Los beneficios nutricionales y de salud de los brotes

EL CULTIVO DEL GIRASOL
REQUERIMIENTOS EDAFOCLIMTICOS.
4.1 Suelo.
Es un cultivo poco exigente en el tipo de suelo, aunque prefiere los arcillo-arenosos y ricos
en materia orgnica, pero es esencial que el suelo tenga un buen drenaje y la capa fretica
se encuentre a poca profundidad.
El girasol es muy poco tolerante a la salinidad, y el contenido de aceite disminuye cuando
esta aumenta en el suelo.
En suelos neutros o alcalinos la produccin de girasol no se ve afectada, ya que no aparecen
problemas de tipo nutricional.
Es una de las plantas con mayor capacidad para utilizar los residuos qumicos aportados por
las explotaciones anteriores, propiciando un mejor aprovechamiento del suelo, por tanto la
rentabilidad de las explotaciones agrcolas se ve incrementada.
4.2 Temperatura.
Es un factor muy importante en el desarrollo del girasol, adaptndose muy bien a un amplio
margen de temperaturas que van desde 25-30 a 13-17C.
La temperatura ptima del suelo para la siembra vara entre 8 y 10C.

El consumo de agua ser mximo durante el periodo de formacin del captulo, ya que
el girasol toma casi la mitad de la cantidad total de agua necesaria.
La germinacin de las semillas de girasol depende de la temperatura y de la humedad
del suelo, siendo la temperatura media de 5C durante 24 horas.
5.2 Densidad de plantacin.
La profundidad de siembra se realiza en funcin de la temperatura, humedad y tipo de
suelo.
En zonas hmedas con primaveras clidas con suelos pesados y hmedos, la
profundidad de siembra es de 5 a 6 cm.
En zonas con primaveras secas con suelos ligeros y poca humedad, la profundidad de
siembra es de 7 a 9 cm.
Si el terreno es ligero y mullido la profundidad de siembra es mayor, al contrario que
ocurre si el suelo es pesado.
5.3 Riego.
Se trata de una planta que aprovecha el agua de forma mucho ms eficiente en
condiciones de escasez.
Su sistema radicular extrae el agua del suelo a una profundidad a la que otras especies
no pueden acceder.
-1-
El girasol adapta muy bien su superficie foliar a la disponibilidad de agua en el medio.

Requiere poca agua hasta unos diez das despus de la aparicin del captulo donde se
aplicar 50-60 litros por metro cuadrado.
5.4 Abonado.
Debido a la elevada capacidad del sistema radicular del girasol para extraer nutrientes,
este no es muy exigente en cuanto a abonado.
La absorcin de nutrientes se concentra en los primeros estadios de desarrollo de la
planta.
Es un cultivo muy sensible a la toxicidad por aluminio, dificultando su desarrollo
radicular y como consecuencia en la parte area aparecen sntomas de estrs hdrico o
carencia de otros nutrientes como fsforo o magnesio.
-Nitrgeno.
El dficit de nitrgeno es una de las causas del descenso de los rendimientos en el
cultivo del girasol.
Es un elemento necesario para el crecimiento, diferenciacin y desarrollo de sus
rganos.
El sntoma de su deficiencia es una clorosis general en cualquier fase de su desarrollo,
afectando de igual modo a hojas tanto jvenes como viejas.
El exceso de nitrgeno reduce de forma sustancial el aceite de la semilla, pero sin
embargo incrementa el contenido en protenas.
-Fsforo.
El dficit de fsforo repercute directamente tanto en las primeras fases de desarrollo del
cultivo como en la formacin y llenado de los aquenios.
Los sntomas de deficiencia se manifiestan por una reduccin del crecimiento y necrosis
en las hojas ms bajas.
La fertilizacin con superfosfato se aplicar en otoo con dosis de 40-80 kg/ha.
-Potasio.
El potasio acta como regulador en la asimilacin, transformacin y equilibrio interno
de la planta, contribuyendo de forma activa a su resistencia frente a la sequa.
Los sntomas de carencia se presentan a en las hojas ms bajas, mostrando un color
amarillo con manchas necrticas.
-2-
-Molibdeno.
La carencia de molibdeno aparece en los primeros estadios de desarrollo, mostrando las
hojas ms viejas una clorosis con una apariencia abarquillada.
8. ENFERMEDADES.
-Podredumbre gris (Botrytis cinerea).
Este hongo constituye una amenaza permanente en el cultivo del girasol, debido a la
existencia de su forma condica.
Su ciclo de vida comienza a principios de a primavera en los residuos vegetales
existentes en el suelo.
El ataque se manifiesta desde las plntulas, stas se decoloran, las hojas pierden su
turgencia y se retuercen, ablandan y pudren.
Si las condiciones climticas favorecen el desarrollo del hongo, las plantas se cubren de
un polvo gris, formado por los conidiforos y conidios del hongo.
*Control.
-Aplicar tratamientos qumicos con Diclofluanida o Tiofanato-metil Maneb.
-Podredumbre blanca (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum).
El micelio del hongo se puede desarrollar tanto en la superficie como en el interior de
los rganos atacados, sobre todo alrededor del cambium.
El girasol es atacado en todas las fases de su desarrollo, pero son ms susceptibles en la
fase de cotiledones y en la fase de formacin del captulo.
Los primeros sntomas aparecen en la base del tallo formando manchas amarillocastao, que pueden extenderse a todo el tallo.
Los tejidos invadidos se vuelven blancos y se pudren, produciendo la muerte de las
plntulas.
*Control:
-Se recomienda la rotacin del cultivo del girasol de seis-siete aos.
-Evitar el exceso de humedad y los terrenos bajos.
-Aplicar de forma racional abonos orgnicos.
-3-
-Realizar labores profundas durante el otoo.
-4-
Sprouts Are They Really A

