Long
before the Hallelujah Diet entered my life, I was
introduced to
sprouting. I was enthralled with this
'garden-in-a-jar' concept as it reminded me of the
unabashed joy I felt as a child upon discovering the
wonders of gardening. Watching the seeds grow and
produce food was a delightful experience for
me.Therefore it was not suprising that I fell in love
with sprouting at first sight if not at 'first bite!'
The taste of these tender morsels of living food was
refreshing, while the process was entirely
entertaining. Thus sprouting became a happy,
wholesome discovery that has since become part of my
life.
Suffice to say, there is something about a seed that
stirs one's spirit. That life can emerge from a tiny
speck is an age-old reality. Passing from generation
to generation, seeds hold a unique memory and
characteristic peculiar to their respective variety.
Experiencing the life force of a seed from infancy to
maturity is a wonder that captivates the best of us
whether we farm or not. The ancient art of
agriculture is a timeless tradition that begs
respect, for without food man can not live. Thus
seeds remain an integral part of our lives, a verible
treasure to mankind.
While sprouting has long, historic roots (dating back
to the Chinese
thousands of years ago), the focus of this writing
will be on the
practical side: exploring the nature of sprouts,
their nutritional value,
and most of all, how to grow them!
SPROUTS: what are they?
While sprouting is a popular venture, especially in
health circles, many people are unaware that it
exists. For the benefit of those who have yet to
discover the wonderful world of sprouting, herein is
the process in a nutshell: Sprouting is the practice
of soaking, draining, and then rinsing seeds at
regular intervals until they germinate, or 'sprout.'
Sprouts are living, non-processed foods. No chemicals
or preservatives have been added.The essential oils
have never been exposed to the air so they are not
rancid nor have their enzymes been destroyed by
cooking. Sprouts are simple, natural, wholesome food.
They can be eaten solo or in combination, added to
leafy green salads, used to top sandwiches, sprinkle
over a dinner, eaten as a side dish or used as a
garnish on soups or entrees.
SPROUTS: a valuable food
source
When it comes to nutrient-dense foods, sprouts enjoy
a superior
rating. Studies show that sprouts are one of the most
complete
and nutritional foods known to man. Eating sprouts
gives you the full
nutritional value of the food. Sprouts rank as
superfoods because:
1) they are filled with enzymes. The enzymes in
sprouts are a special protein that helps the body
digest the nutrients in food and boosts the
life-giving enzyme activity in the body. Food enzymes
are only found in raw foods. Cooking destroys them.
While all raw foods contain enzymes, the most
powerful enzyme-rich food are sprouted seeds, grains,
and legumes. Sprouting increases the enzyme content
in these foods enormously, to as much as forty-three
times more than non-sprouted foods. Young, germinated
seeds (sprouts) initiate a chemical transformation in
seed grains that naturally neutralize harmful
phytates or enzyme inhibitors, thereby making more
enzymatic power available to the body for digestion
of food.
2)
they are filled with proteins, complex carbohydrates,
essential fatty acids, fiber, vitamins, minerals,
phytochemicals and nutraceuticals. Some vitamins
increase during sprouting by 500%. In wheat, vitamin
B-12 quadruples, other B vitamins increases 3 to 12
times, vitamin E content triples. Fiber content
increases three to four times that of whole wheat
bread.
3) they are a predigested food which makes them
easier to digest and also gives them a higher
biological efficiency value than whole seeds, raw or
cooked. Less food is required, yet more nutrients
reach the blood and cells.
4) they contain chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is one of
the healthiest substances known to man and plays an
important role in maintaining cell life. Chlorophyll
is known to be effective in helping to resolve
multifold physical, emotional, and mental ailments,
including protein deficiency anemia.
5) they have a high concentration of RNA, DNA,
protein, and essential nutrients which can be found
only in living cells. Therefore sprouts have a
regenerating effect on the human body that cannot be
achieved by eating a dead food diet or by taking
synthetically-prepared/chemical-laden supplements.
SPROUTS: their top health benefits
For all their fine nutritional qualities, sprouts are
best known for their rich amount of enzymes.
