What Makes Sprouts the Perfect Food

Sprouts are surely the famous health food than any thing else but in addition to this recent research even shows that being a superb source of nutrients, they also have curative ability. Here are some bind blowing facts about sprouts and reasons why we should include it in our day - to - day?

1. Sprouts like clover, soybean, broccoli, alfalfa, radish and broccoli consist of concentrated phytochemicals in considerable amounts. These phytochemicals are nothing but complex plant compounds that have the capacity to boost our natural immune system and there by protecting us from diseases.

2. Sprouts are abundant in plant estrogens that can increase bone formation and density. This eventually prevents bone breakdown or osteoporosis.

3. Alfalfa sprouts are finest food sources of compound called saponins, which lower the bad cholesterol and improve good HDL fats. They even stimulate the immune system by increasing the activity of natural killer cells. The saponin content of alfalfa sprouts multiplies 450% over that of the normal seeds.

4. Sprouts are high in active antioxidants that prevent DNA destruction and this protects us from the ongoing effects of aging. After all, sprouts represent the miracle of birth in them.

5. They have highest amount of vitamins, minerals, proteins and enzymes compared to any food per unit of calorie. Contrary to belief, sprouts are easily digestible and even improve the efficiency of digestion for those with weak digestion.

6. Growing sprouts means growing fresh organic vegetables every day at home from a square foot of counter space. Sprouts are very much organic with no pesticides, chemicals, fumigants or synthetic fertilizers. Sprouts are fresh living foods with no loss of nutrients as on grocery store's shelves.

7. Not only for physical health, but can be an aid to one's spiritual sensitivity. To attain purification of the physical organism, you must give your body the proper nutrition. Therefore, those who aspire for the higher life must be aware of the healthful benefits of adding sprouts in their life.

Equipment needed for sprouting:

1. Two-quart wide-mouthed jars.

2. Cheesecloth or nylon cloth used to cover the jars.

3. Rubber bands used to attach the cloth to the open end of the jar.

Number of jars depends on how many varieties of sprouts you wish to prepare. No two kinds of seeds can sprouted in the same jar. Time required varies from seed to seed.

With the equipment, we can now consider the sprouting procedures for the three major types of sprouts: seeds, grains, and legumes.

Seeds: These include celery, oats, alfalfa, clover, fenugreek, sunflower and radish.

Soak the amount of seeds you wish to sprout, in a two-quart jar by filling the jar half way with tepid water and cover it with cheesecloth or nylon cloth.

Secure it with a rubber band and place it in a dark area at room temperature for about five hours.

After four to five hours, drain the excess water, rinse and let the seeds stay without water for about 3 to 4 hours.

Rinse again and drain well and this prevents rotting.

For the next six days, the seeds have to be washed, rinsed and drained every day with lukewarm water

2. The Grains: These include wheat, barley, buckwheat, rye, rice and millet. The process is exactly, the same as for the seeds.

3. Legumes: These include mung beans, soybeans and lentils. Due to their hardness, they need to be soaked for about fifteen hours initially. They should be rinsed twice a day and take three days for adequate germination.

In the case of sunflower and lentils, the sprouts should not be larger than the seed itself in order to be palatable. Even the time required for these seeds to sprout is only about two or three days.

How we can make sprouts tasty?

Sprouts are best when eaten raw, as cooking them always destroys the nutritional content in a large extent. Sprouts are delicious and you can eat them as they are and you can even add them to salads, soups or sandwiches. They can be used for baby food, dressings, sauces and other dishes. They can be stored in a jar or plastic bag for up to two weeks in a refrigerator. Naturally, it is always preferable to eat fresh, as harmful chemicals are created when foods become rancid. Here are some recipes to make sprouts interesting.

Few easy sprout recipes

Recipe 1:

1 cup of sprouted wheat seed sprouts

1 cup of water

Dates or figs

Blend the sprouts and water until thick. Add chopped dates and blend until creamy. You can replace dates with figs. You can even add honey.

Recipe 2:

1cup of water

1 cup of pineapple chunks

1 cup of alfalfa sprouts

2 tablespoons of sesame seeds

Blend water and pineapple to the consistency of sauce. Pour this sauce over alfalfa sprouts. The ground sesame seeds can be used to garnish the salad.

Recipe 3:

1/4 cup mung bean sprouts

1/4 cup alfalfa sprouts

1/4 cup buckwheat lettuce

1/8 cup fenugreek sprouts

1/4 cup sunflower greens

1/2 cup chopped onions

Add the chopped buckwheat lettuce, sunflower greens, chopped onions to the sprouts, and serve.

Recipe 4:

1 cup of chickpea sprouts

1 cup of water

1/8 cup lemon juice

Blend water and chickpea sprouts until thick. Add lemon juice to it.