Wonder Food?
Expert Studies Validate Sprout Nutrition and Health Benefits

Scientists have studied sprouts for centuries to better understand their high
levels of disease-preventing phytochemicals, and how they contribute to better
health, from prevention to treatment of life-threatening diseases. Major
organizations including the National Institutes of Health, American Cancer
Society and Johns Hopkins University have reinforced the benefits of sprouts
with ongoing studies that explore various sprout varieties for their nutritional
properties and to validate health claims.
According to Paul Talalay, MD, in the American Cancer Society NEWS, broccoli
sprouts are better for you than full-grown broccoli, and contain more of the
enzyme sulforaphane which helps protect cells and prevents their genes from
turning into cancer. His findings are consistent with several epidemiologic
studies that have shown that sprouts contain significant amounts of vitamins A,
C and D. Sprouts are widely recognized by nutrition conscious consumers and
health care professionals as a wonder food.
-5-
Antioxidant Capacity of Alfalfa Sprouts

Based on the fresh weight of the vegetable, garlic had the highest
antioxidant activity against peroxyl radicals (19.4) followed by kale (17.7),
spinach (12.6), Brussels sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, broccoli flowers, beets,
red bell pepper, onion, corn, eggplant (9.8-3.9) cauliflower, potato, sweet
potato, cabbage, leaf lettuce, string bean, carrot, yellow squash, iceberg
lettuce, celery, and cucumber (3.8-0.5).
Kale had the highest antioxidant activity against hydroxyl radicals
followed by Brussels sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, beets, spinach, broccoli
flowers, and the others.
Previously, some fruits were shown to contain high antioxidant activities.
In this paper, we report the antioxidant activities of 22 common
vegetables, one green tea and one black tea, measured using the
automated oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay with three different
reactive species: a peroxyl radical generator, a hydroxyl radical generator,
and CU2+, a transition metal.
The green and black teas had much higher antioxidant activities against
peroxyl radicals than all these vegetables. However, the tea also showed a
prooxidant activity in the presence of CU2+, which was not found with any
of the vegetables studied.
-6-
What Are Sprouts? Where Do They Come From?

A sprout is produced when a seed starts growing into a vegetable.
Sprouts can grow from the seeds of the vegetables above, from seeds of
other vegetables, from grains such as buckwheat, and from beans.
Sprouts vary in texture and taste. Some are spicy (radish and onion
sprouts), some are hardy and are often used in oriental food (mung bean),
others are more delicate (alfalfa) and are used in salads and sandwiches
to add texture and moistness.
Where to Find Sprouts

Inexpensive kits are available to grow sprouts. Seeds can be purchased at
a health food store or at some groceries.
When you do not have the time to grow your own sprouts, purchase them
at a local fruit and vegetable market, or in the fresh vegetable department
of your supermarket. Those health food stores which sell produce are
another source of sprouts.
Shopping for Sprouts

