The Almond Debate - Expert Opinion Sought...

Aishah · Jan 7th, 2008, 21:33

Not sure if this topic comes into Health or Food section so am posting it here and Mods can decide this for me!
For a few years now Mr K and I have been having an ongoing debate about the efficacy of almonds as beneficial for the mind. It is commonly held here - village and city traditions - that almonds are good for the brain and memory. But.. the only way to take them is to soak them overnight in water in a small clay pot,then eat them the following day.
I have maintained that eating them without the soaking and having a drink of water amounts to the same thing.
Coming from a country where ocean fish are plentiful from unpolluted waters, we always said fish were good for the brain! However, if almonds are, as thought here, does it make any difference how you take them??
I would really welcome some scientific advice on this one! And the bottom line is, are almonds good for the mind?

PeakXV · Jan 7th, 2008, 21:48

I really think how much nutrients that one's body extracts from any given food can vary greatly depending on one's stomach acidity and overall digestive health. I certainly eat organic almonds - the crunchier the better ... but my initial thoughts on soaking them in a 'clay pot' would be towards a potential loss of nutrients and possible risk of contamination from the earthenware ..... don't know about India but I would not do this in a clay pot made in Canada - for sure!

Aishah · Jan 7th, 2008, 21:58

Interesting what you say about the clay pot, Peak XV. It is the same as the clay pots that are used for storing water (matki) and they are not painted, all natural. The principle is that they are porous and in the hot time the air passing through cools the water. I think it makes sense re nutrients being lost in the water.

machadinha · Jan 7th, 2008, 22:03

<cross-posted with Aishah>

Don't know much about it, however it rings a bell of raw almonds being somewhat posionous & hence needing treatment before ingesting. If that is not completely off the mark, maybe this has to do with it?

There's something of a fad here now with fish oil in pill form. The essential ingredient is Omega-3 fatty acids. Apparently the body can hardly produce this on its own or from any other foodstuff but (fatty) fish. (Note: There are other Omega fatty acids, which however it can easily extract or produce from other food.)

These fish oils have long been thought to be beneficial to the brain and memory. Although my package mostly lists benefits to the heart and blood vessels, joints, and skin. I disscussed it with my doctor and he said while definitive results are still pending, chances are it will be acknowledged they are indeed beneficial, to the brain as well.

How that relates to almonds -- no idea

Various nuts and seeds in general are of course a good complement because of their oils and proteins and some other stuff esp. to a vegetarian, or meat-free (let alone a vegan, where they become essential) diet. So maybe there's some folklore, whether accurate or otherwise, involved that those fats have a similar effect.

You could see if the water is fit to use for further cooking, hence recycling some of those lost nutrients, if there are any. Many foodstuffs get soaked so I'm not sure if it would do any harm -- think of beans. The water used for that is unfit for further cooking btw, if I remember correctly.

SteamBuff · Jan 7th, 2008, 22:04

<Whoops - Cross posted with Machadinha>

Quote - "I think it makes sense re nutrients being lost in the water"

The opposite might be true ... the water might be disolving the 'toxins' or other chemicals that might be bad for us!!!

PeakXV · Jan 7th, 2008, 22:10

Again - it might be a case of one man's elixir is another man's poison? I love almonds and am terribly allergic to cashews.

Aishah - my only concern for putting anything other than flowers in clay is the growing concern for enviromental/industrial contaminents that are dumped or dissolve into the ground .... the Mother Earth is not as pristine as it use to be.

crvlvr · Jan 7th, 2008, 23:55

IMHO, Soaking almonds is an old indian tradition that came about because the unsoaked ones were too hard to chew for older people.

Aishah · Jan 8th, 2008, 10:50

I signed off after my last post -was time for sleep. So now reading morning time and very interesting - I have changed the bowl for a small glass one which the original lid fits on top. Have passed all this information on to Mr K - it is rather inconclusive as to benefit with soaking or not, although the consensus seems to be loss of nutrients - the toxins idea is a concern however? I think crvlr your post most helpful! Mr K is now telling me he isn't an old man and maybe will stop the habit!!!
Machadinha - I remember when I was last in Oz how fish oil and these Omega-3 Fatty Acids were being well advertised. Quite a few of my friends are taking them - brought their stuff here. Some taking quite a barrage of pills..all sorts for this and that. There's such a lack of fish here - I use canned tuna about once a week to compensate, but since it's from Indian Ocean waters wonder about the pollution?
I notice we are in Indian Cuisine - where and what to eat? So this slightly OT re fish, will fit in here well too!

shashank.aggarwal · Jan 8th, 2008, 11:00

Okay..here is my 2 cents..

almonds are soaked so that the brown cover or coating can be peeled of and only white material can be used. once they are peeled off, they are crushed on stone and a paste is made. That paste is added to milk. I guess this is done to make sure that nutrients are easily absorbed by the body...

