Sprouts are A FANTASTIC way to increase nutrient and protein content in meals, especially for vegetarians. Legumes (beans like lentils, chickpeas and mung beans) provide slower digesting carbohydrates, with a relatively low carbohydrate load, prominent levels of gut-supporting resistant starches and fibres, and are a useful source of protein, minerals and vitamins. Sprouting allows them to be eaten raw and removes a lot of the anti-nutritional chemicals that can affect mineral absorption and aggravate the gastrointestinal tract.
Use sprouts as a viable vegan protein option
Sprouting is easy!
Step 1. Buy lentils, mung beans, or chickpeas
Step 2. Rinse thoroughly
Step 3. Put in a glass jar and fill with water to at least twice the depth of the legumes
Step 4. Leave overnight
Step 5. Rinse well and drain
Step 6. Cover with a cloth and leave in the bottom of the pantry
Step 7. Check once or twice daily, rinsing and draining each time
Step 8. When you have ‘tails’ appearing, you have sprouted!
Step 9. When the tails are a few centimetres long, put in a container in the fridge.
Use in stir-fry’s, vegetable dishes, salads, or eaten on their own.
(Note: unlike unprepared legumes, sprouts can be eaten raw)
From Carb-Appropriate 101 by Cliff Harvey PhD
Carb-Appropriate 101 gives you 101 daily tips to help you achieve the energy, health & performance you deserve. It includes daily tips for nutrition, movement, exercise, meditation, mindfulness, sleep, stress-reduction, and more! These tips are some of the themes that Cliff has written and spoken about over his decades in practice, in ‘bite-sized’ mini-articles.
Read the book from cover-to-cover, applying a tip a day, or simply open the book to any page to find a valuable health and performance tip to help you feel and perform at your very best.