Sprouts are fresh when their roots are moist and white and the sprout
itself is crisp.
Storing Sprouts
Store in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator and use sprouts as soon
as possible. Rinsing daily under cold water can extend their life. Mung
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beansprouts can be frozen if they are to be used in cooking. They stay

good frozen in their bag for several months.
The History of Sprouts and Their Nutritional Value

Doctors today are telling us to eat less meat and
dairy. What other ways can we get our protein? We
can't eat fish all the time.
Beans and grains are a time-honored way to get
plenty of protein with low fat, high fiber and no
cholesterol. Sprouts: Alfalfa, Mung Bean, and Bean
Sprout Varieties
Mix, are beans that have been sprouted and are a
wonderful option for a variety of vegetarian meals.
Grown locally year round, sprouts are a good source of protein and
vitamin C. 3 ounces of Mung Beansprouts contain 30 calories. A 12-ounce
bag served as a side dish or salad is enough for 4 to 6 people. Click here
to view our sprout nutrition chart which compares alfalfa, mung bean,
radish, soybean and wheat sprouts.
Sprout History
Medicinally and nutritionally, sprouts have a long history. It has been
written that the Ancient Chinese physicians recognized and prescribed
sprouts for curing many disorders over 5,000 years ago. Sprouts have
continued to be a main staple in the diets of Americans of Oriental
descent. Although accounts of sprouting appear in the Bible in the Book
of Daniel, it took centuries for the West to fully realize its nutrition merits.
In the 1700's, sailors were riddled by scurvy (lack of Vitamin C) and
suffered heavy casualties during their two to three year voyages. From
1772-1775, Captain James Cook had his sailors eat limes, lemons and
varieties of sprouts; all abundant holders of Vitamin C. These plus other
-8-
fresh fruits and vegetables and a continuous program of growing and

eating sprouts were credited with the breakthrough, thus solving the
mariners' greatest casualty problem.
It is really only in the past thirty years that

"westerners" have become interested in sprouts
and sprouting. During World War II considerable
interest in sprouts was sparked in the United
States by an article written by Dr. Clive M. McKay,
Professor of Nutrition at Cornell University. Dr.
McKay led off with this dramatic announcement:
"Wanted! A vegetable that will grow in any climate,
Soybean Sprouts
will rival meat in nutritive value, will mature in 3 to
5 days, may be planted any day of the year, 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 and as quickly as a ... chop."
Dr. McKay was talking about soybean sprouts. He and a team of
nutritionists had spent years researching the amazing properties of
sprouted soybeans. They and other researchers at the universities of
Pennsylvania and Minnesota, Yale and McGill have found that sprouts
retain the B-complex vitamins present in the original seed, and show a big
jump in Vitamin A and an almost unbelievable amount of Vitamin C over
that present in unsprouted seeds. While some nutritionists point out that
this high vitamin content is gained at the expense of some protein loss,
the figures are impressive: an average 300 percent increase in Vitamin A
and a 500 to 600 percent increase in Vitamin C. In addition, in the
sprouting process starches are converted to simple sugars, thus making
sprouts easily digested.
This Winter And This Millennium, Don't Forget The Sprouts*

