I've heard that soaking dried beans for 24 hours reduces the phytate level, allowing for greater access to nutrients. Is this true?

do I need to soak macadamia nuts for lectins or phytates?

What about frozen green soy beans (edamame, mukamame)? The instructions on the bag recommend only a brief cooking time (4-6 minutes). Is this sufficient to negate any anti-nutrient effects?

I put lentils in a weekly dish I cook. I put it on slow simmer for two hours. We have not had a problem. I have cooked this dish for over 25 years.

Isn't there a difference between the reaction of white rice vs. brown rice to rinsing and soaking? Since white rice is enriched by adding nutrients to the surface, it makes sense that these nutrients would be reduced by rinsing or soaking. However, according to the NIH, soaking brown rice increases the bioavailability of some of the nutrients. Is your recommendation not to rinse nor soak rice only referring to white rice?

Since many people are tending tiwards plant-based diets t(hat include nuts s% eeds as well as peanuts and other legumes) , what is your take n this : :People who regularly consume high amounts of phytic acid — such as vegetarians and vegans — can benefit from eating mineral-absorbing enhancers like garlic and onions. These foods increase the absorption of minerals like iron and zinc” ALso, do roasted peanuts and nuts have less lectins and phytic acid?

Would you agree with this statement (i.e. I really enjoy Planter unsalted peanuts): Raw peanuts contained the highest amounts of lectins, but this was significantly reduced with cooking. Both dry and oil roasted peanuts contained very small amounts of lectins, as did peanut flour and peanut butter.

How about soaking/sprouting nuts or seeds? Is there any benefit or harm in doing that?

I usually parboil my brown rice for 5 minutes, then drain and change the water and continue cooking (to reduce arsenic levels.) Would that also get rid of nutrients?

What brand of canned beans besides Eden pressure cooks the beans in the can?
I am too lazy to cook my own beans but Eden brand is very expensive. Dr.Gundry says that pressure cooking beans kills most of the lectins and I have noticed that when I eat them I do not get excess gas.

If you don't soak beans for the recommended time, do the phytates also reduce the amount of nutrients you can absorb from other food you're eating at the same meal, eg, the Ca in a glass of milk? And if so, how long does that effect last after eating?
Thank you.

You provide such valuable information, thank you for keeping us healthy

When I soak beans overnight, I find that most of the water has been absorbed by the beans. I do discard what is left, rinse, then use fresh water to cool.

However it seems that it isn’t removing much of the contaminants if it soaked into the beans????

Any thoughts?

If I am using canned beans, do I need to drain and rinse them (as the can says, but it seems that we are losing flavor & possibly nutrients)? Thank you.

We consume chick pea pasta and occasionally cheezies made from chick peas. Does anyone happen to know if the chick peas are soaked as a part of the manufacturing processs? I guess I need to make a call to the manufacturers!

What about lentils? I've never heard that lentils need soaking.

What about soaking nuts and seeds, such as almonds, walnuts, and sunflower seeds. Does that decrease the phytates? Does it also decrease nutrients?

I soak all my beans overnight, but what about using a pressure cooker which generally cooks beans between 20 and 30 minutes.? Thank you for your service.

Do you recommend soaking split green peas before cooking?

Looks like I need hypertext links in my recipes for all this excellent research and lucid conversation. Gratitude to all!

What about store bought hummus, made with chickpeas? How do we know if they have been cooked properly? I am looking at Cedar's brands label and it says organic steamed chickpeas.

I am curious about the many recipes for homemade falafel which most commonly instructs to soak chickpeas/garbonzos but not cook them. Any information about that? I love falafel and hummus, both of which are bean-based and have similar preparation instructions.

So reccomended soaking directions holds true for dry lentils & dry split peas?

Phytates do have some major positives.

Do you soaking recommendations also apply to legumes that are small and cook quickly, such as mung beans, split peas or lentils?

I would like to point out that deficiencies of iron, zinc, and calcium due to phytates are unlikely to occur in most people living in developed countries and eating a varied diet.

The deficiencies are common in populations whose diet (often due to famine, drought, poverty, refuge status) consists almost entirely of a single high-phytate food, supplemented, if at all, with small amounts of just a few other foods. Much of the research I've seen has been done to address this problem.

Although soaking beans in a particular way might be important for people who have reason to pay special attention to their intake of those minerals, my personal experience leads me to think that a healthy person with a varied diet does not have to worry about doing so.

I eat a serving of beans (cooked in their soaking water), a handful of nuts, and one to three servings of whole grains every day, and according to my blood tests am not even borderline deficient in iron, zinc, or calcium. (Besides fruits and veg, I eat a little dairy, occasional fish, but no other meat.)

I thought this might ease some minds.

When you say it's not worth soaking grains, does this extend to quinoa and buckwheat too?

Aren't the complex sugars part of the benefit of beans?

I have read that pressure cooking dry beans without soaking improves their nutrition. But one would not be removing the water, actually using less water.
Is there any research on the effects of pressure cooking?
Thank you.

do the canned beans have to be soaked

I thought soaking rice is one of the ways to lower the arsenic level. But you are saying not to soak rice because it will cause loss of nutrients. So what is the deal, to soak or not to soak?

Are canned beans pre-soaked before cooking? I have read that the antioxidant value of canned beans is higher than cooked unless steamed or pressure cooked. Thanks.

I love the information I get from Consumer Labs. FYI, I never buy a product unless it's been rated by CL.
My question is.... I'm an incredibly lazy, spontaneous meal preparer. Do you know if canned beans have had the antinutrient phytate soaked out of them? Thank you.

I buy (dried) sprouted lentils, because they're supposed to be more digestible and nutritious. Since pre-soaking is part of the sprouting process, I'm guessing that no further soaking is needed to remove phytates from sprouted lentils before cooking them. Any information on this?

Any idea of there is a minimum about if soaking water necessary to get the benefits of soaking beans?

How about just cooking the beans for 2 or 3. Days as they do in Mexico and other countries before they mash them into a paste. They don't pre soak them.Does this reduce the phytates and preserve nutritional value .

There is a substitute for soaking dried beans for hours; it saves a lot of time. I put them in a pot with lots of water, bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let them sit for 1-2 hours. After that, drain the water, rinse, and start all over with fresh water to finish cooking the beans. Have done that for years, and assume that it reduces the phytate levels sufficiently, since I have never become ill from them and it does greatly reduce their gas-producing ability as well as soaking. Got this method from an online cooking site. Any comments?

You comment that it is important to drain the water and use new water to cook the beans to further reduce antinutrient levels. What is the effect of draining the water then cooking in chicken or beef broth? Any added benefit or not?

I have been rinsing legumes after soaking but with grains, I cook them in the same water after soaking. Maybe this would help preserve the nutrients and the benefits of soaking?

What would your advice on oats be, because I've also heard of similar issues with phytates for oats?

Thank you so much for the article!
Does anyone know how soaking for sprouting impacts the nutrient level in general (beans, grains, rice)?
I have been soaking (not sprouting) organic brown rice prior to cooking. Is this information also applicable to soaking rice/grains?
Thanks for any comment.