Does your recent blood work show that you are low in iron, zinc, calcium or magnesium?
Perhaps you’re not absorbing these minerals because of gut damage or it might just be the vegetables, beans and whole grains in your diet!
Phytic acid, or phytate, is found in all plant seeds and is like a storage bin for phosphorus; which, allows for normal growth and maturity of the seed into a plant as well as photosynthesis and respiration in adult plants. Phytic acid, itself, can bind many minerals making it a very unique substance. In humans, via plant based consumption, physic acid can be protective against kidney stones and heavy metal toxicity; but, it can be quite damaging to the absorption of minerals in the gut, zapping the body of important digestive enzymes and nutrients.
If you are a lover of oats, nuts, seeds, and plants, in general, there are a few things you can do to improve digestibility and lessen the effects of phytate’s powerful nutrient binding and anti-absorption!
1. Soak in warm water for 12 hours or more
2. Sprout seeds or buy the sprouted versions of seeds, beans, and whole grain based foods ex. Wildwood Sprouted tofu & Ezekiel sprouted grain bread
3. Ferment beans by soaking 24 hours in a warm place, slow cooking, then adding 1 tbsp of a bacterial culture like kefir, lactic acid fermented brine from store bought sauerkraut, or another store bought starter culture to 1 cup of beans and let sit in a warm place for few days. Use these step by step directions from Cultures for Health, for proper food safety!
After developing digestive disorders and bacterial imbalances from many years of acidic (dairy as a youth and whey/chicken bodybuilder diet as an adult), inflammatory and grain heavy diets, I cut all meat, most grains and beans from my diet. It took me nearly a year to heal my gut from severe Ulcerative Colitis, and several years of slowly reintroducing foods back in and repopulating my gut with friendly bacteria, but now I’m able to consume organic fermented tempeh and gluten free soaked overnight oatmeal dishes just fine. Spending a year in and out of hospitals changes you, and I no longer sacrifice my health for highly marketed junk foods/drinks/candy. I will always eat a diet for optimized digestion, so you can rely on my recipes if you are interested in doing the same! Of course I eat out locally and enjoy discovering healthy restaurants when traveling, but I choose to cook on my own and control what I consume 90% of the time.
This recipe is for a better soaked overnight oatmeal, utilizing spring water, probiotic coconut yogurt, and fermented water kefir. If you are a fan of muesli, apple pie, berry pie, or oatmeal cookies, then you will absolutely love this recipe!
PROBIOTIC OVERNIGHT OATS
Ingredients:
1/3 cup gluten free organic rolled oats ( do not use quick oats)
1/3 cup spring or purified water (do not use tap)
1 heaping tablespoon Anitas Coconut Milk yogurt (or full fat greek yogurt)
2 tablespoons Kevita Lime Mint Coconut Probiotic Drink (can use other water kefir like Tonix)
1 heaping tablespoon Anitas Coconut Milk yogurt (or full fat greek yogurt)
2 tablespoons Kevita Lime Mint Coconut Probiotic Drink (can use other water kefir like Tonix)
1 packet organic Stevia (i used Wholesome organics)
1 tbsp raw unsweetened cacao nibs
2 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds
2 sprouted walnuts, crushed into smaller pieces
2 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds
2 sprouted walnuts, crushed into smaller pieces
6 frozen organic blackberries
2 frozen organic strawberries
Directions:
Heat the water in a small saucepan on medium low heat until a lively simmer occurs, do not boil! Let cool for 1 minute and add to heat safe glass or ceramic bowl with the oats. Let sit on counter for 20-30 min, and then add coconut yogurt and water kefir. Cover with plastic and place in refrigerator overnight for a minimum of 12 hours. In the morning, sprinkle stevia to the probiotic oat mix and stir to combine. Then, top with cacao nibs, pumpkin seeds, and crushed walnuts. Place frozen berries in saucepan with 1 tbsp purified water, and 1/2 tsp stevia and heat on low; stirring or agitating pan occasionally, until juices have released and berries soften, about 5 minutes. Place on oats with spoon, one at a time to prevent juice from splashing onto clothes. Enjoy!
Option* If you want more liquid to oats, add a drizzle of unsweetened vanilla almond milk in the morning.