Rich in minerals and vitamins, the sprouts are excellent raw or blanched, alone or in salads or with other dishes. Tasty, easily digestible, they are also very nutritious

The shoots are none other than the sprouted seeds of some vegetables that we already find on our tables usually. Cereals, legumes and vegetables in leaf which, in the form of young shoots, preserve intact all the nutritive properties of their seeds. Precisely because of this characteristic, the sprouts were already consumed even in antiquity. Many populations, in fact, knew the nutritive virtues of the shoots, a concentrate of energy made available by Mother Nature. A story dating back to Ancient Rome, tells that the soldiers of the Roman legions, always had with them a "survival kit" consisting of a small bag containing seeds, which sprouted in contact with body heat; energetic food and ready to use if necessary. Sprouts, in the past, were also intended for some animals. Attila reserved for his powerful horses sprouted wheat seeds as "special" feed before each battle. Even the Arab steeds, famous for their speed, were thus fed to the debut of important events. Between 800 and 900 there are testimonies of the use of sprouts as food in various populations of Asia. The sprouts were used primarily as a therapeutic remedy and regenerating food to heal from disease. There are ancient texts (dated even 5,000 BC) of Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine, which enhance its reinforcing virtues, especially in the case of nutritional deficiencies. It dates back to 2.700 B.C. the "Great Herbarium of Chinese Medicine" (Pe Tsao) where it is recommended to consume soybeans to cure digestive disorders, joint pains, cramps, edema, lungs, skin spots and scalp dermatitis. In the past, the sprouts were considered an energetic food, consumed especially during the cold season or in the lean periods, especially in impervious regions. Famous is the Hunza people, the longest in the world, who lives in an inhospitable area of ​​a highland in Pakistan, North of India, boasting among its long life elixirs, even the shoots. Nowadays, sprouts are still widely used for food, especially in some oriental and fusion dishes. Source of important nutrients, the sprouts are currently widely used in nutrition indications for a healthy and balanced diet.

 

## What are the beneficial properties of shoots

Rich in vitamins, mineral salts, proteins, amino acids and enzymes, the buds are also easily digested. The sprouts keep unchanged all the active ingredients contained in the seeds of the plant of origin, which otherwise would be lost eating the vegetable and, on the other hand, would be indigestible in the form of seed. That's why the seeds of cereals and legumes, inedible if raw, are first cooked in order to be consumed and to be assimilated by our body. With the heat given off by cooking, however, the vital principles of the seeds fade away or, at the very least, are greatly reduced. With the buds, on the other hand, the whole "power" of the plant is assimilated to its maximum energy. In addition to being extremely digestible, thanks to their content of enzymes that remains unaltered. The shoots represent, therefore, a concentrate of active nutrients. Vitamins of group B (in particular B12), vitamin A, B, C, D, E and K. Mineral salts such as iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, sulfur, selenium, zinc, copper and calcium. Active enzymes, for digestion, and essential amino acids, for protein synthesis. The shoots have energizing properties and improve physical strength. Rich in mucilaginous substances, the sprouts are also useful for the proper functioning of the intestine. Furthermore, they possess anti-inflammatory properties. Thanks to their high percentage in trace elements, then, the sprouts are also useful to support the immune system and thus preserve and maintain a good general state of health. A valuable source of important nutrients and a panacea for our body, especially in the case of nutritional needs linked to convalescence. Very useful, therefore, to children, seniors, but also athlets.

## What are and how to prepare the sprouts in the kitchen

Sprouts of various kinds exist. Among the cereal sprouts we find wheat, rice, spelled, oats, barley, rye, buckwheat, millet etc. Sprouts of legumes: soy, lentils, beans, peas, chickpeas and broad beans. Other sprouts are: alpha-alpha (alfalfa), mustard, garlic, onion, radish, rocket, cress, clover, horseradish etc. But also sesame, sunflower, quinoa, amaranth and many others, as long as they are edible. Avoid the seeds of the solanaceous (ie tomatoes, peppers, aubergines and potatoes) because they contain solanine, toxic to humans. They can be eaten both raw and cooked. With a tasty and delicate flavor, they give freshness to dishes. If eaten raw they retain their nutritional properties better and are excellent in a mix of sprouts seasoned with a little oil, salt and lemon, on mixed salads or in yogurt, or smoothies to prepare sauces and creams. If cooked, they should be just blanched or stewed in a pan, mixed with other vegetables and flavored with delicate spices, or added the last minutes at the end of cooking in soups. You can also prepare croquettes or casseroles in which the buds are added. Not all sprouts are edible raw, some are slightly toxic, so it is better to eat them cooked. For example, the sprouts of some legumes (soybeans, peas and chickpeas) should be scalded in water or sautéed before being eaten.