SPROUTS

Disclaimer:
This document on sprouts and sprouting is for genral information purposes and use only and
cannot be considered as a substitution for any balanced nutrition or substitution for any
other professional advice.

By Ljerka vagel

Content:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

What is sprouting
The most usual seeds to be sprouted
The germination process
Sprouts are not edible
Nutritional information
Health concerns
How to
Recipes
appendix

1.
Sprouting is the practice of germinating seeds to be eaten raw or cooked. Sprouts can
be germinated at home or produced industrially. They are a prominent ingredient of
the raw food diet and common in Eastern Asian cuisine.
You can sprout almost any vegetable and some legumes. But the quality of them is
not always the best way to consume them.
Sprouting, like cooking, reduces anti-nutritional compounds in raw legumes. Raw
lentils for example contain lectins, antinutrional proteins which can be reduced by
sprouting or cooking. Sprouting is also applied on a large scale to barley as a part of
the malting process. A downside to consuming raw sprouts is that the process of
germinating seeds can also be conducive to harmful bacterial growth.
With all seeds, care should be taken that they are intended for sprouting or human
consumption rather than sowing. Seeds intended for sowing may be treated with
chemical dressings or may ne heat-treated. It's always the best solution to buy seeds
specially prepared for sprouting.
2. The most usual seeds for sprouting:
Pulses (legumes; pea family):
alfalfa, clover, fenugreek, lentil, pea, chickpea, mung bean and soybean (bean sprouts).
Cereals:
oat, wheat, maize (corn), rice, barley, and rye
Pseudocereals:
quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat
Oilseeds:
sesame, sunflower, almond, hazelnut, linseed, peanut.

 Brassica (cabbage family)

broccoli, cabbage, watercress, mustard, mizuna, radish, and daikon (kaiware sprouts),
rocket (arugula), tatsoi, turnip.
Umbelliferous vegetables (parsley family) - these may be used more as microgreens than
sprouts.
carrot, celery, fennel, parsley.
Allium (onions) - cannot really distinguish between microgreens.
onion, leek, green onion (me-negi in Japanese cuisine)
Other vegetables and herbs:
spinach, lettuce, milk thistle, lemon grass

3. The Germination Process

The germination process takes a few days and can be done at home manually, as a
semi-automated process, or industrially on a large scale for commercial use.
Typically the seeds are first rinsed to remove soil and dirt and the mucilaginous*(1)
substances produced by some seeds when they come in contact with water. Then they
are soaked for 20 minutes to 12 hours, depending on the type and size of seed. The
soaking increases the water content in the seeds and brings them out of quiescence.
After draining and then rinsing seeds at regular intervals they germinate, or sprout.
For home sprouting, the seeds are soaked (big seeds) or moistened (small), then left
at room temperature (13 to 21 C or 55 to 70 F) in a sprouting vessel. Many different
types of vessels can be used. One type is a simple glass jar with a piece of cloth or
nylon window screen secured over its rim. "Tiered" clear plastic sprouters are
commercially available, allowing a number of "crops" to be grown simultaneously.
By staggering sowings, a constant supply of young sprouts can be ensured. Any
vessel used for sprouting must allow water to drain from it, because sprouts that sit in
water will rot quickly. The seeds swell, may stick to the sides of the jar, and begin
germinating within a day or two.
Another sprouting technique is to use a pulse drip method *(2). The photo below on
the right shows crimson clover sprouts grown on 1/8" urethane foam mats. It's a oneway watering system with micro sprinklers providing intermittent pulses of fresh
water to reduce the risk of bacterial cross-contamination with Salmonella and E. coli
during the sprouting process.
Crimson clover sprouts grown on 1/8" urethane foam mats with a pulse drip

technique. Four micro-sprinklers cycle pulsing continuously over a 7-day period,

each putting out about 1/2 gallon per hour. The four micro-sprinklers were each fitted
with an LPD keep the lines fully charged between pulses.
Sprouts are rinsed two to four times a day, depending on the climate and the type of
seed, to provide them with moisture and prevent them from souring. Each seed has its
own ideal sprouting time. After three to five days the sprouts will have grown to 5 to
8 centimetres (23 in) in length and will be suitable for consumption. If left longer
they will begin to develop leaves, and are then known as baby greens. A popular baby
green is sunflower after 710 days. Refrigeration can be used as needed to slow or
halt the growth process of any sprout.

