At first glance, soaking may seem intimidating, time-consuming and even risky – after all, who would actually leave prepared food out on the counter for 12-24 hours before cooking it? Well, the truth is … your ancestors did!
So before we explore the joys of soaking, first allow me to assure you that soaking is quick, easy and best of all, it’s 
significantly beneficial to your health! In fact, soaking and sprouting grains is a key component in adopting a Real Food Lifestyle.
Why Soak Your Grains?
In a nutshell, the centuries-old process of soaking grains, also known as culturing, helps to breakdown the antinutrients and hard-to-digest components of the grain and at the same time, helps to release highly beneficial nutrients.
Soaking grains really is very easy! It just takes a little planning ahead. The result is a highly nutritious and easy-to-digest whole-grain food with wonderful robust flavor.
So let’s get started! Below are some simple tips to help you discover the joys of soaking.
Why is it so important to remove/reduce phytic acid (phytates)?
Phytic acid is an antinutrient found in grains and legumes which binds important minerals preventing your body from fully absorbing them. Consumption of high levels of phytates:
• results in mineral deficiencies, leading to poor bone health and tooth decay
• blocks absorption of zinc, iron, phosphorous and magnesium
• causes body to leech calcium
• lowers metabolism
• contributes to anemia
Phytase to the Rescue!
Phytase is a natural enzyme that is present in varying degrees within grains, seeds and nuts. This helpful enzyme, when properly activated, works to break down the phytic acid (phytates), and also helps to release beneficial nutrients, making them more bioavailable (more easily digested).
Unfortunately, cooking is not enough to adequately release phytase and reduce phytic acid. Instead, there are three basic methods for utilizing phytase to help reduce phytic acid:
• Sprouting – activates phytase which helps to release important vitamins, as well as makes grains, seeds and beans more digestible. However, according to a recent update by the WAPF “sprouting is a pre-fermentation step, not a complete process for neutralizing phytic acid. Consuming grains regularly that are only sprouted will lead to excess intake of phytic acid.”
• Soaking grains/flour in an acid medium at a warm temperature – also activates phytase thereby helping to release important vitamins, as well as making grains, seeds and beans more digestible. In addition, soaking helps to reduce, or even eliminate phytic acid.
• Souring – another option to reduce/eliminate phytic acid – think sourdough bread,. Sourdough fermentation is by far the preferred method for reducing phytic acid in breads and bread-products.
In general, the best means of significantly reducing phytic acid in grains and legumes is a combination of acidic soaking for considerable time, followed by cooking.
It’s important to note that not all grains contain enough phytase to eliminate phytic acid even when soaked, such as oats and corn. However, wheat flours (such as whole wheat, spelt and kamut) and rye flour contain high levels of phytase. Therefore, adding a small amount of rye flour (or rolled rye flakes) to your oat or corn acid-soak will help to reduce the high levels of phytic acid found in these grains.
Phytate FUNdamental: Did you know that you can help mitigate phytic acid in your diet with complementary foods rich in vitamin C, vitamin D and calcium. In fact, the absorbable calcium from bone broths and raw dairy products, as well as vitamin D from certain animal fats can help to reduce the adverse effects of phytic acid.
A Practical Approach to Phytates
It’s important to note that it is not necessary (or practical) to completely eliminate all phytic acid from the diet, it’s simply best to keep it within reasonable levels.
In practical terms, this means properly preparing phytate-rich foods to reduce at least a portion of the phytic acid, and it’s also recommended to limit consumption of phytate-rich foods to two or three servings per day. However, many experts do recommend that for some individuals, such as children under age six, pregnant women or those with certain medical issues, it is best to consume a diet as low in phytic acid as possible.
Keeping in mind that each person is an individual, and that this article is not intended to diagnose or treat illness (please see your physician for that), research indicates that most problems arise when whole grains, nuts and beans become the major dietary sources of calories.
So the key is to follow traditional food preparation methods (such as soaking), and to seek to maintain a well-balanced diet with an emphasis on low-phytate, nutrient-dense foods making up the majority of your daily caloric intake.
The Key to Effective Soaking
As mentioned above, soaking is an effective method used to help breakdown the difficult to digest components of grains, called phytates. When it comes to soaking, acid mediums are a vital part of the process. That’s because the acid medium serves as a catalyst to initiate the culturing/fermenting process that enables phytase be released.
There are several acid mediums used in soaking. They include dairy based acid-mediums, such as whey, whole milk kefir, cultured buttermilk and whole milk yogurt. Although there is some newer conflicting research suggesting cultured dairy products such as milk kefir, buttermilk and yogurt may result in less phytic acid reduction than previously reported, which has led many to use whey as their primary acid medium of choice.
However, there are several non-dairy acid mediums that can also be used in a soak to effectively reduce phytates. These include: Lemon juice, raw apple cider vinegar and coconut milk kefir or water kefir. So, for those who are dairy sensitive, or simply wish to avoid using dairy, these make great options for soaking.
My personal preference is to use lemon juice or apple cider vinegar as they are very easy to keep on hand. The basic rule of thumb is to use approximately one teaspoon of lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar, mixed with one cup of warm filtered water. Simply use this mixture to replace the liquids in the recipe (so, for example, two cups of milk kefir could be replaced with two cups of water mixed with two teaspoons of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar).
How to properly use acid mediums to achieve an easier to digest, more nutritionally robust grain-based food, is discussed in detail below.
Kefir FUNdamental: Did you know you can make your own kefir? Kefir grains can be purchased to make milk-based kefir, coconut kefir, and kefir water. A great resource for all things cultured is Cultures for Health.
Getting Started …
1. Soaking Whole Grain Flour
Generally, when it comes to soaking flour, it’s as simple as a 12-24 hour soak. Most flour is high in phytase, the enzyme that helps to break down the phytates, so a simple soak is all that is needed to get the most nutritional bang out of your grains! Remember, your soak should contain some form of an acid medium whether you choose to use a dairy option (such as whey, kefir or cultured buttermilk), or a dairy-free option (such as coconut milk kefir, raw apple cider vinegar), it’s up to you!
If you are new to soaking your whole grain flour, start out by following a simple recipe, such as my “24-hour Power Muffins.” Following this easy recipe will enable you to see how simple soaking is, and experience how delicious and nutritious it is too! Then, start exploring more recipes by visiting real food based websites. I also highly recommend Sally Fallon’s book “Nourishing Traditions
2. Whole Grains
Soaking whole grains (like brown rice for example) is as simple as some *warm filtered water mixed with a small amount of an acid medium. The result of this process is that it helps to break down the hard to digest components of the grain, while releasing the highly beneficial nutrients. (*I use a tea kettle to warm my water until it’s hot to the touch, but not scalding.)
The general rule is to add enough warm water to cover the grain, and then add a small amount of an acid medium to every one cup of grain. As noted above, you can choose a dairy-based acid medium (such as whey), or a dairy-free option (such as lemon juice or apple cider vinegar). Then tightly cover and soak overnight or up to 24-hours.
Note: If you place your soaking rice in the oven with the oven light only on, the rice will stay warm since the oven light will produce some heat to create a nice warm soaking environment. Then be sure to drain, rinse and cook the rice, perferrably in bone broth and butter.
For details on soaking brown rice, check out my Simple Soaked Brown Rice recipe.
Please note: A recent study showed that you can greatly reduce the phytic acid (up to 96%)in brown rice by using a method called accelerated fermentation. For more information, I recommend reading Kitchen Stewardship’s post with details on the process.
• Oats:
The one exception to the above soaking rule is oats. Oats contain a large amount of hard-to-digest phytates and other anti-nutrients. Unfortunately oats are so low in phytase (the enzyme that helps to break down phytates), that soaking them in warm water mixed with an acid medium is not enough to adequately break down the large amount of anti-nutrients that naturally occur.
However, with the help of some additional phytase added to the soak (in the form of rolled rye flakes
This is accomplished by using the following formula:
For every one cup of *oats, add enough warm water to cover the oats, and then add one tablespoon of whey, or one to two teaspoons of a dairy-free acid medium (see note below) and one tablespoon of either rolled rye flakes
Please note: I have found the taste of soaked oats using a dairy-based acid medium (whey or kefir) to be a bit too sour for our liking. So, we use raw apple cider vinegar instead. Give it a try in this delicious Soaked Oatmeal Breakfast Porridge recipe.