Sprouting greatly increases the content of all
enzymes, including proteolytic and amylolytic
enzymes. These enzymes digest proteins and
carbohydrates (starches). They are normally produced
inside the body but are also found in great
concentration in raw sprouted foods. Enzymes found in
sprouts can take the place of some of the body’s
own enzymes. This fact is significant, since most
people, due to poor diet or aging, do not have
sufficient enzymes in order to digest their food.
Enzyme deficiency is implicated in over 200 diseases
such as
- cancer
- high blood pressure
- heart disease
- arthritis
- diabetes
- tuberculosis
- psoriasis
- dermatitis
- prostatitis
- cirrhosis
- pruritis
- cholecystitis
- rheumatism
- edema
- varicose veins
- sores
- pancreatitis
- thrombosis
- arteriosclerosis
- coronary heart disease
- phlebitis
- circulatory problems
- shingles
- obesity
When
there are enough enzymes in our food, it spares the
body from having to manufacture concentrated
digestive enzymes. This sparing
effect increases the activity of all the other
enzymes in the body. Eating enzyme-rich foods such as
sprouts allows the body to maximize its production of
non-digestive enzymes, so as to produce an adequate
level of enzymes all our life. The higher the level
of enzyme activity, the healthier and biologically
younger we are going to be. Since aging is, to a
large extent, caused by enzyme depletion, slowing the
aging process might be a matter of eating lots of
enzyme-rich food every day along with an adequate
intake of vitamins and minerals. Sprouted seeds,
grains, and legumes are
the most powerful, enzyme-rich foods that exist.
In addition to being super-enzymatic foods, sprouts
are the most reliable year-round source of vitamin C,
carotenoid A, and many B vitamins (such as folacin),
all of which are usually in short supply in our diet.
Sprouting seeds, grains, and legumes greatly
increases the content of these vitamins. For example,
the vitamin A content (per calorie) of sprouted Mung
beans is two-and-a-half times higher than the dry
bean, and some beans have more than eight times more
vitamin A after being sprouted. Dry seeds, grains,
and legumes, while rich in protein and complex
carbohydrates, contain no vitamin C. But after
sprouting, they contain around 20 milligrams per 3.5
ounces, a tremendous increase.
The great advantage in obtaining vitamins from
home-grown sprouts is
that you get a consistently high vitamin content
without losses. In the dead of winter when you
can’t grow anything or get fresh produce
anywhere, sprouts will provide a consistently
reliable source of fresh, high-nutrient vegetables
rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, and B vitamins. This
will keep your immune system strong and your health
in top condition when almost everyone else is getting
sick. Many people come down with colds and flu in the
winter more than any other time because they are not
getting the vegetables and fruits that would keep
their immune systems strong.
Also, if grown in decent soil or taken from your own
garden, sprouted
seeds, grains, and legumes will be high in organic
minerals. Thus your home-grown sprouts are also an
excellent source of naturally-occurring minerals.
SPROUTING: what to grow?
Most any seed can be sprouted, although some seeds
germinate more easily than others. Here are a few of
the more popular sprouters:
Seeds - clover, sunflower, radish,
mustard, fenugreek, broccoli, salad mix, pea lettuce,
chinese cabbage, alfalfa
Beans - mung, lentils, garbanzo,
adzuki
Nuts - almonds, filberts (hazelnuts)
Grains - barley, wheat, rye,
buckwheat, oat groats (hulled)
Remember that each seed variety has its own
particular 'flavor' and arsenal of nutrients to aid
the body. For example, broccoli sprouts fight cancer,
fenugreek sprouts aid digestion, wheat and barley
sprouts rejuvenate, restore, and vitalize all body
cells. Therefore choose your sprouts seeds according
to your health needs as well as your tastes!
SPROUTING: how to start
Soaking grains, nuts, seeds and beans overnight
triggers the onset of
the sprouting process and deactivates the enzyme
inhibitors. Soaking them for a few hours or as long
as overnight renders them easier to sprout, eat, and
digest.
Take any edible seeds, nuts, grains or beans, sand
oak them in water overnight. They should swell up.
These are called "pre-sprouts." Many of
them will now be ready to eat without any cooking at
all. If not edible, then rinse them and continue
soaking and rinsing for two or three days. Letting
the sprouts grow longer is optional. Putting the
sprouts in a window so they turn green is also
optional. Just soak your seeds, nuts, grains or beans
for 24+ hours and then try eating them. If you like
the taste then they are ready to eat.
