Are you gluten sensitive? It may be the phytates. Whole grains contain phytic acid in the bran of the grain. They help keep the seed from germinating until the proper conditions are met. That's great for the seed, but not so great for us. Phytic acid inhibits our absorption of key minerals such as calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and zinc. So even if you have made the switch to a whole foods diet, you may not be getting all the nutritional value you should. In fact, you may even create some new problems with digestion and assimilation. Many people who have digestive problems when they eat gluten are actually reacting to the fact that the phytates are still in the grain, thus hindering their ability to digest the gluten.
If you are going to do the work needed to provide yourself and your family with a whole foods diet, shouldn't you get all the benefits available? I think so. But what do you do about those pesky phytic acids?
Soaking, fermenting, or spouting the grain before cooking or baking will neutralize most of the phytic acid and release the nutrients for use by your body. Pre-preparing your grains will allow enzymes (something we don't get near enough of in the standard American diet), lactobacilli (pro-biotics), and other good organisms to neutralize the phytic acid and also break down complex starches, irritating tannins, and hard to digest gluten and other proteins. In the book, Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon and Mary Enig say, "...virtually all preindustrialized peoples soaked or fermented their grains before making them into porridge, breads, cakes and casseroles." It is a kitchen practice that has been largely lost in America today. The only time we allow our grains to soak or ferment is when we make sour dough bread. But even the Quaker Oat box used to list the directions for soaking your oats before cooking them, and many other cultures still pre-prepare their grains for use. Soaking your grains before baking actually improves the texture of the grain resulting in a lighter, tastier end product. All it takes is a wee bit of planning.
This week I will tell you how to soak your grains to release their full nutritional potential. I will be giving you some recipes and telling you about the cookbooks I use nearly every day. So don't give up on eating whole grains just yet. We are about to embark on an adventure for your tastebuds.
