Just think about it – it can be below zero outside, snow and ice cover every surface, but not your kitchen countertop! On your kitchen countertop, a garden of nutritional powerhouses flourishes. They are homegrown, organic, unspoiled, unsprayed, and full of vitamins, enzymes, minerals, proteins and fatty acids.
What magic is this? It’s very simple: sprouts! All that this sort of powerhouse asks of you is a jar to grow in and a few daily rinses of pure water. These baby vegetables are grown from seed to sprouts in only one week. Sprouts are an excellent way to feed your family organic vegetables at a low cost.
The process of germination is like a vitamin and enzyme factory. Researchers discovered that sprouts can be anywhere from 10 to 100 times more potent than the mature vegetable, with a dramatic increase of various enzymes.
Broccoli sprouts protect the cells throughout the entire body from cancer-causing compounds. They also help shrink tumors that are already present. Based on recent research, experts have stated that one can cut his risk of developing cancer in half, by consuming two pounds of broccoli and/or similar cruciferous vegetables a week.
Now, which broccoli do most people buy? When shopping in the store, most people will opt for frozen broccoli, which has already lost some of its nutrients during freezing, and is probably not organic, but usually sprayed with many chemicals. Even if you buy fresh broccoli, most people will not choose organic. Now, compare this with freshly-picked organic sprouts that have up to 100 times more nutrients than fresh mature, organic broccoli! Considering the potency of broccoli sprouts, you can get the same amount of protection by consuming just one half to one ounce of sprouts a week.
Although you can probably find alfalfa and mung bean sprouts in your grocery store, if you want broccoli, radish or red clover sprouts, you might have to grow them yourself. The sprouts you grow at home are more nutritious and better tasting than the ones you buy in the store. That’s because sprouts have the most flavor and nutrition when they are freshly picked. Just like all vegetables, many of the sprouts in the store have already lost some of their valuable nutrition and taste.
Mung, a bean sprout, is extremely simple to make and is ready to eat in 1-2 days.
Make eating fresh sprouts part of your daily routine. Eat at least one half cup daily. It’s an easy, delicious way to obtain important vitamins, minerals and protein. Because their nutrients are so concentrated, you need to eat fewer sprouts than fresh vegetables to get all of the important benefits.
Below, find a combination of seeds for a leafy sprout mix and their health benefits:
Broccoli: As mentioned above, broccoli is extremely high in nutrition, and has many health benefits. Broccoli seeds are quite expensive, but still, compared to fresh broccoli you’re getting a great bargain.
Red clover: Red clover acts as a blood purifier, increases energy and improves weak nerves. It is a wonderful source of volatile oils, amino acids, minerals and vitamins. It contains highly absorbable calcium and magnesium which relax the nervous system and settle the stomach.
Fenugreek: Fenugreek is a valuable blood and kidney cleanser. It is an excellent source of phosphorus and iron, and contains a number of trace elements as well.
Alfalfa: Alfalfa is one of the most widely-eaten sprouts. Alfalfa has a rich concentration of vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, vitamin E, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and many important trace minerals. Alfalfa sprouts have more chlorophyll than spinach, kale, cabbage or parsley. Plant estrogens in alfalfa sprouts function similarly to human estrogen, without side effects. They increase bone formation and density and prevent osteoporosis.
Sprouting can be fun and is very simple – even a kid can do it! Get your children involved, they’ll love to watch the sprouts grow. Even if you’re busy, make this a priority for your sake and the sake of your family’s health. With a little investment of your time, the great health benefits will “sprout!”
Four steps to successful sprouting
Fortunately, sprouts are easy to make. All you need is a 2-quart size glass canning jar with a wide mouth and a lid. Sprouting lids are available in most health food stores and are available with assorted size holes. The larger holes are for larger seeds or beans and for easy rinsing once the sprouts are bigger.
- Place 3 tablespoons of seeds in a jar, cover with about 4 inches of purified water and put the lid on. Soak the seeds for about 5-7 hours. Soak beans for 8 hours.
- After soaking, drain the water through the lid. This water is loaded with minerals and is great for feeding plants. Rinse the seeds well by refilling the jar with water and pouring it out again. Repeat this until the water runs clear. Once the rinsing is done, prop the jar diagonally upside down to drain so air can circulate. A dish drainer works well. Make sure the seeds aren’t packed too closely together by lightly tapping the jar so the seeds spread out along the side. The seeds have to dry and get adequate circulation! Don’t let the jar sit straight up because all seeds will fall onto the sprout cover, blocking the holes and no air will be able to circulate. Now, lay a cloth or paper towel over the jar, or prop it up in a kitchen cabinet to block out most of the light for better germination.
- Rinse twice daily (approx. 12 hours apart), and prop the jar upside down as described above. A mid-afternoon rinse is important during hot summer days and beneficial anytime. Seeds give off waste material and gases during sprouting and these must be rinsed off or the seeds will sour or rot. Seeds should be moist but not wet. Keep out of light for the first three days, roughly. Afterward, keep the sprouts in daylight, as at this point they will develop chlorophyll. Never put in direct sunlight. When rinsing, once the sprouts have tiny leaves, you can fill the jar halfway with water, then thoroughly swish the sprouts with your hand and rinse well. This will give a chance for all sprouts to get light and develop chlorophyll and will also clean off the hulls.
- The sprouts will be ready to eat in three to seven days. (In the summer, they sprout much faster). They should be one to two inches in length. At this point you can use the red lid which has bigger holes for easy rinsing. Fill the jar with water, swish it around, and then skim off any hulls that float to the top. Do this several times. A few hulls provide natural bulk and roughage, but rinse away whatever you can get out easily. Now, drain the water out of the jar again. Let the sprouts dry for about eight hours before refrigerating. You can remove part of the sprouts on the fourth or fifth day, or when they seem ready and still leave the rest outside to sprout for another day or so. Watch the jar fill up again. That’s the miracle of sprouting!
Sprouts are fantastic in salads and sandwiches and as snacks. Store extra sprouts in the refrigerator. Now it’s time to start another batch so you have a continuous supply.
Happy Sprouting!
For more information call our 24 hour health-line at 718-333-0099. Select the Stay Healthy section and follow the prompts.
Books on sprouting:
The Sprouting Book by Ann Wigmore, find in health food stores or call to order 787-868-6307.
Sprout Garden by Mark M. Braunstein.
Sprouts the Miracle Food, the complete Guide to Sprouting by Steve Myerowitz.