I’ve had tons of emails lately asking if I soak my grains and how I do it and why I do it!
Most of the recipes on my site have not shown that I soak my grains. Mostly I did that because I know that many of my readers are just beginning to look into making changes toward healthy eating. I decided…if you are just starting out trying to switch over from fruit roll-ups to real fruit…from white flour to whole wheat…from boxed foods to foods made from scratch…it would be very discouraging to hear that you also should “prepare your grains 12-24 hours ahead of time by soaking them in something that is lacto-fermented in order to break down the phytic acid…”
It’s overwhelming enough sometimes just to try to get your kids to eat a green bean…and to wrap your brain around the fact that almost every food on the shelves that we might be used to eating has a no-no ingredient in it.
So, if you’re just starting out on the healthy eating trail…read over the information in this post and tuck it away for whenever or if ever you’re ready. Continue to take baby steps and make small changes. Read the Getting Real with Food series here to give you some basic ideas of where to start and what to do.
But, if you’re eating a lot of whole grains already and are used to baking from scratch anyway, and you want to take this nutrition thing one step farther…here’s some information for you about soaking grains that I am paraphrasing from Sally Fallon’s book “Nourishing Traditions”:
Eating whole grains is important because they provide vitamin E, B vitamins, many important minerals and fiber. But the phytic acid in the grain combines with the iron, calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc in the intestinal tract, blocking their absorption. They also contain enzyme inhibitors that can interfere with digestion.
So, Nourishing Traditions recommends that we soak our grains in either whey, cultured yogurt, kefir, cultured buttermilk…or in lemon juice or vinegar if you can’t tolerate milk products. Soaking them for at least seven hours allows the enzymes to break down and neutralize the phytic acid. Then, more of the good nutrients in the grain are released and all the good stuff is more readily absorbed in our systems and the grain is digested much more easily.
Okay…so quick re-cap. Eating whole grains is so, so much better for you than processed grains that have almost all of their nutrients stripped from them. Eating whole grains that have been soaked is even better.
How do I do this?
It’s really not hard…I just have to plan ahead a little more. And I don’t always soak everything even though I know I should. I try to just do the best I can. (That’s the goal right?)
So, here’s a quick run down of the basics of how I soak my grains when preparing recipes:
Pancakes and Waffles…I stir the whole wheat flour and the buttermilk together, cover it with a cloth and let it sit overnight. The next day, I add the remaining ingredients and cook the pancakes or waffles. They are SO YUMMY made like this!
Quick Breads and Muffins…I mix the flour with the butter (melted and cooled) or oil that the recipe calls for and add enough buttermilk to make it “soakable”. I let it sit overnight, then mix in the remaining ingredients.
Giant Breakfast Cookies and Breakfast Bars…I mix the melted butter, flour and oats with enough buttermilk to soak then let it sit overnight. I have found these to be VERY HARD to stir the next morning, so putting the soaked mixture into my food processor with the other ingredients so that it doesn’t take me 45 minutes (or until lunchtime) just to stir the silly things. Yea for food processors.
Tortillas…I mix up the tortillas as the recipes says, only I put in 1/4 cup less water and add 1/4 cup yogurt, kefir or buttermilk as I’m making the recipe. Then, I let them sit for the day, and roll them and cook them that night for dinner. They roll out so nicely after they’ve been soaked.
Breads, Rolls and Pretzels…These belong in the “I don’t soak these but I should” category. When I’m really on the ball, I make sourdough bread…but my sourdough starter isn’t starting anymore, so I need to get a new one going. In the meantime, I’m compromising and making Honey Whole Wheat Bread, and that’s okay with me. After I get my sourdough going again, I’ll post about it. Sourdough bread is so tasty!
Cookies and Brownies…I rarely soak these either, mostly because I’m lazy about it. When I do soak them, I mix the butter and flour called for in the recipe with a few tablespoons of buttermilk, kefir or yogurt…allow them to sit for a few hours, then add the remaining ingredients and bake.
I hope that helps. I’ll cover soaking other grains like rice and oats in the future. And, as I slowly but surely get around to it…I’ll go back through each of my site recipes and blog recipes and add a brief explanation of how to soak the grains if you choose to do so. That way, you have the option if you’d like!
And now, I think I’ll go grind me some flour and soak something. Because looking at all these recipes put me in the mood to bake.
(Like I’m ever not in the mood to bake?!) 
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More Kitchen Tip Tuesdays here!
Denai says:
HOLY POOP… Wow, now I need to think about soaking grains…. Which is fine, just a TIME thought! I have never heard of that, I guess it is time to FINALLY read Norishing Traditions! Thanks for explaining this today!
September 8th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Gretchen says:
I have wondered regarding soaking grains, do you still soak them if it is store bought flour. I don’t have a grain mill so I just buy my flour (King Arthur’s Organic whole wheat). Should I soak that? And, thank you for this post. I really have been wondering about soaking the grains and what works.
September 8th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Lenetta says:
What about your oats for granola, Laura? I made a batch a month or so ago, and it took me a bit to figure out why we were all so (ahem) rumbly in the tumbly area. I’m sure I needed to soak the oats.
And, I haven’t remembered to look yet, but is the standard buttermilk sold in the average Nebraska grocery store the stuff that has live cultures?
Or do I need to go get friendly with hubby’s pet cow, Leroy? She hasn’t cared for me since I became the “other woman” in her relationship with my now-husband . . . who knew bovines were so fickle? Anyway, I’m not so sure she’d take to being milked, even if I knew which pasture or pen she was in on any given day . . .
