Sprouting Lentils

Sprouts of lentils, beans, pulses and other edible seeds are being used as nutrient rich, healthy foods since time immemorial. The endosperm of the seed is a miniature storehouse for the essential nutrients required for healthy functioning of our body system. When the seeds germinate, maximum energy is released for the developing plants, which we gain after consuming them as sprouts. Also, sprouts are a versatile food item, which you can have raw or prepare in different methods.

If you love to have sprouts, then you can try sprouting lentils at home. It is so easy that after going through this article, I am sure you will consider making them at home every time you plan to have sprouted lentil salads or other recipes. But, before discussing the steps for sprouting lentils, let’s lake a brief look about the several health benefits of sprouts. Read more on lentils nutritional value.

Sprouted Lentils Benefits

Lentils are a rich source of proteins, vitamin B, folate, iron, dietary fiber and minerals. Nevertheless, similar to any other sprouts, the nutritional content of lentils are much higher when they are in the sprouting or germinating phase. Or in other words, sprouting lentils benefits are incomparable to any other foods, as they are enriched with all the type of nutrients that are crucial for the development of the plants.

In a nutshell, sprouted lentil benefits include increased proteins, vitamins and minerals along with ease in digestion. Considering the several health benefits of sprouts, more and more food items based on sprouted lentils have been introduced in the market. One such item that is worth a try is the sprouted grain bread, made exclusively from sprouts. Devoid of yeast, this bread is also an excellent nutritive choice for those who are restricted from yeast based foods. Read more on high protein diet.

How to Sprout Lentils

Many of us believe that growing sprouts at home requires special equipment, which is not the case. In fact, sprouting lentils is very easy and very little equipment is required for the same. And one more plus point is that sprouting at home will give you fresher sprouts in a much lesser price. The requirements and steps for sprouting lentils are given below:

Required Supplies
Dried lentils (preferably organic)
Wide mouthed jar(s) or sprouting container(s)
Muslin cloth or light cloth
Rubber band (to secure the cloth)
Directions for Sprouting
Select dried lentils green or brown, smaller or larger ones, as per your choice. However, larger lentils will require a longer time for sprouting.
Measure the quantity of lentils for sprouting; dried lentils will give three times the amount when sprouted.
In a regular utensil, soak lentils for about 8-14 hours. For the smaller variety, 8 hours soaking period is sufficient, whereas larger ones require a 13-14 hour soaking period.
Drain water and rinse the soaked lentils under slow running water to get rid of enzymes and toxins.
Add the cleaned lentils in the jars and cover them loosely with thin pieces of cloth. You can fasten the cloth with rubber bands to secure them.
Place the jars in a semi lit corner of the room for sprouting.
After every 8-10 hours, remove the cloth, thoroughly rinse and drain water and place them again in the jars.
On the third day, you will notice the lentil sprouts ½ an inch long. You can have these sprouted lentils or wait for another day to make the sprouts longer. Read more on how to make sprouts.
Thus, we have seen sprouting lentils is very simple. Once the sprouts are ready, you can eat raw or use your culinary skill to cook delicious sprouted lentil recipes. As per dietetics, the health benefits of sprouted lentils are more when consumed in the form of raw foods. This is because some percentage of nutrients are lost while cooking. You can have sprouted lentils just by sprinkling salt and pepper. With sprouted lentils (either raw or cooked) in the weekly meal menu, you are serving your family with essential amino acids and other healthy nutrients.

Tags: Lentils, Sprouting