Raw Nuts

Doolee

Recently I bought some almonds in The Nutshack in Rathmines and I asked a very helpful guy there if they were "Raw". He assured me those particular ones were but also mentioned that it depends on the country they come from as there was something in the media a while back about certain countries selling nuts as being raw but had actually been heat treated at some stage. Does anyone know what countries are reliable in selling actual raw nuts - Im talking about those ones you can get in supermarkets not just health food shops...:)
thanks all!

Mentalmiss

As a raw foodist I never buy nuts from anyone who will not stand over their product as most nuts are heated to remove the shell.
As a result I buy from internet sites only.
I am happy to buy my seeds from the health food shops as I can do a sprout test on them to check them out.

Mellor

Mentalmiss wrote: »

As a raw foodist I never buy nuts from anyone who will not stand over their product as most nuts are heated to remove the shell.
As a result I buy from internet sites only.
I am happy to buy my seeds from the health food shops as I can do a sprout test on them to check them out.

What exactly are the benefits of not eating heat treated nuts?

cormie

Mellor wrote: »

What exactly are the benefits of not eating heat treated nuts?

The raw food belief is that anything heated over 42 degrees Celsius will lose most nutrients and are harder to digest as the body has to go to more effort to process anything heated over this temperature thus using more energy/causing tiredness.

Mentalmiss

Raw foods come with their own enzymes so your body does not have to divert important enzymes from their naturally allotted tasks in order to digest your food.
At 46 degrees the enzymes start to die off.
Most believe that you are born with a store of enzymes and when you have used them all up you get disease and die.
Their is also a thing called "Digestive Leukocytosis" to worry about
http://www.healthe-livingnews.com/articles/are_enzyme-deficient_foods_making_you_sick.html

cormie

The more you read into these things, the more you have to worry about so be careful or you'll find negativity all around you.

Mellor

Mentalmiss wrote: »

Most believe that you are born with a store of enzymes and when you have used them all up you get disease and die.

I'd question the use of most in the above.

Mentalmiss

Mellor wrote: »

I'd question the use of most in the above.

We were discussing what Raw Foodists believe. I think that I could replace the Most with All.

Doolee

Thanks for the replies...I guess I'll just stick to buying them in health stores and asking the assistants if they are raw as opposed to chancing it in supermarkets. Im not a raw foodist but hey, if you can eat something when its at the best it can be for your bod then why not!

Zippitydoo

Doolee if you soak your nuts in water overnight it activates the enzymes in them, making them healthier. Not always feasible however.

Mentalmiss

Zippitydoo wrote: »

Doolee if you soak your nuts in water overnight it activates the enzymes in them, making them healthier. Not always feasible however.

What soaking does is it removes the enzymes inhibitors. All seeds and nuts are designed to pass through our digestive systems without being absorbed. If you remember back to your inter cert biology class, passing through the digestive system of an animal was listed as one of the ways that plants had to disperse their seeds (and nuts are the seeds of the larger plants).
This process is facilitated by the action of the enzyme inhibitors which protect them from the digestive juices of the animal.
They pass through intact and then sit where they land waiting for water. They will remain there in an inactive state until they detect the presence of water and then they will spring to life.
All seeds and nuts are better soaked before eating. I soak the entire bag over night and then re-dry them in the dehydrator and store for use.

Doolee

Hey,

I did soak some nuts recently but didnt really like how they became sort of soft and lost their crunch after but will do it again anyway...think of the enzymes! This is all great info. While we're on the subject too I was reading about enzymes before and it explained that all raw foods have the right amount of enzymes to enable the body to process the fats and proteins nutrients etc from that given food, but when we eat processed refined foods the body has to use its stored supply of enzymes normally used for fighting illness to process the digestion of good stuff...so if we do get a little infection theres not enough there to fight it properly and so we get sick!
Interesting me thinks. Thank God for enzymes!

NGO

Mentalmiss wrote: »

As a raw foodist I never buy nuts from anyone who will not stand over their product as most nuts are heated to remove the shell.
As a result I buy from internet sites only.
I am happy to buy my seeds from the health food shops as I can do a sprout test on them to check them out.

Hey Mentalmiss,

I read once in a book that shelled nuts are better than de-shelled (all raw) - I looked around on google for a while and couldnt find out why. I assumed they would just have a machine to smash the shell and then filter out the debris. All almonds from the states have to be heat treated by law so I'm always worried when buying them as 41% of worlds supply of them come from the US.
If you dont mind could you tell me the link where you buy yours please?

thanks

Mentalmiss

NGO wrote: »

Hey Mentalmiss,

I read once in a book that shelled nuts are better than de-shelled (all raw) - I looked around on google for a while and couldnt find out why. I assumed they would just have a machine to smash the shell and then filter out the debris. All almonds from the states have to be heat treated by law so I'm always worried when buying them as 41% of worlds supply of them come from the US.
If you dont mind could you tell me the link where you buy yours please?

thanks

http://rawfromthefarm.com/default.aspx

I mostly buy from this source and I buy a little from Mat Monarch,s site
http://www.therawfoodworld.com/
I actually bring them in my luggage when I return from the US. I buy 5 lb bags and put them in the freezer.

NGO

Mentalmiss wrote: »

http://rawfromthefarm.com/default.aspx

I mostly buy from this source and I buy a little from Mat Monarch,s site
http://www.therawfoodworld.com/
I actually bring them in my luggage when I return from the US. I buy 5 lb bags and put them in the freezer.

oh thank you, must have a look

Sapsorrow

It's probably best to buw 'raw' nuts to make sure the oils haven't been damaged by the heat treatment. Assuming that is that the heat treatment is high enough to do damage.
It's a myth that the enzymes in raw foods make their digestibility easier, it's basic physiology that we use our own unique human enzymes to digest our foods not those inherint to the plants themselves.

Vegan Wannabe

Wow this has opened my eyes. I always thought that if i had a banana or two and some almonds for breakfast, i'd be at least getting one raw meal that day.
[I'm not 'raw' or anything but I can see why you might be.]

My bag of almonds here then isn't actually as good for me as i thought? "Product of US. Packed in Italy"

Mentalmiss

Vegan Wannabe wrote: »

Wow this has opened my eyes. I always thought that if i had a banana or two and some almonds for breakfast, i'd be at least getting one raw meal that day.
[I'm not 'raw' or anything but I can see why you might be.]

My bag of almonds here then isn't actually as good for me as i thought? "Product of US. Packed in Italy"

It is still better than what most people have for breakfast so do not despair.
The almonds are heated but not cooked so while they are a little compromised they are not destroyed.