GERMINATION
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Germination is a process in which small shoots come out of the dhal or cereal when these are kept with small amount of water. The grains and pulses to be sprouted need to be soaked in just enough water so that all of it is absorbed. If the extra water in which they are soaked is thrown away, a lot of nutrients are lost.
Grains like wheat, bajra, jawar, etc. can also be sprouted. Pulses are also sprouted first and then steamed and consumed. The time and water which each grain or pulse needs for soaking and sprouting is different. Normally 8-16 hours are needed for soaking and 12-24 hours for sprouting. The cloth in which the soaked dhal is tied should be kept moist all the time.
When sprouting is followed by fermentation the vitamin content becomes much more.
Germination helps you to
i) Increase the digestibility of foods
a) Some carbohydrates and proteins are broken down into smaller and easily digestible forms.
b) Grains and pulses become soft after sprouting, so they take less time for cooking and are easy for you to digest.
ii) Increase the nutritive value of food with no additional cost.
Some vitamins and minerals become more when foods are germinated Vitamin B becomes almost double in quantity while vitamin C increases almost 10 times.
BEANS AND LENTILS - HEALTH FOOD VALUE & BENEFITS
This extensive and nutritious family of foods includes red lentils, green and brown ones, red beans, white and black, garbanzos, adzuki, etc.
1. Valuable food:
Legumes can be found everywhere, they are easy to store and cook and usually they aren’t expensive. They constitute of a strong source of protein, which is very useful, making them an excellent alternative to meat for vegetarians and for people that are trying to reduce the amount of animal from their diets. They also consist of a good source of carbohydrates, with sugars that are slowly liberated. Contrary to the sugar that can be found in sweets, pastries and cookies, slowly liberated sugars do not cause a sudden shock to the blood in the body which usually causes a non ending up and down of energy levels, and frequently rapid mood swings. Legumes on the other hand free the sugars they contain in a slow way, which makes them a good source of energy for the whole day, with a sustained effect over the levels of sugar in the blood.
2. The estrogen connection:
Legumes contain estrogen the come from plants, which are brought about naturally from some plants and are very similar to feminine hormones. These fito estrogens have a stabilizing effect on the menstrual cycle and are supposedly very good to regulate irregular periods, and alleviate PMS and help reduce the symptoms of menopause such as heat flashes and extreme sweating at night. They are being used more and more every day in hormonal therapies of hormonal replacement. Besides this, there is growing evidence that legumes decrease the risk of breast cancer.
3. Mineral richness:
Most legumes are rich in minerals including iron, potassium, selenium, calcium, magnesium, and folic acid. They are excellent to purify the intestine and increase the good bacteria that are found in it that help the digestion. Besides this, they are also one of the principal elements for cures for detoxifying. They purify the blood and diminish the cholesterol. Lentils contain a lot of vitamin B that helps to stabilize the blood pressure; have anti-inflammatory properties and are especially good for rheumatoid arthritis. Garbanzos are good for people that have kidney stones.
The advantages of legumes:
They improve intestinal health
They reduce the symptoms caused by menopause and PMS
They reduce the risk of breast cancer
They reduce cholesterol
They alleviate the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
* Lentils, when cooked, are versatile as ingredients for curries, stuffing and patties. They can be even roasted or deep-fried for garnishes or snacks.Sprouted pulses are even more nutritious than not-sprouted ones. Bought in supermarkets and health food shops they are expensive but it is cheap and easy to sprout your own lentils at home. Spread them out in a shallow dish and soak them with water. As soon as the water is absorbed (after 5 hrs) . Drain throughly & tie them in a piece of muslin, set aside for another 2 or 3 days, until they start to sprout. The cloth should be sprinkled with water everyday!
Top
Germination is a process in which small shoots come out of the dhal or cereal when these are kept with small amount of water. The grains and pulses to be sprouted need to be soaked in just enough water so that all of it is absorbed. If the extra water in which they are soaked is thrown away, a lot of nutrients are lost.
Grains like wheat, bajra, jawar, etc. can also be sprouted. Pulses are also sprouted first and then steamed and consumed. The time and water which each grain or pulse needs for soaking and sprouting is different. Normally 8-16 hours are needed for soaking and 12-24 hours for sprouting. The cloth in which the soaked dhal is tied should be kept moist all the time.
When sprouting is followed by fermentation the vitamin content becomes much more.
Germination helps you to
i) Increase the digestibility of foods
a) Some carbohydrates and proteins are broken down into smaller and easily digestible forms.
b) Grains and pulses become soft after sprouting, so they take less time for cooking and are easy for you to digest.
ii) Increase the nutritive value of food with no additional cost.
Some vitamins and minerals become more when foods are germinated Vitamin B becomes almost double in quantity while vitamin C increases almost 10 times.
BEANS AND LENTILS - HEALTH FOOD VALUE & BENEFITS
This extensive and nutritious family of foods includes red lentils, green and brown ones, red beans, white and black, garbanzos, adzuki, etc.
1. Valuable food:
Legumes can be found everywhere, they are easy to store and cook and usually they aren’t expensive. They constitute of a strong source of protein, which is very useful, making them an excellent alternative to meat for vegetarians and for people that are trying to reduce the amount of animal from their diets. They also consist of a good source of carbohydrates, with sugars that are slowly liberated. Contrary to the sugar that can be found in sweets, pastries and cookies, slowly liberated sugars do not cause a sudden shock to the blood in the body which usually causes a non ending up and down of energy levels, and frequently rapid mood swings. Legumes on the other hand free the sugars they contain in a slow way, which makes them a good source of energy for the whole day, with a sustained effect over the levels of sugar in the blood.
2. The estrogen connection:
Legumes contain estrogen the come from plants, which are brought about naturally from some plants and are very similar to feminine hormones. These fito estrogens have a stabilizing effect on the menstrual cycle and are supposedly very good to regulate irregular periods, and alleviate PMS and help reduce the symptoms of menopause such as heat flashes and extreme sweating at night. They are being used more and more every day in hormonal therapies of hormonal replacement. Besides this, there is growing evidence that legumes decrease the risk of breast cancer.
3. Mineral richness:
Most legumes are rich in minerals including iron, potassium, selenium, calcium, magnesium, and folic acid. They are excellent to purify the intestine and increase the good bacteria that are found in it that help the digestion. Besides this, they are also one of the principal elements for cures for detoxifying. They purify the blood and diminish the cholesterol. Lentils contain a lot of vitamin B that helps to stabilize the blood pressure; have anti-inflammatory properties and are especially good for rheumatoid arthritis. Garbanzos are good for people that have kidney stones.
The advantages of legumes:
They improve intestinal health
They reduce the symptoms caused by menopause and PMS
They reduce the risk of breast cancer
They reduce cholesterol
They alleviate the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
* Lentils, when cooked, are versatile as ingredients for curries, stuffing and patties. They can be even roasted or deep-fried for garnishes or snacks.Sprouted pulses are even more nutritious than not-sprouted ones. Bought in supermarkets and health food shops they are expensive but it is cheap and easy to sprout your own lentils at home. Spread them out in a shallow dish and soak them with water. As soon as the water is absorbed (after 5 hrs) . Drain throughly & tie them in a piece of muslin, set aside for another 2 or 3 days, until they start to sprout. The cloth should be sprinkled with water everyday!
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