Sprouting seeds, beans and lentils is so incredibly easy, tasty and fascinating to watch, that the only reason I can find that you are not all doing it is a lack of understanding of how amazing, wonderful, cheap and nutritious sprouted seeds really are and they really are a true store cupboard ready! So that is what this post is all about.
I was holding a sour dough starter “Get to know your Starter session” earlier this week when a lady said to me that she couldn’t quite get to grips with cooking in a slow cooker as it was missing the connection to the process – the ALCHEMY of making something wonderful. Well clearly the word ALCHEMY and the idea that people wanted connection to their food stuck with me so here I am 3 days later having finally found an angle about sprouting seeds, which I have been mulling over doing a post on since July. Sprouting seeds are the ultimate in ALCHEMY when it comes to food, partly because it is so simple and partly because it is just a seed reproducing itself, the start of the process all over again….
I am all about food being local, sustainable, affordable and offering as much nutrition as possible and sprouted seeds are all of these things. Let me explain:-
Why Bother Sprouting ?
Sprouts are an incredible living food that are rich in enzymes and anti-oxidants. The fermentation process unlocks large amounts of nutrients within the seeds.
- Sprouting peas can yield an 800% increase in Vitamin C
- Sprouted alfalfa grains provide more chlorophyll than eating mature spinach, kale, cabbage or parsley
- Sprouted wheat contains four times the amount of niacin and nearly twice the amount of B6 and folate as unsprouted wheat. It has less starches and has a lower glycemic index.
- Sprouted broccoli seeds can contain as much as 50 times the amount of phytonutrients as eating a fully grown broccoli spear
- Sprouts of all kinds provide large amounts of absorbable protein as well as increased calcium, potassium, sodium, iron plus Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3 and C
In general, sprouted foods have five to ten times higher B vitamins, double the vitamin A, vitamin C, zinc, calcium and iron content of its pre-soaked and sprouted counterpart. The enzymes will also make the protein much more easily absorbable when consumed.
The soaking process neutralises the phytic acid and other enzyme inhibitors in dry grains, seeds and legumes. It also break down the gluten into more easily digestible components. Wholegrains, lentils and legumes which have not been properly prepared are indigestible and cause the body all kinds of problems and can lead to serious mineral deficiencies, bone loss, bloating, IBS, food allergies and generally impaired digestion.
What can you Sprout?
Most seed and legumes sprout fairly easily. Your seeds should ideally be organic but failing that if they don’t sprout you will know that they have no live enzymes and have probably been stored incorrectly, or for too long, or have been sprayed irradiated or damaged in some other way.
We tend to sprout the following:
Buckwheat, amaranth, sunflower seeds, linseeds, alfalfa, chickpeas, mung beans, cumin seeds, lentils
It is a good idea to keep rotating what you are sprouting so you ensure your body gets a wide range of vitamins and minerals and does not get the same things over and over again. Variety as they say is the spice of life!
Please note that alfalfa sprouts are mildly toxic and shouldn’t be eaten every day and should be avoided by anyone with a compromised immune system. Soy and kidney beans should NOT BE SPROUTED as these are toxic. Some people find sprouted legumes very difficult to digest and if this turns out to be you then just stick to the seeds and get the many and varied benefits from them instead.
How to Sprout
Well, this is the easy bit. Put a couple of tablespoons of the seed or legume of your choice in a fine mesh sieve and rinse thoroughly removing any bad or damaged looking bits.
Put the seeds/legumes in a clean empty jar and fill up with water – put the lid (with holes in it to let the mixture breathe and on and leave overnight on your work-surface. In the morning drain the water out and put in the cupboard (away from the light in a warm place) on its’ side. For the next 3-7 days take out once a day and fill up with water and drain and put back in the cupboard on its’ side. Once your sprouts are the size you wish – minimum 3 days usually then remove and put into a container in your fridge to be used at your leisure.
How to Use Sprouts
You can use in any way you wish, alone as a snack straight from the fridge – they all taste different but can be quite nutty in flavour and very satisfying. We use in salads on its’ own or with other vegetables, in sandwiches, on omelettes in stews, in breakfast muesli, stir fry’s.
I hope this was helpful and I look forward to hearing some of your sprouting adventures.
Lindsay
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