirely from the food supply. Although my reasons
are many, and I could write for days on this subject, I will keep it short in regard to lectins. Both soy and wheat are very high in
lectins, and soaking and fermenting does not remove them. Watch carefully for whole food items that contain
wheat and/or soy. Health food stores are literally full of them. Also, I advise to stay entirely away from foods like
soy milk, tofu, and all those faux foods like soy cheese, etc. These foods can be a literal hazard for both your
immune system, hormones, metabolism and digestive system.

BeansWhy They Are So Hard to Digest

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Beans are a beloved staple for many vegans and vegetarians for their frugality and protein
content. They are delicious and filling, but they also cause some undesirable digestive issues. The obvious of these is gas, bloating,
cramping and indigestion.
Besides the lectins and phytic acid contained in most legumes, the harder beans such as kidney beans, navy beans
and black beans contain oligosaccharides. Humans do not produce the enzyme necessary to break down these
complex sugars. When consumed, the oligosaccharides ferment in the lower intestine producing carbon dioxide and methane gases.
They are literal protein fart generators!!
Yes, farting is embarrassing, but your self-esteem isnt the only thing taking a beating. The nasty bacteria residing in your intestines
love fermentation! Constant fermentation in your intestines leads to inflammation and damage to the intestinal lining.

Soaking and Fermenting Increases Nutritional Content

The common thread to all of these anti-nutrients is that they cause severe distress to the digestive system, which leads to a host of
health issues that can be quite difficult to turn around. To add a little more fuel to the fire, when you consume grains,
beans, nuts and seeds that are not soaked or fermented, you also miss out on the fabulous nutrients locked inside.
Now that just doesnt make any sense, does it?
Mother Nature wants to ensure that these foods are nutritionally void so predators wont eat them, so she keeps their goodness locked
away deep inside. Vital proteins, vitamins (especially vitamin B), enzymes and minerals are unlocked through the
soaking process, making them ten times more nutritious than in their raw form. So not only do you deactivate harmful
nutrients, you activate all the goodness that Mother Nature wants you to have.

Here is a long list of benefits when you soak your grains, beans, nuts and seeds:
Remove or reduce phytic acid
Neutralize enzyme inhibitors
Eliminate or reduce lectins, gluten, tannins, goitrogens, and other antinutrients that are hard for the body to break down
Encourage the production of beneficial enzymes
Increase nutrient content, especially vitamin B
Break down hard-to-digest proteins in grain, making them easy-to-digest
Increase bioavailability of proteins

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Prevent mineral deficiencies and bone loss

Reduce hypersecretion of pancreatic enzymes
Maximize digestion which reduces the need for the body to centralize its reserves to digest food

How to Make Soaking a Regular Part of Your Food Preparation

Now that Ive thoroughly convinced you to soak your grains, beans, nuts and seeds before you cook or eat them, its time to learn how!
Dont worry, it doesnt require elaborate techniques or ancient equipment. All that is necessary is a little planning. Head on over to
Soaking Grains, Beans, Nuts & Seeds 101 to learn how.
In the meantime, I have provided you a list of resources that sell sprouted products, because I dont want to leave you empty handed. I
especially love the pre-soaked beans and the nut butters!!

Pre-Soaked Beans in BPA-Free Cans. Whoo hoo!!:

http://www.edenfoods.com/faqs/view.php?categories_id=5
Sprouted Flour:
http://www.culturesforhealth.com/baking-supplies/sprouted-flour.html
http://www.creatingheaven.net/eeproducts/eesfc/
http://www.organicsproutedflour.net/recipes.html
http://www.essentialeating.com/
http://www.creatingheaven.net/eeproducts/eesfc/about_sprouted.html

Sprouted breads:
http://www.foodforlife.com/
http://www.alvaradostreetbakery.com/
Nuts and Nut Butters:
http://livingnutz.com/
Better than Roasted Nut Butters found in some health food stores and online at: http://www.bluemountainorganics.com/store
/brands/brands-better-than-roasted

I hope I have been able to provide you with some invaluable information to help you with your wholefood, plant-based eating. If you
have any experiences, thoughts or questions, Id love to hear from you, so please share in the comments section below. And as always,
if you enjoyed this post and would like more information like this, please join me at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
Heres to happy soaking!

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