Why walnuts should be soaked before consuming in any season | The Times of India (2024)

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Why walnuts should be soaked before consuming in any season | The Times of India? ›

Walnuts, like many nuts, contain natural compounds that inhibit enzyme activity and can make them harder to digest. Soaking these nuts helps neutralize these compounds, breaking down enzymes that can interfere with nutrient absorption and digestion.

After a couple of hours, much of the dust, residue, and tannins from the skins are released into the water and the nut emerges with a smoother, more palatable flavor. You'll notice that soaked walnuts do not have that astringent, mouth-puckering taste to them.

Soaked walnuts offer numerous health benefits, particularly in winter. They are rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and other essential nutrients. Soaking enhances nutrient bioavailability, facilitates digestion, and helps maintain skin health.

Soaking walnuts overnight can help reduce its phytic acid content, which is basically an anti-nutrient that can interfere with the absorption of essential minerals from foods such as calcium, iron, and zinc. This further helps in improving the digestibility of walnuts.

Immunity building: Walnuts have antioxidant properties that improve the immune system. Especially in Summer, soaked walnuts help keep illness at bay. Reduce Inflammation: Walnuts have compounds called polyphenols that aid in combat inflammation and oxidative stress.

Omega-3 fatty acids, known for their heart-healthy properties, are more readily absorbed when walnuts are soaked, boosting cardiovascular benefits. Antioxidants become more available, helping to combat oxidative stress and inflammation, while vitamins and minerals contribute to improved overall wellness.

Excessive consumption of walnuts may cause diarrhea, bloating, stomach pain or kidney stones. Too many walnuts may also inhibit the absorption of dietary iron, calcium and zinc.

Roasted walnuts can also be a nutritious option to eat in summer. Roasted walnuts can be consumed along with cooling herbs like fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, and mint leaves.

"Soaked almonds and walnuts are healthier than having them raw, because the process of soaking makes them more digestible and more easily absorbed in the body. So, all the nutrients and vitamins that they have, almost doubled up in the bio availability of those vitamins, when they are consumed soaked.

Adding them to your smoothies, salads, shakes, chutneys, breakfast cereal, desserts, dalia is also a good idea. "The best time to eat walnuts in summers is in the morning. You can soak 6 to 8 halves of walnuts at night and consume them on an empty stomach.

What happens if I eat 2 walnuts everyday? ›

Walnuts have shown promise in heart health for years thanks to their antioxidant content, but emerging research suggests eating this nut may help bridge nutrient gaps among adults and kids alike. Other research supports their benefits for gut health, memory, mood, blood sugar, reproductive health benefits and more.

Eating walnuts every day reduces your blood pressure and blood levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and apolipoprotein B, protecting your heart. Walnuts also contain fiber, which is good for digestive health and prevents colon cancer.

Walnuts have anti-inflammatory properties. Many diseases like diabetes, rheumatism, arthritis, and others are because of inflammation. Consuming walnuts every day helps in combating these diseases better. Walnuts (Akhrot) are fibre-rich.

Talking about soaked groundnuts, yes you can eat without peeling off their skin. There is no harm in that. Why do we soak walnuts before eating them? To reduce phytic acid, an anti-nutrient which reduces nutrient absorption while also having antioxidant (prevents disease, slows aging, etc) benefits.

As it accelerates the metabolism, people who want to get rid of their overweight are recommended to consume walnut water. A glass of walnut water drunk every day on an empty stomach helps to lose weight. With its rich content it is also recommended as a snack in diet programs.

Regularly eating walnuts has been consistently shown to decrease cholesterol levels . In a small 2017 study in healthy adults, eating 1.5 oz (43 g) of walnuts daily for 8 weeks produced a 5% decrease in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides compared to not eating walnuts.

"Soaking can also help prevent indigestion as it helps reduce gas forming compounds. It also reduces polyphenols and increase nutrient availability. Besides, soaking walnuts also improves their texture," says Bharadwaj. "Just soak 2-4 walnut pieces overnight in a cup of water and have them.

Leave them on the counter to soak for 4-8 hours. Loosely cover with a clean cloth, this allows the contents of the bowl to breathe. If you think that it will be longer than 8 hours before you can get to them, place the bowl in the fridge, making sure to change the water every so often.

Though walnuts can be eaten as it is by removing the outer shell, the best way to have them is by soaking overnight. Just soak 2-4 walnut pieces overnight in a cup of water and have them first thing in the morning. Soaking walnuts helps in reducing the bad cholesterol levels in the body.