Nutritionists recommend dry nuts such as almonds, dates, cashew, walnuts and pine nuts to people of all age groups. They are rich in natural protein, fiber, and other important minerals. We all know that dry fruits are very important to balance out any kind of nutritional deficiency present in our body. However, soaking these before eating does enhance their quality and efficiency. Also, it becomes easier to remove the outer protective layer / peel of the soaked nuts.
We must soak dry fruits overnight for the following reason:
Nuts contain inhibitors and toxins like phytates (phytic acid), polyphenols and goitrogens. These inhibitors protect the inner food material from external sources and offer them a protective layer. When these contaminated inhibitors get through our digestive system we are unable to digest these food items. The acid present in them (phytic acid) binds itself to minerals in the gastrointestinal tract and cannot be absorbed in the intestine. The phytic acid found in nuts work against the normal functioning of the digestive system and hence we see sometimes bits of undigested nuts in our stool. The soaking technique helps remove these acids and enables better absorption of all the nutrients.
If we eat un- soaked nuts every time, we might feel some pain in our stomach. The enzymes excreted through the nuts make our metabolic activity faster but our digestive system slower. One should soak the nuts overnight and have them early in the morning with breakfast. It is recommended to add a pinch of salt in the water because the salt can neutralize the enzymes. This water should be discarded in the morning and not reused.