It looks like you're new to The Community. If you'd like to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Login Here Signup Here Signup using FacebookI’m not much for dehydrated foods, but decided to get an inexpensive model for drying soaked nuts…at least for now. I just purchased a Nesco American Harvest and want to know a pretty reliable range of time for dehydrating Almonds, Brazil nuts and Walnuts. From what I understand, Almonds should be soaked a min. of 8 hrs, Walnuts 1-2 hrs, and I’m not sure about Brazil nuts. If someone could clarify the soaking times for nuts as well, I would greatly appreciate that as well.
Comments
Nuts typically soaked up to 48 hours changing the water 2-4 times a day. Seeds and grains up to 24 hours changing water 2-4 times a day.
When changing the water, rinse the nuts/seeds. If they smell, keep rinsing until the smell goes away. If the smell does not go away, throw them out… they are bad.
Store in refrigerator in water… or dehydrate.
These are for germinating. If you are sprouting, check out www.sproutpeople.com
Here’s what Rainbow Green Live Food Cuisine and I Am Grateful (Cafe Gratitude cookbook) (combined with my own experience), has to say about soaking times:
almonds: 10-12 hours pecans: 1-2 hours brazil nuts: no enzyme inhibitors, per Cafe Gratitude cookbook, and not necessary for me, but if you have problems, soak 1-2 hours mac nuts: not necessary, highly digestible as far as nuts go. Soak 1-2 if you have issues. pumpkin seeds: 4 hours sunflower seeds: 4 hours pine nuts: not necessary, according to Rainbow Green, but for me, I need to soak 1-2 hours flax: I grind in a spice grinder, no soaking required hemp: no soaking required, even though I’ve read there are enzyme inhibitors. I think hemp is pretty digestible overall, though. sesame: 4 hours cashews: 7-8 hours, per sunfood.com jungle peanuts: 6-8 hours, per sunfood.com hazelnuts: no enzyme inhibitors, per Cafe Gratitude cookbook, and not necessary for me, but if you have problems, soak 1-2 hours (maybe more if they’re not grinding adequately in your smoothies)
Have fun soaking, dehydrating and creating!
Thank you for sharing the information from your books…this really helps a lot. I didn’t realize that you don’t have to soak Brazil nuts. I figured it was one of the nuts with brown skins (tannins) and that they should be soaked like almonds. I’ve always wondered if you are making a nut pate or raw desert, and decided not to soak first, if the process of being blended with moisture and enzymes from the other ingredients helps break down the enzyme inhibitors in the nuts or seeds. If someone has an answer, I would love to hear the explanation.
You’re welcome!
Oops! I forgot pistachios: soaking not required, per Rainbow Green, but soak 1-2 hours if you have issues.
Maybe you have a point about the tannins in Brazil nuts. Here’s some wonderful info from member luv-2B-raw I’ve copied and pasted from the Raspberry Hazelnut Cookies recipe on this website. She believes all nuts should be soaked.
luv-2B-raw writes: (January 24, 2008)
achin70
As far as dehydrating times go, I’m not really sure. I just usually dehydrate at 115 degrees for about 12 hours, until the nuts or seeds are dry and crunchy. If you dehydrate longer, it probably won’t hurt, as long as the temperature remains low.
Also, here’s a little more info: I use the Excalibur, and supposedly, the temperature inside the dehydrator is 20-25 lower than the setting. Don’t know about the Nesco brand.