Sprouting 101
I don’t consider myself to have particularly green fingers so it’s lucky that sprouts basically grow themselves…
And these little nutrient powerhouses are well worth putting in the (minimal) effort! With highly concentrated nutritional benefits versus eating mature vegetables, sprouts can be added to salads, soups, sandwiches, stir fries, pasta & smoothies.
As the name suggests, sprouts are germinated seeds that have sprouted into young plants. Germination begins when the seeds are soaked in water for many hours. When the soaked seeds are exposed to the right moisture & warmth (and allowed to grow for 2-7 days), you end up with a sprout, or many!
There are various kinds:
*Bean & pea sprouts e.g. lentils, chickpeas, mung beans, soybeans, black and kidney beans & green peas
*Vegetable/leafy sprouts e.g. broccoli, radish, mustard greens & fenugreek sprouts
*Sprouted grains e.g. buckwheat, brown rice, quinoa & oat sprouts
*Nut/seed sprouts e.g. radish seed, almond, alfalfa, pumpkin, sunflower & sesame seed sprouts
As well as being low in calories and high in fibre, enzymes, protein and other phytonutrients, sprouts offer serious potential health benefits:
🌱Powerful source of vits, minerals, antioxidants & enzymes that fight free radicals since sprouting can increase their potency x20 or more
🌱Protection of cells against bacteria, virus & abnormal cell growth due to being oxygen dense
🌱Support for weight loss - increased fibre content due to soaking & sprouting may bind to fat / toxins to help rid them from the body
🌱Boosted vitamins (A, B, C & E), essential fatty acid and protein levels due to sprouting may have greater absorption potential (bioavailability)
🌱Sprouting legumes, grains & seeds can make them much easier to digest by breaking down the ‘antinutrients’ that are common in these foods
🌱Sprouts alkalise the body thereby helping to protect it from disease
❗️There are concerns about sprouting safety as there have been cases of salmonella/e.coli associated with shop-bought sprouts b/c the environment that they grow in is also the ideal climate for bacteria to spread, especially in large commercial operations. But the chance of getting a food-borne illness with sprouts is greatly diminished when you sprout at home.
For more info and guidance on how to safely grow your own sprouts you can visit https://wholefully.com/sprouting-101/