The National Cancer institute and the National Institute of Health both
recommend eating 5 fresh fruits and vegetables every day. A great way to
help reach that goal is to include sprouts.
Sprouts are the only form of agriculture that can be locally grown and
available in all four seasons. These "baby" vegetables are grown from
seed to salad in only week. That makes them great Y2K food. In fact, one
pound of alfalfa seed will yield 10-14 pounds of fresh mini-salad greens.
Whether you are on top of a mountain or in a bunker with artificial light,
you can still grow this fast, organic food.
Yes, it is fast food, but you won't be sacrificing any nutrition. Alfalfa
sprouts have more chlorophyll than spinach, kale, cabbage or parsley.
Alfalfa, sunflower, clover and radish sprouts are all 4% Protein. Compare
that to spinach - 3%, Romaine lettuce -1.5% and Iceberg lettuce- 0.8%, and
milk -3.3%. These foods all have about 90% water. But meat and eggs are
-9-
the protein foods for Americans. Meat is 19% and eggs are 13% protein
(and 11% fat). But Soybean sprouts have 28% protein, and lentil and pea
sprouts are 26%. Soybeans sprouts have twice the protein of eggs and
only 1/10 fat the fat.
Grain and nut sprouts, such as wheat and sunflower, are rich in fats.
While fats in flour and wheat germ have a reputation for going rancid
quickly (stores should refrigerate them), fats in sprouts last for weeks.
The valuable wheat germ oil in wheat sprouts is broken down into its
essential fatty acid fractions over 50% of which is the valuable Omega 6.
While sunflower oil is our finest source of omega 6, germination of the
sunflower sprout micellizes the fatty acids into an easily digestible, water
soluble form saving our body the trouble of breaking it down and
simultaneously protecting us against the perils of rancidity. This is a great
bonus for a sprout that is already popular for its crispness and nutty
flavor.
Radish sprouts have 29 times more Vitamin C than milk (29mg vs 1mg)
and 4 times the Vitamin A (391 IU vs 126). These spicy sprouts have 10
times more calcium than a potato (51mg vs 5mg) and contain more
vitamin C than pineapple. If you examine what is happening during
germination, it looks like a vitamin factory. While mature radishes contain
10 IU/100g of provitamin, the radish sprouts contain 391 IU, 39 times
more! No wonder, sprout lovers say you can feel the vitamins!
Phytochemical Factory
Alfalfa, radish, broccoli, clover and soybean contain concentrated
amounts of phytochemicals (plant compounds) that can protect us
against disease. Canavanine, an amino acid analog present in alfalfa,
demonstrates resistence to pancreatic, colon and leukemia cancers. Plant
estrogens in these sprouts function similarly to human estrogen but
without the side effects. They increase bone formation and density and
prevent bone breakdown (osteoporosis). They are helpful in controlling
hot flashes, menopause, PMS and fibrocystic breasts tumors.
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine researchers found
substantial amounts of glucosinolates and isothiocyanates in broccoli
sprouts which are very potent inducers of phase 2 enzymes that protect
cells from going malignant. The sprouts contain 10-100 times higher
levels of these enzymes than do the corresponding mature plants.
Alfalfa sprouts are one of our finest food sources of saponins. Saponins
lower the bad cholesterol and fat but not the good HDL fats. Animal
studies prove their benefit in arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.
Saponins also stimulate the immune system by increasing the activity of
natural killer cells such as T- lymphocytes and interferon. The saponin
content of alfalfa sprouts multiplies 450% over that of the unsprouted
seed. Sprouts also contain an abundance of highly active antioxidants
that prevent DNA destruction and protect us from the ongoing effects of
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aging. It wouldn't be inconceivable to find a fountain of youth here, after

all, sprouts represent the miracle of birth.
This article was written by Steve Meyerowitz, Sproutman
Broccoli Sprouts May Cut Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

