Technique: Soaked Nuts (aka Crunchy Nuts)

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I buy my nuts from Jaffe Bros in Valley Center, CA. they ship. Organic and raw, good price.

I was reading that “raw” does not necessarily mean unpasteurized. (this boggles my mind)

So, being new to this, if I buy raw nuts from nuttyguys.com or something until I find a more local or better source, and if they are pasteurized, will the soaking/dehydrating method make them dangerous to consume? (i.e. cause mold?)

And how do you find a raw nut that is not pasteurized if the label does not have to specify?

So when you dehydrated fresh nuts what does it exactly do to them?

Hi all, I know of 2 places you can get organic, raw, unpasteurized Almonds. As long as you buy under 100 lbs. from the grower it’s raw, over 100 lbs. they have to pasteurize it by law. That’s why at the big stores like whole foods they’re probably not raw. The nut growers are both in Calif. One is Bremner Farms and the other is Brewer Farms. enjoy!

Quick question: Do you think I could dehydrate almonds in the oven for 6 hrs one evening, let them linger on a plate overnight, and do the rest of the baking the following day? 12-24 hours of the oven on wouldn’t fly in this household (24 for almonds, yes?). Thanks!!

My oven does not go to such a low temperature and I don’t have a dehydrator – is there any other method for dehydrating the nuts that you would recommend? Thank you!!

Hi Verity – Sorry for the delay, but I see you’ve already gotten the great answer from a reader! Yes, you can use the oven on the lowest setting.

Hi,
I use my toaster oven, it has a “warm” setting in two areas. I use the little pan that came with it and a mini broiler top to have a bottom and top area to place almonds. Then I leave them overnight and check in the a.m. IF they arene’t crunchy to my liking I will set another hr. and then check again.
Don’t really like the metal pans SO I have used small glass pans also.. but can’t stack with them SO thus I have to do two batches.
: )

So glad to read this. I’ve had problems with an itchy head as well and I’ve recently started eating raw nuts as I’ve focused on a whole foods diet. Will definitely start soaking/dehydrating to see if this makes a difference for me.

I’m embarrassed for even asking this- like I can’t deduce the process myself, but, if you gut a fresh pumpkin and clean the seeds…then do you go ahead and soak them and dehydrate them, or do you have to dry them, soak them, then dehydrate them?

Can you give some explanation about the itchy head? We’ve been experiencing this in my household and I would love to know the reason behind it if you know. It can be maddening and torturous and I would love to get rid of it. Thanks for any insight you may have. (it’s not lice, we’ve been checked) Oh, and also, doesn’t any heat over 115 degrees kill the enzymes?

You might also consider candida overgrowth if you have other symptoms. Just goggle if you’re not familiar. I’ve had tons of allergies (with itching) but my head didn’t start itching until my adrenal fatigue (cause of my allergies) then started causing candida to go crazy.

Thank you Karen. That was what is was looking for. My oven only goes down to 170.

Question…do just nuts have to be soaked? Or seeds too? I noticed the recipe here for crackers calls for sunflower seeds and you are soaking them too. So, I can assume both nuts AND seeds should be soaked?

Great source for raw nuts is Azure standard.

If I dont have time to do this myself, where can I get nuts that have already been soaked and dehyrdrated? Does it say on the package?

is the temp you are advocating in celsius or fahrenheit. In Australia we are celsius and 150 is quite a high temp….

“natural” almonds will mold when you soak them unfortunately. I buy natural, unroasted, unsalted and have had tried soaking them but the skin gets black spots on it and I have to throw them out. I’m in Canada so I can’t find local almonds. I’ve taken to buying blanched skinless almonds, soaking and dehydrating them as the next best thing.

Thanks for the tips! Does it decrease the nutritional benefit to soak them too long? And are there nutrients left in the water that would make it worth reusing it in some other way?

Do I have to dehydrate almonds sfter soaking. Can I make almond butter directly after soaking for 12hrs?

DON’T REUSE THE WATER! The water contains the phytates that you are soaking the nuts to remove. In fact, you need to rinse the nuts before you dehydrate them.

