Sprouts have many health benefits. Sprouts of beans, alfalfa, legumes, millets, oats, seeds, etc. are very nutritious for health. Sprouts are rich sources of vitamins, minerals, proteins, phytochemicals, antioxidants, nitrosamines, minerals, bioflavinoids and enzymes.
Sprouts are living foods. Sprouts of foods like alfalfa, radish, broccoli and soybean are rich source of antioxidants that can protect us against disease and effects of ageing. These are good antiaging foods. Broccoli sprouts have high amounts of a natural cancer-fighting compound, while Alfalfa sprouts lower the bad LDL cholesterol.
We give below all the details on growing sprouts. Note that Brussels sprouts is a vegetable and are not grown like bean sprouts and other sprouts mentioned on this page. For brussels sprouts recipe go to brussels sprouts recipe page.
Soak seed in water for 4-5 hours. (The soak timings for different seeds are given below.) Empty seed into strainer and rinse. Take a cotton cloth and put seeds on it. Fold the cloth over wet seeds, tie and hang it on a cloth line under shade. Sprouts will begin to grow in 2-3 days.
Seeds like flax, psyllium, etc. can be grown in a clay saucer.
Soaking times for Growing Sprouts
Different seeds need different soaking time. The hard and big size seeds need more soaking.
- Alfalfa, Clover Sprouts: 4-6 hours
- Amaranth Sprouts: 1-1.5 days.
- Barley Sprouts: 8-14 hours
- Buckwheat Sprouts: 15-20 minutes
- Corn Sprouts: 8-14 hours
- Almonds Sprouts: 10-14 hours
- Cabbage, Kale Sprouts: 6-14 hours
- Fenugreek Sprouts: 8-14 hours
- Mustard Sprouts: 6-14 hours
- Pumpkin: 1.0 day
- Radish Sprouts: 8-14 hours
- Sesame Sprouts: 8-14 hours
- Sunflower Sprouts: 8-14 hours
- Garbanzo group Sprouts:Soak 12-18 hours
- Lentils, brown/green, Moth and red Sprouts. Soak 8-14 hours
- Peas, Blackeye Sprouts: 12-14 hours
- Millet Sprouts: 8-14 hours
- Oats Sprouts: 8-14 hours
- Quinoa Sprouts: 2-4 hours
- Rice Sprouts: 12-18 hours
- Rye Sprouts: 8-14 hours