The people having soaked almonds might be a variation of the same tradition, where they have stopped crushing the almond into a paste and putting it in milk due to lack of time, however they still soak and eat it..

Aishah · Jan 8th, 2008, 11:30

In other words, the village idea that soaking will make your mind better than eating unsoaked is really just 'an old wives' tale' by the sound of it! Still, as they say, 'when in Rome...'
I won't rock the boat and make a big issue of it. If Mr K wants to soak his almonds, now in a glass bowl, no problem. But I suspect the thought of being an old man by doing so, may come into play here! We shall see what eventuates..
And yes, Shashank, it is the grinding paste added to milk thing that he refers to as well, but we are all so busy here and I refuse to do this business of grinding and heating milk etc. (sorry, not wholly the traditional Indian housewife at times!
that he came up with the soaking overnight in his little clay pot and eating in the morning.

shashank.aggarwal · Jan 8th, 2008, 11:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aishah

And yes, Shashank, it is the grinding paste added to milk thing that he refers to as well, but we are all so busy here and I refuse to do this business of grinding and heating milk etc. (sorry, not wholly the traditional Indian housewife at times!
that he came up with the soaking overnight in his little clay pot and eating in the morning.

So here you go..

Prashant.M · Jan 8th, 2008, 11:45

Soaking almonds for 24 hrs. makes them fill out i.e. bloat up a bit. It might be the start of the germination process, which in turn might unlock some nutrients; or it might be just water retention

.

nomad · Jan 8th, 2008, 12:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by shashank.aggarwal

Okay..here is my 2 cents..

almonds are soaked so that the brown cover or coating can be peeled of and only white material can be used. once they are peeled off, they are crushed on stone and a paste is made. That paste is added to milk. I guess this is done to make sure that nutrients are easily absorbed by the body...

The people having soaked almonds might be a variation of the same tradition, where they have stopped crushing the almond into a paste and putting it in milk due to lack of time, however they still soak and eat it..

most of the minirals and fibers are in the peel. so please dont throw that part.

and shashank your now world famus face will look much better than this "Amitabh thobda"

i am also planning to change mine to a photo of my son.

shashank.aggarwal · Jan 8th, 2008, 12:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by nomad

and shashank your now world famus face will look much better than this "Amitabh thobda"

i am also planning to change mine to a photo of my son.

He he he..I will find a new avatar..I will put some kid here..

Nick-H · Jan 8th, 2008, 12:29

I think some almond species contain some very nasty chemical, and should not be eaten. Maybe this has something to do with it?

We have two baadam trees, which is a kind of almond. Does anyone know a nifty way to remove the thick fibrous covering from the tiny nut inside that does not take 100 times the energy one gets from eating the nut? We have thousands of nuts that go to waste...

Jan 7th, 2008, 21:33	#1
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 4,459	The Almond Debate - Expert Opinion Sought... Not sure if this topic comes into Health or Food section so am posting it here and Mods can decide this for me! For a few years now Mr K and I have been having an ongoing debate about the efficacy of almonds as beneficial for the mind. It is commonly held here - village and city traditions - that almonds are good for the brain and memory. But.. the only way to take them is to soak them overnight in water in a small clay pot,then eat them the following day. I have maintained that eating them without the soaking and having a drink of water amounts to the same thing. Coming from a country where ocean fish are plentiful from unpolluted waters, we always said fish were good for the brain! However, if almonds are, as thought here, does it make any difference how you take them?? I would really welcome some scientific advice on this one! And the bottom line is, are almonds good for the mind? __________________ "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."

Jan 7th, 2008, 21:48	#2
PeakXV Naan.tering Nabob Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Abode of Glooscap Posts: 4,043	I really think how much nutrients that one's body extracts from any given food can vary greatly depending on one's stomach acidity and overall digestive health. I certainly eat organic almonds - the crunchier the better ... but my initial thoughts on soaking them in a 'clay pot' would be towards a potential loss of nutrients and possible risk of contamination from the earthenware ..... don't know about India but I would not do this in a clay pot made in Canada - for sure! __________________ We shall not cease from exploration and at the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started ...and know the place for the first time. T.S. Eliot Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

Jan 7th, 2008, 22:03	#4
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 10,154	<cross-posted with Aishah> Don't know much about it, however it rings a bell of raw almonds being somewhat posionous & hence needing treatment before ingesting. If that is not completely off the mark, maybe this has to do with it? There's something of a fad here now with fish oil in pill form. The essential ingredient is Omega-3 fatty acids. Apparently the body can hardly produce this on its own or from any other foodstuff but (fatty) fish. (Note: There are other Omega fatty acids, which however it can easily extract or produce from other food.) These fish oils have long been thought to be beneficial to the brain and memory. Although my package mostly lists benefits to the heart and blood vessels, joints, and skin. I disscussed it with my doctor and he said while definitive results are still pending, chances are it will be acknowledged they are indeed beneficial, to the brain as well. How that relates to almonds -- no idea Various nuts and seeds in general are of course a good complement because of their oils and proteins and some other stuff esp. to a vegetarian, or meat-free (let alone a vegan, where they become essential) diet. So maybe there's some folklore, whether accurate or otherwise, involved that those fats have a similar effect. You could see if the water is fit to use for further cooking, hence recycling some of those lost nutrients, if there are any. Many foodstuffs get soaked so I'm not sure if it would do any harm -- think of beans. The water used for that is unfit for further cooking btw, if I remember correctly. __________________ Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