*If you’re GF and can tolerate oats, be sure to look for certified GF Rolled Oats
• Buckwheat Groats:
Buckwheat cereal (also called ground buckwheat groats
3. Nuts/Seeds
According to the WAPF’s extensive white paper “Living With Phytic Acid,” there is still not enough adequate research on nut/seed preparation to say with any certainty how much phytic acid is reduced by various preparation techniques. However, it is known that soaking nuts/seeds in warm salt water for approximately seven hours and then dehydrating them to make “crispy nuts” helps to make the nuts more digestible and less likely to cause intestinal discomfort. Additionally, roasting most likely helps to further remove phytic acid, based on research conducted with chickpeas.
An update to the WAPF white paper suggests (although it’s important to note that there are no conclusive research studies specifically sited) that individuals should “use caution when it comes to consuming lots of almonds and other nuts as a replacement for bread products. In these circumstances, an eighteen-hour soak is highly recommended.”
My personal approach is to consume limited amounts of blanched almond flour and coconut flour as grain-free replacements to gluten-based baked goods. Again, following the principles listed above in the section titled “A Practical Approach to Phytates.”
4. Beans/Legumes
The traditional method for preparing beans is to soak them in hot water (hot to the touch, but not boiling) for at least 12-24 hours, changing the soaking water at least once during this time, followed by a thorough rinsing and then long cooking process. In general, soaking beans and then cooking helps to eliminate approximately 20–50% of the phytic acid depending upon the length of the soak time.
There are conflicting opinions about whether an acid medium is necessary. My personal experience has led me to side, in this case, with the no acid medium option, as I find (as do many others) that the addition of the acid medium reduces the flavor and texture of the bean.
WAPF recommends a very lengthy bean-soaking process of up to 36 hours with the soaking water being changed out and the beans being thoroughly rinsed at least every 12 hours. In addition, WAPF recommends adding a phytase-rich medium to the bean soak to help further improve phytic acid reduction. For those who are eating beans more than once or twice a week, it may be best to heed these instructions in order to keep phytate consumption levels in balance.
For more information about soaking grains, nuts and beans, I highly recommend reading Sally Fallon’s book Nourishing Traditions
Happy soaking!
Joyfully Serving Him, Kelly
This is basically the 1st thing I’ve ever read about the need to soak grains, beans etc. I am not familiar with it which is surprising to me with all of the nutrition information I have read the past 10 years.
A few questions:
Do all flours need to be soaked? What about gluten free flours? I use the following flours: brown rice, sorghum, tapioca, millet, and premade gluten free flour mixes. Do they all have to be soaked?
How will they affect my gluten free baking? I am new to gf baking and am not confident experimenting with soaking those flours while I’m still experimenting with gf recipes. How does soaking flours affect the liquids needed, the use of starches and the use of xanthan gum?
Sorry for all the questions. It seems like the more I learn about healthy eating the more I still need to learn. It is kind of discouraging and hopeless feeling sometimes. I have made a large amount of changes the last few years and I feel like I can’t ever truly eat healthfully. The more I learn, the higher the bar moves. It feels immensely unattainable.
It is difficult for me to just eat food and not worry.
I’m not meaning to whine or be a “Debbie Downer”. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your website. It is SOOOO informative, uplifting, encouraging and easy to read. Finding it was literally an answered prayer.
Thank you for all of the work you do and any help you can offer on the above questions.
Hi, KD. Thanks for your note and welcome! I know how hard it can be to sort through all the conflicting info about what constitutes a healthy diet – sometimes it’s all completely overwhelming! But in a nutshell, soaking GF flours that contain all those starches would not be conducive to a good result in terms of baked goods and many of the starches themselves do not necessitate soaking since they don’t contain large amounts of phytic acid – which is the purpose of soaking to reduce this “anti-nutrient.” Phytic acid reduction is important when consuming grains, so the discussion on the benefits of soaking generally applies to grain-based flours such as whole wheat, etc. Brown rice contains phytic acid, so if you’re using large amounts of brown rice flour, that may be an issue, but if it’s part of a blended flour mix and your not trying to heal or resolve a major or chronic illness, then small amounts unsoaked should be fine. Again, the reasoning behind soaking is to help breakdown the phytic acid which is explained in the article (why you want remove phytic acid and how to do this).
I encourage you NOT to become overwhelmed, but to take it slow and steady, and just remember that we are finite beings with finite little minds (although, we – meaning mankind in general – tend to think we’re SO smart). So that’s why all this health information is so varied and often times is so conflicting. We as human beings are constantly discovering new information about the food we eat and it’s benefits and drawbacks. So here is my humble opinion in a nutshell, (after doing much research on the subject of health and nutrition, and after being blessed by God to be healed of a chronic health issue) … The best route to take is to start by removing as much refined, processed food as possible from your diet/your family’s diet. And do this by taking one step at a time because it’s slow, steady progress that results in lasting lifetime healthy changes.
With that said, it’s very important that we not get caught up in trying to live our lives with so much anxiety over what we eat, and instead focus first and foremost on God. After all, He created us and knows what’s best for us. He promises that if we seek Him FIRST, everything else will be added (Matthew 6:33) … in other words, He’ll take care to meet our needs as He sees best for us. It doesn’t mean He’ll always meet our needs in the way we think He should, but in the way that He knows is best for us in the long run.
God’s goal is to draw us near to Him and incline our minds and hearts to bring glory to Him and to seek His will first above all else. Yet, we all can see that our hearts are inclined to please ourselves first and seek comfort and security in the things of the world that we desire – health, financial health, satisfying relationships, etc. rather than finding our joy and satisfaction in Christ. We need to remind ourselves daily that He is our everything and our all! Wow, is that liberating and healing when we do and sets our hearts and minds on fire to do great things for HIM!
I am compelled to share this because my sole purpose in starting this website was for it to be a ministry of encouragement – not just for physical health through eating whole, unprocessed foods (food our creator has provided for our well-being), but more importantly, spiritual health through encouraging a closer walk with and dependence upon God. My heart is to see more and more people grow in their love and service to Our AWESOME ALMIGHTY God!
So, as you continue on this journey of trying to decipher what is the best course to take for good health, I encourage you to read this article I wrote on developing a plan and budget for eating healthy (see link below) as it has been helpful to many and is how my hubby and I set our course for eating healthier so that we could better serve the Lord and our family/community with increased strength and diligence.
With many blessings to you and your family, Kelly
http://thenourishinghome.com/2012/03/8-tips-for-real-food-on-a-budget/
thank you so much for this comforting and inspiring post. i’ve recently been trying to heal my body through nutrition and was SERIOUSLY getting stressed out and overwhelmed by all the conflicting research and studies out there. i was putting way to much faith in that. You are absolutely right. First and foremost seek God and the rest will fall into place. I need to have faith that God will bring me clarity in all aspects of my life including nutrition. I’m so glad stumbled upon this website. God bless!
Oh, Ebby! What a blessing to hear from you! Thank you for taking the time to write such an encouraging note. I am always so honored that the Lord can use me to encourage others! I am so glad that you are seeking the Lord first in your desires to be healthier. I know He will bless you according to His will – which is always to grow us more into the image of Jesus Christ! Lots of blessings to you, Kelly
Thank you….that is all I have to say….my son has been having gluten issues (he’s 2) and i found out about soaking grains from a friend but your comment about God and turning to him and not living our lives filled with anxiety was so uplifting….thank you
What a blessing, Samantha! I praise the Lord that He brought you here to read that and to be encouraged by it! Appreciate you taking the time to leave a kind note! Lots of blessings to you as you strive to help your son! Keep casting your cares on Christ and He will continue to give you strength, wisdom and guidance!
Aha! amount written out in letters not numbers. So much for my speed reading abilities.
Again, good article!!! Our family is new to this but it makes absolute sense. Have purchased the book Nourishing Traditions.
Glad you enjoyed this. It truly is just a brief overview of Nourishing Traditions and the phytic white paper provided by the Weston A Price Foundation. Blessings to you, Kelly
hi, this is a great site! I’m a little confused and have a question. You’re recommending to cook sprouted grains, nuts and seeds to further reduce phytic acid. But there is another prominant school of thought (Whole Food Plant Based Diet), that says it’s healthier to eat sprouted grains, beans and seeds raw as opposed to cooking them because they loose valuable living enzymes when heated above 118 degrees. This same thinking recommends not consuming any dairy or animal proteins due to their acid forming effects in the body, which in excess, can cause disease. These two opinions seem to be opposing, are both right? Is your info sourced from Weston Price? Trying to figure all this out, thanks!
