Growing sprouts – How to grow your own superfood in your kitchen!

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By Stanka Vukelić

All photos: Stanka Vukelić

Sprouts – How to grow your own superfood in your kitchen!

Sprouts are the easiest and fastest way to organically grown superfood in your kitchen. ‘Too little room’ or ‘not that kind of guy’ is no excuse for not growing sprouts even in the most urban conditions.

You don’t need to have any experience; the procedure is easy, and the results are amazing. They are the ultimate shortcut to fresh home-grown food of exceptional value – and satisfaction.

What sprouts can do

Alfalfa sprouts are the shoots of the alfalfa plant, harvested before they become the full-grown plant. The sprouts contain a concentrated amount of vitamins and minerals. Vitamin content increases dramatically with sprouting.

The vitamin content of some seeds, grains, beans, or nuts increases by up to 20 times the original value within only a few days of sprouting. Research shows that during the sprouting process mung bean sprouts (or just bean sprouts, as they are often called) increase Vitamin B1 by up to 285 percent, Vitamin B2 by up to 515 percent, and niacin by up to 256 percent.

The supply of vitamins (B complex and C) existing in seeds can be increased by the sprouting biochemistry over several days by 100% to 2000%.

Sprouts contain….

Some of the vitamins that all sprouts contain include Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin K. Alfalfa sprouts are one of the most concentrated sources of Vitamin K found in nature. Alfalfa is also the only plant that supplies the full range of vitamins.

Apart from this, it is also rich in minerals such as iron, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, manganese, and calcium. As if these are not enough, sprouts also have dietary fiber, folate, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Lack of oxygen in your body? Sprouts.

Sprouts are alkalizing to your body. Alfalfa sprouts are the top source of antioxidants among all vegetables. Many illnesses including cancer have been linked to excess acidity in the body.

Nobel Prize winner Dr. Otto Warburg found growth of cancer cells were initiated by a lack of oxygen and these cells, along with viruses and bacteria, could not live in an alkaline and oxygen-rich environment.

Grow muscle with sprouts

Sprouts are an excellent source of protein. Most people think that protein is available only from meat, chicken, fish, egg, and dairy products. Like all green vegetables, sprouts can contain up to 35% of protein, which makes it a great food to grow some muscle (but you will still have to exercise yourself).

Growing sprouts is easy, cheap, and fun

Sprouts truly are the best organic locally-grown food. Not getting unwanted pesticides, food additives, and other harmful fat-bolstering chemicals. Sprouting can be done in any part of the world and in any climate. This is because sprouting is done indoors, right in your own kitchen.

Apart from that; it is a great opportunity to let your children have fun growing their own food, and to observe the miracle of seeds turning into sprouts and plants.

Sprouts are an inexpensive way to have access to healthy nutrients at any time of the year. For this reason, there is no excuse for not eating healthier. It takes you neither time nor money to add them to your daily diet. It benefits you and the environment; it’s very affordable, and it will give a great boost your body and mind.

Sprouts are beneficial to your health, but they are also very delicious. Including them in your diet would be very easy. You can add them to your salads, soups, smoothies, wraps and sandwiches. Its crisp and flavor make dishes more delicious.

A note for those who might come across some misleading information from the Internet. Good to know is that:

“In 1995, there was a wide-spread report of salmonella bacteria contamination of alfalfa sprouts in Chicago. It was an isolated case as the two reported incidents were traced to a single source of contaminated seeds that were imported.

Each year salmonella contamination from chicken meat, eggs and beef affect many more millions of people compared to these two isolated cases of alfalfa contamination.”

Source

So, buy good seeds and don’t forget to rinse your sprouts regularly – as shown below – and you will have nothing to worry about.

Some of alfalfa’s benefits include:

Cancer Prevention Properties

Improving Heart Health

Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Rich in Antioxidants

Immune System Booster

Weight-Loss Properties

Improving Bone Health

Controlling Blood Sugar

Source and more info

Alfalfa sprouts derived from alfalfa seeds. They are white and thread-like, with tiny green tops.

Step by step, how to grow alfalfa sprouts – or any sprouts

You need:

good organic alfalfa seeds a 57-64 oz (1.7-2 l) mason jar gauze fabric & scissors rubber band low dish (see photo below)

1. Put two tablespoons full of alfalfa seeds into the jar

2. Soak seeds with water for 6-8 hours or overnight

3. Cut gauze – see picture

(Gauze is reusable – wash, dry, and use again)

4. Attach the rubber band

5. Rinse a few times after soaking (hold it as shown in the picture)

6. Place the mason jar as shown in the picture (approx. 45-degree angle), and let grow 4-6 days

DON’T choose a sunny spot – it gets too hot inside!

7. Please use a similar low dish to provide ventilation

8. IMPORTANT! Rinse sprouts 2-3 times a day (every day) – if not, they go bad

9. After 4-6 days, they are ready, and should look like this

Storage: Stay good in a refrigerator for 5 days in a sealed container. Rinse before every usage.

Alfalfa sprouts are excellent, but we also grow – in the same way: sunflower seeds, buckwheat, spelt, mung beans, lentil

More ideas: amaranth, flax seeds, quinoa, wild rice

Please note: Most sprouts will take only 1-3 days to grow, alfalfa sprouts – in fact – need the longest time.

“This post is shared at Healthy, Happy, Green & Natural Party Hop”

This post is shared at ‘Mostly Homemade Mondays’ Linky Party/Blog Hop – Week 74′

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Sources:

http://www.sprouts-as-medicine.com/alfalfasprouts.html

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/health-benefits-alfalfa-sprouts-4406.html

http://www.alkalizeforhealth.net/Loxygen2.htm

http://voices.yahoo.com/8-health-benefits-alfalfa-sprouts-6762504.html?cat=68

http://www.naturalnews.com/042658_alfalfa_sprouts_health_improvement_nutritious_vegetables.html

http://juicing-for-health.com/basic-nutrition/healing-vegetables/health-benefits-of-alfalfa-sprouts.html

http://www.3fatchicks.com/5-health-benefits-of-eating-sprouts/

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-reasons-to-eat-sprouts.html

http://www.wakingtimes.com/2014/01/08/know-thyself-vitality-transition-living-foods/