By simply soaking raw seeds, which include grains, beans, legumes, and even nuts, they come to life and begin the process of germination. This activates live enzymes that begin to break down dormant nutrients into readily available energy for the plant to begin growing.

Our primary interest in sprouting is from a nutritional standpoint. The process of sprouting increases the presence of nutrients like vitamin C, many B vitamins and carotenes, proteins, calcium and potassium. Enzyme inhibitors that interfere with our own digestive enzymes are removed, improving our ability to absorb nutrients from our food. Starches that are often difficult to digest and require a lot of heat to cook are also broken down naturally into simpler sugars.

Sprouting grains is especially important, as it is the only way to eliminate phytic acid and aflatoxins. Phytic acid inhibits mineral absorption and aflatoxins are recognized as potent carcinogens. In addition to improving nutritional value, we believe sprouting improves the flavor of our food. This is especially true because we can eat these sprouts raw or with an extremely reduced amount of cooking, preserving the fresh flavor of our local, organic creations. This translates to reduced water and energy consumption in the long run. Since more nutrients are preserved, our customers leave the table feeling more satisfied by our menu’s high nutritional density. There are no empty calories at SproutCraft Café!

Schedule an appointment for a private sprouting lesson or check out our workshop schedule for our next class. We also recommend consulting www.sproutpeople.com as a great resource for both beginning and expert sprout enthusiasts.