Mung beans can be sprouted either in light or dark conditions. Those sprouted in the
dark will be crisper in texture and whiter, as in the case of commercially available
Chinese Bean Sprouts, but these have less nutritional content than those grown in
partial sunlight.Growing in full sunlight is not recommended, because it can cause the
beans to overheat or dry out. Subjecting the sprouts to pressure, for example, by
placing a weight on top of them in their sprouting container, will result in larger,
crunchier sprouts similar to those sold in grocery stores.
A very effective way to sprout beans like lentils or azuki is in colanders. Soak the
beans in water for about 8 hours then place in the colander. Wash twice a day. The
sprouted beans can be eaten raw or cooked.
Sprouting is also applied on a large scale to barley as a part of the malting process.
Malted barley is an important ingredient in beer and is used in huge quantities. Most
malted barley is distributed among wide retail sellers in North American regions.
Many varieties of nuts, such as almonds and peanuts, can also be started in their
growth cycle by soaking and sprouting, although because the sprouts are generally
still very small when eaten, they are usually called "soaks".

*(1) Mucilage is a thick, gluey substance produced by nearly all plants and some microorganisms.
It is a polar glycoprotein and an exopolysaccharide. Mucilage in plants plays a role in the storage of
water and food, seed germination, and thickening membranes. Cacti (and other succulents) and flax
seeds especially are rich sources of mucilage.
*(2)Pulse drip irrigation is a scalable low-flow irrigation technique that allows for close
management of water usage and can be employed with either drip or sprinkler irrigation devices and
extend conventional low-flow irrigation systems to ultra-low micro-irrigation levels. Pulse
irrigation is common in locations such as Israel where water conservation is a priority.Pulse drip
irrigation systems operate by passively letting water flow into a reservoir at a controlled rate to
steadily build pressure within the pressurized reservoir

4. Sprouts are not edible

Common causes for sprouts to become inedible:
4. Seeds are not rinsed well enough before soaking
5. Seeds are left in standing water after the initial soaking
6. Seeds are allowed to dry out
7. Temperature is too high or too low
8. Dirty equipment
9. Insufficient air flow
10.Contaminated water source
11.Poor germination rate

5. Nutritional information
a) Sprouts are said to be rich in digestible energy, bioavailable vitamins, minerals,
amino acids, proteins, and phytochemicals, as these are necessary for a germinating
plant to grow.These nutrients are essential for human health. The nutritional changes
upon germination & sprouting are summarised below.
Chavan and Kadam (1989)concluded that
"The desirable nutritional changes that occur during sprouting are mainly due
to the breakdown of complex compounds into a more simple form,
transformation into essential constituents and breakdown of nutritionally
undesirable constituents."
"The metabolic activity of resting seeds increases as soon as they are hydrated
during soaking. Complex biochemical changes occur during hydration and
subsequent sprouting. The reserve chemical constituents, such as protein,
starch and lipids, are broken down by enzymes into simple compounds that are
used to make new compounds."
"Sprouting grains causes increased activities of hydrolytic enzymes,
improvements in the contents of total proteins, fat, certain essential amino
acids, total sugars, B-group vitamins, and a decrease in dry matter, starch and
anti-nutrients. The increased contents of protein, fat, fibre and total ash are only
apparent and attributable to the disappearance of starch. However,
improvements in amino acid composition, B-group vitamins, sugars, protein
and starch digestibilities, and decrease in phytates and protease inhibitors are
the metabolic effects of the sprouting process."
b) Increases in Protein Quality
c) Increases in Crude Fibre content
Crude Protein and Crude Fibre changes in Barley Sprouted over a 7-day period