Hi, Darrow, since most people cook their grains, I am explaining the process in this article with that in mind. Cooking grains can minutely reduce phytic acid, but it is certainly not a significant or accurate way to reduce it – sprouting and soaking are the best methods. Yes, I follow WAPF recommendations for the most part, but do my own research and honestly I focus on a balanced approached to good nutrition based on eating whole foods. I certainly agree that eating sprouted and raw foods are a wonderful source of whole food nutrition. But I do not agree that animal proteins and dairy should be eliminated from the diet unless in the case of dairy there are significant allergy/health issues involved. I have personally recovered from two severe chronic health issues eating a whole foods based diet that includes pastured/raw dairy products, grassfed animal protein and healthy fats/oils, along with a wide selection of whole foods, including lots of raw options. With that said, I do believe that each person is a unique individual and therefore it’s important to research and discover what you believe will work best for you. My food philosophy really comes down to this – I eat the real foods that God created as close the way He created them as possible. Because I believe that God knows what is best for us since He is our Creator. So if I stick with eating what He’s made verses processed manmade junk, than I will certainly be much healthier – and praise the Lord, this has been the case and I am no longer on any prescription medications now. Just remember in your search for health and wellness, to not lose focus on what really matters – real life (eternal life) that comes only through the Jesus Christ the Lord.
Lots of blessings to you, Kelly
Kelly, interesting info. I, too, am doing my research and trying to find the best way to nourish my family. Also, trying to figure out how to eat the way God originally designed us to. I have to ask you about dairy being what He made for us. Why do you believe that milk, made for nourishing a baby calf, was created for adult humans, who drink their own mothers milk but then wean as a toddler? I haven’t been able to make sense of that, nor has anyone else that I’ve asked. Very interested in your thoughts. Seems a lot of info out there is biased in one direction or another. Thanks!
Crystal, You’re right about all the conflicting information between vegan, raw diets, real food lifestyle, grain-free, etc. That’s why it’s so important to make your decision based on what’s best for your personal health, and first and foremost, take your concerns and desires to God for His direction.
As far as the milk issue goes, I don’t believe the argument that humans shouldn’t consume milk simply because all other animals when weaned don’t, is a strong argument. Humans are distinct and there are many things that separate us from animals because God designed us to be the crown of His creation. There are many biblical examples of milk bring consumed by the people of God. In fact, God’s main promise for the Israelites was that they would inherit the land “flowing with milk and honey.” But you have to be careful in also saying “how God designed us to eat” because the people of God’s diet has changed throughout history.
In the beginning all of creation must have been designed to be vegetarian since death did not enter the world until Adam sinned. However, we definitely see meat being sanctioned by God after flood times as we see all the examples from there forward of God’s people eating milk, bread and meat (as well as meat being designated for the priests). Yet, later at the time the law was given, His chosen people avoided the “unclean” animals as a means of being set-apart (ceremonial laws). Then, we find Christ telling Peter in the New Testament all that God has provided is good for meat, which most understand means the ceremonial laws are no longer necessary since Christ fulfilled all the ceremonial law and has set us apart through His spirit for His glory.
So, in trying to eat for better health and wellbeing, I believe the best place to start is to simply start eating whole foods (real food) – the foods God created, as close to the source as possible, rather than the manmade processed and refined distortions of food. This is why raw milk (if you’re going to drink it) is the best form since it is not processed at high heats that destroy it’s natural enzymes and nutrients, as well as distort it’s proteins. (The changes that occur to milk during pasteurization are well documented.)
However, there will be some who simply due to poor gut health, allergies, etc. may not be able to tolerate milk or grains or nuts. Each of these have been consumed since the beginning of time, but that doesn’t mean everyone should eat them – for some, they are problematic foods to be avoided.
Again, if you start out by getting rid of the processed and refined foods in your diet (those are the real problem issues that everyone should avoid) then you can begin to cleanse your body and improve gut health. You will then be able to become aware of the real foods in your diet that may also be an issue for you and/or your family.
For me personally, after one year off all processed foods, I began to realize that I have an issue with gluten, so I stopped eating it and have made huge progress in my health issues – praise be to God! So although the bible calls bread the staff of life, for me personally only GF bread is my staff of life, due to my health conditions which are exacerbated by gluten. And I also have to watch my dairy intake as well, so I focus on limiting it to small amount of cultured dairy just 2-3 times a week.
I hope this helps to clarify my approach to healthy eating a bit more. ABOVE ALL, I always want to encourage people to keep God central in all we do. It’s easy to get obsessed with a healthy diet, especially after you begin to see it helping alleviate troublesome conditions, but we have to remember that God is the one who heals and not allow anything to creep into our lives and slowly become an idol.
A great way of keeping guard of this is to always present our concerns and desire to Him first to seek His direction. Please read this article (link below) about how to set up healthy eating goals – the article discusses eating real food on a budget, but more importantly it explains how to establish healthy eating goals with God’s Will for your personal health and that of your family’s at the center: http://thenourishinghome.com/2012/03/8-tips-for-real-food-on-a-budget/
Lots of blessings to you, Kelly
Hello Kelly,
I am new to the world of raw foods – I enjoy eating raw oats but had no idea they needed to be soaked.
RE. Oats: Once they have been soaked and rinsed what is their “shelf” life? I am assuming I can keep them in the fridge.
Thanks and Blessings,
Nancy
Yes, you can keep them in frig for about 5-6 days, then they start to get really mushy. If you’re not going to be cooking them, then, I’d recommend soaking for at least 24-36 hours. The issue with oats is that they are very high in phytic acid, which is an enzyme that can cause digestive issues and bind to important minerals, reducing your body’s ability to absorb these nutrients. All grains, beans, nuts and seeds contain varying levels of phytic acid, so that’s why soaking is recommended. In the case of oats, because they do not contain a good level of phytase (the enzyme that’s activated during the soaking process that helps neutralize phytic acid), you have to add phytase in the form of rye (or another grain such as spelt or wheat) or if you’re GF buckwheat. Lots of blessings as you begin to soak!
Kelly
Is this the same reason to soak raw almonds? I soak them overnight and take the shells off.
Thanks for your website! Lots to learn!
you’ve got it, Nancy
Can I soak a bunch of steel cut oats for 24 hrs, drain/rinse, refrigerate, and use as needed for the next few days? I ask bc I make oats overnight in a crock pot, but don’t remember to soak through the week. If I can soak all the oats Sat-Sun and then use portions of the rinsed oats throughout the week, we can have crock pot oats several times that week. Thanks!
Yes, you can do this. I would use them within 5 days of soaking, which would get you through the busy weekdays. Crock pot oats are so delicious! Good for you to make such a wholesome breakfast! Blessings, Kelly
Hi I had a question. What about brown rice farina? Is that considered a flour and need to be soaked as well. Or to bypass the soaking could I use white rice farina?
Hi, Shannon. Brown rice farina, is basically finely milled (crushed) brown rice. So I would soak it overnight using same method for soaking brown rice and then drain in a fine-mesh strainer and cook as directed (noting that it will cook faster after being soaked). Yes, you could use white rice to avoid soaking since the outer “germ” is removed (which contains the highest level of phytates in the grain). Nutritionally, you’d be losing some good nutrients and fiber by choosing white over brown, however, I am not one to completely “poo-poo” white rice as a bad choice, as long as it’s eaten in moderation as part of a well balanced whole food diet. In fact, for some, white rice is better tolerated than brown, so for those individuals it’s a better choice. Again, I do encourage individuals to avoid eating a diet high in starches like white rice, but having it on occasion is well tolerated is fine. If you’re GF, it’s important to also avoid using GF flour blends daily, as they tend to be primarily starch-based using potato, tapioca, white rice, etc. That’s why, I stick to highly nutritious, low carb, high protein and fiber options like blanched almond flour and coconut flour for my GF baked goods recipes. I hope this helps! Lots of blessings, Kelly
Hi,
Very informative indeed! I would like to ask you if you know about the fact that soaking also can leach water-soluble vitamins en minerals from the grains. This is to my opinion an important issue because grains are mostly packed with water-soluble B-vitamins and for example with calcium. Could you please share youre knowlegde about this concern? Thanks in advance.
