What to know about sprouting grains, nuts, and legumes.
By Tammy Worth
WebMD Feature
Sprouts are making a comeback, and not just at the salad bar.
You may have read that sprouts are packed with nutrients and are easy to digest. But you may also have heard about food safety issues and recalls of sprouts.
So should you sprout your grains, nuts, and beans, or skip this trend?
What Is Sprouting?
Seeds sprout after a few days in a warm, moist climate. The process usually lasts 3 to 7 days, depending upon the conditions and kind of seeds being used.
You've probably heard of bean sprouts. But many foods can be sprouted, according to the International Sprout Growers Association, including:
- Grains, such as barley, wheat, and spelt
- Legumes, such as lentils, peas, and pinto, kidney, and lima beans
- Radish and broccoli seeds
Some people also sprout nuts, including almonds, cashews, walnuts, and peanuts.
Sprouting Chemistry
Sprouts are said to be more nutritious than their unsprouted counterparts.
When a seed germinates, a chemical reaction takes place. This process is thought to make it easier for a body to absorb nutrients including iron, zinc, and vitamin C, says Reem Jabr, RD, a nutrition therapist in the Boston area.
Sprouts may have some other nutritional perks. Steve Schwartz, PhD, an Ohio State University professor of food science, has studied broccoli sprouts and their possible link to cancer prevention.
Broccoli sprouts, Schwartz says, contain compounds called glucosinolates. When eaten, those compounds convert to isothiocyanates, which curbed the growth of bladder cancer cells in lab tests on animals.
"Sprouts have a higher concentration of these compounds [glucosinolates] than broccoli itself," Schwartz says. "There are a number of animal studies that show they have reduced the number and size of tumors, and there is a lot of interest in how that could translate into the human diet."
But it's too soon to know if that also happens in people.
Digestion Benefit
Sprouts may be easier to digest than the unsprouted version of the same food.
Sprouting breaks down a seed. That means less work for your digestive system, says Elisabetta Politi, RD, nutrition director at the Duke Diet & Fitness Center in Durham, NC.
"It would be a good choice for someone with a sensitive gut," she says. "For people with problems digesting certain foods, sprouted germs might seem better for them, and they are less allergenic to people with grain protein sensitivities."
This was the case for Avery Pittman, a 22-year-old senior at the University of Vermont. In high school, Pittman took methacycline for acne, which she says led to a lot of "gastrointestinal issues." Having tried various kinds of diets, she says that eating sprouts helps her prevent stomach problems.
Pittman buys mung beans (a small, greenish legume) and lentils in bulk and sprouts them herself. She eats them in salads and tries to eat them daily.
"They are pretty energizing and I enjoy the taste of them," she says. "I feel better when I eat them. I know some foods cause me to have stomachaches, but these prevent it."
source : Should You Sprout Your Grains, Nuts, and Legumes?
