Nuts FAQs

Elaine writes:

 I do not believe soaking nuts is necessary. I believe that the almond nut flour we use is perfectly fine and has proven to be tolerated very nicely, bringing thousands back to health without the soaking process which complicates life unnecessarily. 

Can cashews and chestnuts be roasted?

If you roast your own cashews, that is fine. I am only afraid of roasted nuts that have been done by the producers who add starch. Chestnuts must be boiled because there is a lot of starch in them which is diluted greatly by the amount of water when boiled. When there is a marked improvement, a few roasted chestnuts may be tried. Chestnut flour must not be used. Cashew flour can be used.

Cashew butter made from ROASTED cashews would be illegal. Is that correct?
It depends on how the company makes the cashew butter. They would be illegal if starch were used in the roasting process.

Is peanut butter from raw peanuts OK? Is peanut butter from roasted nuts OK?
I would never use anything made with raw peanuts; there is a great fear of aflaxtoxin.
Companies making peanut butter are carefully monitored for aflatoxin contamination, so most pure peanut butters (without additives) should be fine. Never use raw peanuts to make peanut butter!!! Peanuts alone are not to be tried until after six months.

Can cashews be sauteed in oil or butter or is that like roasting?
If the person does the sauteing himself/herself, it would be fine, but they should be drained on paper towels. When I toast almonds, I put about 2 tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan and two cups of almonds. Using low heat, I stir every 30 seconds until I see them turning a golden brown. Then I toss them on paper towels and salt them.

Does it matter whether skins are on nuts? I know almond butter can be more digestible from shelled nuts?
Skins on nuts are fibrous. That is why we use blanched almonds. However, one cannot conveniently blanch all kinds of nuts. If you cannot used blanched almonds, then use walnut flour and, of course, one cannot blanch walnuts conveniently nor do you need to. Pecans need not be blanched. Filbert or hazelnuts have a tough outer coating like almonds, so they should be used without skins, in other words, blanched.

I know roasted mixed nuts are illegal?
Of course. They are illegal because they are produced by a manufacturer who is undoubtedly using starch.