Re: Toasting and phytate removal

[Guest guest]

you could contact WAPF and ask them about the soaking and phytate reduction

info@...

>

> I was trying to find out whether toasting cereal grains before cooking

(instead of soaking) would effectively remove phytates. This study

> http://tinyurl.com/yl2xjoa seems to say in some cases it does a better job

than the long soak.

>

> My interest got piqued because in looking through old recipes for barley

cereal, it looks like one common method was to toast the grains before cooking.

It yields a very delicious and creamy result to grind the barley roughly then

toast it just before cooking. I tried soaking whole barley grains and then

cooking for a porridge but it was too chewy and I didn't like it.

>

> Evidently in some countries they even toasted barley until it was rather dark

and then made a tea of it.

>

> The article said a 19% reduction in phytates could be achieved by toasting the

wheat. With long soaking (germination) it could take 5 days to reduce the

phytates, and then it is variable. I'm guessing in Sally's recommendations

there is some bacterial activity at work, like sourdough bacteria, which do

reduce the phytates to almost none, but that would seem to require the right

starter and would result in a very sour breakfast cereal.

>

> Is anyone in WAP actually verifying that grains soaked as they recommend, are

indeed lower in phytates or is it speculation based on historical evidence?

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you for posting that link! I have been wondering about the truth on this

subject for some time.

I hesitate about asking the WAPF, but maybe I will all the same.

When I was a chapter leader and asked about this I never got a satisfying

response regarding studies that show that they are correct about what soaking

grains and nuts actually does - theories and personal anecdotes about grains and

nuts being easier to digest and how traditional people did things.

Perhaps someone has links to good studies that prove that soaking really does

what they claim?

I soaked with the best of them back then, but never noticed much of a difference

with my own digestion. Maybe I'm the anomaly, but that was how it was for me and

I gave up on it. I usually disliked the taste of soaked grain anyway - the

sourness that lingered after cooking, no matter how carefully I poured off the

soaking liquid before simmering in fresh water.

I rarely eat grains now (and I'm GF), but I'm still curious about this. I do eat

nuts ocassionally.

[Guest guest]

I also rarely eat grains. I don't notice any sourness when I soak them in whey

and water. as to nuts, I think they just taste better after being soaked in salt

water and dehydrated. I didn't notice any digestive troubles when I didn't soak

them prior to finding WAPF.

>

> Thank you for posting that link! I have been wondering about the truth on this

subject for some time.

>

> I hesitate about asking the WAPF, but maybe I will all the same.

>

> When I was a chapter leader and asked about this I never got a satisfying

response regarding studies that show that they are correct about what soaking

grains and nuts actually does - theories and personal anecdotes about grains and

nuts being easier to digest and how traditional people did things.

>

> Perhaps someone has links to good studies that prove that soaking really does

what they claim?

>

> I soaked with the best of them back then, but never noticed much of a

difference with my own digestion. Maybe I'm the anomaly, but that was how it was

for me and I gave up on it. I usually disliked the taste of soaked grain anyway

- the sourness that lingered after cooking, no matter how carefully I poured off

the soaking liquid before simmering in fresh water.

>

> I rarely eat grains now (and I'm GF), but I'm still curious about this. I do

eat nuts ocassionally.

>

[Guest guest]

I, too, am very interested in this question, especially since soaking flour and

then making bread is such a pain. I figured out how to make amazing WW bread

(soo much better than my mom's brick bread recipe that I grew up with) with

freshly ground flour, but I have yet to master the 2-stage bread soaking method.

It never turns out very well. And I don't notice a difference in digestibility

with the bread.

Where I do notice a big difference is when I soak our porridge overnight. I

usually use a six grain rolled combination instead of straight oatmeal. It

doesn't get sour tasting with whey or yogurt added to the water and is MUCH more

edible and delicious. Before I had trouble getting through a bowl of oatmeal

because my stomach would start hurting. Now I have no problem. In fact it may

digest too fast since I'm hungry again 2 hours later. I don't get to " feel my

oats " anymore like they say on TV (which is probably a good thing). This is

confirmed by my blood sugar readings. I have gestational diabetes (mild, easily

controlled by diet)and 2 hours after eating my soaked porridge my blood sugar

readings are barely higher than my morning fasting reading, and that is also

with adding some raw milk, dates, blueberries and 1/2 a banana. Just thought

that was interesting. Maybe I should do an experiment with NOT soaking and then

testing my blood sugar.

I tried soaking almonds for the first time and they are pretty good, but even 20

hours in the dehydrator wasn't enough to get them crunchy. My recipe called for

just an overnight soaking, but wouldn't it be better nutritionally to let them

sprout a bit? Would they ever get crunchy if they sprouted?

B.

>

> I was trying to find out whether toasting cereal grains before cooking

(instead of soaking) would effectively remove phytates. This study

> http://tinyurl.com/yl2xjoa seems to say in some cases it does a better job

than the long soak.

>