SPROUTING: methods
There are several approaches to sprouting. Depending
on time, preference, and circumstances, choose which
method works for you.
Jar: utilizes a wide-mouth, glass
canning jar with mesh- screen
lid. Soak, rinse, and drain seeds in the jar until
ready to eat.
Plastic tube: variation on jar
method: opens at both ends- easier
to remove long sprouts like greens from tube than
from jar.
Sprouting bags: cotton, linen, hemp
or plastic mesh. Soak seed
in bag in water, then hang up inside plastic bag
(forms a little
greenhouse).
Trays: very good for growing greens.
Might need drainage system.
Clay saucer: used for mucilaginous
seeds like chia, flax, and
psyllium, etc.
Commerical sprouters: wide variety
available (electric and non-
electric) in various price ranges. Many do not work
as well as
cloth/jar methods.
SPROUTING: a renewable resource
In this day when issues of environmental ethics and
sustainability
are popular concerns, sprouting proves to be a
winning resource
for the average individual as well as a commercial
enterprise. This
fact is true because
1) sprouts are easy to grow
2) sprouts are economical. They can
be grown with a minimum
investment of materials and/or equipment for pennies
a day.
3) sprouts continue to grow slowly, and their
vitamin content
increases even after harvesting and refrigerating
them. This is in
marked contrast with store-bought fruits and
vegetables which start
to lose their vitamins as soon as they’re picked
and often have to be
shipped a thousand miles or more to grocery store
shelves.
4) sprouts are
environmentally friendly. They eliminate the
need
for cooking fuel, and reduce the generation of
greenhouse gases.
5) sprouts are convenient to grow.
They can be grown in a
variety of simple ways that do not even require
electricity.
6) sprouts can be grown anywhere...at
home or on the road.
When traveling, pack dried grains, seeds, nuts,
beans, and peas
and produce fresh vegetables in your hotel room or
campsite!
7) sprouts can be grown year around,
making them an ideal
solution especially for winter eating, when
availability of fresh
produce may be limited.
SPROUTING at The Living Way
For a number of years those of us at The Living Way
have
incorporated sprouts into our ultimately-healthy,
Hallelujah lifestyle.
Whereas we have purchased sprouts for the sake of
convenience,
we prefer to grow our own sprouts. True to form,
home-grown is
still the best route to take, since most
commercially-grown sprouts are sprayed with harmful
preservatives and have lost most of their nutrition
in transit or on the store shelf. Therefore, fresh
sprouts from your own kitchen garden are preferable.
As the family sprouter, I enjoy sprouting mostly in
the winter, since it is the simplest, most affective
alternative to gardening during the cold months. It
also affords us nutrient-dense, living foods when we
need them the most. Gardening-in-a-jar thus becomes
my winter garden. Filling jars with seed varieties,
soaking them overnight, rinsing, and draining is a
process that is both natural and entertaining.
Watching the seeds 'sprout' is a fun, healthy type of
entertainment.
IN CONCLUSION
When all is said and done, sprouting is a wholesome
experience that deserves a place in everyone's life.
Engaging the growing process for the sake of one's
health is a winning combination
that is well worth the effort. In light of the many
excellent health
benefits associated with sprouting, it makes sense to
simplify
one's life 'down to seed level' in order to
experience a quality of life that is genuinely
wonderful. When times grow tough and budgets crunch,
sprouts prove to be a welcomed survival food. A
humble meal of fresh sprouts will suffice in times of
want. Likewise a handful of sprouts far surpasses the
nutritional value of a handful of potato chips,
french fries, ice cream or pizza.
Therefore learn to eat what is good for you. Eat to
LIVE. Learn what
life is all about by investigating the power
contained in a lowly seed.
See what it can and will do for you. SPROUT your way
to ultimate
health...Sprout for LIFE!
Mung bean sprouts growing in a jar
_________________________________________
References
and Resources:
Sprouting basics:
http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/sprouts.html
Sprouting
resource:
http://www.sproutman.com
Broccoli Sprouts fight cancer:
Books:
The Sprout Garden- Mark M. Braunstein
Sprouts: The Miracle Food: The Complete Guide to
Sprouting-
Steve Meyerowitz
The
Sprouting Book- Ann Wigmore
Super Nutrition Gardening- Dr. William S.
Peavy and Warren Peary
_____________________________________
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