Sprouting Seeds: The Ultimate Food

Sprouts are one of the most alkalising, nutritious and easily accessible foods know to man. Being rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins and enzymes, they can be grown easily in four to six days and require no effort and very little cost.

A sprout possesses all of the energy, vitamins and nutrients and power that enables it to be transformed from a small seed into a strong plant. At this stage its nutritional value is at its highest for instance, sprouted seeds can contain 400% more protein than lettuce and over 3900% more beta-carotine.

Also, due to their size and taste you are able to eat hundreds of sprouted seeds at a time. In so many sprouts, you are eating the equivalent of hundreds of fully grown plants all at once – when else would you be able to get the goodness of one hundred mature plants in one meal?!

Studies have also shown that broccoli and other types of sprout contain exceptionally high levels of a natural cancer fighting compound called sulforaphane (20 – 50 times more than in mature broccoli) which helps support antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E.

Sprouted Seeds: Raw, Crisp and Delicious

Sprouts are an alkalizing, living food which continue to grow and gain vitamins after being harvested, which when compared to food bought at the supermarket which begins 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.

They are great to be eaten on their own, used in salads and stir-fry's or juiced into your green drink.

Sprouts: Packed With Nutrients

The nutritious value of sprouts is remarkable with sprouts containing a greater concentration of vitamins, minerals, proteins, enzymes, phytochemicals, anti-oxidants, nitrosmines, trace minerals, bioflavinoids and chemo-protectants (such as sulphoraphane and isoflavone) which work against toxins, resist cell mutation and invigorate the body’s immune system than at any other point in the plant’s life – even when the plant is fully matured.

The abundant enzymes in sprouts also makes them easily digestible as their delicate cell walls easily release elemental nutrients.

Many different types of sprout are available including alfalfa, broccoli, little radish, mung bean and a range of mixes including fitness mix, gourmet mix and aromatic mix.

How to Grow Sprouts

Growing sprouts is a very simple and straightforward process and there are many different sprouting products available on the market ranging in price and style. The cheapest, effective sprouters available are the Biosnacky Large Germinator and Germinator Jar which are compact, manual sprouters which require daily watering. At the other end of the scale are the automatic sprouters such as the EasyGreen (the best sprouter we have personally come across), which offers automatic cleaning, rinsing, oxidisation, misting and temperature control. The automatic sprouters remove much of the work from sprouting and ensure that the sprouted seeds are grown as efficiently, effectively and quickly as possible.

However, even without an automatic sprouter, growing sprouts is easy and requires very little time.

Step-by-Step Manual Sprouting:

• place seeds in a sieve and wash thoroughly;
• soak the seeds overnight or for approximately 12 hours and then rinse thoroughly;
• place the seeds in the germinator and ensure that they are evenly spread out and not too cramped together;
• place the germinator in a well lit spot, but away from direct sunlight and keep at room temperature;
• water twice daily;
• after 4-6 days your sprouts are ready to harvest – rinse thoroughly and keep refrigerated (consume within 5 days).