Kind regards,
David
Great question! Yes, David, you are correct that there is some nutrient leaching that occurs during the soaking process. The problem with grains is that they contain an enzyme known as phytic acid, which binds to beneficial nutrients (not just in the grains you’re consuming but the other nutrient-packed foods you may be consuming with them), thereby not allowing your body to utilize these nutrients.
So although in theory you would have more nutrients in the unsoaked grain, you would also have the issue of your body not being able to utilize the nutrients you’re ingesting due to the phytic acid inhibiting absorption.
So it becomes an issue of bioavailability. In other words, you may lose some nutrients during the soaking process, but the nutrients that are left intact will be bioavailable – your body can absorb them and you won’t have the issue of additional nutrient loss. Also, besides the bioavailability issue is the issue of the harm that phytic acid can do to gut health.
I am a huge proponent of each person being proactive to do their own research and come to their own decisions about what is best for their personal health and lifestyle. So I recommend some additional reading on phytic acid and it’s negative impact on digestion, gut health and the issue it raises with decreasing nutrient absorption.
After thoroughly researching this, I’ve concluded the best option for my personal health is to limit my grain consumption and when I do eat them, I follow the traditional centuries-old practices of culturing/soaking my grains. And of course, I strive to maintain a well balanced diet with lots of variety in the fruits, veggies, animal fats and cultured foods we consume in an effort to maintain good gut health, since without a health gut, it’s impossible for your body to utilize all those healthy nutrients you’re putting into it. I hope this helps to better clarify.
Blessings, Kelly
• WAPF’s white paper on phytic acid: http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/living-with-phytic-acid
• Copy & Paste the follow link into your browser, as for some reason it won’t go right to the article otherwise. It’s Sally Fallon’s (author of Nourishing Traditions) article on WAPF website about grain soaking: http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/be-kind-to-your-grains
Regarding oats, what is the purpose of the acid medium? According to the following link, an acid medium is not necessary:
http://www.rebuild-from-depression.com/blog/2010/02/oatmeal_phytic_acid.html
I used to soak my oats at room temperature (about 69 F), but I have read that it should be above 90 F. I did this last night, but my oatmeal didn’t smell too good in the morning. I wonder if the acid medium is to help prevent the growth of harmful bacteria? How much acid medium should I add to a bowl of oats? Also, I was thinking about coconut vinegar – would that work?
Hi, there. This is a good question and one that is asked fairly frequently. I’m very familiar with the post you’ve referenced, as Amanda and I are actually acquaintances through the Nourished Living Network. She also has another blog called Traditional Foods, that I highly recommend.
To answer your question though, I do not believe Amanda is saying that using an acid medium is not effective, instead, I believe that what’s she presenting is the fact that using an acid medium alone – without added phytase – to soak your oats is useless (other than making your cooking time quicker, it won’t reduce the high level of phytic acid found in oats).
That’s why it’s important when soaking oats to use what Amanda terms a “complementary” high phytase component – she recommends a variety of high-phytase flours (in my case, I prefer to use rolled rye or buckwheat groats, as I find using flour makes the oatmeal very pasty). This concept/research has been written about extensively in other phytic acid papers, such as the free one available on the Weston A Price Foundation website. By adding a high-phytase ingredient to your oat soak, it will help to neutralize the phytic acid in the oats, albeit not 100%.
In the conclusion of her article, it seems to me that the issue Amanda is raising is that because soaking can be inconvenient, if you’re eating it on occasion, perhaps it’s okay to just forget about it, (I would add, if you have good gut health). But rather than just forgetting about it, or forcing yourself to eat sour-tasting oatmeal, I believe a happy medium can be achieved.
By soaking your oats in warm water (just slightly above body temp), adding a bit of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (or to answer your question, yes, coconut vinegar would work) and adding some phytase in the form of rye or buckwheat, you can reduce a fair portion of phytic acid. Then, by draining and rinsing the oats, you can help to reduce the soured taste (as well as by sticking with vinegar or lemon juice, as dairy based acid mediums result in a far stronger soured flavor). This is the best win-win that I’ve found.
Of course for some, the best option may be to avoid grains altogether, especially if gut health is poor and reactions to phytates are high. In these cases, it’s best to use a diet such as GAPS to work on healing your gut, so perhaps in the future you can include grains and other high phytic acid foods. Hope this helps to clarify. Many blessings, Kelly
Hi Kelly, thanks for your thoughtful and informative reply. I’m just looking for some clarification on the smell/taste. I used to soak my oats at room temperature (about 69 F) and never had a problem. However, based on your article and others, I’ve started soaking at about 100 F. As suggested, I add a tablespoon of fresh ground whole wheat flour. However, the smell is not sour (like my sourdough starter smells). To me, it smells bad – like a spoiled smell. I made two bowls. I started both the night before. The first, I ate in the morning. It smelled kinda bad, but I ate it anyway. I didn’t get sick (thank goodness). The second bowl I kept fermenting until the afternoon. When I opened it to eat, it smelled so bad I had to throw it out. To me, my sourdough starter smells good and I’ve eaten it raw (sour, but not bad). This smells much worse and the taste is not good. Thoughts? I thought about adding some probiotics to help ensure only good bacteria wins the battle, but I’m not sure if that would interfere with the phytase?
Apologies for not answering your question. If I’ve got this right, your not using an acid medium in the soak? Are you soaking more than 24 hours? I would recommend soaking about 12-24 hours using an acid medium either vinegar, lemon juice or a cultured dairy product (but it does, in my opinion, result in a more soured taste when using a dairy acid medium). As stated previously, the acid medium will not only better activate the phytase, but yes, the acidity can help to prevent mold/bacteria growth. As you know, it’s normal for soaked/cultured foods to smell soured (like sourdough) but they should not smell spoiled. Usually, “your nose knows.” So if it smells off I wouldn’t eat it. If you try all these steps and it is still smelling off, then maybe it’s the oats? I got a batch of oats one time that must have been full of mold spores because after three attempts of soaking it (and getting fuzzy mold after just 12 hours), I tossed it and bought a new brand and have had no issues since. Blessing to you, Kelly
I’m new to soaking grains and I have a question. Store bought whole grain flour doesn’t have any nutrients intact because it oxidizes shortly after it is milled and loses its nutrients. Flour that has been milled needs to be used right away in order to obtain all the nutritional benefits. My question is would soaking wheat berries before grinding them into flour still release the nutrients? Soaking the flour as soon as it is milled is good for flour that is used for making a batter, but if one needs dry flour, would soaking the wheat berries be as beneficial?
Hi, Roseann. You are correct that as time passes, ground flour becomes less nutritionally sound. So you have two options, you can sprout the wheat berries then grind them and use them – no soaking necessary. Or you can grind your own unsprouted berries and soak them. I use sprouted flour for some recipes where soaking doesn’t yield a good end product (like cookies and biscuits), but for muffins and breads, the flavor of soaked flour (it’s a bit soured like sourdough bread) – is quite delicious. For details, I recommend sites like Weston A Price Foundation. Here’s an article on sprouting wheat berries from my friends at Keeper of the Home, incase you want to go this route: http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2011/04/getting-started-sprouting-wheat-berries.html
Blessings, Kelly
Hi Kelly,
Many thanks for your comprehensive explanations. I am a journalist in Melbourne, Australia and have never heard about soaking oats.. What an eye opener!! I use a lot of food grade essential oils. Would a few drops of lemon essential oil work when soaking oats – as a substitute for fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar?
Again, my sincere thanks for all this information.
Jill
Hi, Jill. You are very welcome – I am so glad you find this helpful. The fresh lemon juice or vinegar provides a good acid medium to help release the phytase and activate it so it can better do its job of neutralizing the phytic acid. I do not know if lemon oil will have this same effective. I have not seen anything in the literature on this. So I would recommend sticking with what has been thoroughly researched. However, if you do happen across literature supporting lemon oil, I would be interested in reviewing it. Many blessings to you, Kelly
Many thanks, Kelly., and yes, I will certainly let you know if I learn more about lemon essential oil and it’s use re counteracting phytic acid. Blessings to you too, Kelly.. Jill
Thanks so much, Jill! By the way if you don’t mind me asking – did you get an email letting you know that I replied to you? I have installed a new comment notification plugin and wanted to be sure it’s working. Thanks in advance for letting me know! Blessings, Kelly
Yes, I received an email, Kelly. From my perspective, it’s definitely worthwhile. As a journo I live on my Mac and appreciate it when a reply drops into my Inbox. Thanks again.. Cheers, Jill
awesome! it’s a new plug-in I loaded and I just wanted to be sure it was working – thanks for letting me know! Lots of blessings to you, Jill!
