Why Sprout?

Sprouting is the practice of germinating seeds to be eaten raw or cooked. Sprouts are a common ingredient of the raw food diet and in Eastern Asian cuisine. Chances are you have had sprouts on salads, sandwiches or with your pho but did you know you can grow your own?

I am so grateful to my friend Lindsey for introducing me to sprouting. My first batch of sprouts was successfully reared last week and I am already growing more. You can sprout a variety of beans, grains and seeds. I started with mung beans and now I am trying out sunflower seeds. I have found them to be super energizing and only wish I would have started sprouting sooner!

Sprouting in your kitchen is like having a mini garden in the house year round. There are two main steps in the sprouting process: soaking and rinsing.  Both of these help wash away the nut or seed’s enzyme inhibitors and anti-nutrients like phytic acid, allowing it to then begin to germinate and sprout. The result of the process produces a potent super food loaded with prana (life giving energy). Here are some of my top reasons to consider adding sprouts to your diet.

Benefits of Sprouting

Aids in Digestion

It all starts with Agni, your digestive fire, and I am for anything that supports a balanced and healthy digestion. Have you ever had problems with beans, nuts and seeds causing intestinal gas? I know I have, especially almonds (which you can sprout). Sprouting helps break down the complex sugars responsible for the gas, making them easier for all of us to digest.

Sprouts Are Alkalizing

You know I’m all about pH. Many illness and imbalances we suffer from, including cancer are linked to excess acidity in the body. We need a balance of acid and alkaline food to maintain good health but our pH should be slightly more alkaline than acidic. The standard American diet is rich with acid-forming foods, and stress also makes our bodies more acidic. By sprouting your grains and legumes, you are helping them become a more alkaline-forming food because you are starting the process of making a plant. So, in a sense, it’s more like eating a vegetable than a grain, bean or seed.

Nutrient Value Increases

When you sprout you are growing a little plant. The first shoots of a plant (the sprout) are loaded with nutrients. The quality of the protein in the beans, nuts, seeds, or grains improves when sprouted and the vitamin content increases dramatically, especially vitamins A, B-complex, C, and E. Sprouts are Versatile and Inexpensive There are lots of ways to enjoy your spouts. I have just been eating them on their own by the handful. In addition sprouts are relatively cheap to make, especially if you buy your seeds, grains and beans is bulk. People frequently use the cost of healthy foods as an excuse for not eating healthy.

Happy Spouting!

Kate