The longer you soak them, the more phytates you remove. I soak ours for 24 hours changing the water every 8 hours or so.

Irradiated nuts will not sprout. They’re dead.

If you search Google for “truly raw almonds” you will find them.

This is all so interesting to me. I just bought dry roasted hazelnuts at trader joe’s – do I need to soak & dehydrate these or does the roasting process take care of it?

I hear the roasting diminishes the phytic acid, but soaking, I believe, is always best, and i find they just taste so darned good soaked!

I can’t have raw cashew, i get a really bad soar troat and cough, I’ve read that they are in the poison Ivy family. Yikes!! Wondering if soaking and dehidrating them would help!?!

truly raw almonds from CA available from Brewers Farms
almondsbrewerfarms.com

he sells 5, 10 & 25 lb bags and they are true raw unpasteurized almonds

Directions for my dehydrator say ‘Nuts and Seeds’ at 105 degress F. Should i bring it up to 150? And how do you know the almonds are done? I mean 12-24 hours is a significant time difference! Thanks!

Isn’t 150 for 12 hours going to kill the almonds?

This info on soaking and dehydrating nuts has been so helpful for me as I have been making my own almond butter and almond milk!
I have another question about the skins of the almonds. I have read that the skins are poisonous or inhibit the body’s ability to use the nutrients in the almonds. Anyone else know more about this? This would mean I’d have to soak, then dehydrate, then blanche and wriggle off the skins….yikes, it’s a lot of work! (Oh yes, and then make the almond butter, which is my goal in all of this).

My Maytag oven has a “keep warm ” button which goes down to 145 degrees. Better than nothing!

What about this for drying nuts. My Samsung clothes dryer has a removable stationary platform for drying things you don’t want tumbled, like sneakers, etc. Set at the “extra low” heat setting, this would seem the ideal hot air, moisture extracting, way to dry nuts. Just pop your pan of nuts on the platform and set the drying level you want, ore use the “time dry” setting. Not sure of the actual temp. achieved, but a simple oven thermometer would tell you.

Question: Wouldn’t buying sprouted nuts or seeds at Whole Foods or any similar source, mean those sprouted nuts were soaked to start the sprouting process and therefore just as beneficial, health wise, to soaked nuts? My problem is I want All the Benefits without having to do any of the work. Please advise!

I was buying sprouted walnuts and almonds at Whole Foods and they were crispy and delicious! They are also very costly! Near 20.00 per pound. I just received for Mother’s Day a Nesco dehydrator and am at this moment using it to dry a big batch of nuts. I must say just buying them at Whole Foods was quicker and easier!

I am new to soaking nuts and seeds and am trying to figure it all out. If I am going to be cooking the nuts, ie to make granola bars, can I just soak and then dry/cook the nuts in the oven with the other ingredients or do I need to dehydrate them first? Thanks.

can we drink the water in which almond was soaked

This is such good information. If I’m making almond butter or Nutella from hazelnuts do I need to dehydrate them first and then resoak them again to make these items?

As usual, there are many views on an issue. My method is cover the nuts with mineral water, keep lidded for 8 hours, then loosely pat with a paper towel. (Some sites don’t even advise drying or dehydration as a necessary step provided the nuts are eaten within several days.) Then store in fridge.

I do have a question: I don’t like salt (and I don’t use salt in the soak process). But is most store salt removed during the soak process? I suspect so. I bought salted almonds (not by choice), soaked them 8 hours and I can hardly taste salt; but I’m not sure if all the salt has been removed.

Is the sea salt necessary in the soaking process or is it just for flavor?

I’ve been soaking and dehydrating nuts for several years, and have not heard of the addition of salt to the soaking water until today. What is the purpose of the salt?

