Here’s Why You Must Start Your Day With These Soaked Nuts
Your morning rituals significantly influence your mood and overall health. Starting your day on a healthy note is often advised to optimize your well-being. Providing your body with the right nutrients should be a crucial part of your morning routine. Adding nuts to your diet is an effective way to ensure the intake of several essential nutrients. Starting your day with soaked almonds is an age-old ritual many follow. Recently, Nutritionist Lovneet Batra highlighted the importance of starting your day with soaked nuts, especially almonds and walnuts. “I start my day with a glass of water followed by soaked almonds and walnuts,” she said in a video.
Start Your Day with Soaked Walnuts and Almonds
“Starting your day with soaked almonds and walnuts is super energizing,” says Batra. “This healthy habit will help boost hormone health and provide energy for your workout. Always soak nuts overnight (for 8-10 hours). Soaking helps the nutrients absorb well,” she mentioned in the video.
Benefits of Soaked Almonds
Almonds are power-packed with protein, vitamin E, and magnesium. Batra informs that having almonds can boost your memory, improve digestion, and reduce cholesterol levels. These small nuts are nutritional powerhouses.
Benefits of Soaked Walnuts
Walnuts are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. They also offer vitamin E, folic acid, protein, and fiber. Known as brain food, walnuts help improve brain function. Furthermore, walnuts are a good source of calcium, potassium, iron, copper, and zinc. “Having soaked walnuts increases metabolism, controls blood sugar levels, and further helps in losing weight,” Batra adds.
The Importance of Morning Nutrients
Soaked almonds and soaked walnuts are two popular nuts known for their nutritional and health benefits. Both provide a wide range of essential nutrients like protein, fiber, fat, and minerals, making them valuable additions to a balanced diet.
The Tradition of Soaking Nuts
In many households, the morning ritual of eating groundnuts and walnuts soaked in water has become a habit. Maintaining good bone health, controlling high blood pressure, keeping ‘bad’ cholesterol in check, and ensuring proper brain function are just a few benefits of almonds. Morning snacks like milk oats, milk cornflakes, or mixed peanuts in smoothies are popular choices. Eating almonds regularly fills deficiencies in calcium, vitamin D, and E. These nuts contain healthy fats which are also good for the heart. Peanuts, with their low glycemic index, pose less risk of blood sugar spikes.
Soaking Nuts for Better Digestion
Soaking nuts in water for a long time makes them easier to digest, releasing many nutrients. However, whether to eat soaked almonds or dry almonds depends on individual preferences. Those who have problems with the fat in nuts should eat soaked nuts. Even if you have digestive issues after eating almonds, soaking them overnight can help.
Moderation is Key
Nutritionists recommend eating almonds regularly to address deficiencies in protein, vitamins, and various minerals. However, due to the high-calorie content, moderation is key.
Comparing Almonds and Walnuts
While almonds are heart-healthy, walnuts are great for brain health. Both of these superfoods are widely recommended by nutritionists. Our food habits play a huge role in our longevity, physical and mental health, and immunity. Eating a balanced diet with essential nutrients is necessary for living a disease-free and quality life. Nuts and seeds can be healthy additions to our daily diet as these tiny superfoods pack a powerful punch. Rich in fiber, protein, and micronutrients, nuts and seeds curb cravings, promote satiety, and support weight loss. Besides, they also prevent many chronic diseases due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Benefits of Soaked Almonds and Walnuts
Almonds and walnuts are some of the oldest and most popularly used nuts worldwide. Used in a wide variety of recipes, they are staple ingredients in many homes. Mornings are incomplete without eating 3-4 soaked almonds. Elders often encourage this habit for numerous reasons, especially the health benefits. Some chefs also prefer using soaked almonds in their recipes for better taste and texture. Soaked almonds taste better, and soaking in water softens their texture. After soaking, you can easily peel off the outer brown covering. When comparing soaked and dry almonds, soaked almonds offer more benefits due to their taste and increased nutritional value.
Enhancing Almond Nutrition by Soaking
Almonds are an excellent source of protein. They also contain fiber, vitamin E, and Omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for health and well-being. Soaking almonds can increase their nutrient absorption and make them more digestible.