Just a quick question re soaking legumes, Kelly.. You suggest hot water and soaking 12-24 hours. Do you allow the water to cool then store them in the refrigerator? I would be a tad concerned leaving them out of the fridge for that length of time – especially in Melbourne during the summer with temperatures often climbing to the mid-30s. (PS: Many thanks for the maths refreshers!)
LOL – I just want to keep everyone on their toes when it comes to adding. I soak my beans for 12 hours and then drain and store in frig until I’m ready to cook them. Once cooked, beans can be stored in frig for about a week or in freezer up to a month. They do change in texture a bit when frozen, so they’re best suited for soups or other recipes that you can toss beans into. I also mash pintos and store in freezer for homemade refried beans.
Thanks again, Kelly. I’m pondering whether or not to write an article about this. Will let you know if I do. Cheers for now. Your insight and guidance are a great help and much appreciated.
My pleasure! Lots of blessings to you, Kelly
Hello Kelly. I was just wondering if it’d be okay to substitute buckwheat flour, instead of the groats, to soak oats with in the hopes of reducing phytic acid. Also, what would be your advice for soaking quinoa?
Absolutely, I personally prefer the groats in things like oatmeal, because they make it less pasty. But the flour is just as effective as the groats in helping to provide the necessary phytase to help break down the heavy concentrations of phytic acid in oats. As far as quinoa goes, you should use the same process – warm water and an acid medium. As with oats, I rinse my quinoa after soaking to help reduce sourness, and with quinoa, rinsing really helps to remove the bitter tasting saponins that coat the “grain.” Kimi at The Nourishing Gournet has a nice recipe for basic quinoa you may want to check out: http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2012/01/basic-quinoa-soaked.html
Thanks so much for your great question and kind note! Wishing you many blessings, Kelly
Kelly,
Thanks so much for such an informative post! I have only recently started to eat right and though I generally have been feeling better/clean, I was experiencing uncomfortable/embarrassing gas problem at times and now I see why! I am going to try this soaking method starting today!
A few questions for you if you don’t mind…
(1) I love eating buckwheat for breakfast — when soaking buckwheat, should I add an acid-medium or just plain water would suffice?
(2) I usually soak buckwheat overnight (right after dinner, I soak it in water and eat it about 12 hours later the next morning) and it’s definitely longer than 7 hours you suggested. Does that mean this good enzyme, phytase would leach out in the water and when I dump that water and rinse buckwheat before I eat, does that mean I am dumping phytase along with the water?
(3) What about chia seeds? Does chia seeds need to be soaked beforehand as well? If yes, with an acid medium?
Please forgive me for many questions! I have to admit, it’s quite overwheleming to try to soak in so much information, but I am so glad that I am actually on the right track to healthier me.
Thanks so much for your info again!
Hi, Juliet! Welcome to the real food lifestyle. I’m glad you’ve found this post helpful to you. I really recommend reading one or both of these books for more information as you start your journey toward traditional food preparation. Check out this article for more details about the two real food books I recommend:
http://thenourishinghome.com/2012/03/what-is-real-food-3/
In the meantime, to answer your questions …
1) The reason it is recommended to only soak buckwheat groats 7 hours is because they tend to get mushy. But if that is not an issue for you, then feel free to soak up to 10-12 hours. Yes, you need an acid medium to help activate the phytase to reduce phytic acid. When it comes to grains (or in this case a seed), I like to use either apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, because I find dairy acid mediums create a much too soured taste for my family’s liking.
2) You don’t have to dump out the soaking water and rinse the grain (or again, seed, in this case). But many people prefer to do so because of taste and texture preferences. If you scroll up in the comments, you can see where I’ve discussed this issue in particular with regard to soaked oats. Dumping out phytase isn’t really the issue, as it doesn’t have any real value for your to consume it. The issue that some people have with discarding the soaking water is their concerns about dumping out nutrients that can leech out during the soaking process.
3) Chia seeds are a funny little seed and if you’ve ever “soaked” them, then you know what you’ll end up with is chia gel. They do contain phytic acid, so most would agree that they should be consumed in moderation. There can be a lot of digestive issues that occur with chia seeds because they are so high in fiber and contrary to what we’ve been hearing in the mainstream diet world, a high fiber diet can actually be a very unhealthy one, especially for those with digestive and gut health issues.
Lots of blessings, Kelly
Kelly, you are a lifesaver! Thanks so much for such detailed answers! Bless you
Thanks for your book recommendations as well – I will have to pick those up soon!
So, do you usually plan out a weekly meal, figure out what kind of grains/beans/nuts/seeds you may need for the week, soak them and store them in the fridge until they are ready to be used? Do they stay well in the fridge for a while? I ask you this question because, otherwise I find this soaking process quite cumbersome if I have to do it almost everyday for each meal the next day for smaller quantity (especially because I am a working mom).
My pleasure to help, Juliet. You can soak and store grains/beans/nuts/seeds in the frig/freezer, absolutely. I am all about using time in the kitchen efficiently. Although I don’t site soaking as an example, per se, in this post:
http://thenourishinghome.com/2012/03/cook-once-eat-twice-or-more/
it does discuss the concept of maximizing your time in the kitchen, so I encourage you to read the above article, if you haven’t already.
For example, rather than soak brown rice multiple times. You can soak a very large batch, cook it and freeze it in serving sizes that match-up with your meals/recipes. And yes, you could certainly soak and dehydrate or roast several pounds of nuts and store in freezer, etc. With beans, many people do not like the texture of frozen beans, but I find them to be just fine as additions to recipes. The only thing that wouldn’t work well would be to soak a muffin recipe and put the batter in the freezer. But you could certainly soak a double or triple batch of muffins or pancakes and cook/bake them, then freeze them for quick and easy meals. Hope this helps! Blessings, Kelly
So sorry! I just thought of a couple more questions!
(1) If you have sprouted lentils/quinoas etc, should you still need to soak them prior to cooking, or they would be fine without soaking?
(2) When soaking different grains, nuts, legumes etc, do you need to soak them all seperately? For instance, if I were to soak “brown rice & barley” (or “black beans & chickpeas” / “walnuts & almonds & sunflower seeds”), can I add them together in a same glass jar and soak them together?
Thanks again so much, Kelly!
Hi, Juliet. Sprouted grains are one of the ways to help deactivate the phytic acid that naturally occurs, so there is no need to soak sprouted grains/legumes. And it’s up to you about soaking together. With nuts, I don’t see any issues. For others, if you are going to cook them together and they have the same cook times, then I don’t know of a reason not to. But many grains/beans do not cook at the same time/temp, so that would be something to keep in mind. Blessings, Kelly
Thank you so much for this straight-forward, helpful post on soaking grains. Such a simply thing to do to make a vast improvement in our overall health.
Quick question: you mention raw apple cider vinegar. Does conventional apple cider vinegar not work? Thanks so much!
Hi, Danae. Thanks for your kind note, and yes, you can use conventional apple cider vinegar. It’s the acidity that serves as the catalyst to activate the phytase in breaking down (neutralizing) the phytic acid. I just like to use raw apple cider vinegar because it is my preferred vinegar of choice due to its powerful antibiotic, anti-viral, and anti-fungal tonic providing a broad spectrum of health benefits. Blessings, Kelly
Hi Kelly, I just found your website and am loving it! Sounds like we have a lot in common.
I’ve been getting questions on my site about ‘why don’t you discard the soaking water when soaking grains/flours, and doesn’t this water still have the phytates in it, so shouldn’t you get rid of it?’ From what I’ve read, the phytase is breaking down the phytates, not just leaching them out into the water, which then needs to be tossed. Is that right? A lot of my recipes are ‘blended’ with the soaked grains and water, and sometimes there’s flour in the mix too, so you obviously can’t rinse that out. Have you got a bit of wisdom to share with me on that? Thanks so much!
