The last years many canary breeders have started to use sprouted seeds in their nutrition. When they learned how important are sprouted seeds for them , they added them in their birds nutrition!
What you can sprout
Most seeds sprout easily, as do many legumes. Nuts are more difficult to sprout.Fresh, alive seeds in good condition sprout the best. If a seed will not sprout, this is an indication that it is "dead" and the enzymes in it have been destroyed. It may be old, rancid, cooked, irradiated, sprayed or physically broken or damaged.
My best sprouting results have been with garbanzo beans (chickpeas), wheat and rye berries, sunflower seeds and mung beans. This may be a reflection of the local conditions and suppliers.
You should treat raw legumes with caution. Chickpeas (also known as Garbanzo beans) are the most digestible of the beans. When sprouted with 1-2 cm tails, most of their enzyme inhibitors are inactivated. This is why they are the most widely used raw bean in several traditional cuisines, particularly around the Mediterranean as a base for humus. However, I personally would never eat raw beans (raw sprouts are OK).
Mung beans make an excellent sprout, used widely in Chinese cooking. However, they primarily use the sprouts and not the beans, and the sprouts are often stir-fried.
Soy and kidney bean sprouts are toxic and should be avoided. Sprouted lentils, black eyed beans, partridge peas, peanuts and vetch retain phytates which cause poor digestion and gas.
Alfalfa sprouts are mildly toxic - do not eat them every day, and avoid them if you are a cancer patient, have a weak immune system or suffer from inflammation.
Most raw sprouts contain hemagglutinins, which inhibit the absorption of proteins and fats. The worst are soybeans and kidney beans, followed by Pinto, Navy, Black eye, Lima, Black beans, Aduki (Adzuki) beans, lentils and peas. Hemagglutinins are destroyed by cooking.
Some people are more sensitive to raw sprouted legumes, and need to cook them. This is no reason to avoid the nutritious and enzyme-rich sprouts of other seeds.
How to sprout
First, pick through and discard any broken, mouldy, discoloured or disfigured seeds. In particular, try to remove black, dark brown or green coloured mouldy seeds. They can contain harmful toxins that you would want to avoid, whether you are sprouting or cooking them.
Next,soak them. To sprout a grain, seed or bean, first wash them and then soak them in cool to tepid, filtered or spring water. Soaking time varies between 4 and 12 hours, depending on the size and hardness of the seed. Large hard beans such as garbanzo beans need 12 hours, whereas small soft seeds like buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa and many vegetable seeds only need 4 hours. Rinse them and change the water every couple of hours while they soak.
An alternative method of sprouting without soaking is to keep the seeds/beans damp for a longer period. They still need rinsing 2-3 times per day.
Successful sprouting depends on a number of factors including:
- The freshness of the seeds and how "alive" they are. Many seeds, especially if they have been imported, have been irradiated. Others are just old.
- Whether the seeds are broken, discoloured or chemically treated.
- The water's pH, mineral and salt content. Sprouting is encouraged in slightly salty and acid water, so you can add a pinch of sea salt and a spoon of vinegar.
- The water's temperature. Cold climate grains such as oats can even be sprouted in your refrigerator.
Some seeds start to sprout in a few hours. Using top quality sunflower seeds in the summer, I have had sprouts starting in 8 hours. At the other extreme, large cannelloni beans can take two or more days to begin sprouting. Within 2-5 days most of the bigger seeds, nuts and beans are ready. They are ready when the root (not the shoot, which is longer) is the length of the seed.
Keep your sprouting seeds and grains out of full sunlight. Natural light is OK, but full sunlight will encourage leafing.
Using sprouts
Try keeping two containers of sprouts in your fridge, especially in the summer. Sprouts are the base for all sorts of delectable pates and raw food recipes, and provide a colourful and living addition to any dish - particularly salads.Use a variety of different sprouts such as alfalfa, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), lentils, mung beans, peas and sunflowers. Keep changing which beans you use, so that your body is not exposed to using the same sprout for days or weeks at a time.
Keep a written note on which you find digest the best, or which have any side-effects. Try lightly cooking the less-digestible raw sprouts in stir-fry's; the light cooking makes them much more digestible.
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