Packed with nutrition, anti-ageing, and easy on the digestive system, sprouts are one of nature’s own food medicines.
Ruth Hanrahan, who has been eating sprouts all of her life and selling them at farmers’ markets for over a decade, says at the moment of sprouting, the vitamin and enzyme activity in a seed increases exponentially: “In that first little moment of growth to get the seed going there’s lots of life activity and vitality.”
Ruth first started selling sprouts in Sydney to support herself through her naturopathy studies, and when she returned home to the Northern Rivers 12 years ago decided to keep it going; starting her Sproutlovers stall at the market. Three years ago, she had twins, which meant putting naturopathy on hold, but she has continued with the sprouts.
All of Ruth’s sprouts are grown in a small purpose-built room at her Main Arm home, where she soaks organic lentils, blue peas, mung bean, fenugreek and chickpeas in glass jars filled with filtered water, then rinses and drains them regularly over the course of a few days until the magic happens. When they are sold at the market, they are very much alive and still growing: “From the beginning of the market to the end of the market you can see that they’ve grown,” said Ruth, “they’re still alive, and when you take them home they’ll still grow really slowly in your fridge.
Ruth says certain varieties of spouts can have specific health benefits, for instance, red clover is a blood cleanser and can help relieve symptoms of menopause, and fenugreek sprouts are a lymphatic cleanser, ease mucous congestion and can increase milk production for breastfeeding mothers. All sprouts are alkalizing, easy to digest, contain active antioxidants to help protect from the effects of ageing and are packed with nutrition.
“Sprouted foods acquire vastly improved digestibility and nutritional qualities compared to the non-sprouted seed or legume,” says Ruth.
Aside from that, they’re yummy, great in kids’ lunchboxes (Ruth’s twins love them), and will add interest to any salad. Ruth recommends dressing with lemon juice, olive oil and a little salt and pepper for a tasty snack, or using your leftover sprouts in soups or vegie patties.
