Why is it worth eating sprouts? What do these little plants hide? |

Perhaps sprouts seem to be some invention of our times and are associated with the community of haunted vegans who decorate their vegetable dishes with sprouted grains. Nothing could be more wrong! The history of eating sprouts is older than the Bible itself. As early as 3 BC, the Chinese ate soybean sprouts and mung bean sprouts on a daily basis. They were considered to be foods that heal digestive problems and strengthen the body.

In the XNUMXth century, British sailor Captain James Cook was the first to test the anti-scurvy properties of sprouts that he gave to his crew suffering from vitamin C deficiency during long, many-month voyages. For the seamen, sprouted beans were prepared and cooked at low temperature for several hours. Thanks to this treatment, numerous deaths of members of the ship’s crew, which were the real bane of long sea voyages, were avoided.

During World War II, there was fear in the United States of meat and dairy shortages, so Dr. Clive McCay looked for an alternative source of protein in the event of an expected food shortage. The scientific community agreed that consuming germinated seeds is the best and cheapest alternative to meat protein. The government has launched a campaign to educate the public about how to germinate beans, grains and grains. When it turned out that the food deficit never touched America, the sprout education was abandoned in 1945.

Why are sprouts healthy?

The germination process awakens life-giving energy in the plant, which changes the composition of the seed. It is then that the young, sprouting plant contains more nutrients than the seeds. Experts at the Hippocrates Health Institute in West Palm Beach estimate that sprouts contain up to 30 times more nutrients than regular vegetables.

In the early spring, the fruit and vegetable shop offer often raises our doubts as to the freshness and quality of these products. Today’s crops are grown with the use of pesticides, which can adversely affect our health and silently poison us. Sprouts are grown without a lot of chemicals, so they can be a great variety to meals and enrich them with the necessary nutrients that our bodies need in this difficult period, and in wholesale doses.

Weakness, apathy, depressed mood, states of depression, catching infections – these are common symptoms that accompany us during the spring solstice. Then you don’t want to stick to a diet, you don’t want to exercise, dream, act, you don’t even want to write articles for 😉 This collective frustration and loss of strength must be dealt with somehow.

Sprouts incomecome here to help!

Sprouts are the most valuable form of a plant that nature has created. Sprouts are fascinating because they are still alive until we put them in our mouths. By eating sprouted seeds, grain or nuts, we provide ourselves with vitamin turbocharging, which will provide our tired body with the missing nutrients, give us energy and stimulate life. You do not need to take supplements, you do not have to look for an energy source in coffee, chocolate bars or buns. Germinated plants, eaten by Polish girls, have the most vitamins – this is how Andrzej Rosiewicz could sing if he was offered a role in an advertisement for sprouts 😉

Sprouts are vitamin bombs!

Vitamins are increasing in germinating plants. Additionally, they are a source of valuable minerals, active enzymes and fiber. Sprouts support the body in the fight against free radicals and prevent faster aging. Anti-nutritional factors (such as phytic acid) present in grains, beans and cereals are broken down and partially neutralized during the germination process, therefore sprouts are easily digestible food and the nutrients contained in them are better absorbed by the body.

Due to the content of enzymes, sprouts support digestion and metabolic processes. It is worth mentioning here that our ability to produce enzymes is limited and unfortunately less and less production occurs with age. This is associated with a poorer absorption of ingredients, intestinal problems, and faster aging.

If we deplete our enzyme pool by excessive consumption of cooked products, processed food devoid of nutrients, we must remember that we potentially accelerate the occurrence of health problems, inflammations, and degenerative diseases. It is worth remembering beforehand and adding raw food, rich in enzymes, to your menu. In addition to vegetables and fruits, this group also includes sprouts.

Which sprouts are the tastiest?

When entering a supermarket, we come across many types of sprouts today. We can try various sprout variants, and thanks to our curiosity and openness to new flavors during tasting – we can form our own opinion about them. I like the slightly nutty flavor of sunflower sprouts and their crunchy leaves. Leek sprouts enrich not only the taste (they are slightly spicy), but also visually my dishes, so they are also my favorites. What’s new – I also tried clover sprouts, but I think the rabbit would be more pleased with them 😉

Alfalfa sprouts are not to my taste, I don’t like them at all. However, sprouted mung beans are quite tasty, as are lentil sprouts. Currently, we have such a huge selection of sprouts in the store, so you can really find your favorite ones. I absolutely have to get back to their consumption, because lately I have completely ignored and forgot about sprouts. And I feel that I need turbocharging with vitamins and minerals in spring.

I also saw beetroot sprouts, peas, daikon radishes and watercress in a nearby greengrocer, which will surely reign on Easter tables. Which sprouts are among your favorites? What sprouts would you like to consume if you have avoided them before?

Home cultivation of sprouts

Despite the fact that the store offer in the subject of sprouts is quite rich, it may be worth taking an interest in your own home mini garden of germinating plants. You do not need land for this, you do not need a lot of space or complicated gardening tools. All it takes is a little bit of good intentions, buying seeds for germination from a good source and a vessel. In addition to special sprouts, it can also be a regular jar or even a plate covered with moist gauze or kitchen paper.

I grew my first sprouts at the age of 17, so it was a long time ago 😉 I germinated wheat from my grandmother, mung beans, lentils and soybeans. The latter was difficult for me to care for as it spoiled easily, it was starting to ferment, producing a terrible smell and a strange kind of mucus. It is worth adding here that sprouts can sometimes be contaminated with bacteria and mold, so before consumption, they should be carefully washed, smelled and tested for taste. Any questionable sprouts that raise our doubts are better to throw away than to risk poisoning.

Sprouts bought at the supermarket or grown at home are stored in the refrigerator when they are ready to eat. In this way, we slow their growth. The best to eat and the most valuable sprouts are 4-5 days old, although some of them require a longer growth period, such as cress sprouts (5-7 days). I have a lot of experience in growing sprouts, so sprouting has no secrets from me. For people who are curious about it and would like to try it out, I recommend watching the video below, in which there is a very well explained how to germinate in a jar, without an unnecessary germinator.

Summation

Sprouts are a food underestimated by many. My colleagues do not include sprouts in their menu and they were even surprised when I asked about them. And this is not a strange novelty, sprouts have been on the market for many, many years, so surely one of my readers is a die-hard germ eater. Please let me know if any of you eat or even grow sprouts at home 😊

The sprouts are best eaten raw to preserve their valuable properties, but you can also lightly roast them in a pan (mung beans or lentils). They are a wonderful and healthy decoration of sandwiches (watercress or sunflower). They can be an ingredient of salads, enriching not only their taste, but also providing wholesale amounts of nutrients. Sprouts can also be added to soups, cottage cheese, sandwich spreads, and even mixed in fruit and vegetable cocktails.

It is worth remembering about sprouts, especially now during the spring solstice – perhaps it is thanks to them that we will wake up faster and more effectively. If someone is worried about counting calories, let me reassure you that sprouts are a low-calorie food, with pre-used starch for plant growth processes, so the amount of carbohydrates is also smaller than in grains or seeds.

I hope that this short description of the benefits of consuming sprouts will inspire you to reach for these mini-nutrient factories. The choice is really huge. In addition to the aforementioned types of sprouts – quinoa, chickpeas, unroasted buckwheat, almonds and even brown rice can also be germinated, thus increasing the pool of nutrients and their absorption.

Let’s eat sprouts – for health and until spring 😊 If you do not want to wait idly for the appearance of powera, and you do not know where to get strength and vitality from – germinate your own source of energy and use it when needed.