Sprouts: explanation, varieties & storage

Sprouts are considered low-calorie vitamin bombs. We show the advantages of sprouts and which varieties are suitable for cultivation.

Sprouts are becoming more and more popular and used in the kitchen. The crunchy sprouts enrich our menu, especially in winter. In this article we clarify what sprouts actually are, give an overview of suitable varieties and the health benefits that sprouts bring with them.

What are sprouts?

Germ sprouts, or sprouts for short, are the germinating seeds of plants. Since no light is required for cultivation, sprouts often have a light white to yellow color. The cotyledons are recognizable, but not fully developed. For cultivation you only need water and a few days. In the case of sprouts, the entire plant is eaten with the roots.

With a Sprout glass cultivation is particularly easy. Instead of a lid, a sieve is screwed on here. This allows the seeds to be watered easily and excess water can drain away easily in the upturned glass.

What is the difference between sprouts and microgreens?

Sprouts are at an earlier stage of development than microgreens. With microgreens, the germ layers are clearly visible and the plants need some light so that they can photosynthesize and get their green color. Microgreens such as the classic cress are normally grown on a substrate, while sprouts can do without it.

Sprout varieties: which plants are suitable?

A variety of plant seeds are suitable for growing your own sprouts at home. Basically, you should make sure that the seeds are untreated. Nightshade family, such as tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), Paprika (Capsicum) or eggplant (Solanum melongena), and other poisonous plant species are not suitable for growing sprouts.

Which plants can be grown as sprouts?

Herbs:

• Borage (Borago officinalis) - should only be used in moderation
• Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) - contains a lot of potassium
• Dill (Anethum graveolens)
• Sesame (Sesamum indicum)
• Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) - for Indian cuisine

Notice: The popular culinary herb Borage contains some potentially toxic alkaloids. This is why you should only consume the plant or sprouts made from borage seeds in small quantities.

vegetables:

• Soybean (Glycine max) - contains a lot of potassium
• Lenses (Lens) - taste sweet, piquant and nutty
• Peas (Pisum sativum)
• Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) - slightly hot and very healthy
• Red cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. rubra) - colorful reddish, but poor in taste
• Mustard (Brassica napus) - spicy
• Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) - mild and nutty
• Beetroot (Beta vulgaris) - colorful red
• Carrot (Daucus carota subsp. sativus)
• cress (Lepidium sativum) - mildly spicy
• Arugula (Eruca sativa)
• Radish (Raphanus sativus) - tastes hot and spicy

Other:

• Wheat (Triticum) - mild, sweet taste
• Amaranth (Amaranthus)
• Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) - high in fiber and high in vitamin A.
• Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) - smells similar to curry
• Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa)
• Buckwheat (Fagopyrum)
• Mung beans (Vigna radiata) - sweet taste

Tip: You can often find ready-made sprout mixes in the garden center or hardware store. It contains seeds from several plants that complement each other well in terms of taste and nutritional composition.

How healthy are sprouts?

In addition to a variety of nutrients and vitamins, sprouts also provide proteins, fiber and secondary plant substances, which are valued for their health-promoting properties. The amount of these substances can be very different depending on the type of plant and seed quality as well as the time of harvest. Sprouts generally have higher concentrations of nutrients and vitamins than the full-grown plants. However, since they are only consumed in comparatively small quantities, they cannot be assessed as healthier than full-grown vegetables. As a “superfood”, the role of sprouts in nutrition is currently rather overestimated. But in the case of a diet with fewer vegetables, for example because the digestion does not tolerate vegetables, sprouts are a clear enrichment of the menu.
In which case, however, sprouts are not healthy, read below.

Which sprouts are the healthiest? Sprouts from many cruciferous species are particularly healthy (Brassicaeae), such as broccoli, kohlrabi, red cabbage, or kale. In addition to important nutrients and vitamins, they also contain mustard oils, which act as antioxidants in the body.

Use: recipes with sprouts

Sprouts are used in many ways in the kitchen. Legume sprouts go very well with vegetable dishes such as stews, spring rolls or casseroles, for example. Legume sprouts should be heated before consumption. Other types of sprouts can also be eaten raw without hesitation and spice up sauces, wraps, dips, salads or soups.

Which sprouts shouldn't you eat raw? Legume sprouts such as soybean, lentil or pea sprouts contain phytic acid. This reduces the uptake of nutrients in the body and can manifest itself as stomach pain. However, by briefly blanching or heating them directly before consumption, these substances can be rendered harmless and you can consume the sprouts without hesitation.

Store sprouts and make them durable

The best place to store sprouts is in a closed box in the refrigerator. The sprouts should be slightly damp, but not wet. Since the young plants always want to continue to grow, the shelf life of sprouts is generally not very long. It is best to use the sprouts fresh, as freezing, drying or soaking will lose many of their essential properties. When the sprouts are dried, most of the aromas and vitamins are lost. And frozen sprouts turn into unsavory slush when they thaw. Pickling or fermentation is also possible and, depending on the method, creates completely new tastes.

How long can sprouts keep? Sprouts should be used up in the refrigerator after two days at the latest. The delicate fabric allows mold and bacteria to spread quickly. If the sprouts no longer look crisp and fresh, you should dispose of them.

Are sprouts dangerous?

According to studies, purchased, packaged sprouts are heavily contaminated with microorganisms by the end of the best-before date. There have been several disease outbreaks in the past that are believed to be due to having Escherichia coli (E. coli) loaded rungs were released. If in doubt, it is better not to eat the sprouts, especially after prolonged or improper storage.

If you are making sprouts yourself, the choice and pre-treatment of the seeds is crucial. Sprouts grow in moist conditions, which also provide a good breeding ground for some microorganisms such as bacteria or mold. It is therefore important that there are no harmful pathogens on the seeds. For example, non-sprout seeds can be contaminated with droppings from storage pests.

• Sprout seeds are cleaner and less contaminated with microorganisms than normal seeds.
• If you are not using special sprout seeds, you should wash them thoroughly beforehand with lukewarm tap water.
• Clean equipment regularly and thoroughly.
• Wash your hands before planting and when handling seeds and sprouts.

If you are still in doubt, give it a try Cultivation of microgreens. These last longer because they grow on a substrate and are just as tasty vitamin bombs as sprouts.