I used to/still do enjoy eating nuts - cashews, pistachios, almonds to name a few. I know, hard to get them raw here in the U.S. At any rate, I have noticed the last few times I have eaten them I don't feel "right"...

Kinda a heavy feeling in the stomach, not quite ill, but not 100% either. Anyone have an idea what is going on here, other than my body is telling me to stop eating them...

Same thing happened to me juicer. I cut down on them, rather than rejecting them altogether. I think they're very good, but in moderation. For me, more exercise always helps digestion as well.

The conventionally grown nuts and seeds have made me very sick.

i went through the same thing until I went strictly to avocados and that was better, but I knew I could feel even better than that. I flirted with cold pressed olive oils for awhile but could feel that things could be better yet.

By all this, I mean, I was sluggish and lacking clarity of thought, not to mention irregular and uncomfortable BM patterns. So, that is why I turned to a low fat lifestyle.

I should also mention that when I initially went raw a large part of my diet was nuts and seeds and I felt wonderful for about 7 months. That wonderful feeling eventually tapered off.

david

Thanks for the input sun & david,

I did some research, see a lot about allergies & also not digesting well due to high fat content. Never been an issue for me in the past. Actually, after thinking about it, I believe it is pretty much only with the cashews.

I think I can still handle the others pretty well. Had fun making almond & other nut butters with the juicer & the family likes that, so I still wanted to be able to continue with that.

nuts are quite hard to digest for those with sluggish digestion and liver. They are high fat so they can make some feel odd if they have poor liver function.

a good way to find out is trying a bitter before eating a portion, any bitter tasting herb works to stimulate the bitter receptors at the back of the tongue, in turn stimulates stomach acid release, pancreatic enzymes and bile secretion. whilst cleansing the liver.

powerlifer Wrote:
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> nuts are quite hard to digest for those with
> sluggish digestion and liver. They are high fat so
> they can make some feel odd if they have poor
> liver function.
>
> a good way to find out is trying a bitter before
> eating a portion, any bitter tasting herb works to
> stimulate the bitter receptors at the back of the
> tongue, in turn stimulates stomach acid release,
> pancreatic enzymes and bile secretion. whilst
> cleansing the liver.

Can you recommend a bitter to take? The multi-bitter formulas don't work for me -- too many ingredients -- I have many, many food allergies right now. Thank you for any suggestions.

juicerkatz Wrote:
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> Thanks for the input sun & david,
>
> I did some research, see a lot about allergies &
> also not digesting well due to high fat content.
> Never been an issue for me in the past. Actually,
> after thinking about it, I believe it is pretty
> much only with the cashews.
>
> I think I can still handle the others pretty well.
> Had fun making almond & other nut butters with the
> juicer & the family likes that, so I still wanted
> to be able to continue with that.


According to Gabriel Cousens cashews are mycotoxic, like peanuts and should be avoided.

When I soak and dehydrate my nuts, they seem to digest quite easily. But I prefer to eat my nuts untreated, and this keeps me from eating too much. At some point, when I eat nuts, if I eat them mono, they just quit tasting good to me.

I believe most nuts/seeds, when digested, also cause an acidic condition in the body.

yes, eating nuts on their own one gets a distinct taste change, they quickly go from yum to yuck for me. I hardly think we are meant to eat more that we could easily shell with our own two hands in one sitting anyhow.

Juicerkatz, are those cashews you are eating really raw as in the expensive shelled by hand kind? Or are they the ones that are labelled "raw" because they haven't been roasted but have still been boiled to remove the shell? I haven't ever had the really raw ones so I can't say for certain that there is a difference but I can tell you that the longer I was 100% and high raw, the more sensitive I became.

from: Rawmazing - [www.rawmazing.com]

Nuts and seeds have enzyme inhibitors such as phytic acid, that can put a strain on your digestive system. The reason these enzyme inhibitors are there in the first place is to make sure the nuts and seeds don’t prematurely sprout. Makes sense. They need to be in the right environment for their life giving properties to be activated. The plus for you? Soaking not only releases the enzyme inhibitors, it starts the germination process which releases the good enzymes and nutrients!

If you soak your nuts, they are much easier to digest and their nutrients are easier to assimilate. With a little advanced effort, you can unlock all of the wonderful gifts nuts and seeds have to offer.

This seems to be very true. If I eat almonds with the skin, I notice digestive upset. Unfortunately, I don't enjoy eating them soaked so I've learned to only grab 5-10/day and that is about my limit.

I like brazil nuts but can only eat a few at a time. Walnuts too- I don't mind them in very small amounts but eating a large amount leaves a yucky metallicy vitamin-y taste in my mouth (same happened when I ate too many pumpkin seeds once- I struggle to eat them now without feeling nauseous, having to have them in a seed mix to make sure I get enough zinc). I don't get any stomach problems, it's more of a taste-bud thing, I think.

coco -

everything available in our local area is shelled, except for pistachios. I agree w/ what many have posted, that too many leaves a bad taste in the mouth. I will have to start soaking them as Bryan & others have mentioned.

How long to soak and dehydrate?

any bitter works as good, gentian, andrographis(king of bitters). Just suck on the powder/liquid for 30 seconds before meals.

in what way do you know that the multi-bitter formulas are causing you problems? It could well be that its the cleansing from your liver. Bitters are the best way to cleanse the liver and they cause a hell of a detox so you need to up water intake.

JK, you can't purchase cashews in the shell, I didn't mean that. I meant that cashews, even one's labelled "raw", have generally been boiled to get them out of their husks (which are caustic and can't be handled easily). If you are spending the extra money for really raw cashews there may be a difference in digestion is what I meant. I have never had the truly raw variety so I can't say for sure but that's what I hear from others.

Leannesusan, you can dehydrate nuts after soaking them to regain that dry, crunchy texture. Some people soak them and then marinated them before drying so they are like the spiced nuts you can buy. Pretty tasty.

I don't think I've ever eaten a properly-raw cashew! Does it taste any different to non-roasted plain cashews?

I don't eat nuts.

I find that my energy and consciousness are always lower the next day after eating them.

i'm attempting to not eat them as well, maybe an avocado once a month is my goal

david

I also have trouble with nuts. When I need something heavier, sunflower seeds work better. I like that they grow in my northern climate and I can shell them myself.

powerlifer -


You mentioned using bitters; would Lemon have the same effect? I put slices of lemon in all the water I drink, in pretty much all the smoothies/juices I make as well.