I want to share with you the many profound health benefits of eating fresh sprouts and show you how easy it is to grow your own. For many years, sprouts have helped me maintain my weight while increasing my health, (more on that subject here-- (https://www.roxmod.me/post/diet-tips-for-a-healthy-and-fit-body). Today, I have a completely wide and varied diet. Of course, I still grow and eat my own sprouts because the benefits of sprouts remain. In fact, the benefits are so plentiful that I had to write an article just about them.
Sprouts are such a fully nutritious and glorious food that they warrant more attention from us all. They give us a high ROI on our time, money and health and shouldn’t be over looked. Sprouts are thin and delicate, but they pack a punch!
Sprouts can be an answer to weight problems. As we age our metabolism slows down. We don’t need as much food as we once did, and if we don’t cut back on how much we eat, we’ll gain weight. For some of us that weight can be extremely hard to loose. Eating sprouts regularly, all kinds of sprouts, can be a big help in loosing weight. We all know that enzymes are important to breaking down food and sprouts contain an unusually high number of enzymes—-up to 100 times more enzymes than found uncooked fruits and vegetables, according to experts. When you have a high number of enzymes, this can greatly help boost the metabolic processes within the body. This is one of things I love about sprouts! They help speed our metabolism back up. Slower metabolism = weight gain. Higher metabolism = less weight gain. Go sprouts!
Sprouts can help with digestion. The fiber in sprouts helps make you feel full. When you feel full your body will not release the peptide hormone called ghrelin (pronounced grelin) which triggers the feeling of hunger. That will help you from eating too much and snacking because the fiber will fill you up and you won’t release the hunger hormone. Also, the dietary fiber from sprouts makes them an important boost for the functions of the digestive track. First, fiber stimulates gastric juices which help the enzymes break down food more effectively and efficiently helping you absorb more nutritional benefits. Second, fiber bulks up the stool, making it easier to pass through the digestive tract. Third, the fiber from sprouts is a great way to clear up constipation and diarrhea. Being ‘regular’ is one of the healthiest feelings. The benefits of sprouts continue!
Sprouts can improve heart health. Heart disease still is the leading cause of death in the US accounting for almost 1 in every 4 deaths! This fact alone is a strong enough reason why to include sprouts in your diet. Sprouts are a great source of antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids which are anti-inflammatory in nature, so they reduce the stress on your cardiovascular system. Sprouts are high in potassium. Potassium increases circulation and oxygenation of the blood while it lowers the risk of atherosclerosis, heart attacks and strokes.
Sprouts are a great source of protein. This is important for vegans and vegetarians and all people who have non-meat eating diets. The quality of the protein in beans, nuts, seed or grains improves when sprouted. Proteins change during the soaking and sprouting process improving the nutritional value. For example, lysine, the amino acid which prevents cold sores and helps to maintain a healthy immune system, significantly increases during the sprouting process. Even the vitamin content increases dramatically. Some sprouts show an increase up to 20 times the original value while vitamin B1 increases up to 285 percent, B2 by up to 515 percent and niacin up to 256 percent. That’s amazing!
Sprouts help to alkalize your body. Most diets are too acidic leaving people prone to weak bones, heart disease, diabetes kidney disease, and a long list of other health issues. For long term health there needs to be an acid-alkaline balance. Sprouts can offer us that much needed balance.
Are you excited to try to grow your own sprouts now? Not only are they good for your health, as you’ve just been reading, but growing your own is a great way to have your own supply of gourmet, high quality, fresh food year round. You can even transform the activity of growing your own sprouts into a meditation on being grateful that you are able to easily and quickly grow nutritious food for you and your family, for example. Make the sprouting process a ritual of your own creation. Studies have been made which show seeds sprout faster and more of plentiful when exposed to musical sound vibrations and healing intentions.
The sprouting method I’ve used is with a sprouting jar which you can purchase here: https://www.amazon.com/Handy-Pantry-Complete-Sprouting-Strainer/dp/B000N8FGLC/ref=as_sl_pc_as_ss_li_til?tag=roxmod-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=76fb87df6b4383f47d4ac31623d9cfbf&creativeASIN=B000N8FGLC
Choose the type of bean, nut or legume you’d like to sprout, (see chart below) and following these easy instructions. Remove any broken or discolored seed, stones, twigs or hulls that may still be in your sprouting seeds. Fill the sprouting jar with about 1/3 cup of seeds and cover with about 1 cup of pure water. Most absorb the water over night. Usually I find it easiest to start a new batch before going to bed, let them soak overnight, and in the morning they are ready to sprout. Drain out the water, rinse thoroughly with pure water and drain out the water again. I lay the jar on its side in a cool area in my kitchen on the counter. Keep the sprouts moist during the day by repeating the rinsing and draining process. They are now a live plant so be sure they don’t dry out. Keep them moist! Once the sprouts are ready (length of sprouting time on chart below) store in the refrigerator, covered, and they will keep for up to ten days. In my home, they never last that long because I can’t wait to eat them!
Preparing sprouts is easy. They can be eaten raw in a salad or placed in wraps, added to soups and stews, blended into shakes or ground into a paste for sandwich fillings, and used in many more types of dishes. My favorite way to prepare sprouts is to lightly steam them then mix them in cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil and top them with Bragg’s Liquid Aminos. That, right there, is one of my favorite things to eat. I never tire of the flavor. I like knowing they’re good for my health and not expensive to grow plus I feel gratification and satisfaction having grown them myself.
Let me know how your sprout growing experience goes. I’m excited to hear back from you and know that you’ve incorporated a healthy way of eating into your life. As always, to your health!