Super Snacks: The Nutritional Benefits of Sprouted Nuts

Looking for a snack that’s super snackable and good for you? Nuts are nutritional powerhouses with heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, fiber, and minerals. Sprouted nuts have become a health trend due to their perceived health benefits such as easier digestibility and improved nutrient density. When Brad Searle was looking for a tastier and healthier alternative to the snackable mixes he saw on the shelf, he turned to his mother’s recipe for sprouted and roasted nuts that he enjoyed growing up. The foundations of ingredient transparency and maximum nutritional impact guide Nourishing Nuts, which Searle runs with partner Laura Jbeily.

Shelled nuts are soaked until they begin to germinate or sprout. The process of sprouting breaks down phytate (a phytic acid and storage form of phosphorus) located in the endosperm and bran. Phytate is considered an “anti-nutrient” and it has been suggested by research that it interferes with the absorption of some vitamins and minerals in the digestion process. It has been suggested by a small number of studies that the deactivation of phytate increases the bioavailability of Vitamin C and folate, and minerals such as iron, zinc, and calcium. 

“Our nuts are soaked for enough time (6-12 hours, depending on the nut) to remove anti-nutrients, such as phytates, and enzyme inhibitors. Why? To produce more bioavailable nutrients and allow for easier digestion, of course. To combat the fact that humans cannot produce phytase, which breaks down phytates, we soak the nuts long enough to wash this anti-nutrient away, but not long enough for the nuts to grow a tail.  We then dry them at low temperatures for 2-3 days to activate living enzymes and to enhance the effect of naturally occurring nutrients,” said Searle.

Enjoy Nourishing Nuts in a variety of flavors from Coconutty (sweetened with low glycemic date sugar) to Texas Chili to simple sea salt. Click here to shop the selection.

Research By Layla Mays


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