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activated nuts and seeds

Activate Nuts and Seeds (Instructions & Benefits)

Prep Time: 8 hours
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 8 hours
Servings: 1 cup
Step by step guide on how to activate nuts and seeds easily at home to make them easier to digest & maximise the nutrients we absorb.
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US Customary - Metric

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw organic nuts or seeds
  • 1/2 tbsp fine sea salt
  • 1 cup warm filtered water or enough to completely cover the nuts and seeds

Raw Organic Nuts & Seeds

Instructions

  • Add nuts or seeds to a glass jar or bowl. Use a separate jar/bowl for each type of nut and seed. 
  • In a separate glass, stir the salt into enough warm filtered water to completely cover the nuts and seeds. Add 1/2 tablespoon of sea salt for every 1 cup/120 grams of nuts or seeds. 
  • Pour the warm salt water over the nuts or seeds so they’re covered and completely submerged.
  • Leave to soak for the necessary time:-
    Almonds - 8-12 hours
    Brazil nuts - 8 hours
    Cashew nuts - 4 hours
    Hazelnuts - 8 hours
    Macademia nuts - 8 hours
    Peanuts - 8 hours
    Pecans - 6 hours
    Pine nuts - 7 hours
    Pistachios - 8 hours
    Pumpkin seeds - 8 hours
    Sesame seeds - 8 hours
    Sunflower seeds - 8 hours
    Walnuts - 8 hours
    Whole flaxseeds - 8 hours
  • Once soaked, drain into a sieve, rinse them thoroughly with filtered water and then pat dry.
  • The nuts and seeds are then ready to eat and be used in recipes.
  • You can also sprout almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds, following the same instructions as in this How To Sprout Buckwheat post, to optimise the removal of anti-nutrients and maximise the availability of nutrients.
  • If not using straight away or sprouting them, then spread them out in a single layer on a dehydrator tray and slowly dehydrate them for 12-24 hours at 105°F (40°C) in a dehydrator or until completely dry and crisp. Ensure they are completely dry to prevent them going mouldy. It’s important to not heat them above this temperature to preserve all the digestive enzymes and nutrients.
  • As our body cannot digest whole flaxseeds, after being activated and dried they need to be ground into a powder in a coffee grinder, or high speed blender if you don’t have a coffee grinder.

Notes

Links. Above links are for US readers. Links for UK readers – fine sea salt, sieve, glass bowl, weighing scales, measuring cups & spoons, coffee grinder, high speed blender, dehydrator. Raw organic nuts & seeds - almonds, Brazil nuts, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, macademia nuts, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, whole flaxseeds.
Storage. Dehydrated activated nuts and seeds can be stored in a glass airtight container in a cupboard for up to 4 weeks or in the fridge for up to 3 months. Ideally, keep them stored in the fridge as low temperatures prevent them going rancid and preserves more of their nutrients.
Nutrition. Nutrition information is for 1 cup/120 grams of activated walnuts. It’s an estimate provided by an online calculator and is only intended for reference only.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 765kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 76g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 55g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 516mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 23IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 3mg
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