soaking or blending nuts and seeds...?

[Lunar*Fey]

this is going to sound like a dumb question, I know....but here goes...

If you are going to blend or process nuts/seeds do you need to soak them first?
Can anyone explain why as well?

thanks. :)

[Shivananda]

If you are going to blend or process nuts/seeds do you need to soak them first? There are several reasons why nuts and seeds are typically soaked or sprouted before blending:

1) To remove the "inhibitor" enzymes in the raw seeds that in the SAD world are destroyed by roasting. This reduces bitterness and increases digestibility.

2) To start the sprouting process, allowing the dormant enzymes to "wake up," making the food more alive and sweeter.

3) To soften the food so it processes more smoothly.

[Lunar*Fey]

thank you Shivananda:).

It just seems like when I soak nuts and seeds before blending they never blend smoothly, but come out all chunky. I just got a food processor so I'll have to see if that works better.

thanks again, that's quite helpful!

[Shivananda]

It just seems like when I soak nuts and seeds before blending they never blend smoothly, but come out all chunky. I just got a food processor so I'll have to see if that works better.

thanks again, that's quite helpful!You're very welcome.

Here's the other piece of the puzzle for you, I believe... the food processor should give you better results, because it is designed to chop solid food. Blenders are primarily designed for blending liquids, and chopping up solids in liquid. And as I've posted elsewhere, when blenders are used to process nuts and seeds or other dry ingredients they tend to rise above rawsafe temperatures in just a few seconds.

For best results fill the food processor bowl between 1/4 and 1/3 of capacity with nuts and seeds. If you want to do more, just split the job into smaller bateches.

[Lunar*Fey]

Thanks again Shivananda! :) You are really helpful:)