We use activated sunflower & pumpkin seeds in our Nori sticks. These are seeds that get woken up by soaking them. The dormant seed begins to grow and becomes active, often this is seen as the first signs of the seed sprouting. The reason for activating the seeds is that there is a chemical change that happens and this makes them easier to digest and allows for better nutrient absorption. By drying them at low temperatures none of the nutrients are damaged.
Why do we soak the seeds?
Raw nuts and seeds that have not been soaked and rinsed before consumption can lead to all sorts of health problems.
Raw nuts and seeds have high levels of phytic acid. Phytic acid is a substance that serves a beneficial and protective purpose for nuts, seeds, legumes and grains before they have germinated. It coats the outsides of these would-be plants in order to keep them safe from outside elements before they can be put in the ground and gardened. However, as good as phytic acid is for these nuts and seeds, it’s not so good at all for humans to consume high amount of phytic acid which contributes to a number of health-related issues, including gastrointestinal distress and even malnutrition due to mineral deficiency. Thus, it’s important to keep an eye out for foods that contain phytic acid and to take steps to strip it away before eating them.
These foods are also high in phytic acid and should ideally be soaked before being eaten in their raw form.
Nuts of all types (almonds, cashews, walnuts, etc.)
Most seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, flax, sesame, etc.)
Legumes and beans (navy, black, kidney, pinto, etc.)
Grains (wheat, oats, barley, etc.)
