Sprouted beans, the really magical fruit!

While I was working at The Local Buzz in Bradford, VT, my coworker Abby, a total health guru, told me about sprouting beans and grains. I had come across sprouting grains and the healthy benefits of doing so in Sally Fallon's book Nourishing Traditions, but I never took the time to actually try it or think much about it. I was too busy and thought I already ate a pretty healthy diet. Abby, a very busy working wife/mother of two, sprouts beans at the café and at home. Her practice is that before she goes to bed she just decide if she will have beans and/or rice in the next few days and she put out the amount she wants in a bowl and covers it with twice as much water. Then the next day she drains off the water,  puts them into a colander over a bowl and rinses them twice a day until they sprout.  If plans change and she doesn’t need the grains within a few days, it is fine to put them into a container and keep them in the fridge for 2-3 days.

One bag of kidney beans in 2x the water

Why is sprouting/soaking bean and grain important? As it turns out they contain a chemical called phytic acid, which is the principle storage form of phosphate in many plants, especially grains and seeds. Phytic acid can inhibit absorption of important minerals, and enzymes such as pepsin, which is used to break down proteins, and amylase that is needed to break down starch into sugar. If a diet contains moderate amounts of phytic acid the body will bind calcium to them and form insoluble phytate complexes resulting in not only the lack of absorbing nutrients but also some loss of calcium. 

Soaking also cuts down on cooking time! 

Sprouted beans cooked, with olive oil and Italian seasoning.

Germinating grains has many benefits; it produces vitamin C, but it also changes some characteristics of grains, legumes, and seeds. It increases the availability of vitamin B6, B5, and B2, as well as a major increase in carotene. The most important reason for sprouting grains is that is neutralizes the phytic acid that is present in the bran of all grain. Phytase is the enzyme that breaks down phytic acid and it is generally found in the same foods as phytic acid, but not always in a quantity that will break down all the present phytic acid. Plants like corn, oats, millet, and brown rice do not contain enough phytase to eliminate all the phytic acid. Ruminating animals (such as cows, sheep and goats) have no trouble eating a diet high in phytates because rumen microorganisms produce phytase. Humans also produce phytase, but far less. It is sort of like people who do not produce enough lactase in order to break down the lactose disaccharide in milk.

The key point is to activate the phytase in order to break down the phytates and allow your body to better absorb all the nutrients found in whole grains, legumes, and seeds. It is best to soak in water for about 24 hours before preparation because the enzyme phytase can be destroyed in high temperatures or freezing for long periods of time so. ALWAYS RINSE THE BEANS after they soak! It is important to rinse off all the dirt and chemicals that come off of the grain/bean.

To complete the bean sprouting here are the steps: found at Vegetarian Times.

1. Soak the beans or grains over night

2. Then in in a quart size bowl or mason jar fill it 1/3 with nuts, seeds, grains, or beans and fill the rest of the way with warm water. Add 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt and cover the bowl with a breathable cloth.

3. Soak for around 8 hours (soaking times can vary). Then drain of the water and rinse well.

4. At this point it is good to put the beans in a colander over a bowl and allow to drain. Cover iwth either a plate, seal with a lid, or cover with saran wrap. Rinse every 8-12 hours (once in the morning and once in the evening) until there are little sprouts. This can take 1-4 days depending on the plant. Eat them within 2-3 days.

It is important to be aware of contamination such as E.coli and practice safe food handling.

If you are interested in learning more about phytic acid most of my information was found on the Weston A. Price Foundation website. Click here for more on phytic acid.