Do you ever feel bloated after you consume grains, legumes or even nuts and seeds? Ever eaten quinoa and then seen it appear in your poo? Fear not, you might not be sensitive to these foods–you may just not have prepared them properly.
Grains, legumes and nuts are meant to be soaked prior to cooking for optimal digestion. This is something that I definitely did not know about before I studied holistic nutrition, but it’s made a big difference for me.
The night before I cook quinoa or legumes, I leave them soaking in a pot (for at least 12 hours) with filtered water and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. When I’m ready to cook them, just rinse and cook as I normally would.
The soaking process activates enzymes making these foods more easy to digest. Since you are more able to digest these foods, their nutrient content goes up.
When buying nuts, seeds, or whole grains, look for ones that say “soaked” or “sprouted.”
Try this next time you eat grains, legumes, nuts or seeds and let me know if it helps your digestion. If you continue to have digestive issues with one or all of these foods, it could be a sensitivity or an underlying digestive issue. I am always here if you need a nutritionist!