I have previously mentioned that i had experienced not once but twice gotten my grain / nut turned rancid after soaking it continuously for 2 nights. I recaptured that the first one was whilst i soaked almond nuts and the second one was soaking brown rice. After these two experiences, i have learnt that it was not the 'over-soaking' duration that caused my nut and grain to turn rancid but the following steps which i have done incorrectly :
1. I put in a container which is way too small that my almond nut couldnt expand, not enough, i actually close with a lid and air tighten it. The nut couldnt breath !
2. I did not change water frequently enough, and because of that, it smells so badly and stinks that i had no choice but to toss them off.
Note: Persistently consuming rancid grain, bean or nut will cause sickening stomach and it is not healthy, trust your nose and do note some may not even know if is rancid sometimes ! Get a second person to reaffirm.
Further reading and researching has made me wiser and understand more about Phytic Acid and Enzyme Inhibitor. In short -
Phytic Acid / Phytate - Storage form of phosphorus that binds mineral absorption into our body.
Enzyme Inhibitor - Substance that protects grains, beans and nuts, thus act as an enzyme inhibitor in our digestive system and eventually put a strain to our digestion when we consume in large quantity. We may not able to digest it properly and some may experience stomach ache and bloated stomach.
I was all along looking at the full chart for my soaking duration. However, i find most of the grains, seeds and nuts did not differ much even i alter the soaking time alittle. Thus, i jotted the general soaking hours for easy reference below. Basically, i find legumes required longer soaking time because it is usually tough and required longer time to break down its phytate.
(i found out by looking at the water quality after soaking. For legumes, it takes 24 hours to notice a noticable changes in water quality eg became more frothy and thick in colour)
Recommended Soaking Time (in general) -
Method : Use warm water for soaking. Water level should always be double to triple the amount of your soaking element to cater for expansion. Always cover with a breathable lid, eg lid with steaming discharge hole, or with just a simple thin cloth.
Grains : 12 to 24 hours, the longer you soak, the more frequent you should change your water. You could add some pink salt to your grain while soaking it.
Beans / Legumes : 24 hours to 48 hours, the longer you soak, the more frequent you should change your water. You could add an acid medium such as juice of lemon or vinegar to your soaking ingredient and/or optional: dash of baking soda to reduce soaking time and to expedite the release of phytic acid should you be rushing.
Nuts / Seeds : 6 hours to 24 hours, the longer you soak, the more frequent you should change your water. You could add an acid medium such as juice of lemon or vinegar to your soaking ingredient.
In case you are still wondering whether is it necessary or worth to soak your grains for example, here is a chart showing the iron absorption level after soaking, picked from phyticacid.org.
If you are not able to soak your grains, nuts and seeds, it is better off without grains, nuts and seeds. Try to look into other food for the same nutrients that your are looking in replacement of your grains, nuts or seeds because consuming non-soaking ones may compromise on your nutrients absorption anyway.
I have also made a several conclusion based on my own findings -
* You can only reduce phytic acid but not totally eliminate it ...
(1) Adding vitamin C rich food such as strawberries or oranges into food with phytic acid can help to absorb the hidden minerals better. Some vegetables with high vitamin C are such as cauliflower, kale and parsley.
(2) It is okay to let your soaking ingredients to oversoak or sprout but the key way is to change water frequently enough so that it stays fresh while releasing phytate.
(3) Fermenting (eg sourbread or yeast in bread making) can help to reduce phytic acid due to the activation of 'phytase enzyme' (enzyme that break phytic acid), thus is another form of option for better consumption.
(4) Adding some animal protein to your food with phytic acid can help with the absorption of iron, zinc and other minerals. (except for dairy/casein which seems to be the opposite)
(5) Use vinegar in your food preparation to neutralize phytic acid.
(6) By incorporating a little seaweed (eg. kombu, wakame) in your soaking, your cooking duration may reduce to half as it turns soft quicker.
SOURCE:
http://www.phyticacid.org/
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-phytates-phytic-acid
http://www.healthbeyondhype.com/the-hidden-dangers-in-your-whole-grains-beans-nuts-and-seeds-ezp-138.html
http://foodmatters.tv/articles-1/the-benefits-of-soaking-nuts-and-seeds
