SPROUTINGFresh vegetables can be hard to come by during a prolonged crisis,
particularly if it's not harvest time. Storing a supply of seeds to sprout
can help fill that void. Sprouting is easy, can be done year round and
provides tasty sprouts in a few days even in complete darkness. It can
add needed vitamins and some variety to a sparse survival diet.
Sprouts are the germinated seeds of vegetables, grains, legumes and
nuts. Almost any whole seed can be used with the notable exceptions of
tomato and potato, which are poisonous. Many can be sprouted in
combinations. Grasses can also be grown by sprouting wheat, rye, or
triticale in one inch of soil and then cutting it when it grows to seven or
eight inches.
Food Value of Sprouts
Sprouts are fairly nutritious, although they do not live up to the
exaggerated claims often made for them. Generally, sprouts can be a
reliable source of vitamin C and the B vitamins, particularly riboflavin
and niacin. Wheat and alfalfa are very marginal sources of vitamin A,
but even then only if they are exposed to light for at least a few hours
prior to harvesting.
Claims made that sprouts have increased protein and minerals are
simply untrue. The ratio of proteins and minerals may well have
increased, but the total amount remaining is always less than in the
original seed. Increased amounts would require a source for the
minerals and nitrogen for the protein and, even then, the sprouts don't
yet have the root hairs needed to absorb them. Research by major
universities and the United Nations also shows the quality of the
protein is generally decreased during sprouting.
Bean sprouts also still contain the protein-binding substances
common to all legumes. Cooking the sprouts for at least two minutes
will inactivate these substances and make the protein available. This
can be by blanching in boiling water or by stir-frying. Sprouts do
produce less intestinal gas because the soaking and rinsing leach out
the complex sugars (trisaccharides) that produce gas.
Sprouting Procedure
All kinds of equipment and gadgets are sold for sprouting, some
convenient, but none necessary. Seeds need moisture, warmth and
ventilation to sprout, and there are lots of ways to do it. The most
common, and often easiest, method follows:
1. Place a small amount of whole seeds into a wide-mouth jar (see
Table 12-1 for recommended amounts or use one to two tablespoons
per quart the first time). Add about two to four times that
amount of lukewarm water and soak overnight or for the
specified time.
2. Cover the jar with any material having small enough holes the
seeds can't go through. This could be nylon mesh, net or stocking,
gauze, cheesecloth or, more permanently, plastic or stainless steel
screens. Even canning lids with small holes punched in them will
work. Secure the covering with a canning ring, strong rubber
band, or string.
3. Pour off the water, rinse thoroughly and then drain completely.
Shake the jar to evenly distribute the seeds, and lay it on its side
in a location out of direct sunlight. A 65-80° F (18-27° C) temperature
is best, except seeds like cress, pea and rye like it cooler.
Keeping the jar in the dark will increase the vitamin B and make
white sprouts, while light will increase the vitamin C and make
the sprouts greener.
4. Rinse and drain thoroughly with lukewarm water two to six
times each day to keep the seeds moist and prevent mold.
Soybeans need lots of rinsing, and all seeds need more rinsing
when the environment is hot and dry. Too much chlorine in the
water may harm the seeds, but letting the water sit for a day or
two will allow most of the chlorine to evaporate. Most prefer to
rinse away the hulls on seeds which have them. Lay the jar on its
side between rinsings. The last rinse can be with cold water to
crisp the sprouts.
5. Harvest by sprout length. Although Table 12-1 suggests some
sizes, don't be afraid to experiment and find out what sizes your
family prefers of each variety. Wheat and alfalfa generally have
their highest vitamin A content after three days in the dark, but
with the last few hours spent in light.
Use sprouts within a few days. Raw or cooked, they add crispness to
salads, soups, sandwiches and vegetables or can be eaten by them-
selves. They also can be added to scrambled eggs and omelets, stews,
breads, casseroles and meat dishes and liquified by blending for use in
beverages, sauces and spreads.
Other sprouting methods use pans, trays, bowls, strainers, colanders,
racks, screen frames, and damp towels. Some seeds, like chia,
cress and buckwheat, turn into a jelly-like mass with too much water
and do better placed on a flat surface, kept moist by sprinkling.
Amount to Store
The recommended amount to add variety to the diet is ten pounds
per person, providing about an half cup serving per day. You could store
anywhere from five to forty pounds; twenty-five pounds would provide
sufficient vitamin C if no other source were available to prevent scurvy.
Ignore their calorie contribution to your storage plan because they are
very low in calories.
Seeds can be bought from local health food stores, mail order, or
other sources (see listing in Chapter 32). They should be raw, clean of
foreign matter and sorted to insure few broken ones. Be sure not to buy
seeds that have been treated for planting with fungicides or pesticides,
but only those that are certified edible. Treated seeds are required to be
so labeled by law and are usually dyed to contrast with their normal
color to identify them.
Store them where its dry, cool and dark. The older they are, the
fewer will sprout, but most still have shelf lives of three-plus years.
More than half of some twenty year old wheat sprouted.
By following these simple directions you'll probably do all right
without any special books on sprouting. There are a number available,
though, if you want more complete directions or desire some special
recipes that use sprouts.
from: Crisis Preparedness Handbook, 2002 by Spigarelli, Jack A.
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