Almonds do deliver some health benefits but, do you know that how you eat almonds can influence just how much of health related benefits you can draw from the nuts. One thing is certain and that relates to the brown skin that exists on top of the almond. You might hear that eating the whole almond, along with the skin is a good way to get additional fiber into your diet. However experts have a different opinion and you need to understand exactly what they advice. The skin on the almond actually inhibits an efficient release of the nutrients in the nuts. Soaking almonds is a good way to get the skin off easily, almonds in dried form are quite hard and skinning them would surely not be easy. So what is the best way to soak almonds in water, how long should the almonds be soaked. The almonds shown in the leftmost part of the image, are raw dry almonds. These can be quite hard and the skin is firmly secured to the rest of the nut. The brown almonds to the right, are soaked but still have the skin on. The white almonds are soaked and have no skin on them.
Presuming that the main reason for soaking the almonds is to let the skin come off easily, here are some suggestions. Soaking the almonds in hot water would make things happen more quickly but, you should make sure the nuts and the water have cooled down before, attempting to hold the nuts and take off the skin. One advantage of soaking almonds in hot water is that, the nuts get a bit softer and this, makes them easier to chew. Softer almonds are also easier to digest, so keep that in mind. In general you could say that, a 45 - 60 mins soak in hot water, should be sufficient to loosen the skins on the almond and also soften them a bit. If you happen to be soaking almonds in water that is at room temperature, expect to wait around 6 to 8 hours for the same effect. Once the almonds are well soaked, a slight scratch on the surface with your finger nail should cause the skin to peel off.
Another point that may in some cases be relevant is the, cleaning process that a hot water soak for the almonds could provide. Though packed almonds are generally cleaned before being packed, an additional effort to clean the almonds should be a good idea.
We need to clarify that our discussion on soaking and soaking time for almonds in water is based on the presumption that, the almonds to begin with are raw and not processed in any way. Salted and sweetened almonds are often sold in the stores, the additives in such products might affect the nutritional value of the nuts. If you plan to consume almonds to get some relief from existing health related issues, please ensure that you discuss your plans with your medical advisor.
