So I've been soaking my peanuts overnight before eating, but I don't put salt in the water. However, some sources say that adding salt to the soaking water is necessary to enhance bioavailability and, since peanuts are legumes, others say it should be lemon instead of salt.

But I'm wondering, are these additives really necessary or can I just soak them in water? I'm trying to maximize the nutritional value.

I'm not sure peanuts are really the safest thing to eat raw, from what I've seen...there are other nuts/seeds out there without quite the risk of aflatoxin (sp?)

[fresherthanlife.com]

Salt isn't necessary. I too have heard that soaking nuts in salt water is better, but so far I have been completely unable to find any evidence to back this claim up (the closest I've come is that soaking clover leaves in salt water makes them more digestible, so there seems to be some merit to it). I do know that soaking them in warm water is superior to cool or cold water

Peanuts aren't the best thing to eat raw.

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However, some sources say that adding salt to the soaking water is necessary to enhance bioavailability and, since peanuts are legumes, others say it should be lemon instead of salt.

The general belief is that nuts + fatty seeds should be soaked in salt water, whereas grains, pseudograins and legumes should be soaked in slightly acidic water. Now, I know that soaking grains, pseudograins and legumes in acidic water does make a significant difference, but like I said above I still haven't seen absolute evidence that salt water is effective for nuts (which doesn't mean it isn't).

Another thing to keep in mind is that it is nearly impossible to get truly raw nuts, at least in the US. If the nut can't sprout, it isn't raw.