• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
The Healthy Home Economist

The Healthy Home Economist

embrace your right to a lifetime of health

Get Plus
  • Home
  • About
  • My Books
  • Shopping List
  • Archives
  • Log in
  • Get Plus
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Get Plus
  • Log in
  • Home
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Archives
  • My Books
  • Shopping List
  • Recipes
  • Healthy Living
  • Natural Remedies
  • Green Living
  • Videos
  • Natural Remedies
  • Health
  • Green Living
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • Subscribe
Healthy Home Economist / Archives / Videos / Snacks and Sweets / How to Soak Seeds (and why you would want to)

How to Soak Seeds (and why you would want to)

by Sarah Pope / Affiliate Links ✔

Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
  • Why Soak Seeds?
  • Soaking Maintains Rawness
  • Do All Seeds Need to Be Soaked?+−
    • When to Skip the Soak
    • Seeds to Always Soak
  • 7 Steps to Perfectly Soaked Seeds+−
    • Time Challenged?

soaked seeds on a white plate

Raw seeds are an excellent addition to a whole food diet. To fully benefit from the nutritional benefits, however, soaking seeds before eating is a wise practice. The process is similar to the method for raw soaked nuts.

This mimics the preparation methods of healthy ancestral societies.

For example, seeds were a staple food of the Aztec culture. Preparation involved soaking the seeds in brine water and then drying them out in the sun. They consumed the seeds whole or ground into meal for baking after the drying process was complete. (1)

Why Soak Seeds?

Soaking seeds in salted water performs the function of increasing digestibility tremendously. Anti-nutrients such as phytic acid are neutralized, which allows increased absorption of minerals and overall improved nutritional value. (2, 3)

In fact, if raw seeds are not soaked before eating, the phytic acid will actually block mineral absorption! Soaking nuts in salted water requires a similar process to unlock maximum nutritional benefits.

The wise practices of traditional cultures teach us that the proper preparation of a food is as important as the food itself.

The mineral zinc is especially vulnerable to blockage by phytic acid in seeds. (4)

Many people are deficient in this critical nutrient even though they are getting adequate amounts in their diet. If you eat a lot of unsoaked seeds, try this home test for zinc deficiency to assess your levels.

You might be surprised to learn that you are not absorbing minerals from raw seeds adequately.

Soaking Maintains Rawness

Some may question the wisdom of soaking seeds because eating seeds raw preserves enzymes.

However, soaking seeds does not in any way impact rawness. Enzymes are 100% preserved when care is taken to follow a low temperature drying process.

You can either use a dehydrator or a warm oven to accomplish this goal.  The process for using a food dehydrator is described in the linked article.

I prefer to use a warm oven to dry out my soaked seeds. This is because I tend to soak large batches at a time, and an oven is more convenient to get the drying done all at once.

My oven has a “Warm/Proof” setting that keeps the temperature below 150 °F/ 65 °C, which is the temperature necessary to maintain rawness and preserve enzymes.

Do All Seeds Need to Be Soaked?

You may be surprised to learn that despite the importance of soaking seeds, not all seeds actually require soaking!

This is in contrast to raw nuts and legumes including beans which should all be soaked prior to cooking regardless of type.

Below is my guide for when to soak and when not to soak a particular seed.

types of seeds on spoons on black counter

When to Skip the Soak

There are two reasons why it might be safe to skip soaking a particular seed.

First, if the seeds turn into a gel-like substance when in contact with water, attempting to soak them is counterproductive.

Secondly, if a seed is not a regular feature on the menu or you will only be eating a tiny amount, then it’s acceptable to skip the soak.

Seeds that meet one or both of these criteria include:

  1. Poppy seeds (tiny amounts are used)
  2. Chia seeds (turn to gel in water)
  3. Flax seeds (turn to gel in water)
  4. Caraway seeds (tiny amounts are used)
  5. Sesame seeds (tiny amounts are used)

Seeds to Always Soak

Seeds that are generally used for snacking where a person would eat roughly a palmful on a regular basis will require soaking to enhance digestibility and unlock minerals.

These seeds include:

  1. Sunflower seeds
  2. Pumpkin seeds
  3. Hemp seeds
  4. Sesame seeds

Note that I included sesame seeds on both the “soak” and “do not soak” lists. This is because depending on your usage, you may eat a lot or just a few. For example, if you sprinkle a few sesame seeds on top of your sourdough hamburger buns, then you don’t need to soak them first.

However, if you use sesame seeds for grinding into tahini (sesame seed butter), then you will definitely need to soak them first!

If there is a type of seed you are considering that is not listed above, simply apply the guidelines I’ve outlined to determine if they require soaking.

7 Steps to Perfectly Soaked Seeds

Once you’ve determined that a particular seed needs soaking, how do you do it?

The process is very straightforward. Follow these steps and your seeds will be ready to eat in no time.

