Nuts should not be soaked before eating.
When it comes to nuts, soaking them can have benefits such as improving digestibility and reducing anti-nutrients, says Dr. Preeti Nagar, nutritionist at the Noida International Institute of Medical Sciences (NIIMS) College and Hospital. However, some people prefer to consume nuts in their raw, unsoaked form to retain maximum nutrients.
“Among them, almonds, walnuts and many other nuts are often considered to be more nutritious when unsoaked. While soaking nuts can have benefits, choosing raw, unsoaked nuts is also a convenient way to enjoy their natural flavor and get the most out of their nutritional profile,” says Dr. Preeti Nagar.
Some nuts should not be soaked before consumption, including: cashews, almonds, corn kernels, walnuts, flax seeds...
Also according to nutritionist Preeti Nagar, it's important to listen to your body and choose the nuts that best suit you and your nutritional needs.
Why soaking isn't always good for all nuts
According to Dr. Preeti Nagar, some nuts don't need to be soaked because they don't contain digestion-inhibiting compounds or anti-nutrients of concern.
When these nuts are soaked, their flavor can change, becoming bland or even mushy, not as crunchy as when eaten dry.
Additionally, soaking some nuts can cause them to release water-soluble nutrients (like vitamins and minerals), and some of these can be lost in the soaking water. If you don't use the soaking water after soaking your nuts, you may lose some of the nutrients in the nuts.
“Some nuts like almonds and walnuts are high in healthy fats. When soaked, the fats in the nuts can be affected by water, leading to a reduction in quality and loss of nutritional value,” says Dr. Preeti Nagar.
Nutritionist Nagar asserts that not all nuts need to be soaked to maximize nutrition. Unnecessary soaking may not provide much benefit and may alter the texture, flavor, or even destroy some nutrients.