September 8th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Lenetta says:
What about your oats for granola, Laura? I made a batch a month or so ago, and it took me a bit to figure out why we were all so (ahem) rumbly in the tumbly area. I’m sure I needed to soak the oats.
And, I haven’t remembered to look yet, but is the standard buttermilk sold in the average Nebraska grocery store the stuff that has live cultures?
Or do I need to go get friendly with hubby’s pet cow, Leroy? She hasn’t cared for me since I became the “other woman” in her relationship with my now-husband . . . who knew bovines were so fickle? Anyway, I’m not so sure she’d take to being milked, even if I knew which pasture or pen she was in on any given day . . .
September 8th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
TraceyS says:
Silly question, but do you let the grains soak on the counter, or do they soak in the fridge?
September 8th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
jayme says:
Here is my question…you aren’t supposed to soak grains with milk or yogurt or whatever that you buy at say…Wal-Mart. You are supposed to do the soaking with raw milk and yogurt right??? or wrong???
September 8th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Pat says:
Thanks Laura
you are a great help and I appreciate you taking time to answer that.
Jayme: you can use cultured products from a grocery store such as buttermilk or plain yogert. If you can use an organic yogert or homemade so much the better! It does not have to be raw.
September 8th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
Kate says:
Wow Laura, fantastic job! This post is so wonderfully informative. I know I will refer back to this often.
Thank you so much for taking the time to do this.
September 8th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Marie says:
Thanks for the info! It has been very helpful!!!
September 8th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Donna says:
I’ve loved learning about soaking whole grains…for many reasons, but one is -they cook up faster in the morning! (not being a morning person, that’s a realllll plus)
For wheat bread, I often forget to soak but if I do, I use a recipe that has a longgggg rising period…like 7+ hours. I start in the morning and by evening it’s ready!
I’ve not had good success with some other stuff (can’t get it moistened well) but the food processor would probably do just the trick! Thanks for sharing!!!!
September 9th, 2008 at 2:59 am
Sherry says:
Thank you so much for posting this. I had seen others posting about soaking grains and I wasn’t sure why or how to go about it. This was wonderful to know.
September 9th, 2008 at 5:19 am
Laura says:
Lemme answer some of those questions!
Gretchen - Yes, even if the flour is store bought.
Lenetta - Yes, soak your oats (more on that in another post). Yes, I think the buttermilk in the store is cultured. Yes, get to know your cow Leroy. Might be fun.
Tracy - Not a silly question at all…soak ‘em on the counter.
Jayme - You can soak your grains with Walmart stuff. The really main thing is that it has live cultures. (the really main thing?)
Did I forget anything?
September 9th, 2008 at 7:13 am
Kelly says:
ok so in some of the examples you listed the buttermilk or soaking liquid was not an ingredient in the original recipe right? but you don’t drain it off before using the grains (i guess it’s obvious i’ve never done this before because maybe it’s an obvious answer like there’s nothing to drain cuz the grains absorb all the liquid?)? so does it affect the taste of the recipes?? so interesting, thanks!
September 9th, 2008 at 7:34 am
Laura says:
Kelly,
Right, the buttermilk or soaking liquid is not always an original ingredient, you just throw in a little for the soaking process. Yes, the grain absorbs the liquid so there’s nothing to pour off, you just finish making the recipe as normal after the soaking. It does affect the taste, some…mostly it just enhances the flavor. You may find that soaking makes your recipes taste a little sour…but it’s a sweet sour, not a sour-sour…does that make sense? It’s tastes GOOD!
September 9th, 2008 at 7:57 am
Kimi @ The Nourishing Gourmet says:
Great Post, Laura. The majority of recipes on my site are “soaked” because I appreciate the health benefits and the taste.
I think that it’s very true, that many people can be overwhelmed with thinking of changing to whole wheat, AND soaking their grains. I appreciate that you make things accessible.
The only draw back would be if somebody tries to add in whole grains and it really bothers them. I know that some people can deal fine with the phytic acid, and others can really have issues with it. In that case, it would be better to just go straight to the soaking process, otherwise they would get discouraged and it probably wouldn’t be that great for them anyways to eat the unsoaked.
In reality, I find that some of things I have made “soaked” are not quite what I want, but other ones taste ten times better soaked!
Blessings!
September 9th, 2008 at 9:28 am
carrie @ Heart of a Servant says:
what a fantastic tutorial!! thank you! I’ve just started soaking my grains (which are mostly gluten free), and you are right… there is a big difference in taste and texture!
September 9th, 2008 at 10:03 am
momzoo says:
Interesting, I just might have to try this. I have read bits and pieces on blogs about soaking grains, I just might take the plunge and do it!
September 9th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Elizabeth says:
Great Post Laura,
I soak my foods too.We eat clean. I so enjoy finding other women that are the healthy eating journey. I love visiting you.A magazine you would love is Clean Eating.
Blessings,
Elizabeth
September 9th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Tanya says:
Oh wow. I have so much to learn. Thanks for the fantastic information…want to come over and help me?
September 10th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Betsy says:
Hi Laura,
I love your website! I’ve learned so much since subscribing to this blog!
I do have a question about this post, though. I have been making my own loaf bread recently, which uses half whole wheat flour. Is there anything I should be doing to soak the flour for this type of bread? It isn’t “sourdough” bread - it’s just a regular loaf bread. I want to make sure it’s as nutritious as possible for my family!
Thank you so much!
Blessings to you,
Betsy
September 17th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
LynAnn says:
Ok, quick question on your bread. If I were to soak the whole wheat flour overnight what would I soak it in? Buttermilk? Also, if I am soaking things in buttermilk, is it alright if it’s buttermilk I’ve made with milk and vinegar? Thanks!
October 29th, 2008 at 8:47 am