Sprouting Superfoods

1. Adzuki Brocolli seeds Chickpeas Fenugreek Lentils Millet Mung beans Radish Sunflower seeds Quinoa Sprouting Superfoods What are sprouts? Sprouts are germinated seeds (e.g. sunflower seeds), grains (e.g. lentils), beans (e.g. mung beans) and legumes (e.g. chickpeas), as well as some grasses (such as wheat grass). Why sprouts? Raw foods are packed with nutrients and food enzymes which help to keep your immune system in good working order – so they are especially beneficial while undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy. They are also a fabulous source of vitamins, minerals, protein and fibre as well as two anti-ageing constituents – RNA and DNA – that are only found in living cells. All of these are necessary to combat the potential side-effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy and to help prevent a recurrence of cancer. Scientific research has also established that sprouts have much higher levels of nutrients compared to their food counterparts (e.g. brocolli sprouts will have a higher proportion of enzymes, vitamin and mineral content than brocolli, weight for weight). So, you can eat less to get the same benefit, which is helpful when undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy as you may find it difficult to eat a lot of food. The easiest sprouts to seed? The easiest sprouts to seed include: Where do I buy sprouts to seed? You should be able to buy all of the above seeds, grains, beans and legumes from your supermarket or local healthfood shop (e.g. Holland and Barett or GNC Healthcare). What can I eat my sprouts with? The great thing about sprouts is that they are extremely versatile and can be easily incorporated into the foods you already eat. For example, you can add sprouts to the following: You can also include sprouts into soups (see handout). • Salads • Sandwiches • Sprinkled over vegetables, meat or fish

2. Sprouting Superfoods • Rinse the seeds well and place in the jar and cover with cooled, boiled water, ensuring you leave sufficient water as the seeds may expand. Cover with cheesecloth, or net cloth secured with a rubber band and leave overnight in a warm, dark place (e.g. airing cupboard). • Rinse seeds next day with fresh water. Drain well or the seeds will rot. Return to the dark. Do this twice a day until seeds start to sprout. Tilt your jar to a 45º angle to allow the sprouts to grow up the jar (although some can also grow without doing this). • Then place them on a sunny windowsill for a few hours to get an energy boost. Eat or store in an airtight container in the fridge. Sprouts will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. How to Sprout? There are two ways to sprout. One way is to buy a sprouting machine, as they contain an automatic watering system that sprinkles water over your sprouts and operates on a timer. They are also easy to clean and mean that you can grow more than one type of sprout at a time. A sprouting system I would recommend is: Freshlife Sprouter, which is available for £79.95 from www.pennybrohncancercare.org. Owning your own sprouter is a very straightforward way to grow sprouts as you won’t need to worry about forgetting to water your sprouts. Plus, it is easy for other members of the family to do so on your behalf. The second option is to do it yourself at home. All you need is: a large jam jar, some seeds/beans, fresh water, a piece of cheesecloth or muslin. It is also very easy to grow sprouts this way, although, if you are like me, you may forget to water them! Instructions are as follows: Buying sprouts If easier, you can buy ready-made sprouts from your local healthfood shop and supermarkets. Further information You can also buy a number of different books on sprouting. Have a look on www.google.com or www.amazon.com or ask in your local bookshop or healthfood store. º