Sprouted foods are gaining more and more popularity, which is mainly due to the beneficial properties attributed to them. The question is whether they are really nutritious to a greater extent ...
Every sprouted food is a kind of seed
It's not just about sunflower, pumpkin or chia seeds, but also quinoa, oats, chickpeas, nuts . All of them can be found in a cursed form. What exactly does this mean?
In essence, sprouted foods are seeds at the beginning of their growth. To stop this process, these seeds are dried or added to other products in the form of puree.
Sprouted foods have many forms
They can be dry, like stuffed almonds or bread that contains sprouted grains or seeds . Sprouted beans can also be pureed and added to tortillas, for example.
They can also be found in powder to be added to smoothies or oatmeal . Many processed sprouted products are also available on the market, but it is important to buy those that contain only natural ingredients.
In terms of nutrients ...
The seeds contain compounds that prevent them from germinating until the conditions are right. Once germination occurs, these compounds are "eliminated" by elevated enzymes .
These enzymes make the nutrients in the seed more accessible, so the plant has the energy it needs to grow. The theory is that when we eat sprouted foods, the nutrients they contain are more accessible to us and easier to digest .
Research on sprouted foods
There are not many studies in this area, but the available data support the claim that they contain more nutrients . Researchers claim that germination increases the levels of antioxidants in brown rice and millet. There is also evidence that sprouted brown rice has a higher fiber content .