Sarah Marriott marvels at the qualities of the simple sprout. Not only are they are easy to grow and packed with nutrition, they're popular
'A vegetable which will grow in any climate, will rival meat in nutritive value, will mature in three to five days, may be planted any day, will require neither soil nor sunshine, will rival tomatoes in vitamin C, will be free of waste in preparation and can be cooked with little fuel."
What is this superfood? It's the sprouted soya bean, according to Clive McKay, professor of nutrition at Cornell University.
Sprouted seeds, beans and grains are among the richest sources of nutrition you can find - and can be easily grown just about anywhere.
"Sprouts have many times the nutritional efficiency of the seeds from which they grew," write Leslie and Susannah Kenton in Raw Energy.
"A seed is a treasure chest of latent energy in the form of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals."
When a seed such as wheat or alfalfa is germinated, the energy that will go into creating the entire plant is concentrated in the tiny sprout.
As the seed absorbs water, it doubles in size and the enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, proteins, minerals and chlorophyll pigments all increase from 300 to 1,200 per cent - and are available in the most easily digestible form (meaning a significant reduction in flatulence from beans).
Research shows that sprouts contain a high concentration of chelated minerals plus antioxidants which can help to protect against free radicals.
A Yale University study found, by comparison with the seed or adult vegetable, vitamins B2 and B12 increase in sprouts by as much as 2,000 per cent, inositol by 100 per cent, vitamin B5 by 200 per cent, B6 by 500 per cent and folic acid by 600 per cent. Living foods also strengthen the immune system.
Beansprouts, grown from mung beans, are the easiest sprout to buy - but how often have you opened a carton only to find they're too brown and limp to use?
For a regular supply of organic beansprouts, ready to add to salads, wraps, omelettes or Asian dishes, it's better to sprout them in your own kitchen. Organic alfalfa is even easier and quicker to grow. Sprouting doesn't need sunshine but some heat (18-22 degrees) is essential.
Sprouting, like wearing Birkenstocks and eating organic, is now mainstream. To turn your kitchen into a mini-forest, all you need is a container for growing the sprouts, some water and three to five days. You can make your own mini-greenhouse with a jar, a piece of muslin and an elastic band or you can buy a germinator, such as A Vogel's BioSnacky, from a health food store.
"It's so popular we can barely keep up with demand," says Odhran Kelly, manager of Nourish's Wicklow Street branch. "One day we had no BioSnackys in stock, so a customer bought the display model, complete with fresh sprouts."
The BioSnacky is an attractive jar which wouldn't look out of place in any kitchen and is transparent, which means you can watch the seeds as they're transformed into tiny plants.
The only "gardening" is to water the tray once or twice a day and throw away the water after it's drained through. Although a home-made sprouter can do the job just as well, the water must be drained thoroughly or the seeds will rot.
This is the ultimate in low-maintenance gardening for busy 21st-century families - and getting the kids involved in watering might even encourage them to eat the sprouts.
Next week: Easy fruit
What's in a sprout?
Alfalfa is one of the most nutritionally concentrated sprouts. It contains high levels of protein, calcium, carotene, iron, magnesium, chlorophyll, potassium, zinc and all eight essential amino acids as well as vitamins A, B2, C, D and niacin.
Broccoli has powerful antioxidant properties. Sprouts release 20-50 per cent more anti-cancer compounds (isothiocyanates) than the conventional plant.
Mung beans are high in iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. They also contain vitamins A, B1, B3, B12 and C. Home-grown sprouts are shorter and curlier than shop-bought. Red clover is rich in phytochemicals such as antioxidants and phytoestrogens (often used in an alternative HRT diet).
Wheat sprouts are high in vitamin E, calcium, manganese, sodium, niacin, pantothenic, phosphorus, sulphur and zinc. They also contain vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and C.
Sprouted lentils, aduki, spicy radish, cress, fenugreek, mustard, chick peas, pumpkin seeds, millet, quinoa, barley and soya beans are also high in vitamins and minerals.