Sprouts are small superfoods that not only taste wonderful in salads. We'll show you how to easily pull them yourself
Sprouts are more than a tasty and crunchy side dish for salads. The sprouts also taste good on buttered bread and are also extremely he althy. Sprouts are full of vitamins and proteins. Especially in the winter months, the fresh sprouts enrich the menu. If you want to have fresh sprouts available all year round, you can easily grow the valuable nutritional supplement yourself.
What are sprouts?
Sprouts from lentils, radishes or broccoli are nothing more than vegetables in their development. In the stage between seedling and young plant, the seedlings are full of nutrients and are particularly rich in vitamins and fiber.
Sprouts are not grown in the garden bed. Special vessels are used for cultivation. The rest almost takes care of itself, as sprouts only need air, light and moisture to thrive.
While many vegetables are cooked, sprouts are eaten raw. This means that all ingredients are preserved. Vitamins, for example, are particularly sensitive to heat and are often lost when vegetables are cooked.
Tip: Sprouts contain far more vitamins, amino acids and phytochemicals than full-grown vegetables.
Grow sprouts yourself - which plants are suitable?
If you want to grow sprouts yourself, you can choose from a wide range of germinating seeds. Some sprouts taste hot and spicy, while others are mild and nutty. Here you can decide according to your own taste.
The following overview compares suitable and unsuitable types of sash:
suitable sprout types
Lentils
Mung Beans
Chickpeas
Broccoli
Radishes
Wheat
Rye
ArugulaCress
Onions
Alfalfa
unsuitable types of sprout
Potatoes
Eggplant
Tomatoes
Tip: Solanaceae are not suitable for growing sprouts.
Draw rungs yourself - this is how it works
If you want to start growing sprouts, you first need the right oneequipment. Actually, only two things are required: the desired sprouts and a Keimglas suitable for cultivation. Compared to a conventional preserving jar, special cultivation jars have the advantage of not allowing water to accumulate due to their slanted mounting.
Soak sprouts
Before the actual germination, the sprouts are first soaked. The seeds are placed in a colander and rinsed well under running water. The cleaned seeds are then placed in the Keimglas and filled with water. A tablespoon of seeds is sufficient. It is infused with twice the amount of water.
Soaking time will vary with the type of seed mix. The information on the label of the respective product must be observed. Some seeds only require an hour or two to soak, while other varieties should soak for up to eight hours.
Tip: The water poured off after soaking is very suitable for watering the indoor plants.
Cultivation - step by step
After soaking, the seeds should be examined more closely. Empty seed shells are to be removed, as are seeds that are not swollen. These would also not germinate later in the Keimglas and instead would quickly begin to rot in the moist environment.
The procedure is then as follows:
1. Place the seeds in the Keimglas (only the already swollen ones)
2. Screw the sieve insert onto the Keimglas
3. Turn the Keimglas upside down
4. Place the Keimglas at an angle on a saucer5. Rinse Keimglas with water several times a day
6. Place Keimglas back on saucer to drain
7. Swirl Keimglas occasionally
8. Drain water through lid
Tip: The seedlings should be rinsed with about half a liter of lukewarm water every day.
During germination, a constant climate is important. Therefore, the Keimgeffel should not be opened too often.
Harvest sprouts
The first sprouts can be harvested after just three to six days. Ideally, this should be done immediately before the meal, when the sprouts are crunchy and contain all the valuable ingredients.
If you want to store sprouts, you can put them in a glass or porcelain bowl after harvesting and keep them in the fridge. The stored sprouts should be eaten after two days at the latest.
Are the harvested sprouts slimy, brown or wiltedfrom them an unpleasant musty smell, the seedlings should not be eaten. You better try again.
Pea or soybean sprouts contain haemagglutinin, a protein said to shrink red blood cells. Therefore, these sprouts should be blanched briefly before consumption.
Draw rungs: Make Keimglas yourself
Matching Keimgläser are available in drugstores or he alth food stores, but you can also make them yourself in just a few simple steps. A screw-top jar with a plastic lid is required for this. Glasses with metal closures are unsuitable as they rust quickly. Small holes are drilled in the lid so that oxygen can reach the seedlings and the liquid can evaporate. The holes must not be forgotten, otherwise the seedlings will quickly begin to mold.
Tip: Keimglasers can be easily cleaned in the dishwasher.
Looking for a more sustainable alternative to making a Keimglase? Then take a look at this video:
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What should be considered when growing and harvesting sprouts?
Growing sprouts yourself is neither difficult nor time-consuming, but the new hobby harbors some dangers. Sprouts require a moist environment for germination. In combination with warm room temperatures, an ideal environment is created for the spread of bacteria.
To prevent this, pay attention to the following points:
» Quality of the seeds:
Only seeds that are expressly suitable for sprouting should be used. The focus here is on organic quality.
» Dosage:
If too many seeds are filled into the Keimgvat, the likelihood of mold growth is increased. Depending on the size of the Keimg keg, one to two tablespoons of seeds are enough.
» Climate:
Seeds need heat to germinate. If the cultivation is to be successful, room temperatures of 18 to 22 degrees are necessary.
» Watering:
The sprouts must be rinsed well with water several times a day. Ideally, this can be done in the morning, midday and evening.
» Check the sprouts:
The sprouts must be checked daily. If you notice an unpleasant putrid odor or the sprouts discolour, you shouldthe cultivation can be aborted and restarted.
» Cleaning the Keimglas:
The Keimglas should be thoroughly cleaned after each cultivation. Rinsing with water is not enough. Bacteria could survive. It is therefore essential to treat Keimglasers with hot water or to clean them in the dishwasher.
» Mould:
If the seeds are mouldy, they must be disposed of immediately.
Caution:Take a closer look. The fibrous roots formed by radish or radish during the germination process are easily mistaken for mold.