By Alex ‘Earthie Mama’ Du Toit | Guest Writer
Sprouts are a miracle food. Sprouting is the process of germinating seeds to be eaten raw or cooked. They can be germinated at any time of year indoors. When seeds are soaked, the dormant seeds turn into a nutritional powerhouse. There are numerous nutritional benefits as well as many ways to use your home-grown sprouts! Sprouts are so fresh they’re still growing.
Nutritional Information
- The nutritional content of sprouts is many times greater than the original food value of the seeds and beans from which they sprout.
- Pound for pound, a salad made from a variety of sprouts, compared with the traditional lettuce salad, would cost less than half as much yet provide five times as much protein, six times as much Vitamin C and seven times as much of the B Complex Vitamins.
- Whole dried peas have no Vitamin C, yet when sprouted for 48 hours, provide more Vitamin C (ounce per ounce) than fresh oranges.
- Sprouts save food preparation time since they require no cleaning, peeling or chopping, and can be cooked (if desired) in a mere fraction of the time required for most foods.
- Sprouts have the highest concentration of nutrition per calorie of any food.
- Broccoli sprouts carry potent anti-cancer agents.
- Sprouts are actually freshly germinated edible seeds such as beans, grains and nuts.
- As a ‘living’ food, Sprouts continue to grow vitamins after being harvested.
- Captain James Cook had his sailors eat sprouts, limes and lemons for their Vitamin C content to aid in curing scurvy.
- During WW11 when the United States was concerned about a possible meat shortage, the scientific community advised the government that the consumption of germinated seeds was the best and the cheapest alternative to proteins in meat.
- Sprouts contain an abundance of highly active anti-oxidants that prevent DNA destruction and protect us from the on-going effects of aging.
- The most powerful enzyme-rich foods are sprouted seeds, grains and legumes. Sprouting increases their enzyme content as much as 43 times more than non-sprouted foods. The enzymes in Sprouts help our body digest the nutrients in our food and boost the life-giving activity in our body.
- Sprouts save food preparation time since they require no cleaning, peeling or chopping, and can be cooked (if desired) in a mere fraction of the time required for most foods.
How to Sprout
- Select a Sprouting vessel. Many different types can be used but one simple vessel is a glass jar with a piece of cloth secured over its rim. There are tiered clear plastic sprouters available allowing you a number of seeds, beans, and nuts to be sprouting at the same time. Whatever vessel you choose, water must be allowed to drain from it because sprouts that sit in water rot quickly. I like this one a lot
- The seeds, beans or nuts are moistened with clean water 2 times per day
- Each seed, bean or nut has its own ideal sprouting time but usually after 3-5 days they are ready to eat!
- If left longer, they will develop leaves and turn into bay greens which are also edible and nutritious.
- Sprout growth can be slowed or halted by refrigeration.
The Five Rules of Sprouting
- Rinse often.
- Keep them moist, not wet.
- Keep them at room temperature.
- Give them plenty of room to breathe.
- Don’t put too many in any one container.
Sprouts are such an easy way for everyone to grow their own food and stay healthy! Sprouts are so fresh they are still growing. There are many ways to include sprouts in your diet. Put them on a sandwich, add them to the top of a salad with a little Master Tonic mixed with Olive Oil, be creative just get those probiotics in your body.
Let me know if you try sprouting your own food!
Happy Sprouting!
Originally published at Earthiemama and reproduced here with permission.
About the Author
Alexandra is a true Earthie Mama, helping others tune into their most natural, thriving state while bringing harmony and balance into all areas of their lives. She hosts a well-known blog, EarthieMama.com, where she writes about health and wellness, conscious parenting, green living, self-sustainability and getting off the grid. Alex also has an MA in Psychology, and is a registered Yoga Instructor, environmentalist, conscious mother, green living advocate and natural birthing expert. She also sells all natural products and her e-books through her website.
Please check out her website at EarthieMama.com, connect with Earthie Mama on Facebook, or sign up to the free EarthieMama e-newsletter!