January 2021.

About this episode:

The debate on whether you need to activate nuts has been around for a while.

Supporters claim that activating (or soaking) nuts increases the availability of the nutrients in nuts by reducing phytate levels. Phytates have been referred to as nutrient ‘inhibitors’, as they can bind with certain nutrients and thereby prevent their absorption.

But what does the research say? We take a look at the evidence to answer the question ‘Do you need to activate nuts to reap their benefits?‘.

About today’s guest:

Rachel Brown is a professor at the Department of Human Nutrition at the University of Otago in New Zealand where she teaches. She conducts research in a number of areas, including her favourite – nuts and health, which she’s been involved in for more than 14 years.

Supporting resources:

Kumari S., et al. Does ‘activating’ nuts affect nutrient bioavailability? Food Chemistry 2020. 319: p. 126529.

Taylor, H., et al., The effects of ‘activating’ almonds on consumer acceptance and gastrointestinal tolerance. Eur J Nutr, 2018. 57(8): p. 2771-2783.

Credits

Host: Belinda Neville

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