Whole Foods BULK BINS - is "raw" really RAW?

[keke]

I just got Alissa's book and plan on starting the 4 wk program later this week. I was in my local Whole Foods the other day and investigated the bulk bins to see if they had the items on the first week's shopping list. I saw "raw" walnuts and "raw" almonds and I'm just wondering if anyone knows if these are REALLY RAW. Otherwise, I guess I'll have to postpone starting the 4 wk program and purchase the raw items (that aren't produce) over the internet and wait until they arrive...

[Dimond]

Most aren't, but it depends on the supplier. Each location uses different ones and you'd have to contact them to find out. I think some things like sunflower seeds and walnuts are usually. Almonds and cashews are definitely not.

[snoops]

I just got some almonds from the fridge in my HFS labelled raw organic UNPASTEURIZED almonds from California. You kind of think if they went to the trouble of putting all that on the label they must be?? Yes. No? They were in plastic bins in the fridge with all the nut butters they make or buy in bulk and put in little plastic containers.

[RawKnitster]

Get started anyway. :) If you want almonds and can't find any unpasteurized, don't worry about it. A few weeks of pasteurized almonds shouldn't be a big deal.

[rawrawks]

whole foods bulk bins nor their bagged nuts are really raw.
There are bags of nuts in a raw section with cacao powder and acai and such...these are raw.

[revdrcyn]

I find the managers at Whole Foods markets in the Bay Area very helpful and open to lots of questions -- and they seem to be well informed.

I have learned the products they stock vary from location to location, so you should ask.

At the Whole Foods stores I frequent (I have 3 favorites), the bulk nuts are raw with the exception of almonds, which are pasteurized. This is apparently a U.S. law . . . so, now i buy my almonds online.

[rawrawks]

Really? Anyone I asked didnt know and then when I got someone who checked for me, they said no they were not. Hmmmm wish I could find a good local source for raw nuts.

I always thought trader joes almonds from spain were raw too and peoplke said no they were not. I even tried to grow one to see id it would sprout just so I could tell...it didnt work.

[fruitandveggies]

Crap! I've been buying their pine nuts, pecans, macadamia nuts and cashews for months! They also have a brand of 'raw' cashews called Flavor Tree that I just bought. Anyone know about them?

[veganman]

It really depends on the nut/seed. Although almonds generally don't need to go through a drying process, almonds at Whole Foods and most health food stores are usually pasteurized. Walnuts and pecans in most bulk bins are dried over 130 degrees to minimize moisture to about 5% in order to decrease risk of mold. Sunflower seeds are usually from China, so it is hard to know exactly what is done, but they will usually sprout.

The key is to ask what temperature the nut is dried at. If you ask if the nut is raw, most employees will assume you mean raw versus roasted not raw versus heated too high.

Hope this helps!

[snoops]

So even though my container said unpasteurized almonds from California, I shouldn't believe it?

[veganman]

So even though my container said unpasteurized almonds from California, I shouldn't believe it?

Sorry Snoops...I was replying to the original post. I think you can believe what the container said.

[snoops]

It seems that way to me, yet they say there are no non pasteurized almonds coming out of CA. Maybe because they are importing them into Canada they don't have to...? I don't know. Am eating them anyway:D

[RawKnitster]

It seems that way to me, yet they say there are no non pasteurized almonds coming out of CA. Maybe because they are importing them into Canada they don't have to...? I don't know. Am eating them anyway:D

I buy California almonds at a raw vegan store. The woman that runs the store told me that the law requiring California almonds to be treated has loopholes that allows farms to sell 100 pounds of untreated almonds per day directly to consumers.

[fruitandveggies]

Hey, I don't know if anyone had mentioned this place before, but nutsonline.com is an awesome place for raw nuts!! I contacted the company to verify their true "rawness" and they (all the ones labeled 'raw') are totally raw. He says they have almonds from Spain that are *not* pasturized!

[fruitandveggies]

I buy California almonds at a raw vegan store. The woman that runs the store told me that the law requiring California almonds to be treated has loopholes that allows farms to sell 100 pounds of untreated almonds per day directly to consumers.

Oh, and yes, I get my almonds from CA directly from a grower. They don't have to be pasturized in that case. At least until the loophole gets closed...:mad: