Fresh, locally grown greens are increasingly difficult to come by as winter progresses. So, instead of relying on greens picked and shipped from California and other warmer destinations, why not grow your own right in your own
kitchen? Try sprouting! It's easy, ridiculously cheap and, most importantly, these tasty young greens are quite possibly the most nutritious food on earth.

Imagine the energy it takes for a seed to push up through the ground on its journey to becoming a plant-this energy is what we take in when we eat sprouts, which in essence are tiny, baby plants. In fact, one of the reasons we do not fertilize sprouts and seedlings when we are tending our spring garden is because, at that point, they already have exactly all the nutrients they require to successfully grow.

Sprouts are rich in many types of enzymes, vitamins and minerals, amino acids (protein), essential fats and powerfully healing plant nutrients called phytochemicals. I'm sure it's no coincidence that, in addition to being the components necessary to nourish a germinating plant, these are also all the nutrients humans need for gaining and maintaining optimal health. In addition, these nutrients are not only available but are also enhanced by the process of sprouting and more easily assimilated by the body than in non-sprouted foods.

The high amount of enzymes in sprouts classifies them as extremely "live" foods. It's their enzyme content, which
is thought to be higher than in any other food on the planet, that gives sprouts their amazing health food reputation. Enzymes are necessary for each and every biochemical reaction in the body and aid in the digestion of fats, carbohydrates and proteins.

Sprouts, therefore, are a fresh, inexpensive source of greens in the winter months (or any time of the year) and also
offer a digestible source of beans, nuts and grains for those who have difficulties eating these seeds normally.

Try sprouting mung beans, lentils, clover, alfalfa, sunflower seeds or buckwheat. Mung beans are easy to grow so
are a good place to start. Also, mung bean sprouts are the type we are used to seeing at salad bars. Alfalfa sprouts offer another wonderful option for winter greens.

Sprouts are most nutritious if they have been exposed to indirect sun after germination (although mung beans grow quite well even in dark rooms). With sun exposure, sprouts turn green, producing chlorophyll-another nutritious and energizing bonus to eating these tiny greens.

There is a wealth of sprouting advice in books and on the Internet (see resources at the bottom of this article). You can use jars with cheesecloth or specially purchased sprouting lids, or you may want to invest in sprouting trays.

However you choose to sprout, you will be surprised at how easy it is once you get the hang of it, and you may be surprised at how much healthier you feel as a result of adding sprouts to your diet-especially during these winter months.

[Sandra Tonn is a freelance writer and certified yoga
instructor who sprouts (and lives) in Powell
River, BC. sandra_tonn@telus.net]

Sprouting Resources

Sprouts: The Miracle Food: A Complete Guide to Sprouting (Revised Edition) by Steve Meyerowitz
(Sproutman Publications, 2004)

Sprout Garden: Indoor Grower's Guide to Gourmet Sprouts by Mark Braunstein (Book Publishing Company, 2003)

The Sprouting Book by Ann Wigmore (Avery Publishing Group Inc., 2002)

Sprouts by Kathleen O'Bannon, CNC (alive Books, 2000)

Mumm's sprouting seeds: www.sprouting.com

Sprout Master: www.sproutmaster.com

Primal Seeds: www.primalseeds.org/sprouting

Living and Raw Foods: www.living-foods.com/articles/sprouting

Want to search for other articles that may interest you?

Readers of this article also enjoyed...