Let It Sprout!
January 03, 2012 Most people don’t know what a sprout truly is. In fact I get a lot of people who think that when something is sprouted it has gone bad or gone off. In fact, the opposite is true.nnWhen a grain, legume, nut or seed has been sprouted, the nutritional profile has more than doubled. Meaning protein, enzymes, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and are at their optimum potential. Which means you will not only digest them efficiently, but you are getting so much more bang for your buck so to speak. Just a small amount goes a long way nutritionally speaking.nnSprouts are an alkalizing, living foods which continue to grow and gain vitamins after being harvested, which when compared to food bought at the supermarket that begin to lose their nutrient content as soon as they are picked (and are not then consumed for weeks on end), become very attractive – especially if you are trying to add more raw food to your diet.nnHere are a couple of things to keep in mind.nnHow to Sprout nnGet yourself a glass jar + cheesecloth or mesh lining. You can also use a stainless steel colander, sprouting jar or sprout kit. (Get your very own glass sprout kit – order one today at gethealthy@marniwasserman.com) nn1. Soak your legume, grain, nut or seed for 8-10 hours.nn2. Rinse and drain.nn3. Continue to rinse and drain for 1-3 days until what you are sprouting starts to grow a shoot. When the shoot is as long as the item itself, it is ready to be consumed. (Important - be sure to rinse and drain at least 2 times/day or more. You can even add in 1 teaspoon of vitamin C or amla powder to one of your rinses to prevent mold growth)nn4. After a sprout has formed be sure to consume right away and store in the fridge.nn nnWhat to Sprout nnLegumes: lentils, adzuki beans, chickpeas, mung beansnnGrains: brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, kamut, wild rice or wheat berriesnnNuts: almonds, cashewsnnSeeds: sesame, sunflower, chia, flaxnnBenefits of Sprouts nnAll LEGUMES such as those mentioned above are highly concentrated in both protein and starch and are acid-forming unless sprouted. Sprouting helps to reduce the acid-alkaline imbalance which might occur when grains, legumes, and other proteins are used.n
- nt
- Mung beans in particular, are similar in composition to fruits, are rich in vitamins A, C, and B complex. n
- nt
- Another way to use wheat is to grow the whole wheat berries as grass. The chlorophyll of wheat grass is very high. The wheat grass should be chewed to obtain the juice, discarding the pulp. Special juicers for wheat grass are now on the market. n
- nt
- Sunflower seeds are rich in vitamins B and D and all the essential amino acids. nt
- Sesame seeds are a rich source of calcium, iron, phosphorous, niacin, and protein. nt
- Alfalfa, probably the most popular sprouted seed, contains much chlorophyll, as well as vitamins A, B complex, C, D, E, G. K, and U. It also has large amounts of iron, calcium, phosphorous, and sulphur. n