Sprouts are considered as wonder foods. They rank as the freshest and most nutritious of all vegetables available to human diet. By a process of natural transmutation, sprouted food aquires vastly improved digestibility and nutritional qualities when compared to non-sprouted embryo from which it derives.
Sprout foods have been part of the diet of many ancient races for thousand of years. Even to this day, the chinese retain their fame for delicious mung bean sprouts. Sprouts provide all essential vitamins and minerals. They should form a vital component of our diet. Sprouting requires no constant care but only an occasional sprinkling of water.
All edible grains, seeds and legumes can be sprouted. Generally the following are used to be sprouted :-
1. Grains :- Wheat, maize, ragi, bajra and barley
2. Seeds :- Alfalfa seeds, radish seeds, fenugreek seeds, carrot seeds, coriander seeds, pumpkin seeds, and musk-melon seeds.
3. Legumes :- Mung, Bengal gram, groundnut and peas.
Alfalfa, as the name in Arabic signifies, is the king of all sprouts. Grown as a plant, its roots are known to burrow as much as 12 metres into the subsoil to bring up the valuable trace minerals of which manganese is especially important to health and digestion; it is vital component of human insulin. Apart from minerals, alfalfa is also rich source of vitamins A, B, C, E and K and amino acids. Sesame seeds are another good source of nourishment. They contain all the essential amino acids in their 20 percent protein content and higher concentration of calcium than does milk. They are high in Lecithin, unsaturated fats, vitamin E and Vitamin B complex, besides other live nutrients.
How to sprout
As a first step good variety of seeds should be used for sprouting. It should be ensured that the seeds, legumes or grains are of the sproutable type. Soyabean do not sprout well since they often become sour. Wheat has to be grown in soil. It is advisable to use seeds which are not chemicaly treated as this slows down the germination rate. The seeds should be washed thorougly and then soaked overnight in a jar of pure water. The jar should be covered with cheesecloth or wire screening. The duration of soaking depends upon the size of the seed. Small seeds are soaked for five hours and beans and grains for 10 to 12 hours.
On the following morning, the seeds should be rinsed and the water drained off. Not more than one-fourth of the jar should be filled with the seeds for sprouting. Soaking makes the seeds, grains or legumes fatty, pulpy and full of water. They will expand about eight times their original size. The jar should be kept at a place which is neither exposed to chill nor hot winds. It should also be ensured that the mouth of the jar is not completely covered so as to allow air in. The seeds should be rinsed and water drained off three times every day till they are ready to eat.
The seeds will germinate and become sprouts in two to three days from commencement of soaking, depending on temprature and humidity. Care should always be taken to ensure that sprouts do not lie in water. They should be kept well drained to prevent souring. To retain their nutrional value, they should be placed in a refrigerator, if they cannot be consumed immediately.
Soaking for a longer period than required makes the seeds rot or ferment. The main factors for germination are water, air, heat and darkness. There may be poor germination or no germination at all if any of these factors are not present such as insufficient water, or too much water, lack of sufficient heat, lack of fresh air, either too cold or too hot surrounding and too much light.
Benefits
In the process of sprouting, the vitamins, minerals and protein increase substantially with corresponding decrease in calories and carbohydrates content. The comparision of nutritional value of sprouted mung beans over dried beans shows the following results :-
- Energy content-calories -----Decrease 15 percent
- Total carbohydrate content----- Decrease 9 percent
- Protein availability------ Increase 30 percent
- Calcium content------ Increase 34 percent
- Potassium content----- Increase 80 percent
- Sodium content----- Increase 690 percent
- Iron content----- Increase 40 percent
- Phosphorous content----- Increase 56 percent
- Vitamin A content----- Increase 285 percent
- Vitamin B1 content----- Increase 208 percent
- Vitamin B2----- Increase 515 %
- Vitamin B3----- Increase 256 %
- Vitamin C content-------- An infinite increase
The increase in protein availability is of great significance. The resultant protein is the most easily digestable of all protein available in foods. Sprouts are an extremely inexpensive method of obtaining concentration of vitamin, minerals and enzymes.
It should however be ensured that seeds and dried beans are purchased from a store where they are fresh, unsprayed and packaged as food. Seeds that are packaged for planting purposes may contain mercury compounds or other toxic chemicals.
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