Superfoods are the latest craze in the raw food movement. Every week a new superfood is being “discovered”. Frankly, if I were to listen to all the experts and eat all the superfoods they say I absolutely have to have to enjoy optimum health, well, I think I would definitely be healthy, but I would be dead broke and probably living in a carbon box.
I am not against superfoods, in fact, I use some on a regular basis. However, did you know there is a group of superfoods that cost very little, can be easily grown indoors, take only a few days to mature, and are loaded with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, phytonutrients and vital enzyme?
Let me introduce you to sprouts and if you they do make a regular appearance on your plate, it is time to change that.
Sprouts are alive and biogenic, which means they are capable of transferring their life force to your body. They need no processing or preparation and can be eaten alone or added to various dishes to enhance their nutritional value.
Sprouts are at the peak of their nutritional value. They are created through germinating seeds, nuts, grains, and beans. The seed releases all of its stored nutrients needed by the growing plant in one big explosion of vitality. Sprouts are easily digested by our bodies because during germination process complex proteins are broken down into amino acids, fats turn into essential fatty acids, and carbohydrates convert into simple sugars.
When you eat a sprout, you get the best of what the seed had to offer, getting all its goodness in one bite. Because a sprout continues growing up until the moment you eat it, its nutrients continue increasing and remain intact up until you begin chewing, which makes sprouts superior to most produce found in stores.
Many sprouts are richer in vitamins and minerals than a grown plant. Researchers at John Hopkins University School of Medicine discovered that a three-day old broccoli sprouts has 50 times more cancer-fighting substance called sulforaphane than a mature broccoli!
Unsprouted lentil seeds have almost no vitamin C, but when sprouted, they become one of the better sources of it. Alfalfa sprouts have more vitamin A than tomatoes, lettuce, and most fruits.
Most importantly, sprouts are rich in chlorophyll, which chemical elements are effective in building up the red blood cell content of human blood. In fact, the chlorophyll molecule is almost identical to hemoglobin, the main difference being that chlorophyll has a magnesium ion as a nucleus and hemoglobin has iron.
The healing properties of sprouts have been known for ages; Ancient Chinese doctors proscribed them to their patients for various ailments. The life energy in sprouts stimulates our body’s natural ability to self heal and cleanse. Sprouts strengthen the immune system and assist the body in fighting cancer, diabetes, and aging. They are ideal food for people wanted to release extra weight and gain more energy. Some studies even showed sprouts ability to rejuvenate and restore sexual functions to their normal healthy state.
And if you were lead to believe that the raw food diet is expensive, then let me assure you – sprouting is the best way to save money while improving your health. Pound for pound sprouts are the most nutritious foods there is per dollar value. Because sprouts increase in weight, size (some sprouts increase in volume up to 10 times), and nutritional value as they grow, it costs you pennies to grow them.
Coming up:
Part 2 – Shopping Guide to Sprouting Seeds
Part 3 – Sprouting Made Easy
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