Does soaking walnuts truly enhance their health benefits?

Soaking walnuts is a practice that is gaining popularity, especially among health-conscious individuals. Many people, including my mum, argue that soaking these nuts brings numerous health benefits. Let's examine the arguments for this method and whether it truly makes sense.

The main argument for soaking nuts is their phytic acid content. This compound can limit the absorption of certain minerals, such as iron or zinc. Therefore, it is often recommended to soak grains and legumes, which are richer in this compound than nuts.

Soaking nuts in water makes them easier to peel, as the moisture causes the shells to become more flexible and less attached to the nuts. After soaking, the nuts are easier to shell, allowing quicker and more convenient removal of the shells. Additionally, if the nuts are soaked with a pinch of salt, this process can further soften the shells, making them easier to separate.

While intuition suggests that if soaking helps with other products, it should also work with nuts, scientific studies do not fully confirm this thesis.

• Reduced phytate content: Some studies have observed a slight decrease in phytic acid levels in nuts after soaking. However, this reduction was minimal enough that it did not significantly affect the bioavailability of minerals.
• Loss of other nutrients: During soaking, some water-soluble vitamins and certain minerals can leach into the water, lowering the nuts' nutritional value.
• No impact on tolerance: Studies have not shown that soaking improves the digestive tolerance of nuts. People who have trouble digesting nuts may experience discomfort regardless of whether the nuts were soaked beforehand.

Walnuts, like other nuts, are a rich source of healthy unsaturated fats, protein, fibre, and many vitamins and minerals. Regular consumption of nuts is associated with numerous health benefits, such as reduced risk of heart disease, improved lipid profiles, and decreased risk of type 2 diabetes.