Nature’s Perfect Snack Gets Even Healthier with Activation. Scroll to the bottom for How to Activate Nuts [Quick Easy Guide].

Nuts are undoubtedly a snack-time favourite for many and for good reasons! They’re not only cute and crunchy but also incredibly versatile. Whether you’re enjoying them on their own or adding them to salads, smoothies, or various dishes, sweet or savoury, they pack a powerful nutritional punch. Nuts are rich in energizing protein and skin-loving vitamin E, making them a treat for your eyes, heart, brain, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and even your mood. However, there’s a catch to these delightful snacks – the natural agents found in nuts that protect them in the wild can sometimes be less than kind to us.

The Nut Conundrum: Phytic Acid and Enzyme Inhibitors
When nuts come into contact with moisture, it triggers their natural germination or sprouting processes. In the right conditions, germination is fantastic for nuts and seeds, as it’s the natural way they grow when everything aligns perfectly. However, in nature, if rainwater soaks the nut or seed, causing germination in unfavourable conditions, it’s not beneficial. To prevent this premature sprouting, nuts have evolved a smart defence mechanism involving natural chemicals like enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid. Unfortunately, both of these can be toxic to us in large quantities.

Enzyme inhibitors in nuts can interfere with and hinder our own digestive enzymes, leading to reduced absorption of the nutrients nuts offer. On the other hand, phytic acid can overwhelm our digestive system, leaving us feeling bloated and nauseous, a sensation anyone who’s overindulged in nuts can relate to.

The Solution: Activated Nuts
But here’s the good news: you don’t have to give up nuts altogether! You can neutralize those enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid by soaking the nuts in warm salty water, transforming them into what we call ‘activated nuts.’ This practice has deep historical roots, with evidence suggesting that ancient civilizations like the Aztecs and Aborigines soaked nuts and seeds in saltwater.

Today, activated nuts are essentially raw nuts that have undergone sprouting or germination through soaking and gentle dehydration processes, with the salt serving to neutralize those pesky enzyme inhibitors. While you can do this at home, it requires a dehydrator and about 24 hours of drying time, with a need to be cautious about mould growth. For those seeking a simpler option, you easily purchase activated nuts online (Honest to Goodness) or from a bulk wholefoods place like The Source.

The Benefits of Activated Nuts
Activated nuts are not only a fantastic choice because they lack enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid but also because they offer more readily available nutrients. The activation process increases the levels of proteins and essential vitamins in nuts compared to their unactivated counterparts. These nuts are easier to digest, and since they’ve started to sprout, they come alive with nutrients.

How to Activate Nuts [Quick Easy Guide]

1. Dissolve salt in enough water to cover the number of nuts/seeds you are activating.
2. In a large bowl place your nut or seed of choice.
3. Cover with the saltwater solution.
4. Soak for the required number of hours.
5. Strain and rinse the nuts. After soaking, the nuts will look nice and puffy, and may even start to show signs of sprouting. Rinse the nuts under running water and pat dry.
6. Spread over a dehydrator rack or baking tray.
7. Dry in the dehydrator for around 12-24 hours. If drying in the oven, set the oven at the lowest temperature possible, preferably no more than 65C. Stir or turn them occasionally, for the required drying time. You’ll know they are ready when they’re dry and crunchy (taste testing required!).