Soaking Grains
Grains, legumes and nuts are healthy mainly due to their high fibre and mineral content. However, they must be prepared and cooked properly to maximise the nutrition and discard the toxins. Since the vegan diet omits all animal food, they rely heavily on grains, legumes and nuts for energy and nourishment. These foods must be prepared properly. Otherwise it can harm the body rather than nourish the body. Soaking Grains, Legumes and Nuts will: 1. Make them easily digestible. 2. Make them more nutritious. 3. Reduce cooking time. The longer you soak your grains, the quicker the cooking. 4. Remove indigestible sugars that promote gas. 5. Remove naturally-occurring toxins called phytic acid and lectin. These anti-nutrients prevent the absorption of minerals such as calcium, copper, iron and zinc. Soaking does not remove all toxins (phytic acids and lectins). That is why you can use a pressure cooker to continue to destroy the remaining toxins after you have soaked them. Soaking Time Barley and buckwheat need less than 2 hours soaking time. Recommended soaking time for all other grains is between 6 to 12 hours (overnight). Dried lentils, black eyed peas and split peas do not need to be soaked but still need to be rinsed thoroughly. How to Soak Grains (wheat, barley, oat, rye, rice, spelt) 1. Place your choice of grains in a bowl and cover with double the amount of water. For every 1 cup of grains, add 2 cups of water. Ensure you use filtered water. 2. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave on the bench for the recommended soaking time (6-12 hours). 3. Drain out the soaked water. Rinse with fresh water. The grains are now ready to use. If you don't want to cook them immediately, strain them and refrigerate them until needed. Use refrigerated grains within 3 days. How to Soak Legumes (dried beans, chickpeas, peas, lentils) 1. Place your choice of legumes in a bowl and cover with four times the amount of water. For every 1 cup of legumes, add 4 cups of water. Ensure you use filtered water. 2. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave on the bench for the recommended soaking time (6-12 hours). 3. Drain out the soaked water. Rinse with fresh water. The grains are now ready to use. If you don't want to cook them immediately, strain them and refrigerate them until needed. Use refrigerated grains within 3 days. Happy eating,
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