Sprouts

All life starts with the germination of a seed. In this moment of germination, all the vital nutrients and elements to promote good health are present. The body and the soil are susceptible to absorbing the health giving properties that sprouts provide. All the essential nutrients required for healthy balance growth are to be found in sprouts.

Here is a selection of sprouting material to add to your shopping list: Lucerne (alfalfa), linseed (or flax), sunflower, mung beans, fenugreek, wheat grass, pea, chickpea, barley and mustard to mention but a few. The variety of sprouts is phenomenal and health giving every single time.

To start off you need a vessel to soak the seeds in. These can be bought or made of a makeshift container from within your kitchen. An old bottle with a lid that can screw on is ideal. Punch holes in the lid to act as a sieve.

Wash your seeds first to make sure they are all wet, clean and ready to soak up water. Soak your seeds for eight to twelve hours. Rinse the seeds after they have soaked. All nutritional value will be lost if the seeds sprout in the water. Some sprouts, like mung beans, need to be soaked in boiling water initially to enable them to swell well. Rinse the sprouts twice a day once they begin to show signs of growth.

It is very important to drain the sprouts after you have rinsed them. If they sit in a pool of water, they may rot and not germinate well. So remember to shake and swirl them around thoroughly when you are draining them. If you are sprouting fine seed like Lucerne, then you should use a fine mesh as a strainer. Make sure that you stand your sprouter in a place where the air and light can get to the seeds. Rinse the sprouts twice a day so that they don’t dry out.

As the roots and/or leaves begin to appear, your sprouts are ready to be eaten. You can add sprouts to your favorite salads and stir fries or just nibble them when you’re peckish. If you have leftovers sprouts, they can be successfully stored in a container in the fridge.

You can use sprouts in the garden to improve the soil. Sprinkle seeds like clover, lucerne or mustard over the soil. Allow them to germinate and grow for a few weeks. Pull them up and allow the plants to compost in situ. It is a quick and effective way to raise the nitrogen level in the soil. If you are not in too much of a rush, you can leave the plants to grow until just before they seed, and then turn them in. This is called green manuring. Alfalfa and clover can be grown and cut back on a regular basis, instead of pulling up the whole plant. They make ideal ground covers and benefit the soil at the same time.
Remember to sprout your sprouts and get the full health benefits for yourself and your soil.

For more information go to: http://www.sproutpeople.com/grow/greening.html