Sprouts are the ‘shooting’ stars of the gastrosphere, with health specialists sprouting everything from grains and seeds to pulses! Here’s why it makes sense to include them in your diet:

SUPER GRUB

Sprouts are effectively living foods and one of the richest forms of nutrients known.”People sprout their food to boost its nutritional content. Generally, sprouts are rich sources of vitamin C, B, fibre and protein, which are great for boosting the immune system,” says nutritionist and food consultant Jia Singh. Sprouts are the perfect plant-based food, which can help us reduce our blood cholesterol levels, which in turn reduce heart strokes and other heart issues. “Sprouts make perfect sense for those watching the waistline, since they are high in insoluble fibre that is crucial for weight loss. Controlled weight will also keep beasts like diabetes, depression and high BP at bay,” says health expert Dr Anjali Hooda.

SO MUCH TO SPROUT!

You’ve probably heard of bean sprouts or the latest Brussels sprouts but there’s so much more that can be sprouted – grains, such as barley and wheat, radish and broccoli seeds, kidney beans, soybean, amaranth and even brown rice. Sprouted seeds, pulses and beans are collectively known as `sprouts’ and they’re big globally right now. Organic food markets across the globe are selling sprouted grain bread, quinoa, as well as sprouted grain flour. But why sprout grains, you might think.Well, sprouted grains aren’t allowed to reach their full-grown stage and are picked before the seeds use the starch to grow. So what you get is less starch and more vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and protein! They also contain less gluten and hence, are ideal for people with gluten sensitivity.

BREAK THE MONOTONY

The next time, instead of scowling at sprouts, break the boredom of it all by trying different approaches. You could mix and match various sprouts (lobhia, kidney bean, soybean) and take a break while consuming them. Your body needs to work extra hard to process this raw food, so opt for sprouts once a week or twice maximum. Also, wherever you would use a grain, nut or bean in your cooking, replace it with a sprouted one.