Jo
Hi, Jo! Always a pleasure to meet a fellow (or should I say sister) real foodie! Yes, you are correct, phytase breaks down (neutralizes) phytic acid, so it isn’t necessary to discard the soaking water. However, when it comes to soaking grains, the reason many do (my soaked oatmeal recipes recommend draining and rinsing the oats after soaking) is because it can help to improve the taste and texture of grains/legumes. However in recipes using ground whole grain flour – obviously the soaking liquids are part of the recipe itself.
There has been some discourse about this question of “cooking in the soaking water vs. draining the soaking water and using fresh water/liquids to cook soaked grains” in the comments on this post. So if you may want to look for those and read through some of my responses to the questions.
Several have also wondered whether tossing out the soaking water (regarding oats or other grains) is tossing away nutrients that leach out during the soaking process. That is a valid concern, as this does occur to some degree, but it comes down to personal preference. If my kids will eat soaked oatmeal that is made from oats that are soaked then strained and gently rinsed before cooking, but they won’t eat it oatmeal cooked in its soaking water, due to its more soured flavor, I have a decision to make? Personally, if you’re eating a well balanced whole food diet, it should not be a major concern to remove the soaking liquid if it improves the flavor and gets you or your children to eat something they otherwise would not. But likewise, if you like the more soured flavor, then by all means, go ahead and cook the grains right in the soaking liquid.
I hope this helps a bit. I am no phytic acid expert, but this is what I have found to be the case in the research I’ve read. You can certainly look to the Weston A Price Foundation for their article on phytic acid as an excellent resource, as well as Jenny at The Nourished Kitchen, Amanda at Rebuild from Depression (she also has a phytic acid paper), etc. Lots of blessings, Kelly
Hi Kelly.
very informative.
some questions … can i soak the lentils in the fridge? or at room temperature?
and…
does warm water (at potentially room temp) also apply for black beans and chickpeas? i soak my black beans and chickpeas about 12 hours with cold water in the fridge – have for years .
should i cut back on eating legumes every night for dinner? in terms of iron & other mineral absorption…? i’m not a vegetarian – it’s a more budgetary way of getting my protein & fiber!
thanks,
L.S.
Hi, Lonie. Please take a look at #4 in the post and you’ll see the recommendations by WAPF for soaking beans/legumes. Soaking is not recommended in the fridge, as noted room temp or in the case of beans very warm water is the best method for removing phytic acid. As far as whether you should reduce the amount of beans/legumes your eating, that is a question only you and your healthcare provider can determine together. If you’re in good health, are properly soaking your beans/legumes, are eating a wide and well-varied real food diet, and are not experiencing any health issues, then theoretically there shouldn’t be a reason to stop consuming properly prepared beans/legumes. But I want to stress that I am not a physician, naturopath or otherwise, so it’s always best, if you have any concerns, to discuss them with a qualified healthcare provider you can trust. Thanks for your questions. Many blessings, Kelly
A few questions:
?
-We are new to soaking and WAPF eating. Still looking into options for filtered water. What do you use to filter/purify your water? Also, what do you recommend for soaking until we get a purifier installed?
-This may sound silly, but for flours, do you simply buy a bag of flour and soak it as is? Is there any benefit to sprouting over soaking with an acid?
-It’s still cold where we live and our heat is set around 62 at night – how high do we need to turn it up in order to achieve the benefits of soaking (I’m assuming 62 doesn’t count as a “warm kitchen)
Hi, Kristen. Have you read Nourishing Traditions? If not, I really recommend picking up a copy. To be honest the recipes are a bit lacking in flavor, but the dietary information (which is about half or more of the content of the book) is excellent and goes through the research and reasons as well as the how-tos for soaking, sprouting and culturing foods.
With regard to your questions. We simply use a carbon-based water filter, as we haven’t yet invested in a water filtration system. We’re looking into options, but most are a bit expensive. The key is to remove the chemicals that are generally added to tap water. So in the meantime, something as simple and inexpensive as a Brita water pitcher that you can fill and reuse to have access to filtered water for your soaking would work just fine.
Regarding soaking flour, you’re soaking it as part of the recipe itself. If you click on the link in this post for my 24 hour power muffins, I think that will help you better understand the process, as it explains step-by-step how to soak the flour using the ingredients in the recipe. Here’s the link so you don’t have to search for it: http://thenourishinghome.com/2012/03/24-hour-power-muffins/
And yes, there is a benefit to sprouting over soaking – with sprouting your sprouting the whole grain, then slow drying it using a dehydrator, so you are then able to grind it into flour without having to soak the resulting sprouted flour. The benefit of sprouted flour is that you’re not limited to a recipe that requires soaking. And not all recipes lend themselves well to soaking, like cookies for instance – soaking cookie batter simply does not result in a good end product.
And last but not least, with regard to soaking at cooler temps, a little trick is to simply turn on your oven light and put your bowls of soaking grains into the oven with the oven light left on. Most oven lights can keep an oven quite warm, so this is a good option when it’s winter time. Happy soaking and sprouting!
Blessings, Kelly
Thank you so much, Kelly! I haven’t read Nourishing Traditions yet. It was on my list, and I think I need to move it to the top! All of the blogs and sites I’ve been reading are recommending it. I am new to your blog, but I love it and will check it often. We already have a Brita and will keep using it for now. Filtration systems are SO expensive. Thank you for all the great info you’ve shared. It’s comforting to know there are other families who are successful with traditional eating. Most of the time I feel like we are all alone in this. And I’m struggling to get my 2 and 4 year olds on board! If you know of any resources or tips to help little ones with the transition from less healthy eating (still healthier than most – they aren’t used to munching on Oreos whenever they like, but their diets have been entirely too grain heavy and have included too much boxed organic snacks) to whole foods, I would be indebted.
The key is taking it slow, replacing one food/food group at a time with healthier options. Of course, be sure your husband is on board with this so you can be allies together. Ex: You can do this in the case of oreos for example, by making your own homemade cookies and simply stop buying the oreos. Don’t let your kids fussing about not having oreos anymore get you detracted. Afterwhile your kids will settle into the new routine. You kiddos are still so young, so believe me it is so much easier now to make these changes than when they get older. (Mine were 6 and 9 when I started this journey and they weren’t all too excited about giving up their processed snacks either.)
Remember you are in charge. I think sometimes for whatever reason Moms go into this “slave” mindset where we think we have to give our kids what they want – even when we know it’s not good for them because we’re afraid they won’t eat or we don’t want to have to handle the attitude/tantrum that may result. I’m not saying to make this into a battle of the wills. But there’s a balance to moving children off of processed foods – a balance between education and participation, and of simply being lovingly firm and consistent that we are not going to be eating certain foods because they simply are bad for our bodies.
The process of educating your children and getting them to participate in healthy eating choices and food preparation is the main focus I encourage because this is what leads to less resistance and lasting changes as they get older and are away from home more often. So, I always recommend bringing them into the kitchen at the youngest of ages, discussing why we’re eating healthy and allowing them to pick some of the meals on your meal plan each week (of course, giving them some options, so that they can pick from healthy options). Participation in the kitchen is one of the best ways to get kids to eat healthier, since they are more apt to eat what they’ve made. That’s why teaching your children basic cooking/baking/recipe following skills is so beneficial – not just because it’s a practical life skill, but because it reinforces and teaches healthy eating principles. These are the reasons I’m such a big advocate of Kids in the Kitchen (definitely check out my section on that on my site).
