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Is excess body weight bothering you? Sprouts can be the solution! Admit it, getting rid of those additional pounds is not at all a simple task. No matter how you modify your daily diet, it does not always have the right impact on our body. Even the most strenuous workout routine also fails to do the job sometimes. While sprouts cannot be an alternative to all these time-tested weight loss solutions, including them in your regular meal can definitely boost the effects of the earlier ones. If you want to know about the best sprouts options for weight loss, this article is a brief guide for you. Keep reading to know about their nutritional value and benefits.
Nutritional Value of Sprouts
Sprouts are germinated legumes, lentils, seeds, nuts, and grains. Having very high nutritional values, they are considered among those superfoods which are good for promoting our physical as well as mental health and well-being. They come packed with sufficient nutrients, micro-nutrients, enzymes, and fibers while offering very fewer calories. According to nutritionists, it is the quality of the nutrients that matter in sprouts rather than their quantity. Growing legumes and lentils into sprouts actually result in the enhancement of their nutritive values. Moreover, the fermentation during the process of sprouting makes the sprouts extremely rich in vitamins, minerals. antioxidants, bioflavonoids, and phytochemicals.
Sprouts are rich in proteins, dietary fibers, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and so on. These contribute to its health-promoting qualities, thereby stimulating our mind and body development. (1)
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Benefits of Sprouts For Weight Loss
Given below are the ways how sprouts benefit us by promoting the weight loss procedure:
1. Provides Plenty of Dietary Fibers
A diet rich in fibers is known to be extremely beneficial for overweight people. Sprouts contain high-quality dietary fibers and that too at very high levels, which help us take great care of our digestive system and keep us filled for long. As a result, we do not need to eat repeatedly and hence, we get rid of unwanted body weight in an effective manner.
2. Offers Vital Vitamins and Minerals
Sprouts are a great source of essential nutrients including vitamins and minerals. According to experts, keeping sprouts in your daily diet can help you fulfill a significant portion of your daily needs of vitamins and minerals. This is very much important for eliminating unnecessary body fat and promoting healthy weight gain.
3. Comes Packed with Protein
Several studies have revealed that sufficient intake of proteins can facilitate fat loss to a great extent. Sprouts are loaded with high-quality proteins, which play a pivotal role in managing our body weight by providing energy for fat burning, sustaining muscle tissues during weight loss and reducing the intake of excess calories.
4. Contains Very Less Fat
When you consume sprouts, you take very less amount of fat in the body. It has been seen that a serving of 100 grams of sprouts yields as low as 0.38 grams of fat. Hence, you do not need to worry about too much fat intake, while digging into a tasty sprout dish.
5. Doesn’t Produce Many Calories
Sprouts can really help you stay away from calorie counts, which might seem quite irritating at times. They are very much low in calories, which makes them an amazing natural solution for weight loss. A 100 gram serving of sprouts produces only 100 calories, which is surprisingly low for sure.
6. Makes the Body Toxin-Free
Another great thing about sprouts is that they are loaded with enzymes, which makes the procedure of digestion easier and faster inside our body so that we can get rid of waste materials effectively. The chlorophyll content of sprouts also helps in cleansing our system and distributing oxygen throughout it. Both of these result in a detoxified internal system, which ultimately aids in weight loss.
7. Keeps Hunger Pangs Under Control
As said before, sprouts are enriched with dietary fibers, which fill our stomach up and keep us filled for a long span of time. Therefore, incorporating these in your regular diet will help you keep your appetite in check. In other words, there will be the least chance of binge eating, which is extremely significant for losing weight.
Read Also – Explore Amazing Nutritional and Health Benefits of Spirulina
Best Types of Sprouts for Weight Loss
Sprouts can be of various types. Almost all of them possess the same qualities, but some of them are known to be exceptionally good for weight loss. Know about 5 best types of sprouts that can make your weight loss journey way too easier and faster:
1. Mung Bean Sprouts
Mung bean sprouts are a hot favorite of Asian people. They include this nutrient-rich ingredient in their cooking (stir-fry, noodles, salad, etc.) or even love to enjoy it raw for the wonderful crisp texture as well as mild flavor.