According to Sally Fallon, author of Nourishing Traditions:

“The salt helps activate enzymes that de-activate the enzyme inhibitors. For grains, we soak in an acidic solution to get rid of phytic acid. Nuts do not contain much phytic acid but do contain high levels of enzyme inhibitors. The method imitates the way the native peoples in Central America treated their nuts and seeds–by soaking them in seawater and then dehydrating them”

So traditionally (and now with science), we can intuitively and scientifically observe that anti-nutrients are best handled effectively with salt for nuts/seeds, and acids (i.e. Apple Cider Vinegar) for grains, and bases (Baking soda) for some legumes.

please explain use of acids e.g. ACV to denature bases (baking soda)

Hi Everyone, I’m new to this whole concept of not eating the nuts directly from the bag! I hava a few questions:

A) Does this apply to rice, and if so, how long should I soak it for? Am I ok to then just rinse and boil?
B) What about fruit seeds (apples, watermelons, etc)? I find that I very often eat them even when I don’t mean to.
C) My oven doesn’t have a 12hr option. How do you guys deal with having to be by your nuts for so long?

A) Yes. My book has a whole description on soaking grains – http://www.organicspark.com/store
B) I am guessing you aren’t eating enough quantity to have much effect.
C) Anybody that uses an oven have suggestions for Alicia?

Is it ok to use a stainless steel bowl for soaking nuts and seeds?

I just bought raw, organic walnuts and almonds and put them in the fridge. I need to freeze them so my question is: Should I soak & dehydrate first and then freeze them or freeze them and then soak & dehydrate when I am ready to eat?

i just bought some “raw” almonds to make almond milk. i’ve soaked them for two days and they do not seem to be absorbing any of the water or becoming squishy in any way, which i’ve heard is supposed to happen. is this normal? and what does it say about the almonds i’m using (other than the fact that they’ve likely been pasteurized in some way)?

I soaked almonds overnight with the intention of roasting in the oven. This morning I stuck them in a preheated 300 degree oven while I researched soaking nuts online. I came across dehydrating and I grabbed them out of the oven after 15 minutes and threw them back in cold water. Did I kill them? I am planning to use a dehydrator now as described but hope I didn’t ruin them.

Did anyone try making almond or nut butter only after soaking (without dry roasting at low temp)?

I don’t see the need for dehydrating the nuts if I am making daily batches. I tend to buy gadgets and then stop using them after the first month. I guess the advantages to dehydrating are the texture and longer shelf life. Nutritionally, they are the same after just soaking, right?

# Kara(mar 20 2014) Yes without dehydrating nut butter becomes nut milk! dehydrating removes the liquid to be able to blend to a paste

I’m wondering if I can soak nuts/grains in a stainless steel pot? One source I found says it’s okay, but I need to know from other reputable sources such as yours that this technique is not harmful in any way. Thanks for any help!

Some one told me that freezing nuts did the same thing to them that soaking and dehydrating them. Is that at all true? IT sure would help this busy momma out if so!

Hi. For all those that are concerned about their oven temperature, just turning on the oven light will hear up my oven enough to dehydrate things. I never get around to dehydrating my soaked almonds because I like them wet. As do my girls, so they’re gone before I have a chance to dehydrate them. They do store in the fridge for 3-4 days without getting moldy, too.

Hi Molly, I just happened upon your web site while looking to see what temperature I should use to dehydrate pumpkin seeds to grind into flower. I tried doing this once before but just used the seeds right from the bag. I use a vitamix to grind my flours,and as you can probably guess I didn’t get four (I got a paste). So, my question is by doing the soaking and dehydrating will I then be able to make flour?
Also, the almonds and walnuts that I buy at Sam’s Club don’t say raw, does that mean they have been processed and are ready to use to make flour? As far as the sea salt plain or iodized?

Does all the nuts need to be soaked for the same time? I have read many articles about soaking nuts and most of them have different hours depending on what nut im soaking….for example cashews they say no more than 2 other say no more than 6hrs, almonds over night, pecans and walnuts from 7-24 hours….does this depend if the nuts are bought raw or roasted..? I need some help please.
thank you,
Lourdes

I have made walnut butter before. Just wondering if the oils in the nuts still remain after being dehydrated? What I am really wondering is, will there be enough oils left in the walnuts after they have been dehydrated?

Why would my pecans pop while I dried them in the oven

After I soak my nuts overnight can I just let them air dry in fridge for a day and then freeze then, skipping the dehydration proceess altogether?

love the website!! I roast almonds and walnuts but dont seem to be crispy enough?? If i soak and dehydrate will they be crunchier after roasting??

