There are many symbols that signify creation or life force.
The birth of a child holds very powerful symbolism when it comes to creation and life force. Something amazing happens when new life enters this world after a nine month wait. It’s an incredible feeling that connects us with a greater energy.
The birth of a plant brings similar energy. The sprouting stage of a plant is also a miraculous process of invigorating life force and energy. Seeds often are quiet for an extended time period. It then is truly unique when the sprouted seed breathes oxygen for the very first time with a root or leaf stalk making its way through the topsoil.
When a plant first sprouts, there are many health benefits, including the activation of many different metabolic systems and a higher concentration of certain nutrients.
Benefits of Eating Sprouts
You can easily find sprouts and sprouting starter kits at health food stores.
The more popular sprouts include broccoli, sunflower, bean, alfalfa, buckwheat, garlic, lentil, pumpkin, radish, and wheat. Instead of buying them, you can also grow your own.
Here are five amazing benefits of sprouts:
1. Sprouts Increase Protein Content
When you think of protein, animal products such as beef, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy often come to mind. One of the benefits of sprouts includes their amount of protein, containing up to 35% of your daily recommended value. When nuts, seeds, beans, or grains are sprouted and soaked, the protein quality increases, including their immune-boosting amino acid lysine.
Many vegans and vegetarians will complement their protein intake with a nice handful of sprouts.
2. High Nutrient and Enzyme Value
The nutrient content of sprouts dramatically increases during the sprouting process with an abundance of vitamin A, B, C, and K, iron, phosphorous, magnesium, manganese, potassium, and calcium. Sprouted seeds, legumes, and grains especially are rich in all of those nutrients. There is eight times the vitamin A in sprouted beans compared to their fully-grown counterparts. Mung bean sprouts also greatly increase their vitamin B content.
These healthy foods also contain amazing enzymes, which are important catalysts for every bodily function. There are up to 100 times more enzymes within sprouts than your other uncooked vegetables and fruits, according to estimates from experts.
3. Great Companion for Weight Loss
Sprouts can help with your healthy weight loss because they are high in fiber and low in calories. Fiber-rich foods help you feel fuller for longer, but they also eliminate broken down fat from the body before they are reabsorbed through the intestine walls.
Good sprouts to add to your weight loss diet plan are green-leaf sprouts, bean sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, radish sprouts, and sunflower sprouts.
4. Easy for Digestion
You will greatly enjoy the benefits of sprouts if you experience any digestion problems such as bloating because of their high enzyme content. Sprouted seeds are broken down during the sprouting process and are often labeled as pre-digested before they end up on your plate. This is another reason why you’ll enjoy the benefits of sprouts.
5. Sprouts Can Help Prevent Disease
Various diseases have been connected with acid-forming foods and sprouts, as an alkalizing food, can help. When your body is full of oxygen and alkalizing healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, and sprouts, cancer cells, viruses, and bacteria cannot survive. Conditions such as stomach cancer, gastritis, ulcers, allergies, and asthma, are known to be prevented when broccoli sprouts are consumed.
When to Proceed With Caution
Alfalfa sprouts contain greater amounts of the amino acid canavanine. Some studies have linked alfalfa sprouts and canavanine with increasing inflammatory conditions such as systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. There have been some packaged sprouts with cases of salmonella. There are no known risks associated with home sprouted seeds, especially organic sprouting seeds.
Another one of the excellent benefits of sprouts is that they are pretty inexpensive when you soak and sprout them yourself. Sprouts are a great addition to your healthy foods diet.
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