The Benefits of Sprouting

Sprouted seeds, grains and nuts are becoming more and more popular, and for good reason! Keep reading to find out why you should be sprouting.

“Sprouting turns a simple seed into a true Superfood!”

Essentially sprouted, or activated, grains, nuts, seeds and legumes are plants that have been germinated. The whole sprouting process begins when a seed starts to sprout and ends when it germinates into a plant.

The Benefits of Sprouting:

1. Higher Nutrient Absorption: Nutrients such as enzymes, amino acids and vitamins are dramatically increased through the sprouting process
2. Sprouted seeds are SO much easier on our digestion
3. Enzyme inhibitors such as phytic acid, tannins and insoluble fibre are decreased: This allows for greater bioavailibility and better absorption of the seed’s minerals
4. The ORAC score of chia and flax seeds, for example, more than DOUBLES: This is the score given to food that indicates their antioxidant levels, this ALSO makes them more shelf stable!
5. Better absorption of Omega Fatty acids: Sprouting enhances and betters the conditions for conversion of ALA Omega 3 to DHA and EPA (which are essential). This means you’re more likely to actually reap the benefits of all of those flax and chia seeds!
6. Sprouting essentially UNLOCKS the nutrition that lies within the seed
7. You’re getting MORE nutrients: Sprouted seeds deliver more nutrients per gram when compared to raw, non-sprouted seeds

“The process of sprouting fundamentally changes the nutrient composition of any seed, grain or legume”

Raw, milled conventional seeds are not as nutritionally dense as germinated/ sprouted/ activated seeds. To illustrate this point, eating raw chia or flax seeds compares to eating raw chickpeas. Although million seeds do make them easier to use for culinary purposes, it only marginally improves digestibility. Only sprouting can change the chemical composition of the seed, turning them into TRUE Superfoods!

Although you can activate/ sprout your seeds at home, it requires a lot of time and patience, not to mention electricity, optimal temperatures or fancy machines. Sprouting requires soaking the seeds for an allotted time (which varies depending on the seed) and then drying or dehydrating the activated seed at a low temperature for a number of hours. Drying the seeds at too high of a temperature would result in not only burnt seeds, but also the loss of nutrients.

At Organic Traditions, we offer a number of sprouted superfoods. Each of these superfoods are carefully sprouted through a 3 step optimization process in order to eliminate foodborne pathogens and to ensure the utmost safety and security of our superfoods. This results in the highest quality Certified Organic seeds and sprouted products possible! Our Sprouted Chia & Flax seeds not only go through a low temperature dehydration process (ensuring nutritional integrity) but they also undergo a low temperature, low speed milling process to further enhance their nutrition while ensuring their shelf stability!

Click here to see our range of Sprouted Superfoods!