In past studies, compounds in broccoli sprouts have been shown to
reduce the risk of getting breast and colon cancer and to act as an antibacterial agent against Helicobacter pylori, an organism associated with
causing stomach ulcers. As reported in the May 10, 2004 edition of Time, a
new study indicates that eating broccoli sprouts may cut the risk of
stroke, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
The study, headed by University of Saskatchewan health scientist,
Bernhard Juurlink, was recently published in the Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) in the US. "This study is the first to
show that broccoli sprouts rich in these compounds, through raising the
antioxidant and thereby the anti-inflammatory capacities of cells, can
correct major dysfunctions such as hypertension and stroke," said
Juurlink.*
Free radicals, unstable chemical byproducts of metabolism, damage cell
molecules and lead to cardiovascular disease. Tissues have defenses to
prevent the damage caused by free radicals. These defenses can be
bolstered by eating foods rich in chemicals called phase 2 protein
inducers, one of which is glucoraphanin. Broccoli sprouts contain high
levels of glucoraphanin.
"Phase 2 inducers promote the production of phase 2 proteins," says
Juurlink. "These proteins either promote scavenging of oxidants or
decrease the chance of these oxidants being formed in the first place. The
result is a huge multiplier effect. One phase 2 protein inducer likely has
the same effect as thousands of typical anti-oxidant molecules."*
To observe the affects of glucoraphanin, researchers fed broccoli sprouts
to two groups of rats which were prone to high blood pressure and stroke.
One group received sprouts high in glucoraphanin; the other group
received a variety which was poor in glucoraphanin. After 14 weeks the
- 11 -
rats who received sprouts rich in glucoraphanin had lower blood pressure
and decreased inflammation of the heart and kidneys.
If humans respond the same way as these laboratory animals, inclusion of
broccoli sprouts in one's diet can have a big effect on one's health.
Because broccoli sprouts are so rich in glucoraphanin, just two to four
ounces (70 - 140 grams) is all that is needed each day. Juurlink estimates
you would have to eat 20 to 50 times as much broccoli to obtain the same
benefits.
* Quotes obtained from University of Saskatchewan Web site at
www.usask.ca
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An Anticancer Clover
When James Duke, Ph.D., an economic botanist and former U.S.
Department of Agriculture researcher, tosses red clover sprouts into
salads, he isn't seeking simply flavor or crunch. Red clover (Trifolium
pratense) contains genistein, an anticancer compound that prevents new
blood vessels from forming with in a tumor. (Genistein can also be found
in soy, black beans and peanuts.) Since tumors rely on new blood vessels
to grow, genistein effectively starves the cancer.
Red clover is one of the world's oldest and
most common natural cancer remedies. In
fact, one study found that 33 cultures use the
herb against the disease. However, it may
create problems for certain cancer patients.
For example, says Labriola, women being
treated for breast cancer with the drug
tamoxifen should avoid red clover because
tamoxifen prevents estrogen from reaching a
tumor, and phytoestrogenic compounds in red
clover could undermine that action. In this
Clover Sprouts
case, it's possible red clover could feed, not
starve, an estrogen-dependent breast tumor, Labriola warns. (Editor's
Note: These same phytoestrogenic compounds can be helpful with
menopausal symptoms in women who wish to naturally increase their
estrogen levels.)
The scientific study of red clover is still new. Although its anticancer
compounds make it an effective cancer-fighting food for some people,
only further research will clarify red clover's future cancer treatment role
(Cancer Research, vol. 48, no. 22).
An Extract from "In Concert Against Cancer",
October, 1998
By Willow Older
Clover Sprouts and Menopause

Studies in humans, animals and cell culture systems suggest that dietary
phytoestrogens play an important role in prevention of menopausal
symptoms, osteoporosis, cancer and heart disease. Broadly defined,
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phytoestrogens include isoflavones, coumestans, and lignans. Alfalfa

sprouts, soybeans, clover and oilseeds (such as flaxseed) are the most
significant dietary sources of isoflavones, coumestans, and lignans,
respectively. A number of these compounds have been identified in fruits,
vegetables and whole grains commonly consumed by humans.
Proposed mechanisms include estrogenic and antiestrogenic effects,
induction of cancer cell differentiation, inhibition of tyrosine kinase and
DNA topoisomerase activities, suppression of angiogenesis, and
antioxidant effects. Although there currently are no dietary
recommendations for individual phytoestrogens, there may be great
benefit in increased consumption of plant foods; especially sprouts such
as Alfalfa, Clover and Soybean, and flaxseed.
A News Extract from the Annual Review of Nutrition,
17:353-381 1997,
DIETARY PHYTOESTROGENS
By Kurtzer MS, Xu X
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- 15 -
It is really only in the past thirty years that "westerners" have become
interested in sprouts and sprouting. During World War II considerable
interest in sprouts was sparked in the United States by an article written
by Dr. Clive M. McKay, Professor of Nutrition at Cornell University. Dr.
McKay led off with this dramatic announcement: "Wanted! A vegetable
that will grow in any climate, will rival meat in nutritive value, will mature
in 3 to 5 days, may be planted any day of the year, 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 and as quickly as a ... chop."
Dr. McKay was talking about soybean sprouts. He and a team of
nutritionists had spent years researching the amazing properties of
sprouted soybeans. They and other researchers at the universities of
Pennsylvania and Minnesota, Yale and McGill have found that sprouts
retain the B-complex vitamins present in the original seed, and show a big
jump in Vitamin A and an almost unbelievable amount of Vitamin C over
that present in unsprouted seeds. While some nutritionists point out that
this high vitamin content is gained at the expense of some protein loss,
the figures are impressive: an average 300 percent increase in Vitamin A
and a 500 to 600 percent increase in Vitamin C. In addition, in the
sprouting process starches are converted to simple sugars, thus making
sprouts easily digested.
- 16 -
Recipes
GREAT WAYS TO SERVE SPROUTS
Add to tossed salads