Crude Protein (% of DM) Crude Fibre (% of DM)

Original seed 12.7%
5.4%
Day 1
12.7%
5.6%
Day 2
13.0%
5.9%
Day 3
13.6%
5.8%
Day 4
13.4%
7.4%
Day 5
13.9%
9.7%
Day 6
14.0%
10.8%
Day 7
15.5%
14.1%
Source: Cuddeford (1989), based on data obtained by Peer and Leeson (1985).
Note: Increase of protein is not due to new protein being manufactured by the germination process
but by the washing out of starch and conversion to fiberincreasing the relative proportion of
protein.

d) Increases in Essential Fatty Acids

e) Increases in Vitamin content
Most reports agree that sprouting treatment of cereal grains generally improves their vitamin
value, especially the B-group vitamins. Certain vitamins such as -tocopherol (Vitamin-E)
and -carotene (Vitamin-A precursor) are produced during the growth process Sprouts
provide a good supply of Vitamins A, E & C plus B complex. The vitamin content of some
seeds can increase by up to 20 times their original value within several days of sprouting.
Mung Bean sprouts have B vitamin increases, compared to the dry seeds, of - B1 up 285%,
B2 up 515%, B3 up 256%. Even soaking seeds overnight in water yields greatly increased
amounts of B vitamins, as well as Vitamin C. Compared with mature plants, sprouts can
yield vitamin contents 30 times higher."
f) Chelation of Minerals There are claims that - When seeds are sprouted, minerals chelate
or merge with protein, in a way that increases their function.
It is important to note that while these changes may sound impressive, the comparisons are between
dormant non-sprouted seed to sprouted seed rather than comparisons of sprouts to mature
vegetables. Compared to dry seeds there are very large increases in nutrients whereas compared
with mature vegetables the increase is less. However, a sprout, just starting out in life, is likely to
need and thus have more nutrients (percentage wise) than a mature vegetable.
Following table lists selected nutrients in kidney beans to show the effect of sprouting. Nutrients are
calculated for 100 gms of non-water components to take the water out of equation since after
sprouting beans absorb lot of water.
GABA Sprouting also have shown that can improve the levels of GABA, a compound involved in
the regulation of blood pressure, and promoted the liberation of bioactive peptides in diverse
legumes.
Nutrients in grams per 100 grams of non-water components of kidney beans
Nutrient
DRI[16] Raw Beans[17] Sprouted Beans[18] Ratio
Protein (g)
50
26.72
45.15
1.7

Nutrient
Vitamin C (mg)
Thiamin (mg)
Riboflavin (mg)
Niacin (mg)
Vitamin B-6 (mg)
Folate (g)
Vitamin E(mg)
Vitamin K (g)

DRI[16]
90
1.2
1.3
16
1.3
400
15
120

Raw Beans[17]
5.1
0.6
.248
2.33
0.45
446
.25
21.527

Sprouted Beans[18]
416
3.98
2.78
31.40
0.91
634.25
0
0

Ratio
81.56
6.63
11.2
13.47
2.02
1.422
0
0

6. Health concerns
Bacterial infection
Commercially grown sprouts have been associated with multiple outbreaks of harmful
bacteria, including salmonella and toxic forms of Escherichia coli. Such infections may be a
result of contaminated seeds or of unhygienic production with high microbial counts. Sprout
seeds can become contaminated in the fields where they are grown, and sanitizing steps may
be unable to kill bacteria hidden in damaged seeds. A single surviving bacterium in a
kilogram of seed can be enough to contaminate a whole batch of sprouts, according to the
FDA.