As far as other resources, there are several blogs I follow that I find to have lots of great ideas for feeding children healthy – Keeper of the Home, Kitchen Stewardship, Modern Alternative Momma, Mommypotomus and more … Start with these and I’m sure you’ll find even more great sites, since these bloggers have contributing authors, so you can check out the sites of those bloggers too. Just remember, each small consistent change adds up over time and leads to lasting lifetime healthy habits. Here’s a guide from Nourishing Our Children that talks about how to get started, this may help: http://www.nourishingourchildren.org/Guide.html and if you haven’t read my article on Real Food on Budget, I highly recommend it. It doesn’t just discuss ways to keep your budget in check, but starts off by explaining how you can set healthy living goals and make forward progress:http://thenourishinghome.com/2012/03/8-tips-for-real-food-on-a-budget/
Hope this helps! Lots of blessings to you and your precious family, Kelly
Thanks for your lengthy response, Kelly! I think the wording in my previous comment was a bit confusing. The good thing is that my kids actually are NOT used getting things like Oreos all the time. Judging by your advice, we are already making progress. We have eliminated boxed/processed snacks without nearly the fuss I expected. We talk frequently about making healthy choices, and always have – and we are sure to tell them that healthy decisions sometimes change as Mommy and Daddy learn new things. Making switches to all homemade snacks and pancakes with almond flour, for example, has been easy. I think I just have to find some patience in allowing them to reorient their taste buds to some meat and vegetable options that have not been a substantial part of their diets. My husband is on board for the most part and is supportive. I will check out the other blogs you mentioned and I have already read the other parts of your blog – all super helpful. I am sitting down today to meal plan our week. Oh, and just one more question for you – is there a grain mill you recommend? Electric or manual? Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Hi, Kristen! Apologies for the misunderstanding. I’m sure it was me just reading too quick. I tend to get excited about talking about kids learning to eat healthy. As far as a grain mill. I don’t personally have one (I use my vitamix) but my friend Erin at The Humbled Homemaker has the wonder mill and loves it. Here’s her post, if you want to check it out: http://thehumbledhomemaker.com/2013/01/using-a-wondermill-to-make-gluten-free-flours.html. She uses it to grind her own gluten-free flours, but my understanding is it can grind just about any grain and does so beautifully! Hope this helps. Lots of blessings, Kelly
You recommend against using quick oats. But quick oats are the same as rolled oats — they’re just cut into smaller pieces to cook faster.
Yes, you’ll find that most real food followers do recommend against them. Quick oats are more processed than old-fashioned oats, so they cook up a bit quicker and are mushier in texture. This is especially true when they are soaked. If you are interested in the research behind soaking and culturing, I really recommend reading Nourishing Traditions or Real Food: What to Eat and Why. Lots of blessings, Kelly
Yes, I do know that many people are prejudiced against quick oats, but it seems silly. If being more “processed” than rolled oats just means that they are CUT into smaller pieces — how could that make any difference? The fiber and nutrition is just the same. It’s like dicing carrots or eating them in big chunks. The difference is just cosmetic. Now, I know there IS a difference between them and steel cut oats/oat groats which have more fiber. Blessings to you as well!
Hi, Penny. I agree it’s a bit nit-picky and really not worth arguing over. Here’s the differences between how the various oats are processed: http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/types-of-oats I think the reason WAPF and others recommend avoiding quick-cook oats is because they are steamed a bit longer (thus “more processed” in their opinion).
But for me personally it comes down to taste and texture. Quick cut oats do not soak well in my opinion and experience. They tend to be pasty and mushy. I prefer to be able to have some of the chewiness of the oat intact. I think the key here is to be sure to properly prepare oats, if you have concerns about phytic acid. I agree it’s silly to quibble over food opinions in general, there are much more important issues in life than oatmeal.
Hi Kelly,
I am new to sprouting/soaking and just found your site. It is very informative and helpful. I do have one question regarding soaking and sprouting. It’s my understanding with sprouting that not all of the phytic acid is broken down. And the same goes for soaking, not all phytic acid is broken down. So could I soak the grain in an acid medium and then sprout it? Or would the grain not sprout due to the acid medium? Thanks for your help.
Hi, Emily. I have not found any research or literature that recommends soaking sprouted grains or vice versa. I think the key here is to aim for reducing phytic acid, as it is a naturally occurring enzyme in many foods, grains of course more abundantly. The process of soaking and sprouting are traditional methods that societies across the globe have used to prepare grains. Again, I haven’t found any documentation supporting doing both to the grain. But if you locate some research or literature discussing this, I’d be interested in reading it.
There is a movement right now going on that suggests people should not consume any grains. For some, this may be a necessity. But for most this may make for an unnecessary restrictive diet. My food philosophy is to eat the foods that God has provided to mankind since the beginning of creation and to prepare them in ways that maximize their nutritional value. Not to make food an idol – something we trust in or worship – but in order that we can achieve whatever measure of good health God grants for the purpose of serving Him and those He’s entrusted to us (hubbies and kiddos and our circles of friends/family) with greater zeal and energy.
So, if you believe that phytic acid is a major issue for you (and for some it can especially if gut health is poor), then you may want to explore a diet such as GAPS to first work toward healing your gut, and then reincorporate traditionally-prepared grains as tolerated. Hope this helps! Lots of blessings, Kelly
Thank you for you quick response Kelly. I do in fact have poor gut health that I am hoping to improve. I agree with your comments that food and diet can become an all consuming idol. I’ve been working towards acceptance of God’s plan for me. I think I will learn each technique and see what becomes a comfortable routine for me. I don’t believe that Paleo is meant for everyone but can be beneficial to some. I will look into the GAPS diet and see if that could help me on my journey. Thanks.
You’re very welcome, Emily! I just prayed for you that the Lord will bring you peace and direct your path! Blessings to you, Kelly
Hello,
I’ve just come across your website! Can you help me understand the difference between culturing, fermenting, soaking, sprouting…and any other similar methods. Maybe some of these names are interchangeable? I appreciate your help on our journey here!
Brandi
Hi, Brandi. Have you purchased the book Nourishing Traditions? If not, I really recommend getting a copy. This book has one of the most thorough explanations (as well as how-to instructions) on traditional foods. Each chapter covers a different subject matter in detail – it’s more of a text book than a recipe book
. But to give a basic explanation to your question…
• The term “soaking” refers to the method outlined in this article – soaking various grains, nuts, legumes, etc. in an effort to neutralize the phytic acid. (Sometimes soaking is referred to as culturing as well, since a culture is often used as the acid medium – the catalyst for the soak to activate the phytase.)
• The terms culturing and fermenting are used interchangeable and refer to using a culture of some form to create a probiotic-enriched food. Examples include sauerkraut lacto-fermented pickles and dairy-based cultured foods such as milk kefir, buttermilk, yogurt. However, there are also non-dairy cultured foods as well like cultured coconut milk and water kefir, etc.
• Sprouting is a different method than soaking that is used to reduce phytic acid and make the grain more easily digested.
Again, the book Nourishing Traditions covers these methods, but can also find information online as well through resources like Nourished Kitchen – Jenny writes a lot about cultured foods in particular.
Hope this helps! Lots of blessings, Kelly
Thank you, Kelly! That was helpful! If soaking and sprouting have the same goal, is one better than the other?
Brandi
Hi, Brandi. I would assume it depends upon the grain as to whether one is better than the other. I do know that if you have the time or can afford to purchase sprouted grains, it is a WHOLE LOT EASIER than having to soak and you don’t have the issue of taste or texture changes that can occur with the soaking process. I recommend if you aren’t able to purchase Nourishing Traditions and read through this textbook on traditionally prepared foods, that you spend some time over at Katie’s site, as she has been writing on this topic for many more years than I, and she has an extensive library of posts you can read through that delve into all of the research and details she’s uncovered. I’ve found her posts to be highly informative and helpful. Here’s the link: http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/seriescarnivals/soaking-grains-an-exploration/
Again, it’s important to keep the right balance of striving to eat healthier, yet not getting so consumed by it that you’re living as a servant to food, rather than as a servant to the Lord. I know I may sound like I’m preaching a sermon here, but I know firsthand how easy it can be for a good desire to lead us onto a path of starting to trust in food, rather than trusting in God. So I always want to encourage people to keep focused on the Lord and seek Him for direction. He will certainly keep our paths straight as we keep our eyes on Him!
Lots of blessings, Kelly
Yes, I agree with you wholeheartedly, Kelly! Thank you for your help!
Brandi
Kelly,
In your soaking instructions above under the Oats section, with using an acid medium, it states, “Then soak at least 24-hours at room temp.” Blog participants and other instructions found on the internet and maybe even Ramiel Nagel’s book Cure Tooth Decay also mention soaking with warm temperature above body temp, 90, or 100… What is the advantage of soaking above room/body temp? greater reduction in phytic acid, by how much, alot, little, significant? Thank you.
Hi, James. Rami actually wrote the white paper for WAPF that I based this overview upon (as well as other WAPF white papers) and he does mention using warm water for your soak in general – not just for oats. However, to sustain a soak at a higher temp than room temp can be somewhat difficult, which is why many (like me) start with warm water and keep our soak on the counter at room temp (this is the traditional soaking method outlined in Nourishing Traditions).
