“All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.” ~ Arthur Schopenhauer
Have you ever heard of activated almonds? The first time I did I was in a rather pretentious whole foods store, and I saw a tiny bag of them for an outlandish price.
It made me wonder what made these particular nuts so very special, and so poisonously expensive.
Of course, me being me, I went straight home to do some research.
As it turns out, activated almonds (and most other kinds of activated nuts) actually are pretty special. Essentially they are almonds that have been soaked to remove a naturally occurring substance called phytic acid. In your gut phytic acid mixes with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc and inhibits these minerals from being absorbed. If you already suffer from poor digestion and absorption, or have an undermethylation issue like me, activating your almonds makes their nutrients far more available to you, as well as making the nuts easier to digest.
Of course, activated almonds are also popular because Gwyneth Paltrow and celebrity chef Pete Evans eat and endorse these little goodies.
To activate almonds and other nuts you need to soak them in water for a minimum of twelve hours. This starts germination and the sprouting process which then neutralises the phytic acid.
Making activated almonds at home is easy and way more cost effective than buying them ready-made. Also, activated almonds are yum!
Basic Method:
Ingredients: 2 cups of dried almonds, water to cover, a pinch of good salt such as Himalayan or celtic
Place nuts in a large ceramic or glass bowl (better if you don’t use metal or plastic) and cover with water until the water is an inch or more over the top of the nuts. Add the pinch of salt and stir gently to combine. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to soak for between 12 to 24 hours.
Drain and rinse your almonds. They will be lovely and plump and delicious. These can now be eaten straight away. Keep moist almonds in a covered container in the fridge and consume within a few days.
Delicious variation: Maple Tamari Activated Almonds
Mix two tablespoons of tamari (gluten-free soy sauce) and one tablespoon of maple syrup. (or adjust quantities accordingly). Add some salt and pepper to season.
Place the activated almonds on a baking paper lined metal tray or in an unlined ceramic or glass lasagne tray.
Pour the tamari mixture over the almonds and mix well with a spoon to coat them thoroughly. Place in oven on low, low heat. Stir briefly every half hour to re-coat the almonds with the tamari mixture. Over time the mixture will become thick and syrupy. This is excellent!
