Take your salads to a whole new level by upgrading your grains, nuts and seeds. Here is how…
With summer fast approaching in the Southern hemisphere, it feels like a good time to take a break from our wellness book club, and review something rather different (and curious)! This practice, hailing from the Biblical times, has lately been enjoying a huge comeback and gaining momentum in the wellness kitchens all over the world: the practice of sprouting. It seems that we all kind of know what it is (making little seeds grow tiny green tails for some reason?), but as we dove deeper, we couldn’t believe the astounding health benefits of curating these tiny baby plants. Let us spill the beans…
Sprouting is essentially the practice of germinating seeds — be it grains, nuts, beans or other kinds of seeds — so that they are easier to digest and your body can access their full nutritional profile – and what a profile it is! Sprouts are literally bursting open with concentrated nutrition. They contain tons of enzymes, which act as mini catalysts for chemical reactions in our body, and by soaking and sprouting you effectively kick-start the natural process which boosts the amount of enzymes.
Sprouts are also packed with chlorophyl (which is basically the green power of plants) and it is abundantly produced by sun exposure. By storing this energy the sprouts become green, which is their most nutritious state. And here is what chlorophyl will do for your body: increase blood supply, activate enzymes, renew tissue, reduce inflammation, detoxify, and even deodorise.
Sprouting requires only a small investment – some stackable sprouting trays – and just a few minutes of your time for twice-daily watering. If you can make this commitment, you’ll reap incredible rewards and your salads will come alive – literally! Just make sure to purchase organic seeds, as commercial ones are usually coded with various chemicals to keep them from sprouting too soon. After they’ve grown, you can keep them in the fridge from 1-2 weeks, depending on the variety. However, refrigeration will not interfere with the final stages of sprouting. Your will know when they go bad once you can detect some odour, see dark spots or taste the sprouts going soft.
Okay, let’s recap. The benefits of patiently watering seeds for 5-7 days are:
increased nutrient absorption (B12, Iron, Magnesium, Zinc)
release of enzymes
production of chlorophyl
improved digestion
decrease of anti-nutrients (built-in plant protectors)
increased protein availability
increased fibre content
broken down gluten
reduction of grain allergens
multiple uses (salads, dips, breads, flours, soups, stews)
they really make a beautiful centre piece