If you’re looking for a power punch of nutrients to boost immune health, look no further than sprouts.
Sprouts are germinated seeds that have become “baby” plants. They are chock full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants galore—all properties your body craves to become its happiest, healthiest self.
Keep reading to learn more about why adding sprouts to your diet is a decision your health will give you a big thank you for.
The Difference Between Sprouts & Microgreens
While both packed with nutrition, sprouts and microgreens are not interchangeable; they actually involve different growing processes.
Sprouts are germinated seeds usually grown in water; these usually take 7 – 14 days to grow and be ready for consumption.
Microgreens, on the other hand, are seeds that are planted in soil, with the plants being harvested before reaching their mature stages.
How Sprouts Boost Your Immune System & Offer Other Health Benefits
Seeds contain all the nutrients a plant needs to grow and thrive. Because sprouts are consumed shortly after a seed’s germination, you are able to reap this storehouse of nutritional benefits.
“Sprouts might be baby plants but they are super foods,” says Lilly Castro, a holistic health consultant certified in advanced food healing and better known as the Sprout Chick.
“At this stage , they have a greater concentration of vitamins, minerals, proteins, enzymes, bio-flavonoids than at any other time in that plant’s life up to 40 times more nutritious than the mature plant,” she explains.
In fact, sprouts can contain 100 times the enzymes of regular, full-grown greens. Now if that isn’t reason enough to add sprouts to your diet, we don’t know what is.
But the impressive health benefits don’t just stop there. Sprouts pack in a high dose of:
- Fiber—this aids in improving digestion
- Protein—compounds that are important for almost all bodily functions
- Omega-3 fatty acids—great for heart health
- Amino acids that help repair muscle tissue
Sprouts even contain properties that can help prevent cancer and heart disease.
“We can talk about Sulforaphane,” says Lilly. “Suloraphane has potent cancer preventative effects, as well as effects that likely influence the prevention of cardiovascular disease. It is found in broccoli microgreens and sprouts.”
Count us in!
How to Add Sprouts to Your Diet
Adding sprouts to your diet doesn’t require any special recipes—you can treat sprouts as you would your favorite veggie topping.
Lilly advises “adding [sprouts] to your daily menu by putting them in soups, juices, salads, as garnish and even as a snack. For example, I LOVE to snack on sunflower sprouts!”
Besides salads, soups, and snacking on them straight, sprouts also add a crunchy punch as a topping to sandwiches, pizzas, and your morning breakfast bagel.
For another idea, Lilly suggests “making Avocado hummus, spreading it on a tortilla or wrap, and filling it with sprouts —YUMMY!”
Resources for Growing Your Own Sprouts
Growing your own sprouts is a fairly inexpensive endeavor. The supplies are simple objects you likely already have on hand: mason jar, cheesecloth, a rubberband, and your seed of choice.
Sprouting instructions vary by seed—visit Sprout People to find details for each seed type.
Order sprouts grown by the “Sprout Chick” from Stoney Creek Farm.
If you’re local to the Middle Tennessee area, you can get your own freshly-grown sprouts & microgreens right here at Stoney Creek Farm!
We’ve partnered with Lilly Castro—the “Sprout Chick”—to offer fresh, delicious, grown-to-order sprouts & microgreens.
3 different sprouts or microgreen varieties are available:
- Crunchy Sprout Mix
- Salad Sprout Mix
- Sunflower Microgreens
To ensure you receive the most nutritious sprouts, your sprouts will be grown to order. This means that the sprouts or microgreens you receive are freshly grown and cut, just for you.
Order deadlines will be every other Thursday, then Lilly will work her magic to grow your orders. Pickup will be available at Stoney Creek Farm 14 days after the order deadline.