2. Green-Leaf Sprouts
Green-leaf sprouts are very much popular in America as an effective weight-loss food. The best thing about these sprouts is their nice crunchy texture. Besides, they impart a subtle flavor, when introduced in sandwiches, stir-fry dishes or vegetable sauté.
3. Alfalfa Sprouts
There are very few sprouts that can beat alfalfa in terms of nourishing as well as weight reduction capacities. These small sprouts with delicate nutty flavor are just awesome as a sandwich filling or salad component.
4. Sunflower Sprouts
Sunflower sprouts are almost similar to alfalfa ones in size and weight loss benefits. But they have a slightly sweet flavor, which is quite unique. You can use it in your salads or sandwiches or even eat as toppings.
5. Radish Sprouts
Last but not the least; go for radish sprouts if you want to give your taste buds a little spicy kick while living on your weight loss diet. They will definitely help you reach your goals in a more delicious way.
Read Also – How to Detox Your Liver Naturally with Perfect Diet
Sprouts are very high in enzymes, which convert carbohydrates, sugar, and proteins into fat. Similarly, during the weight loss procedure, they help in converting fat into carbohydrates too by performing thousands of metabolic activities every day.
How to Sprout the Right Way?
All sprouts taste good and offer immense weight loss benefits provided you get the technique of making them right.
- Rinse the legumes/lentils/seeds/grains/nuts thoroughly under running water for at least one minute.
- Fill a mason jar (a large bowl will also do) with enough distilled water.
- Place the rinsed seeds or legumes inside the jar and keep the water level at least 3 inches above them.
- If there is any floating legume or seed or debris, skim them off and discard.
- Cover the opening of the jar with a cheesecloth and secure it with the lid tightly.
- Keep the jar aside and let it sit at room temperature for 3 to 12 hours based on the type of grains used.
- Remove the lid of the jar and drain the water completely through the cheesecloth.
- Now, run fresh water through it and rinse the grains inside by shaking the jar well.
- Drain it and fill the jar again with distilled water.
- Repeat the last three steps twice every day until you see sprouts inside the jar.
High storage temperatures decrease the growth rate of sprout leaves and promotes decay of the sprouts. (2)
Words of Caution
Though sprouts have incredible health and weight loss benefits, they pose the risk of cross-contamination. There are lots of living enzymes in sprouts and certain bacteria among them like e.coli are quite dangerous for us. Hence, it is important to buy high-quality organic legumes and seeds that will be really healthy and contamination-free. While sprouting, try to keep your hands, containers, and even the kitchen as much clean as possible. Also, make sure that you consume a fresh batch of sprouts within 3-4 days only.
Also Read – Why Eating Sprouts for Hair is Awesome? Benefits, Uses, and Potential Risks
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do Sprouts Cause Gas?
Mung beans, Brussels, etc. contain lots of complex sugar, raffinose, and sulfur, which make them pretty difficult to be fully digested. Hence, these vegetables as well as their sprouts are considered highly gassy and can even lead to bloating.
Should We Eat Sprouts Raw or Boiled?
Raw sprouts are always healthier than cooked or lightly cooked ones. But at the same time, they can cause food poisoning too. Hence, it is advised that you purchase high-quality sprouts that went through approved treatments for contamination.
Are Homegrown Sprouts Safe to Eat?
Homegrown sprouts are always safe to eat, provided you are purchasing the best quality grains only and following the right technique for sprouting. Just ensure that you are not prone to foodborne illness.
References:
- “The Science of Sprout Nutrition“, SproutPeople.org
- “The Effect of High Temperature on Sprouting and Weight Loss of Two Onion Cultivars“, SciAlert.net
