Raw Sprouts: Benefits And Potential Risks
Many people regard sprouts as nutritional powerhouses. For starters, they’re rich in many nutrients. They’re also said to improve your digestion and blood sugar levels, and possibly even fend off heart disease. However, sprouts are also frequently linked to cases of food poisoning, which makes people question whether the potential benefits are worth the risks. This article takes a comprehensive look at the benefits and dangers of eating raw sprouts to help you decide whether they should make an appearance on your plate. Sprouts are seeds that have germinated and become very young plants. This germination process usually begins with the seeds being soaked for several hours. The soaked seeds are then exposed to the right combination of temperature and moisture, and allowed to grow for two to seven days. The end product is generally a sprout measuring 1/8-2 inches (2-5 cm) long. Many different types of seeds can be sprouted.
Bean and pea sprouts: Such as lentil, adzuki, garbanzo, soybean, mung bean, black bean, kidney bean, green pea and snow pea sprouts. Sprouted grains: Such as brown rice, buckwheat, amaranth, kamut, quinoa and oat sprouts. Vegetable or leafy sprouts: Such as radish, broccoli, beet, mustard green, Glyco Mode clover, cress and fenugreek sprouts. Nut and seed sprouts: Such as almond, radish seed, alfalfa seed, pumpkin seed, sesame seed or sunflower seed sprouts. Sprouts are generally consumed raw, but may also be lightly cooked before you eat them. Despite being low in calories, sprouts are a rich source of nutrients and beneficial plant compounds. Their vitamin and mineral content varies based on the variety. For instance, several studies show that sprouting helps increase protein content. In addition, the proteins in sprouts may also be easier to digest. Moreover, studies show that foods made from sprouted beans may also be more nutritious. Sprouts may also help you keep your blood sugar under control. Some studies indicate this may be partly because sprouting appears to reduce the total amount of carbs in sprouts.
One study followed a small group of people with type 2 diabetes. Half ate 60 grams of lentil sprouts per day along with their normal diet, while the other group simply consumed their normal diet. By the end of the eight-week study, those eating the sprouts had experienced a 10% reduction in levels of hemoglobin A1c, a marker of blood sugar control. In another study, people with type 2 diabetes consumed a powdered broccoli sprout supplement for eight weeks, resulting in lower blood insulin levels and insulin resistance. Despite these encouraging results, it’s worth noting that few studies appear to exist on this topic. More are needed before strong conclusions can be made. Sprouts may help you digest your foods more easily. Finally, sprouted beans, grains, vegetables, nuts and seeds contain lower amounts of antinutrients than their un-sprouted counterparts. Including sprouts in your daily diet may also have benefits for your heart. That’s mainly because sprouts may reduce risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood cholesterol levels.
Similar results have been observed in humans. In one study, 39 overweight and obese people with type 2 diabetes were split into two groups. One was given 60 grams of lentil sprouts per day, whereas the other received no sprouts. In another small study, people with type 2 diabetes who were given 10 grams of broccoli sprout powder per day for four weeks benefited from an 18.7% decrease in triglyceride levels and significantly higher levels of "good" HDL cholesterol. Although these results appear promising, few studies have been done on this topic and more research is needed before strong conclusions can be made. One issue often linked to eating sprouts is the risk of food poisoning. The fact that sprouts are generally consumed raw or only slightly cooked adds to this risk. The reason raw sprouts are especially risky is because they must be grown in warm, humid conditions in which harmful bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella also happen to thrive.