Why are sprouts better than the fully grown food itself? The reason that so many people turn to sprouts as a source of food is that they contain a significant amount of vitamins and nutrients not present in the un-sprouted form. Typically, a week after germination, the sprouts will have the highest concentration and bioavailability of nutrients.
Seeds contain a packed storehouse of all the important nutrients that a plant will need to grow in its initial days, so those tiny caps are filled with important organic compounds, vitamins, and minerals that our body can also utilize.
Kale is one of my favorite seeds to sprout because it’s filled with so many benefits for our liver and our hormone health. The main biological activities related to kale are antioxidant, anti-cancer, and protective effects on the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal tract. They help your liver filter out toxic compounds, especially those related to the upregulation of “harmful” hormones known to cause breast and ovarian cancers.
Sprouts are perfect to eat alone as a side salad or even mixed into your food. You can even throw them in your shakes.
So if you’re ready to sprout your own seeds, follow below to find out how I grew mine.
Here’s what you need:
- 1- 1 ½ TBSP of kale seed. I get mine locally from a health food store in my area.
- A glass jar. I use a wide-mouth mason jar.
- A screen, and something to secure it. I use a mason jar, and a lid band to secure the screen, but you can use rubber bands too.
- A container to catch excess water.
Instructions:
Day 1: put both kinds of seeds in the jar, and soak with filtered water overnight. Note: You can start with 1 TBSP each seed, but from my experience 3 TBSP all together is perfect for a jar.
Day 2: Dump the water and rinse the seeds very well. Cover the jar and put it in a dark area. If you put it in a cupboard, I don’t think you need to cover it.
Day 3- 5: Repeat the rinsing process. You can see the sprouts get longer and longer every day.
Day 6: The sprouts should be long enough to eat. Rinse them very well like usual, and take off the screen. Let the water overflow so the seed shells can float to the top. Try to get rid of the shells as much as you can, then cover them back up with the screen.
Give them a final rinse with filtered water, and let them drain the excess water so they are as dry as possible. When they dry enough, put the jar on a window sill or in a spot where the sprouts can get some light for a few hours. It’s amazing when you can see the tiny leaves turn green.
Take the band and the screen off, and cover the jar with a small piece of paper towel or cheesecloth. Keep the jar in a fridge, and consume them as you like. They stay fresh for about 4-5 days.