Health Benefits of Sprouts and How to Grow Nutrient-Dense Microgreens
Sprouting
Once upon a time, I grew sprouts in glass jars. I would first rinse the seeds. Then add approximately 2 TBS of sprout seeds to the jar. I would then cover the seeds with a couple of inches of water and set them aside to soak them overnight.
I would cover the jar with cheesecloth in the morning and tip the jar upside down to drain the water out. I would then add more water and rinse the seeds again. I repeated this process every day until my sprouts were the size I wanted. You can eat sprouts at any stage of their growth, but the smaller microgreens have the most nutritional value.
From an article in the WEB MD Archives on Aug. 31, 2012 -- “They may be tiny, but a new study shows trendy microgreens punch well above their weight when it comes to nutrition.
Researchers found microgreens like red cabbage, cilantro, and radish contain up to 40 times higher levels of vital nutrients than their mature counterparts.” 1
A Sprouting Problem
One of the problems with sprouting this way was that the sprouts would sometimes mold. Yuck!
If you still use this method, make sure you drain the sprouts completely during each draining session.
Before storing, you want to make sure that after taking them out of the jar, you put them directly onto paper towels and let them air dry for about an hour. To store the sprouts, put them on top of a paper towel, and wrap a paper towel around the sprouts in a small dish to stay fresh for up to one week. Moisture tends to make the sprouts go rancid a lot faster.
NOTE
Sprouts can look moldy when growing. This is usually just the fine hairy roots. If you have rinsed your seeds, washed the jar thoroughly, and let the air circulate (don’t put them in a dark place while growing), chances are they won’t mold. But it does happen occasionally, so throw those out. You can also smell them, but be careful not to convince yourself that good sprouts went bad.
You can test for mold by rinsing the sprouts in cold water. If the mold goes away, it was probably just the fuzz. If it doesn’t, it is probably mold. Again throw them out. Nothing tastes worse than sprouts gone bad!
What are sprouts?
What are sprouts? Sprouts are seeds that have germinated. They are the very young plant in the beginning stages of life. Sprouts are exceptionally healthy and just happen to be another superfood. They are a powerhouse of raw, green, fiber-filled nutrition. One of the things that sprouts contain is chlorophyll.
Chlorophyll helps plants to absorb energy from the sun in photosynthesis. The greener the plant, the more chlorophyll it has.
Chlorophyll helps build hemoglobin by promoting circulation. It can increases your red blood cells, and increases oxygen in your body. Chlorophyll also acts as a binder to heavy metals and aids in detoxification of the blood.
Sprouts are also high in folate, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamin K.
Broccoli Sprouts are loaded with fiber and protein. They contain something called, “glucoraphanin” which becomes sulforaphane when they mature.
A study from MD Anderson says:
“It neutralizes toxins. Phytochemicals like sulforaphane are antioxidants that cancel out free radicals. Free radicals are tiny particles that weaken and damage healthy cells. They form in your body because of pollution, UV rays, food additives, and preservatives, and even through natural processes like digestion.” 1
It reduces inflammation. Because sulforaphane neutralizes toxins, it also calms inflammation in your body. Inflammation has been linked to several kinds of cancer. 2
It may protect your DNA. Some studies have shown that sulforaphane blocks mutations in DNA that lead to cancer. 3
It may slow tumor growth. Sulforaphane has been shown to reduce the ability of cancerous cells to multiply. That means it may slow tumor growth or reduce its ability to spread to other parts of your body.
It is readily available. You don’t have to do anything complicated to access the sulforaphane in cruciferous vegetables. All you have to do is steam the veggies or eat them raw. Roasting them also retains most of the nutrients.” 4
Broccoli Sprouts contain 100-400 times more sulforaphane than a full broccoli plant.
So now that you know some of the health benefits of sprouts, what if I told you that the old way of growing sprouts is outdated, and you can do it much easier? And although it was fun watching my sprouts growing in the jar, I have grown up. I now want easy, so I have more time to devote to doing what I love (blogging, of course)!
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How to grow Hamama Sprouts
Hamama makes growing sprouts super easy. In their kits, they will have a plastic tray. However, I recommend getting the ceramic tray, because you know…PLASTIC! They also have some pretty cool bamboo frames. I wasn’t sure they would fit around the ceramic, but they do fit perfectly.
Here are the directions for growing your sprouts:
Fill tray to the marked line with water.
Add your supplied coconut fiber mat loaded with the seeds.
Press down on the seed quilt for 10-15 seconds (to absorb the water).
Place in a spot wherever you have room.
Once the seed quilt gets puffy and balloons out (about day 4-5, depending on the seeds), you can tear the cover off. The picture in the back is after the cover has been taken off.