Jan 7th, 2008, 22:04	#5
SteamBuff Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Essex, Endland Posts: 370	<Whoops - Cross posted with Machadinha> Quote - "I think it makes sense re nutrients being lost in the water" The opposite might be true ... the water might be disolving the 'toxins' or other chemicals that might be bad for us!!! __________________ Huffing & Puffing along ... The Steamy One!

Jan 8th, 2008, 11:00	#9
shashank.aggarwal Mr. Badboy :D Join Date: May 2007 Location: ~ Dilli ~ Posts: 5,173	Okay..here is my 2 cents.. almonds are soaked so that the brown cover or coating can be peeled of and only white material can be used. once they are peeled off, they are crushed on stone and a paste is made. That paste is added to milk. I guess this is done to make sure that nutrients are easily absorbed by the body... The people having soaked almonds might be a variation of the same tradition, where they have stopped crushing the almond into a paste and putting it in milk due to lack of time, however they still soak and eat it.. __________________ Travelogue - Around India Random Reviews

Jan 7th, 2008, 21:58	#3
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 4,459	Interesting what you say about the clay pot, Peak XV. It is the same as the clay pots that are used for storing water (matki) and they are not painted, all natural. The principle is that they are porous and in the hot time the air passing through cools the water. I think it makes sense re nutrients being lost in the water.

Jan 7th, 2008, 22:10	#6
PeakXV Naan.tering Nabob Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Abode of Glooscap Posts: 4,043	Again - it might be a case of one man's elixir is another man's poison? I love almonds and am terribly allergic to cashews. Aishah - my only concern for putting anything other than flowers in clay is the growing concern for enviromental/industrial contaminents that are dumped or dissolve into the ground .... the Mother Earth is not as pristine as it use to be.

Jan 7th, 2008, 23:55	#7
crvlvr Guru Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Hollywood Posts: 4,413	IMHO, Soaking almonds is an old indian tradition that came about because the unsoaked ones were too hard to chew for older people.

Jan 8th, 2008, 10:50	#8
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 4,459	I signed off after my last post -was time for sleep. So now reading morning time and very interesting - I have changed the bowl for a small glass one which the original lid fits on top. Have passed all this information on to Mr K - it is rather inconclusive as to benefit with soaking or not, although the consensus seems to be loss of nutrients - the toxins idea is a concern however? I think crvlr your post most helpful! Mr K is now telling me he isn't an old man and maybe will stop the habit!!! Machadinha - I remember when I was last in Oz how fish oil and these Omega-3 Fatty Acids were being well advertised. Quite a few of my friends are taking them - brought their stuff here. Some taking quite a barrage of pills..all sorts for this and that. There's such a lack of fish here - I use canned tuna about once a week to compensate, but since it's from Indian Ocean waters wonder about the pollution? I notice we are in Indian Cuisine - where and what to eat? So this slightly OT re fish, will fit in here well too!

Jan 8th, 2008, 11:30	#10
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 4,459	In other words, the village idea that soaking will make your mind better than eating unsoaked is really just 'an old wives' tale' by the sound of it! Still, as they say, 'when in Rome...' I won't rock the boat and make a big issue of it. If Mr K wants to soak his almonds, now in a glass bowl, no problem. But I suspect the thought of being an old man by doing so, may come into play here! We shall see what eventuates.. And yes, Shashank, it is the grinding paste added to milk thing that he refers to as well, but we are all so busy here and I refuse to do this business of grinding and heating milk etc. (sorry, not wholly the traditional Indian housewife at times! that he came up with the soaking overnight in his little clay pot and eating in the morning.

Jan 8th, 2008, 11:45	#12
Prashant.M Maha Guru Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 835	Soaking almonds for 24 hrs. makes them fill out i.e. bloat up a bit. It might be the start of the germination process, which in turn might unlock some nutrients; or it might be just water retention . __________________ Happiness is just a thought away

Jan 8th, 2008, 12:29	#15
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 25,860	I think some almond species contain some very nasty chemical, and should not be eaten. Maybe this has something to do with it? We have two baadam trees, which is a kind of almond. Does anyone know a nifty way to remove the thick fibrous covering from the tiny nut inside that does not take 100 times the energy one gets from eating the nut? We have thousands of nuts that go to waste... __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

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