properly prepared hard-shelled nuts!
did you know, nuts and seeds, of any kind, are not as healthy as we think? unless we learn to prepare them properly!
what’s does ancestral wisdom tell us about nuts and seeds?
non-modernized populations consume the bulk of their foods form animal foods and produce, some starchy things, and a little fruit depending on the season. on occasion they will go for grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes, depending on what amount of their primary food supply is available.
Dr. Weston A. Price from the Weston A. Price foundation noticed that if and when healthy populations decided to consume seeds, they would go through deliberate preparation methods to make them more digestible and more nutritious.
what does science say about nuts and seeds?
lab analysis confirm, inside nuts and seeds are problematic factors known as anti nutritional factors or anti-nutrients that plants use to discourage the consumption of their offspring – seeds.
our client experience?
working with hundreds of clients in our private practice, and over 1,500 in our SHT program, we definitely notice that most do well on animal meats, healthy fats, nutrient-dense vegetables, roots, tubers, and bulbs. many that have issues with what we call our “suspect” foods or grey areaish foods, specifically full-fat dairy, nightshades, and nuts, seeds, and legumes.
from our own client experience we see most people adopting a real food way of eating do ok on a few nuts, but don’t do well on a lot, and we see many people having issues when consuming them, including digestive issues, skin issues, and allergic symptoms.
what we recommend.
- hard-shelled nuts tend to be the less problematic of all the seeds and also have a great nutrient profile, especially when prepared properly. consume a mix of nuts, staying away from peanuts, and being sure to include Brazil nuts which are high in selenium.
- the evolutionary template for nuts and seeds is a COMPLIMENT to a real food way of eating, not the bulk of calories. we recommend consuming no more than a handful per day of mixed nuts.
- properly prepare your hard-shelled nuts by soaking for at least 24 hours, preferably with an acidic medium that facilitates the growth of beneficial micro organisms (we love to use full fat yogurt). after soaking, rinse, and dehydrate or lightly roast until crispy. you can always add to the roasting process your choice of seasonings. we LOVE to use unrefined Himalayan salt, vanilla extract, and honey :)
things you’ll need.
- download our hard-shelled nuts PDF below.
- I like to order from Nuts.com because they are very reliable and pricing is good. for raw mixed nuts it’s about $10 per pound, I do a 5lb bag of raw mixed, which includes brazil. then I throw in 1lb of macadamia nuts, and 1lb of walnuts. the average price per pound comes out to be 11.50.
- for the acidic medium, we prefer using full-fat organic yogurt. you may also use Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar.
- if using a dehydrator, we love this one.
- if using low-heat oven roasting, make sure you have some cookie sheets :)
- we LOVE to use unrefined Himalayan salt, vanilla extract, and honey :)
