Why Soak Grains and Legumes?

Grains and legumes contain varying levels of phytates, which interfere with your body’s ability to access the nutrition in these foods. Soaking them overnight in water with a bit of acid can help remove some of the phytates and cut down on cooking time. It’s a step that, once you do it a couple of times, becomes second nature. Every night when closing down the kitchen (washing dinner dishes and prepping tomorrow’s daytime meals and snacks), glance at your meal plan and soak whatever bean or grain is on your list for the following day. (There are rare exceptions to this, such as sushi rice, which should not be soaked.) It only takes a minute, and the health benefits and time saved are worth the minimal effort.