Sprouts: Nature's Powerhouse!

Sprouts are nature's "superfood", full of active enzymes, vitamins and minerals in a form your body can easily digest and use.

Think about a tiny seed. In that compact little package is the start of a mighty tree or luxuriant bush. In one short growing season, a little-bitty carrot seed transforms into a root vegetable that can be a foot long, with an equal amount of green leafy top, or a great big pumpkin!

Seeds are just amazing when you think about it! Enzymes in seeds activate chemical reactions that speed up the growth of the plant.

But seeds also have enzyme inhibitors that prevent growth until conditions are right for it. The main condition that signals favorable growth is the presence of water.

If eating nuts and seeds causes you to bloat, have gas or feel unpleasant heaviness in your abdomen, then you need to deactivate the enzyme inhibitors so the seeds can do their nutritional magic. We do this through "sprouting" of the seed.

This is not a complicated procedure! Soak your seeds and nuts in filtered water overnight (ideally about 12 hours) in a covered glass container.

Rinse the seeds and nuts several times to drain off the sprouting fluid. This is important because the enzyme inhibitors are in that liquid, and we want to get rid of them.

Once rinsed and drained, your sprouts are ready to eat. You can keep them for 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator, but its best to eat them as soon as possible while they are most "alive".