Sprouts For Optimum Nutrition

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SPROUTS – A WONDER FOOD

1  Sprouts are considered as wonder foods providing all the essential vitamins and minerals. They rank as the freshest and most nutritious of all vegetables available to the human diet. By a process of natural transmutation, sprouted food acquires vastly improved digestibility and nutritional qualities when compared to non-sprouted embryo from which it derives. Sprouting requires no constant care but only an occasional sprinkling of water.

SEEDS FOR SPROUTING

2  All edible seeds can be sprouted. Generally the following seeds are used for     sprouting:

(i)  Grains: wheat, maize, ragi, millets (bajra) and barley etc.

(ii) Seeds: alfalfa seeds, sunflower seeds, radish seeds, fenugreek seeds,

carrot seeds, coriander seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and

muskmelon seeds etc.

(iii) Legumes: moong, Bengal gram(kala chana), chick peas, groundnut,

soyabean and peas etc.

HOW TO SPROUT ?

3.  As a first step, a good variety of seeds, preferably organic, should be used for sprouting. The seeds should be washed thoroughly in warm water and then soaked in a bowl of pure water. The bowl should be covered with cheesecloth or wire screening. The duration of soaking will depend upon the size and type of the seed. Small seeds are soaked for five hours, medium size for eight hours and legumes and grains for 10 to 12 hours.

4.  Next, the soaked seeds should be rinsed 3-4 times with warm water. The rinsed seeds should be placed in cheesecloth and hung in a dark place. The cheesecloth should be kept moist by sprinkling luke warm water over it. Alternatively, put the rinsed seeds in a colander and cover it with cheesecloth. Again the cheesecloth should be kept moist with luke warm water. Special sprouting kits are also available in crockery shops.