Why Soak Your Grains and Legumes?

One standard that Nourish always stands by is cooking with pre-soaked grains and legumes in our recipes. Grains and legumes are extremely nutritious and are known to be a staple for people who live the longest, also known as those who live in the “blue-zones”. They contain high amounts of zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, etc. So why do we soak them? Unfortunately, many grains and legumes also contain anti-nutrients that can interfere with absorption of vitamins, minerals and nutrients, which can disrupt your digestive enzymes, causing upset or inflammation.

Antinutrients are actually naturally occurring compounds found in grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds that inhibit absorption of beneficial nutrients. Some of the more common antinutrients that you may have heard of include phytates, tannins, oxalates, and lectins. Phytates (or phytic acid) for example, are found in the bran layer of the grain or seed and can prevent the body from absorbing the phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, copper, and zinc found in many nuts, seeds, grains and beans.  

Soaking grains and legumes can help reduce these antinutrients and allow you to get more bioavailable nutrients from these foods. A 8-12 hour soak will help germinate the seed, unlocking its vital nutrients and amino acids, AND it will be a whole lot easier on your digestive system.

By adding an acid-medium compound to your soaking water such as apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, you can help initiate a fermentation process and release some anti-nutrients at a faster rate. You can also add a piece of kombu seaweed to your soaking water, which leaches out a ton of rich minerals into your grains or legumes and gives it an added salty flavor. We are all for increasing the bioavailability of everything we eat, so we love using little tricks like this to do so! 

For 2 servings of germinated brown rice: 

• 1 cup brown rice

• 3 cups filtered water

• 1 inch strip of kombu

Soak overnight, strain and cook on the stovetop with 1 ¾ cups of water.