Traditionally in ancient cultures, all grains and legumes were soaked, sprouted, or soured before consumption. One reason for this was to make bread rise using the natural yeast that occurs in fermentation (sourdough bread).
While ancient wisdom gives us the tradition of properly preparing grains modern science gives us the understanding of why this is so beneficial for us today. All grains and legumes contain phytic acid which is an antioxidant that binds to minerals in the body. This deprives us of nutrients. Soaking, sprouting, fermenting and longer cooking times, breaks down phytic acid and makes more nutrients in the food accessible for us to absorb.
How does proper preparation work?
Consider this…
Wheat berries, grains of rice, oat groats, beans, and quinoa are all the reproductive part of plants that desperately want to survive and propagate themselves. Around the outside of the grain is a hard covering (the bran) that protects its nutrients and sustainability. The bran gives the grain a chance to survive in the digestive tract of an animal that may come along and eat the plant and seed. The seed may then be excreted and have a chance to grow. This is good for the plant but bad for the human digestive tract because it makes the grain hard to digest. When we simply grind wheat into flour or boil beans, we are making it easier to chew but we are not successfully breaking down that hard outer layer in a microscopic way.
However, when we soak, sprout or ferment grains and legumes we are tricking the seed into doing that work for us by allowing it to initiate its own growth process which it begins by breaking down its hard bran so that the new plant can emerge.
Why go to the extra work?
Besides allowing you to gain extra nutrients from your meal, properly preparing grains and legumes makes them more gentle on your digestion. Improperly digested grains and legumes can poke holes in the gut lining causing a leaky gut. Which is the root cause of inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and many other health challenges.
Traditional cultures included sourdough bread, beans, quinoa, ancient grains, oats, and rice in their daily diets as a source of nutrients to sustain their families. When we do the same except with quickly cooked oats, refined white flour, and unsoaked beans we are not supplying ourselves with nutrients and actually stripping our bodies of minerals.
It is especially important to properly prepare grains and legumes for young children whose digestive tracts are still maturing. Babies don’t produce the right enzymes to break down grains and legumes until at least 18 months old so grains should be excluded from the diet in the earlier months of infancy.
Nutrients in properly prepared grains and legumes
Beans - A rich source of folate, and fiber. Navy beans are high in copper and lentils are especially high in iron. Beans tend to cause less of a blood sugar spike than grains making them a very safe carbohydrate to include. Beans also have a beneficial effect on the gallbladder and contain enzymes that help to diminish morning sickness in pregnancy!
Freshly ground wheat - Is one of the highest food sources of vitamin E. Unfortunately as soon as the wheat berry is ground the vitamins start to deteriorate which is why if you are going to make your own wheat-based bread it is ideal to have a way to freshly grind your own flour.
Quinoa - Is actually a seed, not a grain (grains are technically the fruit of grasses and not classified as seeds) but it is eaten like a grain and still should be prepared with the same soaking and cooking as other grains. Quinoa is a good source of fiber, magnesium, iron, zinc, and folate. It is also high in quercetin and kaempferol which are anti-inflammatory antioxidants. In China quinoa is used to support breast milk production in new mothers.
Rice- The nutrients in rice are in the bran and germ (outer layer), which means that if we refine rice making it white rice we are losing most of the nutritional benefits. Rice contains some B vitamins, iron, magnesium, manganese, selenium, and phosphorus as well as phenols and flavonoids which are antioxidants that reduce premature cell aging.
Rice has small amounts of phytic acid (the nutrient-binding antioxidant) which means you can skip soaking rice although it should always be prepared with a longer cooking process (about 2 hours). Unfortunately, this excludes using a pressure cooker.
Oats - are high in manganese, copper, iron, and some B vitamins. Oats contain an antioxidant called avenanthramides, which support the production of nitric oxide, a gas that promotes circulation by widening the blood vessels. Oats are also great for supporting milk production.
Besides the specific nutrients that each of these provides, grains and legumes are a great way to add carbohydrates to a meal.
How to include grains in a balanced daily diet.
Unlike the food pyramid, I’m not advocating that grains and legumes should be one of your biggest food groups. Animal meats and fats are incredibly nutrients dense and should make up a substantial amount of the calories that you eat each day( Source, Source).
Some examples of how to include grains and legumes into your daily diet in a balanced way.
Breakfast:
2 eggs cooked in butter, ghee, coconut oil or lard, sprinkle of nutritional yeast on eggs (this adds flavor and B vitamins), 1 or 2 pieces of sourdough toast topped with butter or something fun like avocados and tomatoes.
Oatmeal that's been soaked overnight then boiled. Topped with butter and optionally collagen powder, berries, stevia, honey, cinnamon, chia seeds etc.
Leftover rice slightly warmed with raw milk and honey or an unrefined sugar like coconut sugar or panela sugar
Lunch or Supper examples:
A lunch wrap made with sourdough tortillas (you can buy these here)
Cold quinoa salad with tomatoes, olives, cucumbers and Italian dressing, plus a meat choice. (Recipe)
Chicken salad or egg salad sandwiches on sourdough bread.
Refried beans (that have been sprouted before boiling), with a taco meal.
You do not have to eat grains or legumes at 3 meals a day. Other good carbohydrate options are sweet potatoes, smaller portions of white potatoes (large portions can spike your blood sugar), fruit, and other root veggies.
Recipes for properly prepared grains and legumes
Below are some basic recipes to get you started with properly preparing grains!
Rice - https://traditionalcookingschool.com/food-preparation/soaked-brown-rice-recipe-baked-stove-top-options/
Beans - Multiple ethnic bean recipes as well as how to sprout beans https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/food-features/putting-the-polish-on-those-humble-beans/
Oats - https://www.westonaprice.org/fermented-oats-n-berries/#gsc.tab=0
Sourdough Bread - https://www.westonaprice.org/easy-sourdough-bread/
I like to get gluten-free sourdough recipes from cultures for health