  1. Place 2 cups of raw seeds in a large glass bowl with water to cover. Do not mix seeds to minimize the risk of mold.
  2. Stir in 1 tablespoon of sea salt.
  3. Leave uncovered on the kitchen counter about 8 hours or overnight.
  4. Drain seeds. Rinsing is unnecessary unless you wish to remove the salt from the seeds.
  5. Spread the seeds evenly in a large stainless steel baking pan.
  6. Dry in a warm 150 °F/ 65 °C oven for about 12 hours. Use a food dehydrator if you prefer.
  7. Store raw seeds that have been soaked/dried in an airtight container in the pantry or refrigerator.

The three-minute video below demonstrates this process with some of my personal tips for keeping things practical in a busy household!

Time Challenged?

If you are time-challenged to the point where you don’t have the time to soak seeds that you enjoy eating regularly, then I suggest this brand of soaked/sprouted seeds as a convenient alternative.

References

(1) Nourishing Traditions Cookbook
(2) Effects of Hull Scratching, Soaking and Boiling on Antinutrients
(3) Study of germination, soaking and cooking effects on the nutritional quality of goat pea
(4) Effect of soaking and sprouting on iron and zinc availability

FacebookPinEmailPrint
Category: DIY, Healthy Living, Snacks and Sweets
Sarah Pope

Sarah Pope MGA has been a Health and Nutrition Educator since 2002. She is a summa cum laude graduate in Economics from Furman University and holds a Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

She is the author of three books: Amazon #1 bestseller Get Your Fats Straight, Traditional Remedies for Modern Families, and Living Green in an Artificial World.

Her four eBooks Good Diet…Bad Diet, Real Food Fermentation, Ketonomics, and Ancestrally Inspired Dairy-Free Recipes are available for complimentary download via Healthy Home Plus.

Her mission is dedicated to helping families effectively incorporate the principles of ancestral diets within the modern household. She is a sought after lecturer around the world for conferences, summits, and podcasts.

Sarah was awarded Activist of the Year in 2010 at the International Wise Traditions Conference, subsequently serving on the Board of Directors of the nutrition nonprofit the Weston A. Price Foundation for seven years.

Her work has been covered by numerous independent and major media including USA Today, ABC, and NBC among many others.

You May Also Like

pili nuts on a white plate

Pili Nuts. Most Keto Friendly Edible?

breast thermography

Thermography: A Perfect Alternative to Mammograms?

Medical Insurance: In Pursuit of Health?

Medical Insurance: In Pursuit of Health?

Is Tuna Safe to Eat Post Fukushima?

Is Tuna Safe to Eat Post Fukushima?

Pregnancy Diet Affects Child’s Obesity Risk

healthy salt on a metal tablespoon

Why Low Salt Diets Are Incredibly Harmful to Health

Feeling Tired More Than You Should?

Get a free chapter of my book Get Your Fats Straight + my weekly newsletter and learn which fats to eat (and which to avoid) to reduce sugar cravings and improve energy significantly!

We send no more than one email per week. You will never be spammed or your email sold, ever.
Loading

Reader Interactions

Comments (20)

  1. Allison

    Jan 7, 2025 at 11:35 am

    Wonderful info thank you! I’m wondering if you have any tips re dehydrating seeds. Asking because my oven doesn’t go down to 150 and the trays of my dehydrator have holes too big to hold the seeds. I’ve been using parchment paper or towels on the trays then spreading out the seeds on top of the paper or towel. These don’t seem like great solutions to me because the paper gets soggy and the seeds stick to the towels. Wondering if you have any suggestions? Again huge thanks!

    Reply
  2. BM

    Apr 18, 2024 at 8:44 pm

    What is the purpose of the salt in the soaking recipe? Do you have to use salt to soak seeds or nuts? Or can it be left out of the water?

    Reply
    • Sarah Pope

      Apr 19, 2024 at 7:13 am

      It makes the neutral water pH alkaline in order to break down the antinutrients. Plain water will not work nearly as well.

  3. Samia

    Feb 7, 2024 at 1:14 am

    Just a thought here. My understanding of the negative effects of raw seeds and nuts is that the minerals which would be blocked include iron and zinc, or so I have read However, some people consume red meat regularly, which is excessively high in these 2 minerals. So, consuming raw seeds (as opposed to soaked dehydrated ones) would at least not add to the already high quantity of minerals in the meat-centered diet, thereby avoiding over-mineralization but you would still receive the benefits of unheated oils and protein. High levels of mineral are associated with health problems. Yes, insufficient mineral intake is also unhealthful. I do soak most of my seeds and nuts.

    As always, the devil’s in the details and (sorry about the cliche) we have to see the whole picture. Many thanks for the useful info on your site.

    Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Sidebar

Mother Nature’s Medicine Cabinet

5 Secrets to a Strong Immune System

Loading

The Healthy Home Economist

Since 2002, Sarah has been a Health and Nutrition Educator dedicated to helping families effectively incorporate the principles of ancestral diets within the modern household. Read More

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Check Out My Books

Mother Nature’s Medicine Cabinet

5 Secrets to a Strong Immune System

Loading

Contact the Healthy Home Economist. The information on this website has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease. By accessing or using this website, you agree to abide by the Terms of Service, Full Disclaimer, Privacy Policy, Affiliate Disclosure, and Comment Policy.

Copyright © 2009–2025 · The Healthy Home Economist · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc.