where to find truly raw nuts?

[LePatron7]

Hey everyone.

I'm looking for cheap sources for unpasturized, raw almonds, and possibly other nuts.

I've found 2 sources, but they're both some what expensive.

I think I'll give a few sprouted almonds to my neighbors for them to plant.

So anyone have any good, cheap sources of raw almonds.

http://www.homegrownalmonds.com/natural-raw-almonds.html ($9/lb). Non organic

http://www.nuts.com/nuts/almonds/organic.html ($14/lb) organic

[Dorothy]

One thing about nuts - there is a company specifically for nuts here in Austin and the owner explained to me that organic when it comes to nuts is a real waste of money for the consumer because it makes little difference with old large trees of such a crop. It's just a way for the seller to get more money from you  - so I would save your money on the organic label and just go with the plain, non-organic choice.

[eveheart]

When it comes to almonds from California, the state law says that they have to be flash pasteurized to kill some pathogens. Even so, they may be labeled as raw. I do not know how this applies to almonds intended for interstate commerce, but it would be a good question to ask your supplier because California is a major almond-growing state.

[Alive]

And cashew nuts are always steamed to get them out of their shells.

[TylerDurden]

Avoid nuts. Even when eating them, always soak them in water for 24 hours beforehand  in order to reduce the levels of antinutrients in them.

[LePatron7]

Avoid nuts. Even when eating them, always soak them in water for 24 hours beforehand  in order to reduce the levels of antinutrients in them.

I do pretty well on nuts. I've never had any problems. They're also scd legal, so I can still balance my gut flora eating nuts.

As far as soaking, I'll have to look into that.

[joej627]

Yea definitely soak first.  Use a nutribullet or similar to make your own nut butter.  Truly raw nuts are pricey.  I think amazon.com you can find a lot.  Walnuts are pretty easy to digest.  I would do olives and coconuts first though.  Easier on digestion.  I believe nuts.com is a good source as well.

[Iguana]

I never soaked the nuts I eat, even if I told Tyler that I will try. It seems kind of artificial to me. I would be amazed if hunter-gatherers soak them. Chimps don't soak them and are not bothered by the anti-nutrients they are said to contain. I think every nutrient becomes an anti-nutrient if we eat too much of it. 

Just once I soaked some old peanuts because someone told me they become like fresh again after soaking, and it was true.

[Dorothy]

I never soaked the nuts I eat, even if I told Tyler that I will try. It seems kind of artificial to me. I would be amazed if hunter-gatherers soak them. Chimps don't soak them and are not bothered by the anti-nutrients they are said to contain. I think every nutrient becomes an anti-nutrient if we eat too much of it. 

Just once I soaked some old peanuts because someone told me they become like fresh again after soaking, and it was true.

That's part of the reason why soaking is good in general - because most nuts we buy are not fresh.

When you find a seed out in the wild it is actually quite likely that it has been soaked by rain and/or dew so the hunter gatherers didn't really have to go through the trouble.

Also, hunter gatherers lived a lifestyle that is generally healthier and didn't have generations messing up their digestion eating processed foods. Soaking the nuts just feels right to me in instinctively (which I realize is different than instincto) 

[Barefoot Instincto]

It seems to me as if only eating the food at the sprouted stage really has benefit, or at least soaked for many hours with the potential to become a sprout. I just got back from buying some Italian raw unpasteurized almonds from my local organic shop. About 11 bucks a pound, so I grabbed a whole bunch. They're soaking right now, but I'm only going to eat them once they've hit the sprouted stage, so that I'm consuming a living, growing food with all of its nutrients unlocked.

If the nut can't be grown into a sprout due to some chemical or heated treatment, would soaking really do all that much good besides the absorption of water (apparently half as much as sprouted nuts absorb)? It's the potential of the nut that should be valued, and many "raw" nuts it seems actually do not hold that value.

[Iguana]

That's part of the reason why soaking is good in general - because most nuts we buy are not fresh.

When you find a seed out in the wild it is actually quite likely that it has been soaked by rain and/or dew so the hunter gatherers didn't really have to go through the trouble.

Most often they must have gathered freshly fallen nuts or even picked them from trees, I guess. But your arguments are fairly convincing and I will really try to soak my dry nuts.

[Dorothy]

Gathering nuts from the trees is much harder than picking them up from the ground. Also, if you are a hunter gatherer you couldn't put them in plastic to keep them dry when storing them for future eating. I bet hunter gatherers preferred the older nuts just like most animals will prefer the healthier versions of their seeds. My chickens will always go for the sprouted seeds first for instance. A hunter gatherer would be more in touch with which nuts were the healthiest and in what stage of growth I would imagine.

Barefoot - after soaking a raw almond for 12 hours you can see just the tiniest bit of a root starting to come out one of the ends like a tiny bulge. This is already growth, sprouting. A sunflower will only take a couple of hours before you can see it growing. You don't have to wait until it has a stalk and leaves to know that it is a sprout. I like to call anything that has just started the process of growing a sprout and the seeds that have gotten to the stalk and leaf stage as the young greens of the plant. Eating the seeds/plants at different stages of growth afford a different nutrient profile. In my view, as soon as those enzyme inhibitors and other anti-nutrients are released into the water I'm good to go - and you would be surprised at how fast that can happen. Pretty miraculous to be a part of/witness I think. I also like tasting the plants at all stages of their growth and let my own tastes and desires dictate at what stage I most like that particular seed.

[Wattlebird]

 after soaking a raw almond for 12 hours you can see just the tiniest bit of a root starting to come out one of the ends like a tiny bulge. This is already growth, sprouting. A sunflower will only take a couple of hours before you can see it growing. You don't have to wait until it has a stalk and leaves to know that it is a sprout. I like to call anything that has just started the process of growing a sprout and the seeds that have gotten to the stalk and leaf stage as the young greens of the plant. Eating the seeds/plants at different stages of growth afford a different nutrient profile. In my view, as soon as those enzyme inhibitors and other anti-nutrients are released into the water I'm good to go - and you would be surprised at how fast that can happen. Pretty miraculous to be a part of/witness I think. I also like tasting the plants at all stages of their growth and let my own tastes and desires dictate at what stage I most like that particular seed.

Hi Dorothy,
soaking and sprouting opens up new possibilities I agree. Buckwheat is one I soak every now and then; it sprouts quickly within a day or so, and has an interesting nutty taste.
Have done lentils before also, but they had limited appeal at the time.
Kind wishes, J

[Dorothy]

I think I like buckwheat best as baby greens after the hull falls off and there are a couple of leaves Wattlebird. They have a delicacy to them - but you are so right that the younger sprouts have a wonderful nuttiness. You know, I don't like lentils much either! But one of my all time favorites at every stage of growth has to be green peas. I like them just sprouted, with just a couple of leaves and even the leaves of the large plant and the fresh seed from the garden without sprouting too. I wonder what it is about green peas and me.  

[LePatron7]

I'm about to order some raw nuts and see how I like them.

[Ioanna]

eve, i thought california was the only u.s. state that did not have to flash pasteurize the almonds??  i've even seen marketing claiming that their almonds are truly raw, not pasteurized, because they come from california.

[eveheart]

eve, i thought california was the only u.s. state that did not have to flash pasteurize the almonds??  i've even seen marketing claiming that their almonds are truly raw, not pasteurized, because they come from california.

I'm not the authority on this, but here is a link: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2009/03/09/63610/california-raw-almonds-must-be.html

I've seen ads online for "truly raw" almonds. I wouldn't know how to tell a pasteurized almond from a truly raw almond.

[hassafras]

Found these instructions on a random website. So I'm not sure how accurate it is considering I've never sprouted anything other then a few occasions. I once saw a test of two brands of almonds labled raw from California. I believe they allowed them to soak for several days. One began to sprout while the other started to turn black indicating some form of pasteurization.

•Place one cup of almonds into a bowl
Cover almonds with water and let sit for
12 hours
•In the morning, drain and rinse the
almonds
•Squeeze the almond to see if you can
remove the almond from the skin.
If the skin can be removed by the skin
kind of sliding off the almond, the
almonds have been pasteurized in some
way. The easier the skin removes, the
more treatments the almonds received.
If you have to use your fingers to peel
the skin off the almonds, piece by piece,
then the almonds have not been
pasteurized.

[PaleoPhil]

eve, i thought california was the only u.s. state that did not have to flash pasteurize the almonds??  i've even seen marketing claiming that their almonds are truly raw, not pasteurized, because they come from california.

Actually, California is reportedly the only state required by federal law to pasteurize almonds using one of these "approved pasteurization methods":

> Oil roasting, dry roasting, and blanching: These traditional processes provide the necessary reduction in harmful bacteria while providing consumers with the same product they have come to know and love.
> Steam processing: These treatments are surface treatments only. Multiple proprietary steam treatments are currently being utilized by the industry which meets USDA Organic Program standards. The short bursts of steam do not impact the nutritional integrity of the almond. These treatments do not “cook” proteins or destroy vitamins and minerals. The nutritional and sensory characteristics of the almonds remain unchanged when treated with steam.
> Propylene Oxide (PPO) treatment: PPO is also a surface treatment which has been approved for use on foods since 1958, and is widely used for a variety of foods such as other nuts, cocoa powder and spices. PPO is very effective at reducing harmful bacteria on almonds and poses no risk to consumers. In fact, PPO residue dissipates after treatment. The effectiveness and safety of this process was revalidated in July 2006, when PPO underwent a stringent re-registration process with the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA confirmed that PPO poses no health risk. The treatment does not affect the nutritional and sensory characteristics of almonds.

(See: http://www.almondboard.com/HANDLERS/FOODQUALITYSAFETY/PASTEURIZATION/Pages/Default.aspx and http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2009/03/09/63610/california-raw-almonds-must-be.html#.Uber2_nCYqI)

Plus, importers are also not required to pasteurize. This explains how my local market is able to still provide truly raw Sicilian almonds. So look for almonds labeled as "unpasteurized" (not just "raw") and from a source other than California.

New Bulk Snacks
By Nicole  •  Thursday, February 10th, 2011

Did you know that some “raw” almonds you buy in stores, may not be raw? “Since September 1, 2007, raw untreated California almonds have technically not been available in the United States. Controversially, California almonds labeled as “raw” are required to be steam-pasteurized or chemically treated with propylene oxide. This does not apply to imported almonds”. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almond ) Legally, almonds grown in the U.S. can be labeled raw, even if they aren’t. Here at Healthy Living Market, we provide you with a choice.

In our Bulk section we have Organic California “raw” almonds, (which are steamed pasteurized), but we also have imported Sicilian raw almonds that have not been treated. There is a site that is co-coordinating efforts, (www.cornucopia.org/almonds ), to fight the decision to ban pasteurized almonds. For more information about this issue check out http://www.health-caree.com/consumer-groups-join-forces-to-reverse-pasteurization-ruling-for-raw-almonds.html and http://www.localharvest.org/newsletter/20070619/almonds.jsp

It's quite easy to tell the difference by sight and taste between unpasteurized Sicilian almonds and pasteurized "raw" California almonds. If your market sells both and they are legit, you'll be able to see and taste the difference.

You can help fight to overturn the federal requirement for California almonds to be pasteurized here:
http://www.cornucopia.org/almonds

[tests]

It is FUCKING ridiculous how EVERYTHING is pasteurized nowadays. When did society become so stupid? We have consume UNPASTEURIZED food for AGES, why the HELL is everything pasteurized? I was so pissed when I found out the macadamia nuts that I was consuming (labeled as raw) were pasteurized

[van]

nuts . com   and if Jaffee bros. is still in business.

[sensualfreespirit]

So I'm on the hunt for a really good online store that sells quality raw nuts since they are hard to find IMO.

I came across this thread & then this one http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/48503-urgent-raw-almonds-italy-can-kill.html so I thought I'd share.

It's too bad he never got back to them on the findings of how the parrot died.

I just can't believe a parrot could die from a raw almond, but I certainly do NOT want to be eating raw bitter almonds.

I'll start another thread, but my question is, so the nuts (I'm not talking just almonds) have to be heated a little bit?

Now Foods (I don't trust them) wrote me & said ALL nuts have to be heated a bit.

I also won't buy from nuts.com I wasn't too thrilled with my brief conversation with the guy & he said that not all of their nuts are raw.

Thanks


Michelle

[eveheart]

If you're in California, you should know that "raw" almonds must (by law) be treated with heat; even so, they may (by law) be labeled "raw." Uh, I don't get it, either!

My best bet is getting nuts locally right after harvest. By "locally" I mean wherever I have friends with nut trees. I store them in the freezer in their shells sealed in a canning jar. Maybe that would work in your area, too.

[van]

try "nuts online" and Jaffee bros.

[PaleoPhil]

The parrot died from eating bitter almonds (Prunus dulcis var. amara), NOT one of the types of almonds you would find sold at a market to eat  (Prunus dulcis var. dulcis). They are different subspecies of almonds. You can read about the difference here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almond#Sweet_and_bitter_almonds

Like I mentioned above, imported raw almonds (from Italy and Spain) and non-California almonds do not have to be heat treated, only domestic California almonds. A local healthfood market in my area carries the raw Italian almonds, as well as the California so-called "raw" almonds. They also have a sign explaining that the California ones aren't really raw. You can easily see the difference between the really raw almonds and those that are not. They also taste different. The imported raw almonds are, of course, more expensive.

You can also buy unpasteurized domestic almonds from farm stands even in California, "but only in small quantities." http://www.livingnutz.com/faqs And there are also online sellers, like those that Van noted.

As usual, the whole thing got way overhyped and exaggerated on the Internet. The lesson is to not trust Internet scare mongering. On the bright side, at least the hype does help in fighting back against the increasing requirements to pasteurize foods.

Now Foods might be talking about the fact that mild heat is used in drying even unpasteurized nuts, though most rawists accept the mild heating involved in drying foods. You could ask suppliers what temperature they use to dry their "raw" nuts, to see if it meets your standards.