Sprouted grains are becoming more and more popular every day for consumption. They have been used for hundreds of years across the planet.
Most popularly used on bread, as a baking flour, or even used in salads. A sprouted grain is best described as a seed of a grain which, given ideal circumstances, begins to sprout into an individual plant.
The growth process is stopped once the seed sprouts slightly opened. This includes seeds of plant species like buckwheat, rye, sorghum, and barley. They have more amazing health benefits than regular grains in many ways. For example, sprouted grains offer a higher protein count and have the ability to help the body absorb minerals from the blood.
Sprouting grains increase many of the grains’ key nutrients, including vitamin C, folate, B vitamins, fiber, and essential amino acids often lacking in grains, such as lysine. Sprouted grains can also be less allergenic to those people with grain protein sensitivities
Here is a list of five of the benefits you’ll get from consuming sprouted grains for your nutritional health on a daily basis:
1. Sprouted Grains Can Help Control your Blood Sugar levels.
High blood sugar levels are a serious problem. It can lead to obesity and the stopping of blood cells in your pancreas from producing insulin naturally. Eventually, it will lead to heart attack or stroke if not properly treated. Sprouted grains are great for diabetics to consume for a decrease in blood sugar levels.
2. The Protein Content of Sprouted Grains is Outstanding
Protein is essential to our daily diet, and sprouted grains are a great way to obtain it. Add one cup to your daily salad, sandwich or yogurt and you’ll receive up to ten grams of protein. This exceeds far past the amount whole grains have to offer. They are great for a salad topping mixed with some hemp seeds!
3. Sprouted Grains Nutrient Count is Higher than Whole grains.
More than just protein! They have been shown to contain high levels of antioxidants, a great daily source of vitamin C, and amazing levels of calcium, iron, and magnesium. The reason sprouted grains contain more nutritional value is because the seed has begun germinating. Therefore, a lot of the starch content has been eliminated, making room for excessive amounts of nutrients to take its place. Researchers in Vietnam, over a time span of 48 hours, sprouted wheat and discovered that its fiber and antioxidant count doubled!
4. For Nursing Mothers, They are a Plus!
According to the European Journal of Nutrition, forty-one mothers who were breastfeeding their children were split into two sections. One section would be sprouted brown rice while the other section would be given regular white rice to consume. Over a period of 14 days, the woman who consumed the germinated rice experienced low amounts of depression, mood swings, and drowsiness. They also developed a tougher immune system! The section of women who consumed the plain white rice had no changes in their day to day lives.
5. Sprouted Grains Are Easier to Digest
More specifically, sprouted barley. According to studies done by the Department of Animal Science at the University of Alberta, over 5 days, barley and canola seeds were germinated. They were kept moist during the growth process and were dried and weighed daily for a nutritional “analysis.” Once the five days were completed, the seeds were fed to rats. After studying the effects, it demonstrated that the digestibility of the nutrients in barley heightened while the digestibility of canola did not.
Here is an easy recipe for a delicious sprouted wheat spice cake that you can try at home! The prep and cook time for this is approximately 50 minutes.
Below are the ingredients for this project:
- 2 cups sprouted wheat flour
- 2/3 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons golden flax meal
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup almond milk
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup grated apple; about 1 medium apple
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Click here for the full instructions.
There you have it!
Five benefits that you will get if you include sprouted grains of any type to your diet on a daily basis. Consuming these germinated seeds will provide more nutrients than whole grains. There are many different recipes you can make including these grains and many different options on how to incorporate them into your healthy living lifestyle.
Have you tried sprouted grains? What’s your favorite way to add them to your diet?
Sources:
https://www.beautyandtips.com/healthy-eating/10-health-benefits-of-sprouted-grains/
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/seed-and-nut/sprouts.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/17885721/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/2608636/
https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/sprouted-wheat-vegan-spice-cake-recipe
About the Guest Writer:
Jack Stanis is a healthy living enthusiast and certified Reiki practitioner with a background in horticulture and foraging. His greatest passions include playing guitar, meditation, reiki and exploring the natural landscape of Earth.