Here’s what you should always do before eating almonds

Almonds contain phytic acid, which blocks the absorption of certain nutrients and complicates digestion.

Soaking almonds in water removes the phytic acid.

Almonds should be consumed within three days after soaking.

Proteins, minerals, fiber… almonds are very good health companions from a nutritional point of view. But is it really good to eat them as is, or do you need to soak them in water? We take stock.

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Phytic acid in almonds

Almonds are rich in many good things useful for our body, such as fiber, protein, minerals, good fats, lipids, making them a high-performance snack from a nutritional point of view. However, there is a but because almonds also contain an enzyme inhibitor called phytic acid, which blocks the absorption of certain nutrients. If it allows seeds to be well preserved in nature, it prevents good digestion of food. Note that almonds naturally destroy this phytic acid in the spring, allowing the enzymatic process to restart and allow the seeds to germinate.

Why soak almonds?

To allow our bodies to better assimilate nuts, the idea is to make the phytic acid contained in the seeds disappear, as they do in the spring themselves. To do this, soak oilseeds in water before eating them. You can soak your almonds in a large bowl of water and let them sit overnight. The presence of water will help trigger the germination process and dissolve the phytic acid. This way, the protein and nutrients will be better absorbed by the body and the nutrient density of the seeds will be higher. The amount of vitamins will increase and the amount of protein will also increase.

Reduced shelf life

Once soaked for several hours, simply rinse the almonds with clean water and pat dry before eating. Naturally, they will be a little softer than if you eat them dry. Another major change is in the level of protection. If you can store dried almonds for months, they will only last three days, and in the fridge, once soaked. So it is better to soak a small amount of dry fruit and repeat the operation to avoid waste.

This soaking operation is also recommended for other oilseeds that contain phytic acid. Among them, we find especially in walnuts, sunflower seeds or even pumpkin seeds.