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| Picture courtesy of Pete Evans |
So, it’s a bit of a hot topic around the traps of late, who knew nut soaking could elicit such controversy! In case you missed it, chef and TV presenter Pete Evans was interviewed about his diet for a newspaper column, and the ongoing public response has been incredibly surprising to me. Have a look below at the actual article.
The resulting Twitter onslaught included over 4000 comments about activated almonds, and how ridiculous and expensive they are. This column is something that appears each week in the paper, with a different person interviewed each week. It is not Pete dictating what others should eat, it is simply him sharing what he likes to eat. I found myself in conversations about this during the week, with others saying “…sure, he can eat what he wants, but he doesn’t have to be such a bourgeois wanker about it.” I find this so interesting (and frustrating). Yes, activated nuts from the health food shop are more expensive, but activating them at home is extremely easy, and no more expensive than normal almonds. Score! If Pete chooses to eat food that is easier on his digestive system and higher in nutrient value than the conventional version, good on him. This is not to say that you have to go through this process to eat a nut. But if he chooses to – great!
Activated nuts are simply nuts that have been soaked and dehydrated. The soaking breaks down phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors that can bind the the precious minerals (especially calcium, magnesium and zinc) found in nuts, making them less available for the body to digest. In nature, these enzymes are there inside the nut to prevent its growth until it has all the right conditions –
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