Sprouting is one the hottest buzzwords in gardening these days; however, the principles behind growing and eating spouts go back thousands of years. So what exactly does sprouting entail and what’s all the fuss about?
What are Sprouts?
Sprouts are young seedings that begin to grow in just a few days in warm, moist settings. As a general rule, sprouting is the process of germinating seeds to eat them either raw or cooked. They’ve been making a splash on the nutrition scene because they’re full of nutrients and generally easy to digest. The most common foods that are used for sprouting are grains, legumes, seeds, and beans.
Health Benefits of Sprouts
Nutrition experts have found that sprouts can contain up to 100 times more enzymes than in raw fruits and vegetables. Enzymes assist with all sorts of bodily functions from digestion to fat burning, while supplying the body with energy and helping you get the most nutrition from your food. Sprouts contain high amounts of dietary fiber, vitamin B, and protein, and antioxidants. According to Tracey Roizman, D.C., a cup of sprouts provides 119 percent of your daily vitamin C.
Seagate’s greenhouse shown in the photo below grows between 80,000 and 100,000 broccoli sprouts at one time.
Our Broccoli 250 mg capsules can be opened to taste the raw flavor and tastes great sprinkled onto soups and salads. This product is being shown just in case you do not wish to do all this work yourself. 
These are some of the other potential benefits of sprouting:
- High fiber content
- High protein content
- Rich in vitamins A, B1, B12, C, and E
- Cost-efficient nutrition plan
- Fun hobby for the whole family
Risks of Sprouting
However, it should be noted that sprouting doesn’t come without its own set of risks. Sprouts are susceptible to bacterial contamination because of the moist environments they grow best in. Some seeds, including radish and broccoli seeds, are easy targets for bacterial growth. The important thing to remember is that sprouts must be thoroughly cleaned throughout their growth cycle to prevent the bacteria from multiplying.
You can choose to cook your sprouts to rule out the possibility of bacteria consumption; however, some of the sprouts’ nutritional value will be lost in the process. Some people may have unknown allergic reactions to certain sprouts, so it’s best to try a small portion before mixing sprouts into recipes.
Try Sprouting at Home
You can experiment with sprouting at home by growing them in jars, sponges, or in soil inside or outside your home. To learn more about trying it for yourself, check out the beginner-friendly guides and tips at The Ecologist, Gentle World, and Green Harvest.
These are some of the best foods to try sprouting at home:
- Barley
- Wheat
- Lentils
- Pinto beans
- Kidney beans
- Radish seeds
- Broccoli seeds
- Almonds
- Cashews
Chelsea Green Publishing and Sprout People have some delicious sprouting recipe ideas too if you feel like being adventurous in kitchen! Enthusiasts claim that sprouting is like having a fresh miniature garden at home all throughout the year.
Have you tried sprouting? Share your sprouting experience with us in the comments section below!