Boost your health with Sprouted Grains

So what’s the deal with sprouted grains? Why are they better for us than flour products? The main benefit of sprouting any food is two fold: first, it releases vital nutrients and second, it makes those nutrients easier for the body to assimilate.

Human beings have a natural need for fresh “live” food and the enzymes and healing properties these foods provide, it is essential that a variety of sprouting seeds be an absolutely essential part of every health and diet program. You can sprout wheat and other grains, lentils, peas, beans, and small seeds like alfalfa, clover, radish, cabbage, broccoli, etc.

How to Sprout!

You will need the following supplies:

Sprouting jars and trays. Use wide mouth glass quart jars for alfalfa and other small leafy greens; trays for beans and wheatgrass, as well as buckwheat or sunflowers.  I have found that using a sprouting kit is much easier.
Sprouting lids.  cheese cloth, fabric netting or a piece of fiberglass screen to cover jar opening.
Sprouting seeds. Organically grown seeds are best for sprouting.

1. Rinse and sort your seeds. Sort the seeds and take out any broken, open seeds. Then thoroughly rinse the remaining seeds with water.

2. Place seeds in jar or tray. Now put your rinsed seeds in a glass jar or tray and place the cheese cloth or sprouting lid over the top of the jar.  If using cheese cloth, secure with a jar ring or wide elastic band. Add filtered, clean water to your jar ( 2 1/2 part water, 1 part seeds).

3.  Soak over night. Move your tray of seeds to a warm (about 70°F) place and soak over night.

4. Rinse twice a day. After soaking over night,  rinse the seeds with lukewarm water 2 times a day (or just often enough to keep moist) until sprouts have reached the desired length.

5. Greening When leaves have appeared on the seeds, and sprouts are about 1″ long, place jar in a light place (not in direct sunlight) to “green” for 3-4 hours, allowing the chlorophyll to develop.

6. Harvesting. Any seed can be eaten once the sprout has pushed through the outer shell of the seed.  Most grains, beans and larger seeds are best when the sprout is as long as the seed.

7. Store. Store sprouted seeds in a covered container with paper toweling on the bottom and between layers. Use within 4-5 days. Sprouted beans and grains can be frozen for later use. Mung and soy beans that are sprouted to about 2″ long turn limp when thawed, but can still be used in cooking.

If  you don’t have time you can now purchase sprouted foods. Let’s look at an example of a sprouted food at your local health food store. You may have heard of Ezekial  breads and wraps, usually found in your health food store’s refrigerated or freezer section. To unlock the dormant grain energy and maximize nutritional value, Ezekial adds water to organic grains, which releases beneficial enzymes that sprout the grains. The resulting sprouted grain is richer in protein and vitamins than a regular bread made from dry, ground flour. You’ll notice that if you keep Ezekial breads and wraps out on your counter, they’ll spoil after only a few days. That’s a good thing! That means that they have life energy in them, which boosts your own energy when you eat them.

For more information on how to live healthy in a way that is fun, sustainable, and delicious. Contact Mandisa Fabris, CNE for a free nutrition consultation.