The Health Benefits of Sprouts
There is no doubt that a diet consisting of mostly whole and organic foods can lead to an impressive amount of health benefits. Not only do broccoli sprouts contain 17 necessary nutrients, they are also easy to grow and will leave your mouth watering.
The difference between broccoli and the sprouts.
For those not up to speed on the difference between the broccoli and the sprout – we have the answer. The sprout is the seed of the broccoli harvested at only 3-4 days old. The main difference between the head of broccoli and the sprout is that the sprout contains sulforaphane(SFN). SFN works mainly as an anti-cancer agent but also works at killing inflammation, helps with heart activity, and also works as an anti-depressant.
There are countless positive impacts sprouts can have if you implement them into your daily diet. Just by tossing a handful of uncooked broccoli sprouts on a salad each day can decrease the presence of H pylori by 40 percent (Johns Hopkins). H pylori, helicobacter pylori, is the bacteria that causes ulcers, stomach cancer, and gastritis.
The sprout contains 10x times the number of nutrients that the head of broccoli does. These small plants have been in the cancer research limelight because of their ability to produce 50 times the amount of cancer-fighting power or the SFN, then the head of broccoli is able to.
The proof is in the study.
There have been multiple studies linked to the effects that sulforaphane has on an individual’s health. One study conducted targeted males with ASD, autism spectrum disorder. This disorder impairs the male of social interaction, along with stereotypic behavior. Through an 18 week study conducted, the 29 males who consumed the SFN,
were proven to have positive behavioral changes.
Another study conducted on mice was to prove that SFN contains anti-depressants and works at effecting anxiety-like behavior. The test concluded that SFN works as an anti-depressant for mice who are under chronic stress.
How to grow your own sprouts.
The first step in growing your own sprouts is to get your hands on the seeds. We recommend buying your seeds from a certified organic farmer. Once you have your seeds in hand you will want to put 2 Tbs of them into a clean mason jar. You will then fill the jar approximately 3/4 of the way full. The amount of water added does not have to be perfect because the sprouts will only absorb as much water as they need. We do, however, recommend using purified or spring water.
After you have filled your mason jar, you may note some of the sprouts floating to the top – you will just want to push those down. Store your jar anywhere in sight for the next 8 hours. After 8 hours you will drain the water out, rinse the seeds, and then drain them again. It is important to make sure the seeds are free from any excess water as they will rot.
You will want to continue the process of rinsing the seeds every 8 hours for the next 3-4 days. Rinsings the sprouts with cool water and leaving the jar of sprouts stored in a room temperature area is perfect for growing a healthy plant. On the 3rd of 4th day, you should start to notice your sprout growing leaves. At this point, you will want to give your sprouts some indirect sunlight. Another 2 days of allowing the sprouts to become greener is all it should take.
Once completed, you can store the jar directly in your fridge until you are ready to eat the sprouts. Although sprouts are just as tasty if you cook them verse not cooking them – the nutrient value is better if you eat them uncooked.
What are you waiting for?
Now that you have learned about the health benefits of sprouts and how to grow them, we hope you are just as excited about us as about growing your own! There is no denying the amazing effects SFN has on an individual’s health when it comes to fighting cancer, working as an anti-depressant, and even working as an inflammatory agent. There are countless studies proven that the nutrients in sprouts help aid in the overall health of our minds and bodies.
For anybody looking to make a change in their health and daily diet, we recommend adding sprouts to your everyday diet. Those of you who are still wanting to look into the effects sprouts has on health we encourage you to watch the following video by Dr. Rhonda Patrick:
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The benefits of broccoli sprouts are endless, so what are you waiting for? Let’s get to growing!
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