Why Grow Your Own Sprouts? (Guest Post)

It is very rarely that I ever have anyone else add outside content to my blog. In fact, this might be one of the first in the last several years.  That being said, a great gal named Gemma Hodgson contacted me a few days ago with some great thoughts on why anyone should grow their own sprouts.  She talked about my Alfalfa Sprout Tutorial from several years ago, and I had to agree that sprouting is a remarkable skill to have. This goes along with what we've learned recently here on the The Power of Indoor Micro-green Farming . I love sprouting! It has been a great boost to my own health! So, I'm adding Gemma's article here to the blog. Thank you so much for sharing this with all of us Gemma!

Why Grow Your Own Sprouts
by Gemma Hodgson

Why Grow Your Own Sprouts?
In a previous blog entry, Chef Tess Bakeresse showed readers how to grow alfalfa sprouts, one of the easiest and most popular sprouts to grow. Of course, many other sprouts can be grown at home, including chickpeas, lentils, buckwheat, mung beans, unshelled sesame seeds, adzuki and so much more. Sprouting can be achieved quickly (sometimes in as little as three days) and cheaply (you can cut down quite a bit off your grocery bill by making your own sprouts for sandwiches, soups, stews and salads). However, one thing that is quite surprising, is the wide range of benefits we can received from eating foods in sprouted form.
Sprouts have actually been used to enhance healing for thousands of years in China, though it wasn’t until World War II that they became more prevalent in the United States. At this time, protein sources were hard to come by and the scientific community advised the government that the consumption of germinated sprouts was the cheapest and best alternative to meat protein.

• Sprouts are easier to digest

Many people complain that after eating mung beans, chickpeas or lentils, they can have digestive trouble, including a bloated sensation, or a heavy, uncomfortable feeling. This is because these foods, when unsprouted, contain high levels of enzyme inhibitors, which stop our body from absorbing important minerals. Growing our sprouts at home is not only a good idea from an economic standpoint; it is also a good way to eat healthily yet still feel light and energetic.

• Sprouts contain more vitamins

The Vitamin B and C content of foods such as mung beans, chickpeas and lentils rises dramatically when we sprout them. Sprouting neutralizes enzyme inhibitors and enhances the functioning of the body’s own enzymes. Sprouts are also rich in proteins and minerals.
As noted in the book Microgreens: Novel, Fresh and Functional Food to Explore All the Value of Biodiversity, “Although often used with the main aesthetic objective for cymbal decoration, microgreens also have an excellent nutritional profile and ... are considered ‘functional foods’ or ‘superfoods’, as they can also provide bioactive compounds capable of improving some functions of the body and/or reduce the risk of disease.”

• Sprouts can play a role in disease prevention

Sprouts are an almost perfect food. They are rich in antioxidants, which fight free radicals. Oxidation gives rise to abnormal cells which proliferate and contribute to the development of age-related diseases. Sprouts can therefore play an important role in a lifestyle which looks to prevent a host of conditions, including immunity-related conditions and cancer. Sprouts are rich in flavonoids, which help kill off cancer cells. Researchers have concluded that since different flavonoids are present in different foods, knowledge about the different types of flavonoids can be purposely applied to prevent cancer and as a complementary part of cancer treatment.

• Sprouts promote heart and kidney health

When a person has heart or kidney problems, their electrolyte counts tend to be abnormal. Those with kidney disease normally have low electrolyte counts, since they tend to retain fluid. Sprouts also promote heart health, since they are low on the glycemic index and can form part of a healthy diet aimed at keeping blood sugar levels table.

• Sprouts are an excellent detox food

If you regularly detox or you are seeking to rid your body of harmful toxins (even if you are undergoing rehabilitation for either substance abuse or alcohol addiction), sprouts are an excellent item for conclusion in your nutritionally program. They are nutritious, yet contain very few calories often, negligible amounts of fat. At times when body and mind are facing a difficult challenge, optimal nutrition is vital. Research has shown that organically grown foods are higher in antioxidants than conventionally grown produce; moreover, they are free of toxins and heavy metals, which can be present in non-organic foods. Sprouts are a 100 per cent organic food you can grow in between three to five days at home – it just doesn’t get any better than that!
Clive McCay, Professor of Nutrition at Cornell University, hits the nail on the head when he calls sprouts “A vegetable which will grow in any climate, will rival meat in nutritive value, will mature in three to five days, may be planted any day of the year, will require neither soil nor sunshine, will rival tomatoes in vitamin C, and will be free of waste in preparation…” The Internet is filled with fantastic tips for growing sprouts – don’t leave it for another day, start growing your own sprouts today.

Thank you again Gemma for all this great stuff! You rock!


Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess