For those of you who do not have the time or the option of growing vegetables on your balcony or in your garden, but would still like to eat healthy foods of proven quality every day – we have a solution – seed sprouting, ie. growing sprouts that are consumed raw as part of a daily diet.
Seed sprouting is very simple. There are no special requirements and you won’t be needing a lot of space to see this interesting project through.
Sprouts are seeds that have just germinated and have great nutritional and energy value. During germination, nutrient reserves in the seeds are broken down into a simpler, more available state, which is easier to digest.
A single sprout is as strong and as nutritional as an adult plant, and therein lies the secret of their great energy value. The nutritional value of seeds increases up to several times during germination. Thus, the amount of vitamins A, B, C, E, simple sugars, essential amino acids, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, carotene, biotin, flavonoids and highly important enzymes increases significantly in the first 70 hours of germination. The amount of enzymes in the sprouts reaches its peak and greatly exceeds the amount present in an adult plant.
How do they affect our body?
- they contain large amounts of antioxidants, which are crucial for protecting the body from many different diseases, including cancer
- they are completely organic and do not contain any toxins or cholesterol, and also serve as a good source of essential fatty acids
- they help digestion
- they are extremely rich in proteins and amino acids
- They are low in calories, so they are of great help to people who are trying to shed off extra pounds
How to use them?
Another advantage of seed germination is that it does not depend on weather conditions, does not require much space and you can actually eat sprouts after just a couple of days of germination.
Sprouts increase the nutritional value of every meal, they can be added to soups, salads or you can simply blend them with fruits and vegetables.
Instructions for sprouting seeds in a jar:
- Put the desired amount of seeds in a glass jar, then add 2-3 times as much room temperature water over them. Cover the jar with gauze and secure it with a rubber band. Store the jar in a dark and quiet place and leave it to rest for 4-12 hours, depending on the seed variety you are sprouting.
- After soaking the seeds, strain out the soaking water and thoroughly rinse the seeds with water without removing the gauze. The seeds should not be floating in the water, but should stay moist, so the recommendation is to prop the jar up at a slight angle so that the excess water can drain away. Repeat this procedure 2-3 times a day.
- The variety of seed determines when the sprouts will be ready for consumption. When small, pale roots appear, your sprouts are ready to take in the light. Once they reach 3-5 cm in length or when green leaves appear, they are completely ready for consumption, although you may eat them at any stage of germination.
- The sprouts should be rinsed well with cold water so as to remove seeds, after which they should be strained well and dried. Then they are ready for consumption. You can store them in the refrigerator for several days.
I believe you will include this superfood in your menu, because it is so simple to make, has great nutritional value and is extremely good for you. You can watch a video on growing sprouts here