Thank you
Johanna

This may be a silly question… But, on the top of my dehydrator it has a “chart” for suggested temperatures when dehydrating given foods, and for nuts and seeds it specs 105. Is the 150 you’re suggesting what makes them “crunchy” vs. them being just dehydrated and not having that extra crunch to them?

I read somewhere that lemon juice can be used instead of salt, what is your opinion?

If i soak my seed/nuts to make crackers, do I have to dehydrate before I mix with seasonings(water, braggs, etc..) If i am dehydrating anyway. Do they have to be done 2X? make sense? ;/ I have always soaked seeds overnight then mixed them with everything in am and then stick in dehydrator 24 hrs..

can i make almond flour directly after soaking, without the oven thing? thank u so much

You mentioned that at 150 degrees dehydrating makes them crunchy, but what happens to the texture at 105 degrees. I have crowns that I don’t want compromised.

I wonder if I can use the top stove at minimum temperature to dehydrate nuts. Thanks!

So I just soaked some raw almonds overnight (about 12 hours) but my oven’ slowest setting is 170 degrees. How long would you suggest at that temp? I don’t have a dehydrator so that’s not an option for me. Thanks

I dehydrated my Almond nuts in my convection oven at 40 degC (it’s the only lowest setting available) for 17 hours and notice my almonds look like it has shrunk although it felt feel like it is still moist. I split open in half and notice water in the almonds. Prior to 17 hours, at 15 hours, I assume the almonds are still not yet dry because I feel like it is still moist and the middle of the almonds are still very white in colour, (I read somewhere if you split the almonds in half after dehydrating, to know that it was successfully dehydrated, the almonds shouldn’t be very white in color) and so I continue another additional 2 hours. That’s when at 17 hours I notice some of the almonds shrunk although still feel like it is moist. I wonder where I go wrong. Am I suppose to dehydrate till it is 24 hours ? Will that not shrunk the almonds further ?

Hi Molly!
Like a lot of people, I really want to be able to skip dehydration – can you not simply wring them with some towels and air dry in fridge or freezer for a bit? even blow dry for a few minutes or something? I want to make nut/seed butters that last long. Just seems like an awful lot just to get cheaper nut butter than fresh ground at whole foods..

I soaked my almonds overnight but found them this morning all covered in a furry mould substance?! What did I do wrong, I used cling film to cover it and it was placed in a warm room?

I just soaked some almonds overnight without salt. The water is murky and gray, and it almost looks like something is growing on the almonds. Is this normal?

I just found this site by google. I soaked some almonds, walnuts, cashews and macadamia nuts overnight. Like Karen said, one of the nuts bled their colour into the other nuts & they all look brown as if burnt. LOL. I baked them but only for about 4 hours. They’re a bit moist but still taste fine. I think I’ll have to invest in a dehydrator.

Soaked my almonds overnight with sea salt, rinsed them off, put them in my beloved dehydrator for 24 hours. . . . perfect. Crisp little morsels of pure joy. Sooooo worth it. Thank you :-)

I air dried pumpkin seeds I planned to roast, and now they have some gray blotches. Inedible?

I soaked my nuts overnight, split them into halves before oven roasting at 65 degrees celcius. This helps shorten roasting time and reduce storage space. But will the nutrients be compromised?

Nuts should be dried at 41C or 105F….150F as in the article destroys some of the benefits of nuts…

Not sure how often you’re checking in on emails, but here goes — I have your book, Back to Butter. And I notice in the book that you call for soaking most nuts and seeds for 24 hours, and for always using an “activator” like whey or lemon juice in the soaking water.

That’s a bit different from what you say here on the blog.

Anyhow, I just tried doing almonds for the longer time period (24 hrs) and using both salt and apple-cider vinegar in the soak water, then dehydrating for 24 hrs at 150.

What a difference! The nuts are waaaay crunchier and they’re much plumper. Before I was soaking for only 12 hrs with no activator and dehydrating at 135 degrees.

So thanks for that — much better technique. Now here’s my question — what about sunflower seeds? Should they get soaked for 24 hours as well, with an activator?

many thanks.