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Why You Should Be Growing and Eating Sprouts In a Jar
Fermenting, sprouting, and soaking are all ways I enhance my food. These are the heroes that help me stay healthy in spite of all that seems to tell me I need to fear aging and all the disease that could come my way. I believe so firmly in wellness that nobody can convince me otherwise. We have a contract with food in this life and I want to tell you nothing is more powerful than food. Each meal is a time to start anew and change your body by flooding it with nutrients. I wish with all my heart that people would talk more about the miraculous creation our body is and how wonderful it is that we get to co-create with it and supply it with the things it needs. All my blogs, podcasts, and books are about just how I do this every day, and hopefully I can help you do it too. My heartfelt desire is to make it easy for you and this article is one and the same. So here is another technique that has added health benefits that are worth understanding and implementing.
Sprouting seeds is similar to fermentation. For instance, when you ferment your foods it increases the nutrient content and adds more vitamins and minerals. Cabbage that already has 60 milligrams of vitamin C per cup will gain 700 milligrams per cup when fermented. You read that right — that is a huge increase and is one of the reasons I love fermentation. The same type of thing occurs with soaking grains, nuts, and seeds and also when you sprout them.
Sprouting seeds makes certain nutrients easier to absorb than when the foods are in their non-sprouted form. I have a chart showing how to soak all your beans, nuts, seeds, and grains; and you can check out this article for more info.
But let's get on to sprouting your greens in a jar. 🌱🌱🌱🌱
7 Reasons You Need to Eat Sprouts
What are sprouts?
Sprouts are very young plants that are harvested just a few days after they germinate. Sprouting is the natural process by which seeds or spores germinate and put out shoots while on their way to becoming full-grown plants.
The body can readily absorb vitamins and minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, and zinc better when nutrients come from a sprouted seed, bean, or nut. This is because phytic acid - bound to those nutrients making them difficult to absorb - will then become neutralized.
You've probably seen the little green sprouts at health and grocery stores that cost quite a bit for the amount you receive. These sprouts are powerhouses of nutrition even more so than their larger counterparts. They're so easy to make that it's worth making your own and I can show you how.
Sprouts have more vitamins and minerals
Sprouts are rich in a number of important vitamins and minerals. Catching the sprouts during the germinating process breaks down some of the starch, which makes the percentage of nutrients higher. While the specific ratio of nutrients varies depending on the type of sprout, they generally contain high levels of B vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, and vitamins C and K. They have higher amounts of these nutrients than fully-grown versions of the same plants, sometimes one hundredfold!
How long does it take to grow sprouts?
They grow fast, and usually in less than a week you have a jar of sprouts. Every day your sprouts will grow a bit more until they have filled half your jar or your entire quart jar depending on which seeds you use. Towards the end of sprouting, they will start to turn bright green. This can take anywhere from 3-7 days. Then they're ready to consume and place in the fridge.
Sprouts may help with cholesterol
Sprouts have special fats that help your heart health. Sprouts have omega-3 fatty acids which help in boosting good cholesterol (HDL) levels and reduce the amount of harmful cholesterol in your blood vessels and arteries. Omega-3 fatty acids are very important for heart health and for reducing inflammation. Omega -3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties that help in reducing the excessive stress on your cardiovascular system. They also have lots of potassium which helps reduce blood pressure levels further by reducing risks of any cardiovascular problem.
Sprouts help with digestion
Eating sprouts may improve your digestive health. Sprouting seeds will significantly increase the amount of fiber they contain. Much of this fiber is “insoluble” fiber which means it doesn't dissolve in your stomach and adds bulk to your stools and "soluble" fiber which becomes food for your microbes. The fiber also helps food pass through the GI tract smoothly. The extra enzymes in raw sprouts help break down food more efficiently, making sprouts a great digestion-friendly addition to your diet.
Sprouts may help with hormones and cancer
Sulforaphane, found in broccoli sprouts, is a natural plant compound. It helps balance healthy estrogen levels in the body. Many cruciferous vegetables contain this and Indole-3-carbinol, a chemical that may have anti-estrogen effects. They may also assist in reducing symptoms of PMS, menopause symptoms, and may protect against many cancers. Broccoli, and especially broccoli sprouts, is connected to hormone balance by the effect on how the body breaks down estrogen. In other words, broccoli sprouts may help protect the body against cancer by reducing the spread of cancerous cells and supporting the body to eliminate harmful substances. Researcher Theresa A Shapiro adds, “Broccoli sprouts are about 50 times more powerful in cancer prevention than their mature counterpart.”[1]
Sprouts may help with insulin resistance
For those who struggle with insulin resistance, sprouts may be a helpful addition to your diet. Researchers studied [2] 63 patients with type 2 diabetes who consumed broccoli sprouts or a placebo. They found that those who ate sprouts had a significant improvement in insulin resistance after 4 weeks. Insulin resistance is a key factor in type 2 diabetes where the body’s response to insulin can help improve control of blood glucose. I think greens, in general, are always a great thing to add to your diet and always help with insulin and blood sugar issues. Sprouts just give you more bang for your buck and you need smaller amounts to create big changes.
All you need to make a jar of sprouts is a glass canning jar, a sprouting lid (or you can use a rubber band and some cheesecloth), and some seeds. The seeds will last a long time and make you lots of jars of sprouts. Check out my recipes for the ones I make and the resources I sell and use. Just make a jar and see what fun it can be. Your body will thank you . . . just you wait and see!
Each new day is another day to change your life. 🌱🌱🌱🌱
Listen To My Podcast
Fermenting, sprouting, and soaking are all ways I enhance my food. These are the heroes that help me stay healthy in spite of all that seems to tell me I need to fear aging and all the disease that could come my way. Sprouting seeds is similar to fermentation. Sprouting seeds makes certain nutrients easier to absorb than when the foods are in their non-sprouted form. Check out how easy it is to make a jar of fresh greens on your kitchen counter. Each meal is a time to start anew and change your body by flooding it with nutrients. Check out the podcast for more info.
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