If you’re all about that whole + clean eating game, then surely you value your whole grains as a necessary food group for their abundance of satiating fiber, detoxifying B vitamins, essential trace minerals and you just gotta love those rice bowls… anything goes!
But what if these healthy grains you’ve been relying on to bring you health aren't actually delivering their maximum benefits to your bod?
Or eek...What if grains could possibly be the culprit of feeling weighed down with bloat and discomfort?
Huh? How could that be?
The answer lies within phytic acid; an evolutionary measure taken by grains to fight off bugs from nabbing their nutrients. But, it spells trouble for us and our quest to eat for health.
Us humans do not have the enzyme to break down phytic acid and as it runs through the GI tract, it irritates and binds up critical nutrients that are essential for stress management, metabolism and overall physiological function. Essentially, phytic acid is a power-hungry anti-nutrient, gobbling all the ‘+’ you put into your body, while you just end up just feeling ‘-’.
Solution over here!Soak those grains before you cook ! It may be one extra step, but with a little planning ahead, you and your digestive tract will be in full gratitude mode.
When you soak your grains in water, it helps to break down and remove that layer of phytic acid. What’s this mean for you:
- Higher yield of bio-available nutrients, vitamins and minerals for you to absorb and benefit from.
- Your body will spend less time and energy on digestion, relieving the feelings of tiredness or discomfort after eating.
DO THIS: In a large bowl, scoop your grains (like our Good Life staple, brown rice!) and add a splash of lemon juice or Apple Cider Vinegar (the acidic medium to help break down the shell) and completely submerge with water. Then tightly cover and soak overnight (or up to 24 hrs) for an ‘out-of-sight-out-of-mind’ kinda experience.
If you’re like us and intentionally eating for health, we say: do it with intention and gusto! Don’t let phytic acid — or anything else! — get in the way of your dreams. ;)