Antinutritional factors
Some legumes, including sprouts, can contain toxins or antinutritional factors, which can be
reduced by soaking, sprouting and cooking (e.g., stir frying). To be on the safe side one
shouldnt eat large quantities of raw legume sprouts on a regular basis, no more than about
550g (20oz) daily.
Phytic acid, an antinutritional factor, occurs primarily in the seed coats and germ tissue of
plant seeds. It forms insoluble or nearly insoluble compounds with many metal ions,
including those of calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc, reducing their dietary availability.
Diets high in phytic acid content and poor in these minerals produce mineral deficiency in
experimental animals (Gontzea and Sutzescu, 1968, as cited in Chavan and Kadam, 1989).
The latter authors state that the sprouting of cereals has been reported to decrease levels of
phytic acid. Similarly, Shipard (2005) states that enzymes of germination and sprouting can
help eliminate detrimental substances such as phytic acid. However, the amount of phytic
acid reduction from soaking is only marginal, and not enough to counteract its antinutrient
effects

Source: wikipedia

7. How to
Usually sprouting is easy. You always do it the same way, but the sprouting time
varies.
Which Grains to Sprout
You can sprout any kind of whole grains the truly important thing is that the grain be whole
grains, with the germ and bran intact. They should not be hulled, husked, pearled, rolled, flaked, or
otherwise altered.
In this tutorial today, I'm using wheat berries, but you can also use amaranth, (unhulled) barley,
buckwheat, corn, einkorn, farro, kamut, millet, quinoa, rice, rye berries, sorghum, spelt and any
other kind of whole grain.
Note that sprouted oats must be thoroughly cooked before eating.

The Basic Sprouting Process

The grains are first soaked in water to increase the moisture content and deactivate the phytic acid.
Although they are not fully sprouted at this stage, these soaked grains can be blended into plantbased milks or cooked with less water and time than it would take to cook unsoaked grains.
To make them actually sprout, the soaked grains are then rinsed, drained, and kept moist inside a jar
for a period of 1 to 5 days. Sprouted grains are often eaten raw, lightly cooked, or ground into flour.
They can also be dried in a dehydrator, low-temperature oven, or in the sun.

The Sprouting Container

You can use any jar for sprouting, bearing in mind that the grains will increase in volume. For 1/2
cup of grain, a 1-quart mason jar works well. Cover the jar with some sort of screen or mesh that
allows water to drain and air to circulate.

8. Recipes
1) Sprouted Grains by Emily Han
Rinse and drain twice a day.

Makes about 2 cups

What You Need

Ingredients

1/2 cup whole grains, like wheat berries, amaranth, (unhulled) barley, buckwheat, corn, einkorn,
farro, kamut, millet, whole oats, quinoa, rice, rye berries, sorghum, spelt (as well as legumes and
seeds!)
Water (preferably filtered)
Equipment
Measuring cup
Strainer or colander
Bowl for soaking
1 quart jar
Sprouting lid/screen OR cheesecloth plus metal screw band or rubber band
Bowl for catching water

Instructions
1. Rinse and drain the grains: Place the grains in a strainer or colander, rinse well, and drain.
2. Soak the grains: Place the grains in a bowl and cover with water by a couple inches. Let
stand overnight or at least 12 hours.
3. Drain the grains: Drain the grains in a strainer or colander. Rinse well and drain.
4. Place the grains in a jar: Place the grains in a 1 quart jar.
5. Cover the jar: Cover the jar with a sprouting lid/screen OR a double layer of cheesecloth
secured with a metal screw band or a rubber band.
6. Invert the jar: Turn the jar upside down and at an angle so that excess water can drain and
air can circulate. Place the jar in a bowl to catch the water. Keep it out of direct light and
ideally at a temperature between 68 to 75F.
7. Rinse and drain twice a day: Every 12 hours or so, pour water into the jar and swirl it to
evenly rinse all the grains. Pour off the water and invert the jar as in Step 6.
8. Wait and watch: The grains should sprout in 1 to 5 days. You will know they are ready
when they have little tails. Depending on personal preference, you can wait until the sprouts
have just emerged or until they are longer, about 1/4 inch or so.
9. Refrigerate the sprouted grains: Rinse and drain the sprouted grains and store them in the
refrigerator for a few days to a week. If at any point they smell bad or look slimy, discard
them.

Notes
Drying sprouted grains: Sprouted grains may be dried in a dehydrator, low-temperature
oven, or in the sun.
Making flour: After drying the sprouted grains, you may grind them into flour.
Sprouting other ingredients: Other grains, legumes, and seeds may also be sprouted.
Soaking and sprouting time may vary.