Use in coleslaw (cabbage, clover, radish)
Try in potato salad (mung bean, lentil)
Try in wraps and roll-ups (alfalfa, sunflower, radish)
Stir-fry with other vegetables (alfalfa, clover, radish, mung bean, lentil)
Blend into fruit shakes or juices (cabbage, mung bean, lentil)
Blend with vegetable juices (cabbage, mung bean, lentil)
Replace celery in sandwich spreads (lentil, radish)
Mix with soft cheeses for a dip (mung bean, radish)
Grind up and use in sandwich spreads (lentil, radish)
Top grilled cheese sandwiches after grilling (alfalfa, clover)
Stir into soups or stews when serving (mung bean, lentil)
Mix into pancake or waffle batter (buckwheat)
Eat them fresh and uncooked in a sprout salad (salad mixes)
Top omelet or scrambled eggs (alfalfa, clover, radish)
Combine in rice dishes (fenugreek, lentil, mung bean)
Add to sushi (radish, sunflower)
Saute with onions (mung bean, clover, radish)
Puree with peas or beans (mung bean, lentil)
Add to baked beans (lentil)
Steam and serve with butter (mung bean, lentil)
Use in sandwiches instead of lettuce (alfalfa, clover, radish)
Add Color, Texture and Variety to Salads with Sprouts!
Fresh Winter Salad

1 cup each:
Chinese bean sprouts
Alfalfa sprouts
Spicy sprouts
One-half cup each: Mixed sprouts
Sunflower seed sprouts
Wheat sprouts
Cabbage sprouts
1 diced red bell pepper
Parsley-Garlic Dressing
One-half cup of sunflower seed
sprouts
One-eighth cup dried parsley
or
On-quarter cup fresh, chopped
parsley
1 small clove of garlic
Two-thirds cup water
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. tamari or soy sauce
Blend all ingredients together at
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and/or
1 grated carrot
high speed, till creamy.
Gently toss all ingredients. Serve

with Parsley-Garlic Dressing (recipe
at right) or your own favorite
dressing.
Baby Greens and Spinach Salad

1 cup each:
Buckwheat sprouts
Sunflower sprouts
2 cups of spinach, washed and torn in bite size pieces
one-half small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup of sliced fresh mushrooms
one-half cup of croutons
Toss together and serve with lemon juice.
February Fruit Salad

2 oranges, peeled and diced
1 cup red grapes
1 kiwi, peeled and diced
1 cup Chinese bean sprouts
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One-half cup sunflower seed sprouts

Gently toss together all ingredients. This salad is so mouthwatering, it
doesn't need a dressing.
Make a Sandwich Come Alive with Sprouts!
Sprout Mountain Sandwich

3 slices cooked bacon
1/4 tsp. horseradish
1 tsp. mayonnaise
1 tsp. relish
dash of paprika
Crumble bacon and mix with remaining ingredients. Spread the mixture
on an open croissant. Then add in layers:
alfalfa sprouts
cucumber, thinly sliced
tomatoes
green onions, chopped
Lively Grilled Cheese

Liven up a grilled cheese sandwich by adding sliced tomato, radish
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sprouts, buckwheat sprouts and a sprinkle of sunflower seed sprouts.
Delicious Sprout Omelet

3/4 cup of Chinese bean sprouts (mung beans) or alfalfa sprouts
1 tsp. diced bell pepper
1 tsp. diced green onion
2/3 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup diced water chestnuts
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 to 2 tsp. vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste
In an omelet pan, saute vegetables and bean sprouts in oil for 3 - 5
minutes. Remove vegetables and place on a warm plate. Whip together the
eggs, milk and seasoning. Pour egg mixture into the omelet pan and cook
on both sides. Place vegetables in center and fold omelet over.
If using Alfalfa sprouts, saute the vegetables 1 to 3 minutes before adding
the alfalfa sprouts so that they cook for only 2 minutes. Cooking alfalfa
sprouts changes their taste in an interesting way.
Add Flavor and Variety to Low Calorie Meals with Sprouts!

