I am constantly on the lookout for new ways to manage inflammation through food. Recently both my daughter and me came down with a case of food poisoning after eating some takeout. I ended up with extreme acidity as a result. I have never had acid reflux before so this made me look for ways to treat it naturally. Being a vegetarian my diet is loaded with beans, lentils, nuts and seeds which are good source of nutrients and proteins. What I did not know was that lentils and beans are acid inducing and sprouting them produces an alkalizing effect in your body. Sprouting is not only good for balancing the pH (7 or higher is considered alkaline) in your body, but also adds nutrients and makes it easier to digest.
Why Sprout?
+ Sprouts have lots of Omega 3 fatty acids which help with inflammation, heart health and cell regeneration.
+ They are nutrient dense loaded with Proteins, Vitamins, and Minerals.
+ They are Alkalizing to the body as opposed to the legumes and beans which are acid inducing. This helps regulate the PH levels of your body.
How to Sprout?
I used to sprout them using my Instant pot but wanted a way an easier way to do it. Then I discovered the sprouting lids. Using wide mouth mason jars or canning jars, I can sprout multiple things at the same time which makes for easy cooking during the week. Sprouting also reduces the cooking time especially for lentils and beans. Once sprouts are ready I rinse them and store them in the fridge up to a week.
STEP 1 : Soak the lentils, beans or seeds in an wide mouth jar for 12 hours as show below. I usually soak them first thing in the morning and leave them on the window sill in sunlight.
STEP 2 : Rinse the lentils/seeds and drain via sprouting lid. Place the bottle upside down on a container to capture any liquid in the dark place. I usually place it in the oven. Do this twice a day till you have the desired length of sprouts.
STEP 3 : Sprouts should be ready in a day. I usually like mine a little softer so leave them for 2 days.
