soaking-do you pour water out or not?

[joanna0707]

I have a question about soaking.
Should I pour the water I've been soaking with out or can I cook in it? I'm not sure if phytic acid is broken down by soaking or released into the water.

[cristeen]

I think its released into the water. I always dump the water and cook in fresh, since you get less scum that way IME.

[ursusarctos]

I was under the impression that soaking itself activates the phytate in the grain, which breaks down the phytic acid. That's why fermenting dough (i.e. sourdough) breaks down the phytic acid just like soaking does.

That said, I do throw away the soak water from beans. I suspect other potentially unpleasant things are leached out, like tannins. Basically it depends on what it is possible to strain - for example, I cook my oats in their soak water because it would be extremely inconvenient to strain them and cook in fresh water.

[CherryBomb]

I always throw out soak water and rinse.