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Why SPROUTED Grains and SOAKED Nuts?
Sprouting, soaking and genuine
sourdough leavening "pre-digests" grains, allowing the nutrients to
be more easily assimilated and metabolized. This is an age-old
approach practiced in most traditional cultures. Sprouting begins
germination, which increases the enzymatic activity in foods and
inactivates substances called enzyme inhibitors. These enzyme
inhibitors prevent the activation of the enzymes present in the food
and, therefore, may hinder optimal digestion and absorption. Soaking
neutralizes phytic acid, a component of plant fiber found in the
bran and hulls of grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds that reduces
mineral absorption. All of these benefits may explain why SPROUTED
foods are less likely to produce allergic reactions in those who are
sensitive.
Sprouting also causes a beneficial modification of various
nutritional elements. According to research undertaken at the
University of Minnesota, sprouting increases the total nutrient
density of a food. (For example, SPROUTED whole wheat was found to
have 28 percent more thiamine (B1), 315 percent more riboflavin
(B2), 66 percent more niacin (B3), 65 percent more pantothenic acid
(B5), 111 percent more biotin, 278 percent more folic acid, and 300
percent more vitamin C than non-sprouted whole wheat.) This
phenomenon is not restricted to wheat. All grains undergo this type
of quantitative and qualitative transformation. These studies also
confirmed a significant increase in enzymes, which means the
nutrients are easier to digest and absorb.
** This text is a portion of an article titled
Wheaty Indiscretions--What Happens to Wheat, from Seed to Storage By
Jen Allbritton, Certified Nutritionist taken from the Weston A.
Price Foundation Website
http://www.westonaprice.org/modernfood/wheatyindiscretions.html
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