Sprouts: Super, Simple, Nutritious and Healthy. Back in Spain I learned how to grow my own sprouts and this I enjoyed greatly, and they really became a big part of my daily nutrition. Now in Singapore this highly nutritious food, truly one of the world’s superfoods, is so plentiful and inexpensive that it is easy to keep a bag of these nutritious gems in the fridge most of the time.
Grown locally year-round, sprouts are an amazing source Vitamin C and amazingly, protein. These sprouts are actually the first stage when a seed starts to grow into a plant. Fantastic nutritious sprouts come from the seeds of vegetables, grains, legumes, buckwheat and beans. They vary in texture and taste. Some are spicy (radish and onion sprouts), some are hardy and often used in Asian cuisines (mung bean), while others are more delicate (alfalfa) and add texture and moistness to salads and sandwiches.
Why are Sprouts so Amazing?
Well, for many reasons really. Enzymes are the little guys that ‘get things done’ inside us and as we age our body’s ability to produce them declines. Sprouts are an amazingly concentrated source of these living enzymes, the “life force” that is lost when foods are cooked. Enzymes aid digestion so by adding sprouts to your meal, this helps you to absorb the goodness in your food.
Seeds are incredible sources of nutrition because all the nutrients necessary for creating and sustaining life are contained within. Similar properties grace grain kernels, beans, legumes and nuts. Furthermore, sprouts are always fresh as they can’t sit for days or weeks on the shelf or in a warehouse, so we always know that we are getting optimum nutrition.
Sprouts, like all vegetables, are much more nutritious raw, and since and since sprouts are living food, they are the most nutritious of vegetables. Because of that some people think it is wrong to cook sprouts, but we think all that really matters is that you eat more, and if you prefer them cooked then cook them! Of course raw is better, but any sprouts are way better than none.
Sprouts are:
1) A great snack
2) Great in Stir-fries
3) Perfect tossed into salads
4) A powerful juice source (blend with other veggies)
5) Amazing on sandwiches
6) Great added to coleslaw
7) Great with tomatoes on toast for breakfast
8) Can be great added to wraps
9) Great stirred into soups or stews
10) Can top omelette or scrambled eggs
Go ahead, experiment! It’s your kitchen and you make the rules. Just try and incorporate this truly wonderful superfood into you daily nutrition.