Sprouting basically refers to the process of germinating beans and seeds in a moist setting, thereby augmenting nutritional worth when cooked or eaten raw. It’s a solid way to increase the nutrition profile of beans, grains and seeds. Not all seeds are ideal for sprouting, but the following certainly are the best beans for sprouting.
Beans and Seeds to Sprout
• Alfalfa
These sprouts are particularly good in salads and on sandwiches. Alfalfa sprouts typically take five to six days for sprouting in a dark, warm place. To activate the good enzymes, make sure you put them in bright sun for a maximum of 30 minutes every day. Once the sprouting is done, drain them nicely and refrigerate – they should come good for close to a week.
• Chickpea
Also called garbanzo beans, sprouted chickpeas can be consumed cooked or raw in salads. After they are done sprouting, are properly rinsed and drained, they could last up to 30 days when refrigerated.
• Fenugreek
Fenugreek sprouts are spicy and a solid protein source. Used in a variety of Middle Eastern and Indian recipes, they have medicinal traits too, such as easing menopausal symptoms and stimulating milk production in women. A word of caution: Fenugreek invigorates uterine contractions; pregnant women therefore shouldn’t consume it.
• Lentil
Sprouted lentils offer B vitamins, magnesium, calcium, and zinc. They could be consumed raw (for the highest nutritional gains) or cooked. When fully sprouted, they would be half an inch long and could last a fortnight in the fridge.
• Mung Bean
Mung beans come first to people’s minds when they try imagining bean sprouts. Mung bean is an integral component of several Chinese dishes. If you’d like the mung bean sprouts to be small (less than half an inch), allow them to grow for two to three days. The larger sprouts that are one to three-inch long must be let to grow for four to five days. When stored properly, they could last anywhere from two to six weeks.
• Pea
Green peas could be sprouted; however, you cannot sprout split peas. These sprout in two to three days and go well with sandwiches and salads.
• Soybean
To sprout soybeans, you would need minimal soaking period. Also, the
best beans for sprouting is the most effective when the beans are rinsed once every four to eight hours.
• Amaranth
Sprouted amaranth does not stay edible when stored for a longer time period. Therefore, if you are making it, ensure it’s for one-time use. Two-thirds of a cup filled with its seeds would give you a cup of sprouts that would have taken 48 hours to germinate. These sprouts are ideal for raw consumption.
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