How to Grow Sprouts

I love bean sprouts, but I'm cautious about buying them because they often look less than fresh in the grocery store. I've considered growing my own for some time; it's simple enough. But when I discovered a sprout-growing device in a local thrift store, I finally took the leap.

You don't need a special gadget to grow sprouts. An empty, lidded jar works just fine. But I do appreciate that my sprouter lets me have sprouts in several stages of growth, making it easier to always have fresh sprouts on hand.

In addition to being a yummy addition to many meals, including sandwiches, salads, and stir frys, sprouts are healthy. At Johns Hopkins University, researchers learned that three day old broccoli sprouts are supreme cancer fighters - 20 to 50 times better than mature broccoli. Sprouts also are packed with vitamins and nutrients, and are said to digest extremely well, making those vitamins and minerals more available to the body.

Unfortunately, sprouts have received bad press in recent years. Since the 90s, there have been about 10 U.S. cases where alfalfa sprouts were linked to Salmonella and E. coli. The good news is, if you sprout at home, you can greatly avoid this risk by first heating the seeds.

What You Need to Sprout Seeds

Naturally, you need seeds. Some can come from your garden. Purchase others at a grocery store, health food store, or seed store. Do not buy seeds meant for planting in the soil; they may be treated with chemicals that could be harmful if consumed. The seeds should clearly be labeled for sprouting. I bought my seeds at Territorial Seed Company, but there are many online sources for sprouting seeds if you can't find them locally.

You'll also need a wide mouthed, quart-jar (plastic or glass) or a special seed sprouting gadget. Water is also necessary - and if you're using a jar, you'll also need some cheesecloth or muslin and a rubber band. Alternatively, you can purchase a special, re-usable sprouting jar lid.


What Type of Seeds?

A wide variety of seeds sprout nicely, including: alfalfa, almonds, barley, black beans, broccoli, buckwheat, Chinese cabbage, cabbage, corn, fava, garbanzo beans, garlic, kidney beans, lima beans, millet, mung beans, mustard, oats, onions, peanuts, peas, pinto beans, pumpkin, Quinoa, radish, rye, Sesame, sunflower, and wheat.Heating Seeds for Safety

To avoid eating seeds that may be contaminated with bacteria, the general recommendation is to heat them first. This reduces germination, however.

1. Fill a pot with water heated to 135 degrees F. (Use an insta-read meat thermometer to check the water's temperature.)

2. Pour the seeds in the pot and let them sit for 5 minutes. (Don't let them sit longer, or you'll greatly reduce germination.) Strain.

Sprouting Seeds in a Jar

1. Pour 1 1/2 tablespoons of seeds inside the jar and fill with fresh, warm water - to a depth of about 3 times the depth of the seeds. Cover the jar with a piece of muslin or cheesecloth secured with a rubber band. Place in an out of the way location, away from direct sunlight.

2. The next morning, pour the water from the jar. Prop the jar at a downward angle to allow all the water to drain out. Allow to sit for about 4 hours, away from direct sunlight.
3. Rinse the sprouts with fresh, cool water 2 or 3 times every day until they fully sprout.

4. Dump the sprouts into a bowl filled with clean water. Remove any seed hulls (they should float on top of the water or sink to the bottom). Dump into a colander, strain, and shake off the excess moisture. Once the sprouts are absolutely dry, store them in the fridge in an air tight container. They should stay fresh about a week.

Using A Kitchen Crop Sprouter
There are a few advantages to using the Kitchen Crop Sprouter, as I do. I can more easily grow three types of sprouts at one time. If I prefer, I can have sprouts at three stages of readiness, for a continuous crop. And rinsing isn't necessary. 1. Place the first tray on the base and spread about 1 tablespoon of seeds on it. If desired, stack additional trays of seeds on top of this tray. 2. Fill the cover with cool, fresh water. Place the cover on top of the tray(s). 3. The water will siphon down through the trays. When it is done doing this, empty the base of water. 4. Repeat the filling and emptying process twice a day.

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