Activated Nuts & Seeds

What's The Fuss With Activated Nuts & Seeds?

In a nut’s raw state, enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid interfere with our body’s natural ability to break down and digest the nut as well as absorb the nut’s essential nutrients. Our body therefore needs to work in overtime to produce the necessary enzymes for digestion. Activating nuts is therefore highly beneficial as it neutralises the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors and stimulates the production of essential enzymes. This means the body requires less energy to break down the nut and gain all the desired nutrients and benefits which are readily available. This also means it's easier and less taxing on the digestive system. 

Nuts & seeds, choose a mixture of; 

  • Pecans
  • Walnuts
  • Brazil nuts
  • Macadamia nuts
  • Hazelnuts
  • Cashew nuts
  • Pistachio nuts
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Pumpkin/ pepita seeds

Ingredients

  • 5-6 cups of your choice of nuts and/ or seeds
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Filtered water
  • 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 

How To Activate Your Nuts

  1. Add the nuts or seeds and salt to a large clean glass jar and enough water to cover the amount of nuts/seeds you are activating.
    Tip: I recommend soaking cashews, pepitas and sunflower seeds in separate glass jars as they don't require as long of a soaking time.
  2. Soak for the required number of hours (see chart above).
  3. Strain and rinse the nuts and seeds.
  4. Spread the nuts and seeds evenly over a dehydrator rack, or baking tray. Pat them dry with a paper towel if they are still quite wet. 
  5. Dry in the dehydrator for around 12-20 hours. If you're drying them in the oven, set the oven at the lowest temperature possible, preferably around 70-80C. Stir or turn them occasionally, for the required drying time.
    Tip: I prefer to dry cashew, pepitas and sunflower seeds together on one tray as they don't take as long to dehydrate in comparison to almonds and macadamia nuts. 
  6. Once they are ready, allow them to cool down completely before storing them in airtight glass jars.

*The reason nuts are soaked in salt, ACV and water is because it acts to awaken enzymes that are then able to break down and neutralise enzyme inhibitors.

*It is important to ensure that your nuts and seeds really are completely dehydrated and crispy before removing them from the dehydrator or oven, otherwise there is a risk that your beautiful and expensive nuts will become riddled with mould. It's easy to check how they are doing, simply eat a few to see if they really are completely dry, even if at the end of the recommended drying time stated in the table, as there may be differences in oven temperatures and times.