Soaking, Sprouting and Sourdough

Some of the recipes I will share with you on this blog include soaking (or sprouting) grains, nuts, or legumes before cooking with them. Also, I have already shared my recipe for sourdough bread. Below, I am including what Sally Fallon (author of Nourishing Traditions) says about the traditional method of preparing grains...

All grains contain phytic acid (an organic acid in which phosphorus is bound) in the outer layer or bran. Untreated phytic acid can combine with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and especially zinc in the intestinal tract and block absorption. This is why a diet high in unfermented whole grains may lead to serious mineral deficiencies and bone loss. The modern misguided practice of consuming large amounts of unprocessed bran often improves colon transit time at first but may lead to irritable bowel syndrome and, in the long term, many other adverse effects. Soaking allows enzymes, lactobacilli and other helpful organisms to break down and neutralize phytic acid. As little as seven hours of soaking in warm acidulated water will neutralize a large portion of phytic acid in grains. The simple practice of soaking cracked or rolled cereal grains overnight will vastly improve their nutritional benefits.

There is a link on the right side of this blog where you can order Nourishing Traditions from Amazon.com. I highly recommend reading this cookbook. The first 71 pages are a wealth of knowledge and then she includes a few pages at the beginning of each category with even more fabulous stuff. I can't rave about it enough. Really fabulous!