EXCITING!! I see the sprouts!!
In about 7-10 days, you will have a tray full of deliciousness!!
One hint that I do have is that if your water in the tray is starting to disappear, you can always add more. Check it every other day or so.
Remember when storing the sprouts, put them on top of a paper towel, and wrap a paper towel around the sprouts in a small dish to stay fresh for up to one week. Moisture is not good for the sprouts.
You can also get easy grow kits for growing wheat grass, green onions, cilantro, crisp carrot greens, and garlic greens from Hamama. Use code Hamama15 at checkout for 15% off!!.
Some of the sprouts Hamama offers are Broccoli, Alfalfa, Fenugreek, Cabbage, Daikon Radish, Super Salad Mix, Wheatgrass, Kale, Clover, and Wasabi, etc.
Avocado Toast with Sprouts
Recipes
Avocado Toast
Ingredients:
2 Slices Ezekiel Bread (I used Sesame)
1 Medium Sized Avocado
Diced Onion
Garlic
Sprouts
1 Cup Date Syrup
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar (You can also you Apple Cider Vinegar)
Balsamic Vinegar and Date Syrup Drizzle
Put date syrup and balsamic vinegar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Once the mixture boils, turn the burner to simmer. Simmer until it is drizzle consistency. (Whatever that means).
The Toast
Toast 2 pieces of Ezekiel Bread
Add sliced Avocado
Add Onion or Garlic (Hey! Add both if you want. It’s your toast)!
Put drizzle mixture over the top
Add sprouts
I also love adding everything bagel seasoning (You can buy it at the store or go here for the recipe):
The Sprinkle
Avocado Chickpea and Sprout Sandwich
Ingredients:
Ezekiel Bread
15 oz or so of Jarred Chickpeas (If you can only find them in a can, I encourage you to look for BPA-free cans).
3 small Avocados
3 TBS Black Seed Oil (Benefits of Black Seed Oil) (Easiest to Absorb Form of Black Seed Oil)
Lime Juice (add to taste…I use appx. 3 TBS)
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Serrano Pepper
Hummus Spread with Avocado
You will need to add the chick peas and 3 small avocados to a bowl to make the spread.(Keep a few chickpeas out for the sandwich). Mash with a fork or blend in a food processor. I like mine a bit chunky, so I mash. Add the 3 TBS of Black Seed Oil and lime juice to taste (and hide the taste of the Black Seed Oil). Mash that in there. Dice the garlic cloves and stir into the mixture. Now I add 1 finely chopped Serrano pepper to this mixture because I love heat. If you don’t, it is totally fine to leave it out. Mix some whole chickpeas in. That’s it for the spread.
The Sandwich Assembly
Next, get out your bread (toast if you like), and add your spread and whatever other veggies you choose. I love red bell peppers in mine, but that is definitely not necessary.
Top with any sprouts you like. I love mine with radish sprouts. Broccoli is awesome, too, though. Eat this open-faced, or add another piece of bread to the top!
*Add whatever spices you need.
Nori Rolls, with Quinoa, Veggies and Sprouts
Nori Rolls
Nori Sheets
Quinoa
Carrots (Cut into slivers)
Cucumbers (Diced)
Avocado (Chopped)
Purple Cabbage (Shredded)
Sprouts (Grown…haha)
This is what I use, and they are pretty tasty!
Make a pot of Quinoa according to the directions on the package. Set aside.
Cut up carrots into slivers. Dice cucumbers into small pieces. Chop the avocado into small pieces. Shred the purple cabbage.
Roll out a Nori Sheet. Add about 1/2 cup quinoa to each sheet. Now add about 1/2 cup of vegetables and sprouts. Roll up. Slice into 1-1/2” pieces.
Nori Sheets
Time to roll
Cut into 1-1 1/2” pieces
For the Sauce:
1 TBS Almond Butter
1 TBS Miso
2 TBS Date Syrup
Juice 1/4 of a Lemon
2 Garlic Cloves
Blend all ingredients until creamy and smooth. This is an easy recipe to play around with. My mom always thinks I add too much garlic to everything, while my kids are always saying I don’t add enough.
Go here to get more recipes, sprouting instructions, and the easiest to grow (EVER) sprouts!!
Disclaimer: The contents of this website are based on personal experiences, opinions, and my own research. Information on this website is for educational purposes and is not meant to diagnose, replace, treat or cure any medical or mental health condition. Please see your doctor with any health-related questions. Statements on this website have not been approved or evaluated by the FDA. While perusing this site, please use your best judgment in conjunction with your Naturopath or other health care provider.
