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 your 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 boost the effects of the earlier ones. This article is a brief guide if you want to know about the best sprout options for weight loss. Please keep reading to learn 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 that promote our physical and mental health and well-being. They come packed with sufficient nutrients, micro-nutrients, enzymes, and fibers while offering fewer calories. According to nutritionists, the quality of the nutrients matter in sprouts rather than their quantity. Growing legumes and lentils into sprouts result in the enhancement of their nutritional values. Moreover, the fermentation during the sprouting process makes the sprouts extremely rich in vitamins and 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)
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 fiber-rich diet is known to be highly beneficial for overweight people. Sprouts contain high-quality dietary fibers 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, so we get rid of unwanted body weight effectively.
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 crucial 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 significantly less 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 help you avoid calorie counts, which sometimes seem pretty irritating. They are deficient in calories, which makes them an excellent natural solution for weight loss. A 100-gram serving of sprouts produces only 100 calories, which is surprisingly low.
6. Makes the Body Toxin-Free
Another great thing about sprouts is that they are loaded with enzymes, which makes digestion more accessible and faster inside our body to get rid of waste materials effectively. The chlorophyll content of sprouts also helps cleanse our system and distribute oxygen throughout it. Both result in a detoxified internal system, ultimately aiding in weight loss.
7. Keeps Hunger Pangs Under Control
As said before, sprouts are enriched with dietary fibers, which fill our stomachs and keep us filled for a long time. Therefore, incorporating these into your diet will help you monitor your appetite. In other words, there will be the slightest chance of binge eating, which is highly significant for losing weight.
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Best Types of Sprouts for Weight Loss
Sprouts can be of various types. Almost all of them possess the same qualities, but some are known to be exceptionally good for weight loss. Know about the five best types of sprouts that can make your weight loss journey way too more accessible 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 enjoy it raw for its wonderful crisp texture and mild flavor.
2. Green-Leaf Sprouts
Green-leaf sprouts are very popular in America as an adequate 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 tiny sprouts with delicate nutty flavor are fantastic as a sandwich filling or salad component.
4. Sunflower Sprouts
Sunflower sprouts are similar to alfalfa in size and weight loss benefits. But they have a slightly sweet flavor, which is unique. You can use it in your salads or sandwiches or eat as toppings.
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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 correct technique.
- 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 are any floating legumes, seeds, or debris, skim them off and discard them.
- Cover the jar’s opening with a cheesecloth and tightly secure it with the lid.
- 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 jar lid and drain the water entirely through the cheesecloth.
- Run fresh water through it and rinse the grains by shaking the jar well.
- Drain it and fill the jar again with distilled water.
- Repeat the last three steps twice daily 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, like E. coli, are pretty dangerous for us. Hence, buying high-quality organic legumes and seeds that will be healthy and contamination-free is essential. While sprouting, keep your hands, containers, and kitchen as clean as possible. Also, ensure you consume fresh sprouts within 3-4 days only.
Also read: Why is eating sprouts for hair 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, making them difficult to digest fully. Hence, these vegetables and sprouts are highly gassy and can 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 go 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 and following the proper 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
