Staying healthy has become a major concern for all segments of the society today and we are all aiming at increasing longevity. Even though most of us know that sprouts have long been famous as a health food, it is unfortunate that we really don’t take advantage of their health benefits. Traditional Indian medical literature have considered sprouts as ‘Purna’ and ‘Amrit Aahar’ which means complete and rejuvenating foods.
A sprout is the transitional stage between a seed and plant and represents the miracle of birth. The process of germination of seeds, results in an increase in the vitamin content and availability of nutrients to the body. The enzymes naturally present in the grain convert the starch and proteins into the predigested form thereby making them easily digestible by the body.
Sprouts are very nutritious and are packed with vitamins and minerals. They are rich sources of B-complex vitamins, vitamins C and E, and bio-available calcium, iron and phosphorus, and antioxidant phytochemicals, all of which are necessary for a healthy body.
Sprouts provide dietary fibre, which has various beneficial effects on health such as providing satiety, controlling blood sugar and cholesterol levels, enhancing intestinal motility, reducing cancer risk, and preventing constipation. They are also good sources of chlorophyll that is said to have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and do not produce gas and flatulence like unsprouted pulses.
Cereals such as wheat, bajra, nachni, jowar, pulses and legumes such as bengal gram (white chana), harbara (red chana), moong, masur, matki, chawli, whole toovar, rajma, val, soyabean, green peas, watana, sesame or til seeds, fresh groundnuts, and fenugreek (methi) seeds can all be easily sprouted.
Sprouts can be easily prepared at home either in a commercial sprouts-maker or by the traditional muslin cloth method. The preparation of sprouts involves cleaning, washing, and soaking overnight in water a single type of grain or a mixture of grains. If you are using more than one type of grain, soak separately. Next morning, the water has to be drained and the grains have to be placed separately in a strainer basket and covered with a lid or tied in a wet muslin or cheese cloths and hung up. If using a commercial sprouts maker, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Water needs to be sprinkled over the grains twice a day to facilitate sprouting. The number of days required for sprouting differs from grain to grain.
Most sprouts do not require any preparation or cooking. They can be eaten raw and there is no need to cut them up or peel them either. They are a good substitute for vegetables especially in summer and in places of prolonged drought.
Sprouts can be incorporated in our diet in numerous ways. Besides eating them in salads or as spicy gravy preparation such as usal, missal, tonak, and ghatti, sprouts can be made into sandwich or dosa fillings, pulaos, biryanis, chaats and bhel. Sprouts can also be used to prepare Amylase Rich Food (ARF). The flours of sprouted and malted cereals are very rich in Alpha Amylase, a liquefying enzyme that helps reduce the viscosity of porridges and at the same time contributes to some calories. By using Amylase Rich Foods (ARF), the viscosity of traditional cereal-based weaning feeds can be reduced and a child will be able to eat more of this thinned porridge thereby increasing his or her caloric need. ARF can also be used to liquefy tube feeds thereby ensuring the smooth flow of the feed through the tube minimising the danger of clogging of the tubes.
To conclude, if you want to be energetic, look good, and enjoy good health give sprouts a try.
(The writer is a consultant nutritionist with 26 years of experience)
