Most people have had a sandwich with bean shoots on it at one time or another, or mung bean sprouts in a plate of Chinese Chow Mien. However, more and more people are becoming aware of the power of these ’superfoods’ not just as an addition to something else, but as an amazing meal in and of themselves. Growing sprouts yourself takes this to a whole other level, for the convenience (if you grow them the right way), low cost and having access to the freshest food grown right in your kitchen.
Sprouts (seeds or grains that have been germinated and have started to grow) are known by many to be ’superfoods’, containing high values of digestive enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids not found in the unsprouted seed.. The list of health benefits can go on for pages, but perhaps the most basic and important feature of these living superfoods is that the growing process itself gives you full control over their cultivation. No added pesticides, chemical fertilizers or any other nasties but the water from your own sink. In a time when we can never really be sure what has happened to the food we eat before reaching our dinner plate, the value of such a method cannot be underestimated.
Additionally, growing sprouts at home is possible in many places where it can be difficult to grow vegetables or deliver them to places while still fresh enough to capitalize on the health benefits. If the climate is too hot or cold or even if you lived on a boat, you can still have access to fresh, live, sprouted foods when you learn the basics of sprouting. Even if you do live in an area where vegetables are accessible, sprouts are never out of season.
The health benefits cannot be underestimated. The human body thrives on living foods, particularly those that are rich in oxygen. As wonderful as these foods are, there are climates where it is unrealistic to expect people to be able to cultivate them. In extremely cold or hot climates, food often has to travel hundreds, if not thousands of miles to its destination, so one of the few available options is to create an indoor greenhouse. Extremely cold environments would require an indoor heated greenhouse that is extremely expensive and complicated to build and maintain. On the other end of the spectrum, high desert environments are usually low on water, and to use hundreds of gallons of water over a growing season when most of it evaporates is not an option. Even in areas that are perfect for growing large amounts of fresh vegetables, growing a good variety of foods all year is not feasible.
The answer to all these questions is growing sprouts. You use a jar or similar sprouters to create a greenhouse (or several greenhouses) that sits on your kitchen counter, providing you and your family with amazingly fresh, oxygen and enzyme rich foods, any time of year.. There is also a simple yet revolutionary new method of growing sprouts known as the Marche Method. It offers an amazingly simple technique that eliminates the need for daily rinsing and spoiled sprouts. The bonus is that it is cheap, fast and reliable and you can grow as little or as much as you like.
