As a kid, I used to rush through my mornings but my parents made sure I never compromised on soaked almonds, I never questioned Why? I just ate it, but as I grew up, I wanted to know more about it - and its one of the frequently asked questions!

Why soaked almonds, and why not just regular rinsed almonds?
Whats the big deal about soaking them?

Here’s why:

Most important reason is to remove a chemical called “tannin” present in the outer brownish coat of the almonds.

• Tannins hamper the absorption of essential proteins in the gut and obstruct the iron absorption in the body.
• When almonds are soaked in water, the amount of tannins considerably decreases and gets collected in the water which can be discarded later.
• Helps removes remenant dirt
• Do you avoid consuming almonds because they are bitter? try soaking them, you'll find it sweeter! you may love this morning ritual because the almonds have a rich, creamy texture when soaked in water.
• This creamy texture also helps in making thicker almond milk
• Soaking and removing the coat make the almonds easier for digestion.
• It helps us absorb of all the nutrients present in the almond.
• When you soak almonds, you can prepare almond oil, almond milk, almond paste, marzipan, badam pak, badam halwa, and more!

How long should you be soaking almonds?

Soaked overnight in water, which is approximately 12 hours in total duration.

But, a minimum duration of 3-4 hours soaking in hot water will also do.

Things you can do with soaked almonds:

• Blend soaked almonds in a blender, make sure there are no hard edges, and becomes an almond meal almost
• Add some milk/alternate milk/yogurt

Use it as a gentle scrub for your face, body..and scalp!

Thick homemade almond milk:

Ingredients:

• Soak 20 almonds overnight
• 375 ml of water
• A pinch of himalayan salt
• 1 tsp virgin cold pressed coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp edible lavender essence/vanilla essence/honey/maple syrup (optional) - we love using lavender essense or vanilla essence, especially works well if using this for pancakes or coffee!

Method:

• Blend them all together in a blender
• Sieve through a muslin cloth
• And enjoy your thick almond milk

Video Link: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CNNJQPMpJ9M/?utm_medium=copy_link

I have always been attached to age-old wisdom which is passed down from generations, combining that with contemporary science - and finding a balance that I can personally follow! Hope you find benefit in this as well.

Disclaimer: these are general guidelines not based on a personal consultation, always speak to your health care professional/nutritionist for specific issues