Sprouts are a unique superfood. Grown from seeds, grains and beans, sprouts contain ten to thirty times more concentrated nutrients than the most nutritious vegetables.
The nutritive value of nuts, seeds, grain and beans increases more than eight times after germination.

By growing your own sprouts, you will save yourself money because it is less expensive to buy seeds/beans and grow and harvest the sprouts yourself, than it is to buy the sprouts from your local health food store.
Sprouting at home is easy, takes only a few minutes a day, is cheap and can produce a good part of your daily requirements of the nutrients you need.

The best sprouts to start with are alfalfa, mung beans and lentils.

Follow the steps below in order to grow healthy, nutritious and tasty sprouts.

Germination results when seeds, grains and beans are soaked in water for a period of time.
Germination is the first step of sprouting.

Soaking neutralises the enzyme inhibitors present in dry grains, seeds and legumes, and starts the production of numerous beneficial enzymes.
During germination, the seed springs into life, increasing its nutritional value and digestibility.
Starches are converted into simple sugars, proteins are broken down into amino acids, fats are converted into soluble fatty acids, and vitamins are created.

What to do:
First, pick through and discard any broken, moldy or split seeds as they will not sprout.
Rinse the seeds well and place them in a jar or bowl with filtered lukewarm water at room-temperature.
The soaking time varies according to the size of the seed and the climate you live in. The soaking time mentioned in the white box refers to Ireland and Britain.

There are two options: You can either use a jar or a sprouting tray kit.

Jar:
All you need is a jam jar, some seeds or beans, filtered water and a piece of cheesecloth or muslin.

Rinse the soaked seeds and drain well or the seeds will rot, Place the seeds in the jar and cover the jar with muslin or cheesecloth. Keep out of direct sunlight, Tilt the jar to a 45 degree angle* to allow the water to drain, Rinse the seeds in the jar twice per day (morning and evening) until the seeds sprout, always keeping it angled for drainage, When the seeds have sprouted, place the jar on a sunny windowstill for 24 hours to increase the content of chlorophill.

Sprouting tray kit:
The tray kit can be purchased at most health food stores (around 20€).
If you plan to grow many sprouts and keep a constant supply, a tray kit is worth getting and will keep for many years. Tray kits are also stackable, so different seeds can be grown at the same time on separate trays.

Rinse the soaked seeds and drain well or the seeds will rot, Cover the bottom of each tray with a thin layer of soaked seeds (do not pile the seeds on or they will not have enough air and space to sprout correctly), Pour a glass of water over the tray, morning and evening, until the seeds sprout, When the seeds have sprouted, place the tray on a sunny windowstill for 24 hours to increase the content of chlorophill.

When are sprouts ready to be harvested?

Small seeds:
When the shoots are 1 inch (2.5cm) long, they will begin to develop tiny green leaves. They can be harvested at this stage (count around 5 days).

Beans: They don't need to grow roots to be eaten. When the beans have developed little "tails" which are the rootlets then you have the choice of either continuing to grow the sprouts in the jars or you can put the sprouted beans on a windowsill to increase the content of chlorophill.

Remove the hulls:
You can remove the hulls of seeds by placing the sprouts in a bowl and fill with running water. Gently shake the sprouts to loosen the hulls and when they rise to the top, brush the hulls aside.

Allow the sprouts to dry before putting them in the refrigerator. Line the container with paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
Once refrigerated, rinse and drain the sprouts every three to four days to increase the "expiration date". But remember, the sooner you eat them, the richer they are in nutrients.