Return to story

Healthful sprouts are surprisingly tasty

March 16, 2008 12:16 am

AT WINTERS' END, it's hard to find fresh foods that are grown locally. Grocery store produce seems humdrum--pale tomatoes and some tired tropical fruits shipped from far, far away. So I was tickled to find broccoli sprouts grown at a local greenhouse--fresh, local and fabulously peppery tasting.

Sprouts are the stereotypical health food, so it's no surprise that they really are good for you. The surprise for me has been just how good they taste.

There are a lot of different kinds of sprouts out there, not just the tiny hairlike alfalfa sprouts and big crunchy mung bean sprouts most people remember. Now, you can buy broccoli sprouts--famed for their huge amounts of cancer-fighting sulforphanes--as well as dozens of other sprouts.

All sprouts are extraordinarily low in calories and add juicy crunchiness to sub sandwiches, grilled cheese sandwiches and wraps. And they look festive, like confetti, when tufts are strewn atop salads.

The other thing I love about sprouts is that I can grow my own if I want. And at this time of the year here in Wisconsin, with leaden skies, muddy earth, and no flowers, it's hard to believe in spring. But starting seeds on my windowsill helps me keep the faith that spring is coming.

PACKED WITH NUTRIENTS

Think of sprouts as baby vegetables, a baby bean, alfalfa, or whatever seed they came from. Like their parent seeds, sprouts provide lean vegetable protein and magnesium, both of which protect the heart.

And the sprouts are better than the parent seeds when it comes to vitamins. For example, broccoli sprouts have 10 times more of certain cancer-fighting chemicals and more vitamin C and B vitamins than the seeds of full-grown broccoli.

Alfalfa sprouts contain isoflavones, similar to soy. Sprouts of broccoli, radish and mustard seeds are rich in antioxidants and cancer-fighting chemicals, and also have stronger, spicier flavors. A British study of volunteers who ate sprouts showed higher levels of cancer-fighting chemicals in their blood.

Bean sprouts tend to be thicker than broccoli sprouts. Mung bean sprouts are common in markets and also figure in some Chinese dishes. Other beans can be sprouted too, such as chickpeas and lentils.

Some sprouts have been linked to food poisoning, so wash your sprouts before eating them, just as you would wash any vegetable, and don't feed sprouts to babies.

SPROUTING YOUR OWN

It's easy to grow your own sprouts any time of year. They can grow even in the dark. Be sure to use seeds that are sold as food in grocery stores or are labelled safe for sprouting. (Regular seeds from garden centers are sometimes treated with toxic chemicals.)

If you can't find suitable seeds at a store near you, try ordering from Pinetree Garden Seeds in East Gloucester, Maine, at superseeds.com or 207/926-3400. I've also ordered from Jung Seeds in Randolph, Wis., at jungseed.com or 800/297-3123.

Get a wide-mouthed jar, and soak the seeds in water overnight. Drain the water and let the seeds sit in a dark place. Sprinkle them with water several times a day. You can harvest sprouts in three to seven days.

If you like them pale, you can leave them in the dark. Otherwise, put them on a windowsill to green up the day before you harvest them. Store full-grown sprouts in the refrigerator, and eat them within a few days.

I think they taste great in salads and sandwiches. And sprouts are one of the fastest vegetables you can add to an omelette, since they require no chopping. See the recipe for one of my favorite quick breakfasts, which I like served with toast, an orange and a cup of tea.

Jennifer Motl welcomes reader questions via her Web site, brighteat ing.com, or mailed to Nutrition, The Free Lance-Star, 616 Amelia St., Fredericksburg, Va. 22401.