Regarding your question about the advantages of a sustained soak at a temp higher than room temp, the warmer temp does help to further reduce phytic acid.
How to accomplish this? One way you could potentially achieve a sustained temp greater than room temp is to place your soaking receptacle in the oven with the oven light on. Now, I highly recommend first checking the sustained temp as some ovens run really hot with the oven light on. An easy way to do this is to put a reliable oven thermometer into the oven, turn the light on and then in about 6-12 hours (you could do this before bedtime), check the temp of your oven.
Personally, I don’t worry too much about this extra step of placing my soaking receptacles into the oven, but it is an option. I do want to point out that if you’re particularly sensitive to phytic acid, limiting consumption of these foods, especially ones high in phytates is the best option, as even the most controlled soak does not completely eliminate all phytic acid. The other point I like to make is that research is constantly revealing new and often conflicting information about what helps and hinders good health. My food philosophy is simple … We eat whole foods culturally prepared as pure as we can find them within reason and budget. We eat healthy so we can better serve the Lord, but in no way want to become slaves to a diet that is so restrictive and cumbersome as to become more of a burden and stress than it is helpful and healthful.
Hope this helps better clarify. Lots of blessings to you and your family, Kelly
Hi, I just made cheese and had a lot of whey left over. I didn’t want to just throw it out so I remembered that I can soak wheat berries in it and then dry them. I poured the whey into a 5 gallon bucket and added it to about 2/3 full of wheat. I decided to look up how long I should soak and found I probably should have sprouted them instead and then dried them.
What should I do? I have a fairly good size food dryer, and I don’t want to have all this wheat go to waste.
I’m a bit confused. Can you clarify things for me? My difficulty is:
Should we soak and sprout grain for later cooking and grinding? Is this preferred?
& therefore: Should I only soak flours (and some grains) in an acid that is to be cooked the next day?
Hi, Sharon. First, before I forget, I wanted to share this wonderful resource from my friend Jill at The Prairie Homestead. She has some great ideas for using whey that might be of help to you: http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2011/06/16-ways-to-use-your-whey.html
As to your question, if you have unsprouted wheat berries, you can opt to either sprout them, dry them and store them until you’re ready to grind them and use them in recipes. Or you can opt to grind the unsprouted wheat berries into flour as you need flour and use the unsprouted wheat flour in your favorite soaked-wheat recipes. And of course, you could certainly do a combo of the two – sprout some of the wheat berries for recipes that you don’t want to have to soak, and leave some of your wheat berries unsprouted for use in soaked-wheat recipes that you enjoy.
Many sources say sprouted grains do not need to be soaked, as the process of sprouting helps to achieve similar results to soaking. Although some research (according to the WAPF) states that sprouted grains do not result in as much phytic acid reduction as soaking provides. Regardless, both approaches are traditional methods of grain preparation and both do provide important benefits. For many, it comes down to the convenience factor and the taste/texture factor … I would certainly agree that in the case of sprouted grains, they are much easier to use because they eliminate the need to soak and also some recipes (such as cookies for example) just don’t have a good end result when the batter is soaked.
Of course, soaking is one of the mainstay’s in the real food-traditional food diet because for many this is an easier option than sprouting grains or purchasing sprouted grains (which are quite expensive). Soaking is a well documented method that helps to unlock nutrients, reduce phytic acid and also help improve digestibility of the grain. With soaking, you simply would grind your unsprouted wheat berries into flour and soak the unsprouted flour in an acid medium as part of a recipe you’re making. In the case of soaking other grains like oats and rice, you can soak those, rinse them and store in the fridge for later use within a 5-6 day period of time. It’s also important to note that you can also sprout rice yourself or purchase sprouted rice as well – if you do then soaking would not be necessary.
So with regard to your whey-soaked grain that was not sprouted, it’s unlikely that this soak effectively achieved the goals of reducing phytic acid and improving digestibility and nutritional benefit. However, there is no need to toss it out, you could opt to either take these grains and follow protocols for sprouting (see below), or you could dry these soaked grains out and then just grind them as you need them for soaked wheat recipes you’re making.
Here are two articles that discuss how to sprout:
• Kitchen Stewardship Sprouting Grain Tutorial: http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2010/06/14/how-to-sprout-whole-grains-and-make-sprouted-flour/
• Nourished Kitchen on Health Benefits of Sprouting Grains: http://nourishedkitchen.com/sprouted-grain/
So again, I agree that there is no need to waste the wheat berries – either option you decide (whether to go ahead and properly sprout and dry them or just leave them unsprouted and use them in your favorite soaked wheat recipes) is better than tossing them out.
I hope this helps further clarify. Lots of blessings, Kelly
Kelly, you really gave me concise answers, thanks so much. I was wondering if the whey would adversely affect the ability of the wheat to sprout? Have any ideas for sprouting such a large amount, as in containers? Looks like the wheat swoll up to about 3 gallons! I will read the article you sent me next.
I also wanted to praise you for your sensible approach to healthy eating.. not to make it a thing to be almost worshiped, or idolized. I have seen this in so many people. As wells as the ruining of family budgets to buy this food. I think we just do the best we can and with what we can afford. I love your wisdom! Thanks, Sharon
Hi, Sharon. I am not sure about whether the whey would have any impact on the wheat berries sprouting. It’s definitely worth trying to sprout rather than waste the wheat berries. Please do read the articles I referenced, those contain precise measurements for how to properly sprout grain and you may want to ask either of those authors for more details about sprouting since they are far more experienced in that area than I. And yes, it’s all about doing what you can without healthy eating becoming an idol. Seek first the Kingdom of the Lord … Lots of blessings, Kelly
hi. enjoyed the article…
just a question (or two) :
i really enjoy chickpeas. i’ve been eating them canned & in dry state (i never soaked, just rinsed + cooked for 1.5 hrs + drained/rinsed + dried per package instructions…). i actually ate these maybe 3-4 nights a week. for maybe the past 2 years.
now that i’ve read this article, i really want to prepare them correctly…
so 2 questions : i am very, very busy, with 2 kids and an old father to look after…i don’t have to time to keep pouring out the warm water and rinsing…if i soak the chicks in warm water w/ lemon juice for 24 hours, will the warm water start to grow bacteria? i can ask my dad to maybe change the water once for me (if he can remember!)…
and secondly, how long should i boil my chickpeas? more than 1.5 hours? i can’t see myself being able to do it for more than 2 hours (no time).
thanks!
Hi, Mikey. I’m glad you’ve found this article to be helpful. First, let me start by saying that we all have to do the best we can with the time and resources we have available. You could definitely make yourself stressed out if you’re trying to run a busy household while caring for your Dad and trying to change soaking water every few hours. So again, these are guidelines based on ever changing/updating research. So the key (the rule I myself follow) is to just be aware and to do the best you can in making healthy choices, while always keeping your focus first on serving the Lord and seeking Him.
When it comes to chickpeas they are a more difficult issue, as according to the Living with Phytic Acid white paper written by Rami Nagel for the WAPF, “Even after five days of sprouting, chick peas maintained about 60 percent of their phytate content …Germination is more effective at higher temperatures, probably because the heat encourages a fermentation-like condition.” So the point here is that, with soaking and sprouting you are not going to completely rid the grain or legume of phytic acid, but the goal is reduce it and also to potentially take a look at reducing high phytic acid foods as these can lead to potential health problems for many people over time. So if you can start your soak at a higher temp (warm water rather than cold) and place your soaking chickpeas in your oven with the oven light only on (the oven light can really make a nice warm environment for soaking) and do this for at least 12 hours, this will give you some phytic acid reduction. I haven’t been able to find exact numbers, but suffice it to say, it will be reduced to some extent. This is a much more manageable soak than trying to germinate the chick peas over several days and having to continually change out the water. Because yes, if you don’t it can lead to bacteria and other issues.
As far as cooking, once you’ve soaked your chickpeas, thoroughly rinse them and then cook them to the desired texture however long that takes you to achieve. Cooking does help to reduce phytic acid, but again, I haven’t seen any hard-fast research to support a certain time frame for cooking. So if you’ve come across a white paper or literature on that, please let me know. If you’d like to look into more about phytic acid reduction, I highly recommend visiting the WAPF website at: http://www.westonaprice.org. Blessings, Kelly