2. Sprouting sunflower seeds by Dr Mercola

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c40Df2iIvQA
http://products.mercola.com/sprouting... Watch this video from Mercola.com and
discover how you can easily grow sprouts at home using Dr. Mercola's Sprout Doctor
Starter Kit.

3. Grow Sprouts with Water or in Soil Any Time of the Year atSprouts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQqML3Ayxi0
John from http://www.growingyourgreens.com/ goes on a field trip to a commercial
sprouting operation to share their secrets of sucessful sprout growing with you. In this
episode, you will learn more about Got Sprouts, a sprout farm that grows sprouts to feed
South Florida. In addition, they offer the supplies that allow you to grow your own
sprouts indoors any time of the year. After watching this video you will learn how to
grow sprouts in water and also grow green sprouts in soil such as sunflower greens,
buckwheat lettuce, pea greens and even wheatgrass. Learn more about got sprouts at
http://www.gotsprouts.com/
3.

4. Ridiculously Easy Sprouting 101

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCkS0mEQ1Xg
Heather Crosby, founder of YumUniverse.com shows us how easy it is to sprout. No
more excuses...she walks you through 3+ days of sprouting chickpeas, quinoa and
lentils.

5. DIY Growing Alfalfa Sprouts In Your Kitchen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRwzQYq6dOs
Website: http://www.DevinHunter.com
Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_c...
Become A Fan On Facebook: http://fb.com/DevinHunter

6.

Soil-less Wheat Sprouts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ_c07PaLZ0
Fool proof and easy, this is how you can grow Sprouts without Soil, or
Fertilizers, on your counter top
You can follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/craftbytwo/

7.

How to Grow Microgreens - Mustard Microgreens Two Methods

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aerXoy-KXxY
Growing microgreens is very easy. In this video, I will show you how to grow
mustard microgreens in two different methods, soil-less method and soil method.
Please like, subscribe and feel free to share this video.
Please join my Microgeens and Sprouts community:
https://plus.google.com/communities/1...
Where to Buy Seeds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXsWO...
How to Grow Pea Shoots: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o_Tg...
How to Grow Radish Microgreens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=l1u59...
How to Grow Broccoli Microgreens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=bpAvy...
How to Grow Sunflower Microgreens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=FcDWd...
How to Grow Fenugreek Sprouts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=_Quxv...
How to Grow Mustard Microgreens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=aerXo...
How to Grow Lentil Sprouts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng7m9...
How to Grow Buckwheat Microgreens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=iI-i2...
How to Grow Mung Bean Sprouts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=2E3xU...
How to Grow Arugula Microgreens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=VoiWI...
How to Grow Cress Microgreens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=VoiWI...
How to Grow Wheatgrass: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvVRh...
How to Grow Alfalfa Sprouts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAQ_D...

Appendix:
FOOD
Almonds
Adzuki Beans
Amaranth
Barley
Black Beans
Brazil Nuts
Buckwheat
Cashews
Chickpeas/Garbanzo
Flaxseeds
Hazelnuts
Kamut
Lentils
Macadamias
Millet
Mung Beans
Oat Groats
Pecans
Pistachios
Pumpkin Seeds
Radish Seeds
Sesame Seeds
Sunflower Seeds
Quinoa
Walnuts
Wheat Berries
Wild Rice

SPROUTING TIME (days)

3 Days (if truly raw, not pasteurized)
4
1-3
2
3
No Sprouting
2-3
No Sprouting
2-3
No Sprouting
No Sprouting
2-3
2-3
No Sprouting
12 hours
4
2-3
No Sprouting
No Sprouting
3
3-4
2-3
12-24 hours
2-3
No Sprouting
3-4
3-5

Disclaimer:
This OpenOffice document on sprouts and sprouting is for genral informational purposes
and use only and cannot be considered as a substitution for any balanced nutrition or
substitution for any other professional advice.