The Food Sensation Everyone is Doing Wrong

Soaked or “overnight” oats have been featured in many Instagram and blog posts as one of the latest food trends, yet most of us are preparing this morning dish incorrectly. Not only do you not reap the benefits of soaked oats, but by making them incorrectly you could be making matters worse for your gut, brain, and overall health.

On the flip side, properly prepared soaked oats provide an array of health benefits including improved digestion, enhanced access to minerals and nutrients in the food, less digestive discomfort, and a sense of well-being.

Why Are Soaked Oats Suddenly So Popular?

The reason soaking oats is so trendy right now is that it’s become a fast and easy way to enjoy a healthy breakfast without having to cook. Plus, it allows better access to digest the nutrients in these foods. Today’s GMO grains are harder to absorb and process, so many people realized they’d get the greatest amount of nutrition (and save some time) by soaking them overnight—which is how oats have traditionally been prepared for centuries.

Here’s another reason why you should soak foods like nuts, seeds, and grains. These foods contain antioxidants like phytic acid and phytates—which interfere with the body’s ability to absorb minerals properly, especially zinc, iron, manganese, and calcium. Phytic acid bound to these minerals may cause mineral deficiencies.

The best way to offset the problem is to soak grains (and nuts, seeds, and legumes) first. Here’s a recipe to follow as a proper way to prepare soaked oats.

Soaked Oats

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 cup of large flake or Irish oat groats
• 2 cups warm water
• ⅛ tsp unrefined sea salt
• 2-3 Tbsp souring liquid (kefir, whey, apple cider vinegar, buttermilk, yogurt or lemon juice)

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl, measure out the quantity of oats you wish to prepare. The ingredients listed above are for a double batch.
2. Cover the oats with twice as much warm water and add sea salt.
3. Add 2-3 tablespoons of souring liquid. My favorite is my homemade kefir.
4. Let the mixture sit on the counter, covered lightly with a clean towel.
5. Give the mixture 12-24 hours of soaking time IN THE SUN. Do NOT place it in the refrigerator. Just like a plant, soaking grains need sun and warmth.
6. When ready to use, simply measure the amount you wish to prepare and use it however you’d like. Note: soaked grains cook faster than non-soaked grains.

Notes

What You'll Need

• Measuring cups
• Mixing bowl

Here’s my lazy woman’s tip: I let the grains soak for another few days. By that time, the oats are so nicely pre-digested by friendly bacteria that they don’t require cooking.

As with all clean foods, and the Eat Clean® lifestyle that is my life’s work, I recommend traditional food preparation techniques and the consumption of whole, nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods. The recipes I’ve created do not call for refined sugars, as sugar is an anti-nutrient and an inhibitor of health.

To learn more about going sugar-free to boost your own health, participate in my current 4-week Strike Sugar™ Challenge. Four weeks of sugar-free eating will have you feeling like you’ve never felt before—INCREDIBLE!  

If you want to access a never-ending supply of Eat Clean® recipes and exercise plans, plus have access to my webinars and motivation, please consider joining any one of my membership plans.

With great love and wishes for wellness,

Tosca