You might be wondering, why doesn’t Almo use activated almonds?
At Almo, we appreciate the health benefits of almonds and look out for our customers. We have chosen not to use activated almonds because:
Soaking does not improve gastrointestinal tolerance or acceptance as claimed in the lay literature”.
The process of activating almonds requires soaking the almonds. Almonds are soaked in salt and water for 7-12 hours. Afterwards, almonds undergo dehydration for 12-24 hours.
Activated almonds get rid of phytic acid. Soaked nuts aim to reduce phytic acid/phytate. Arguably, phytic acid can decrease the absorption of key minerals and nutrient bioavailability. Nutrient bioavailability is the proportion of nutrients that are available for the body to absorb and utilize.
There is no evidence to support claims that activating nuts reduces phytate content to the extent which allows for greater nutrient bioavailability.
Minerals play a key role in our metabolic processes. Humans can’t digest the phytate molecule in raw nuts. We lack the necessary enzyme (phytase enzyme). Therefore, humans don’t digest large quantities of raw nuts well. We can’t break phytic acid down, so eating large amounts of raw almonds can cause stomach discomfort. In hopes of reducing these stomach problems, some people activate their almonds.
Recently, the general public has been bombarded with messages advocating soaking (or “activating”) nuts in order to enhance their health benefits. However, there is currently no scientific evidence to support or refute such claims
Activated almond milk
Companies that sell activated almond milk tend to soak the almonds, but they do not dehydrate the almonds. Their almonds, therefore, do not fully undergo the activation process.
Also, the process of making activated almond milk tends to be incredibly wasteful. Soaked almonds are the key ingredient for activated almond milks. Then, the almond pulp is either discarded or used as pig-feed. Therefore, some activated almond milk companies, fuel an industry that is not vegan-friendly.