How to Soak Almonds
If you’re looking for a simple way to make your almonds more digestible and nutritious, try soaking them overnight. Soaking nuts and seeds is an age-old tradition likely done out of necessity, as most nuts and seeds contain phytic acid, which can make them difficult to digest. Phytic acid binds to minerals like iron and zinc, making them less available to the body. Soaking nuts and seeds allows enzymes to break down the phytic acid, making the nutrients more bioavailable.
To soak almonds, simply place them in a bowl or jar with enough water to cover them completely and add a pinch of salt. Let them soak overnight, then drain and rinse before using. You can use soaked almonds in any recipe that calls for raw or roasted almonds—just be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Soaked almonds are also a great addition to oatmeal, yogurt, or smoothies.
Health Benefits of Soaked Almonds
There are many benefits of soaked almonds that make them a great addition to any diet. Here are some of the most notable benefits:
- Facilitates Easy Digestion: Soaking almonds makes digestion easier. Almonds are a rich source of fiber, which helps keep things moving smoothly in the digestive tract. Additionally, the soaking process breaks down some of the hard-to-digest parts of the almond kernel, making them more easily absorbed by your body. This can help prevent issues like bloating and gas.
- Supports Weight Loss: Soaked almonds can be a helpful addition to your diet if you are trying to lose weight. Almonds are a good source of protein and fiber, which can help you feel full and satisfied after eating. Additionally, the healthy fats in almonds help maintain stable blood sugar levels, preventing energy crashes that can lead to overeating.
- Enhances Nutrient Absorption: Soaked almonds enhance nutrient absorption. The soaking process breaks down phytic acid and other anti-nutrients that can block the absorption of essential nutrients. Soaking increases the bioavailability of vitamins and minerals, making them more easily absorbed by the body.
- Improves Brain Functionality: Almonds are rich in Vitamin E, which is known to benefit the brain. Soaking them helps release this vitamin, making it more easily absorbed by the body. Additionally, the soaked almond’s skin is softer and easier to digest, meaning more nutrients are available for the body to use.
- Lowers Cholesterol Levels: Soaking almonds can help lower cholesterol levels. Almonds are a good source of monounsaturated fats, which help reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL (good) cholesterol. They’re also high in fiber, magnesium, and vitamin E—all nutrients that support heart health.
- Improves Blood Sugar Levels: Soaked almonds improve blood sugar levels in both people with and without diabetes. The nuts contain magnesium, which has been linked to better blood sugar control, and they also help slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. Soaking the almonds before eating them makes them even more effective at regulating blood sugar levels.
- Enhances Skin Health: Soaked almonds offer several benefits for skin health. First, soaking almonds softens the tough outer skin, making them easier to eat and digest. Second, the nutrients in soaked almonds are more easily absorbed by the body, providing a boost to overall health. Third, the healthy fats in soaked almonds can help moisturize and protect your skin. Almond skin contains powerful antioxidants that help fight free radicals that can damage your skin. Eating a handful of soaked almonds each day can help keep your skin looking younger and more radiant.
- Improves Hair Health: Soaked almonds benefit hair health in several ways. For one, they are a great source of biotin, a water-soluble vitamin that helps with the metabolism of proteins and fats. Biotin helps keep hair follicles healthy and the scalp moisturized. Soaked almonds also contain a high amount of vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps protect the scalp from free radicals.
- Boosts Overall Energy Level: Soaked almonds are rich in energy-boosting nutrients like B vitamins, magnesium, and healthy fats. These nutrients work together to help your body produce energy and maintain a stable blood sugar level. Soaking almonds also makes them easier to digest, which further aids in energy production.
- Improved Taste and Texture: Eating soaked almonds is a great way to improve overall health and well-being. Soaked almonds offer improved taste and texture. Soaking softens the skins and enhances the flavor, making them more enjoyable to eat. Additionally, the nutrients in soaked almonds are more easily absorbed by your body.
Conclusion
Soaking almonds is an excellent way to enhance their nutritional value and make them easier to digest. There are numerous benefits to soaking almonds, including improved heart health, cancer prevention, and boosted brain function. If you’re looking for a nutritious snack that’s easy to digest, try soaked almonds. Starting your day with soaked almonds and walnuts can set a positive tone for the day, giving your body the nutrients it needs to thrive.
