Operating in ignorance

[Fuzzball]

Well, I found out yesterday that I was my own worst enemy.

Because I didn't read enough, I've been sabotaging my raw journey by consuming raw nuts......without first soaking them. (slaps forhead)

Had I paid attention, I would have heard Alissa say that by soaking the nuts and grains and seeds you remove the enzyme inhibitors that make them healthy. By not doing this, you consume them and gain nothing from what they have to offer....and get a lot of fat content in the process.

So, I've figured out that I need to soak them overnight, then, because I want a little flavor, I need to soak them for a couple hours in Sea Salt water or Nama Shoyu then dehydrate them enough to bring back the crunchiness.

Ahhhhh....the things we learn when we will only open our minds to hear.....All this time I thought I was the one person that couldn't lose weight from a raw diet when it was just my ignorance keeping me from doing that.

Learn well grasshopper....Nuts, after soak = good....before soak = fat....

[Pailani]

Another ignoramus here . . . I haven't been soaking nuts, either. I thought it was optional! :rolleyes:

[*~Butterfly~*]

Me three! Live and learn, I guess.....

[Revvell]

I haven't found that soaking nuts has stopped me from losing weight. It has helped with a sensitivity to almonds however.

Injoy ~

Revvell

[Sharon in Colorado]

I really don't think it does anything to the fat content after they are soaked. The fat doesn't 'escape' in the soak water. They just plump up and are probably more digestable.

[Fuzzball]

Ah...it's not that it reduces the fat content, but along with the fats you get all the enzymes that are locked before you soak.

Since I've been using them as a snack (I sure miss my wheat crackers with the Garlic flavoring.....) I'm taking in all this fat and not getting any benefits.

Maybe a minor thing, but it's all about the enzymes with raw food.

[RawTruth]

I know you didn't ask, Fuzzball, but, according to the experience of many folk who've shared here over the months, it's possible that you won't lose weight as fast if you're snacking on nuts. 'Course, it depends on how many you're eating.

I know there are times when I want that "heavy" feeling that comes from adding nuts to my salad or sprinkling them in a collard roll-up or in muesli. When I was first raw, I ate almond butter kinda a lot -- almost every day in one way or another, and did eat more nuts. Now that I've been eating 100% for a while now, though, I find that I don't want them much except as a "condiment" and that, when I do eat a nut-heavy dish (like pie or quiche or one of the many desserts that take cups of nuts), my tummy feels like it has a dead weight in it.

I've always soaked the ones that should be soaked, though, in addition to soaking seeds. RawPriestess explained recently in another thread about which ones need to be soaked and which ones don't have enzyme inhibitors (like pecans and walnuts ... and I knew about pumpkin seeds and pine nuts from David Wolfe). You might want to search for that thread ... or just ask her straight out. Maybe she'll start an informational thread about nuts.

And, no, it's not a minor thing at all. Yes, it's ALL about enzymes. Alissa's book does a good job explaining that as do all the raw books that are more than just recipes. Even those all mention at least the rudiments. This isn't just a fad weight loss "diet" where we follow random instructions on what to eat and what not to eat -- we all have to educate ourselves so that we know why we need to do things like soak and sprout. If we don't understand how our bodies work -- how they metabolize and digest our food -- who will do it for us? We can't just stop eating McD or even (for me) organic cooked vegan food; we have to understand exactly what harm it was doing to our bodies and why and how eating raw heals rather than harms.

Thanks for starting this thread, Fuzzball; it's obviously perfect for right now.

[Revvell]

It's actually not JUST or ALL about the enzymes, it also about the bio-energy or life-force. When one eats raw vegan, they are receiving that life-force from the plants ~ whereas one does not get that from dead flesh. On the contrary ~ it's amazing how many are still alive and how the body can adjust ~ for a period of time, eating dead "foods".

That's also one reason why, after awhile of eating "gourmet" and/or lots of dehydrated foods that many will go for the more simple, life-giving foods.

Injoy ~

Revvell

[Fuzzball]

I know you didn't ask, Fuzzball, .

Ah...but I DID ask, Raw Truth...just by posting. I was hoping for education while sharing my mistakes.

I thank you for the input and I will look for that thread you talk about (although probably not tonight, Mama is saying it's time to shut down and, when mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy....the three daughters o' mine are bummed too....they think it's too early!!) (Ain't homeschooling grand!)

Anyways, I figured I'd get some useable information along with a lot of "lurkers" who haven't made the jump to post yet.

Thanks again....

As for why I'm eating a lot of nuts, well I still have the urge to snack (when everyone around me is heating up lunches and the smells are permeating the air around me). I sit about 20 feet away from the break room....so raw nuts have been my salvation....too bad I was doing it wrong.

I bought some fermented soy tonight (not Nama Shoyu as I couldn't find it ANYWHERE in Austin....hmmmmm.....) so once this batch is done soaking, they are gonna get a bit of a marinade and dehydrate to bring back the crunch! Then I'm gonna peel a whole bunch of carrots and radishes for snacking on and save the nuts for when I'm really desperate, like when they bring in BBQ from Rudy's for everyone.

[rawpriestess]

Fuzzball,

If you are missing crackers with garlic cheese,

I have a little recipe that might help

Soak 1/2 cup cahews, drain, mix in food processor or blender, with enough water to turnover, add dehydrated (or fresh-but will be soupier) garlic and some dehydrated onion, and a touch of salt, add (if you like) some cumin, and cayenne, and you have a delicious garlic/onion/taco cheese dip for your nuts.

You can also soak your nuts then dehydrate them until almost crisp,then roll them in salt and seaonings, or crushed garlic and dehydrate them to crisp, these are how I serve them on Mexican fiesta raw feast night at my place.

I do raw feasts, so I have tons of good recipes.

try this and let me know what you think.