Tree nuts, beans, legumes, seeds and grains contain superb protein and fat intended by nature for the perpetuation of their own species, NOT OURS!
Yes, you read correctly, they are very nutrient dense but they all have protective mechanisms in them that can cause us harm. They all contain very high amounts of enzymes that they must protect, if they are ever to survive in nature, and eventually grown into a plant or tree. The elements of rain, heat, cold and wind are very harsh on these little guys, so nature or evolution has devised a means of protecting them.
If you stop and think about it, what is their goal?
To cover the world in their own species.
We are very nieve to think we are the top of the food chain given that these plants are still on the planet and have been around for millions of years. They were here long before us and will probably still be here when we have gone. They have beaten the dinosaurs, ice ages and even now us.
These little things have very powerful enzyme inhibitors designed to protect them until they are in the ground under ideal conditions favourable to unleash their life-force and grow into a plant.
These inhibitors bind to our valuable nutrients and rob us of calcium, zinc, iron, copper, magnesium, copper and of course protein.
In fact they are so good at this, as they pass through your digestive tract they will bind to these minerals, stealing them off you, never to be seen again. In this manner if you eat them with other nutrient dense food, you are doing yourself a huge injustice.
They will cause bloating, inflammation, allergies, intolerances, low energy, constipation, immune disorders, infertility and ultimately rob your bones and teeth of minerals leaving you toothless and with knee and hip problems.
How many people have low magnesium, iron, calcium or zinc?
Your doctor may advise you, you need more red meat, your iron is low, but as long as you eat these foods they will steal your iron.
Imagine inviting a relative over each year at xmas, they bring a present, but when they leave they take your clothes, your video, a child and your car. That is what grains, nuts, seeds, beans and legumes do if they haven't been prepared correctly.
Now as humans, we aren't stupid, we learn from our mistakes (eventually, although some may take longer than others), we have learnt through the ages, of the horrendous consequences these things can have on our health if we are to consume them on a regular basis.
There is a reason Mexican's soak their beans and corn, there is a reason soy is fermented in Asia, there is a reason the Scott's soak their oats or that cultures like the Swiss learnt to make sourdough bread.
Are you seeing the picture?
Cultures around the world that rely heavily on these foods learnt that if they trick their food into germinating, such as soaking grains in water for 8-10hrs that these grains would think they were in their happy place and safe.
Now, for them to access their own enzymes and nutrients to grow, they must neutralise these toxins, otherwise they themselves can't grow.
Here lies the gold, soak all grains, nuts, seeds, beans and legumes overnight before eating, in fact try to cook your grains, beans and legumes and eat your seeds and nuts raw.
But wait, there's more
The worst of all these foods are the products made with refined versions such as white bread and rice, or products made with the concentrates of certain parts, such as psyllium husks or bran. These areas are extra concentrated in these inhibitors and although they may fool you into thinking you have more regular bowel movements, they ultimately cause irritation, bloating and malnutrition.
I cannot overemphasise the importance of these health robbers enough, they are long term insidious villains, much of disease and ill health is a direct result of us turning these things into fast food versions.
The amount of clients I have dealt with who were suffering from allergies, bloating, weight gain and pain in muscles and joints who were able to reverse these problems by taking a little more time to prepare their foods correctly.
You wouldn't eat a raw chicken breast would you? Of course not, you would be scared about salmonella.
Well the same warnings once applied to grains, nuts, seeds, beans and legumes.
Your Grandad's rolled oats use to have instructions on the side of the box to soak them.
If you treat them with care and prepare them properly, they will treat you with care.
Now do as the squirrels do, go soak your nuts!!
My name is Blair Harvey and I have had the pleasure of working at one of Australia's best Health Retreat's for the past fourteen wonderful years. Over those years I have had the delight of working with a spectacular kitchen team, we all have an immense passion for cooking good healthy food that is unique and tantalizing to your taste buds. Together we have not only developed our skills in cooking wholesome, nourishing and out right delicious foods, but we have been committed to broadening our knowledge of healing with whole foods and exploring the beauty of healthy living. Because of our enthusiasm in the benefits of foods and there healing properties I developed a blog to help us SHARE what we have learnt with the rest of the world.
You will find tasty gems of wisdom on health, food and healing, helping to expand your mind and revitalize your knowledge of healthy eating.