Have you ever bought a salad or sandwich that is advertised as healthy for you and then you looked at it and thought “it’s healthy because they put weeds in it”? Then you pick those strange and delicate items out before eating your meal, thinking you’ve missed nothing. I would suggest otherwise. Those “weeds” are actually some of the most powerful and nutritious parts of that meal. Sprouts hold the secrets of organic growth in those tiny little seedlings. Think of it this way: Sprouts contain all the important nutrients that a plant will need to grow, full of organic compounds, vitamins, and minerals. Your body needs those exact same nutrients.
Eating sprouts can improve your digestion, boost your metabolism and add essential enzymes throughout the body, helping out with common ailments like anemia, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, a weak immune system and low energy reserves. Sprouts are also very low in calories, so they help you with weight issues as well.
There are actually more enzymes in sprouts than you can find in raw fruits and vegetables. They can also contain high amounts of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and essential fatty acids like lysine, vitamins A, B-complex, C, E and K. The fiber and protein counts are much greater than the foods we usually count on to get the amounts we need in our daily diet. In fact, the protein you can get in sprouts will actually meet the amount needed for a person with a vegetarian diet.
Most people are familiar with alfalfa, soy, and mung bean sprouts. There are many other sources, such as seed sprouts (sunflower is especially nutritious) and broccoli sprouts. You can grow them yourself to ensure that you are not getting unwanted pesticides, food additives, and other unwanted chemicals that can occur in the retail levels.
Sprouts should be added to your meals in their raw form to guarantee that they have the most impact. If you have thyroid issues, make sure the sprouts are not from soy, as soy has been shown to disrupt thyroid function. Next time you get a healthy sandwich or salad, stick with the sprouts. It will do you good.