Tropical Beansprout Coleslaw
Preparation:
5 ounces BEANSPROUTS
1 cup cabbage, chopped
1/2 cup seedless grapes, cut in half
1/2 cup fresh pineapple, chopped
(or canned unsweetened crushed
pineapple)
Dressing:
1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1/4 cup reduced calorie mayonnaise
1 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
Nutrition Per Serving

Calories 102
Protein 3.0 g
Carbohydrates 10.0g
Fat 5.8g
Saturated Fat 1.1g
Cholesterol 11.8g
Sodium 445.0 mg
Potassium 206.0 mg
Dietary Fiber 0.6g
Percent US RDA Per Serving
Protein 7%
Vitamin A 3%
Vitamin C 20%
Thiamine 5%
- 20 -
Riboflavin 8%
Niacin 2%
Calcium 9%
Iron 7%
Vitamin B6 4%
Vitamin B12 48%
Folacin 20%
Combine beansprouts, cabbage,

grapes and pineapple in a large
bowl. In a small bowl mix yogurt,
mayonnaise, mustard and salt. Pour
dressing over salad and toss lightly.
Serve on salad greens.
Serves 4
Cottage Cheese, Fruit and Sprout Salad

Preparation:

Calories 78
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
Protein 6.5 g
1/2 cup CRESS OR CLOVER
Carbohydrates 7.5g
SPROUTS, chopped
Fat 2.4g
4 tablespoons fresh pineapple
Saturated Fat 1.5g
(or canned crushed pineapple,
Cholesterol 0.0g
drained)
Sodium 205.0 mg
4 tablespoons pear, diced or
Potassium 103.0 mg
substitute nectarine, mango or
Dietary Fiber 0.6g
guava.
2 lettuce leaves
Protein 15%
Vitamin A 3%
Vitamin C 7%
Mix cottage cheese and sprouts. Stir
Thiamine 2%
in pineapple and pear. Serve chilled
Riboflavin 7%
on top of a lettuce leaf.
Niacin 1%
Calcium 4%
Serves 2
Iron 3%
Vitamin B6 4%
Vitamin B12 15%
Folacin 5%
Quick and Easy Stir-Fry

Preparation:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced

Calories 157
Protein 3.1 g
Carbohydrates 6.6g
Fat 7.2g
Saturated Fat 0.6g
Cholesterol 0.0g
Sodium 208.6 mg
- 21 -
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, diced

1 teaspoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoons lite soy sauce
Potassium 249.0 mg
Dietary Fiber 0.9g
Protein 5%
Vitamin A 0%
Vitamin C 14%
Prepare and set aside all
Thiamine 4%
ingredients. In a large skillet or
Riboflavin 4%
wok, heat oil. Add garlic, onion and
Niacin 10%
celery, and cook 1 minute, stirring
Calcium 2%
continually. Add mushrooms and
Iron 12%
Beansprouts and continue cooking 1
Vitamin B6 6%
minute more. Season with ginger,
Vitamin B12 18%
oyster sauce and soy sauce. Heat
Folacin 5%
thoroughly and serve over rice or
pasta.
Serves 2
Sunshine Pocket
Preparation:
1 head of cauliflower, steamed until
soft
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt or
powdered kelp
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/3 cup mayonnaise or substitute*
4 ounces ALFALFA SPROUTS
3 carrots, grated
2 tomatoes, sliced
2 large whole wheat pita breads
* See Eggless Egg Salad recipe
below for mayonnaise substitute
Mash cauliflower in a bowl, add
listed ingredients through
mayonnaise and mix. Chill well.
Spread mix in pita bread and add
Alfalfa Sprouts, carrots and
tomatoes.

Calories 171
Protein 6.1 g
Carbohydrates 24.8g
Fat 26.0g
Saturated Fat 0.1g
Cholesterol 10.0g
Sodium 441.0 mg
Potassium 805.1 mg
Dietary Fiber 5.1g
Protein 7%
Vitamin A 160%
Vitamin C 90%
Thiamine 19%
Riboflavin 26%
Niacin 11%
Calcium 6%
Iron 18%
Vitamin B6 17%
Vitamin B12 5%
Folacin 35%
- 22 -
Serves 4
Eggless Egg Salad

Preparation:

Calories 94
3/4 pound FIRM TOFU
Protein 4.7 g
3 scallions, (whites and greens)
Carbohydrates 10.9g
minced
Fat 3.8g
1 medium carrot, coarsely-grated
Saturated Fat 0.5g
1 stalk celery, finely-minced
Cholesterol 0.0g
1 small bell pepper, finely-minced
Sodium 62.5 mg
1/3 cup toasted sunflower seeds
Potassium 103.8 mg
freshly-ground pepper and lite
Dietary Fiber 0.7g
tamari sauce to taste
1 cup ALFALFA or Flavored
Protein 8%
Sprouts
Vitamin A 15%
1 bag whole wheat pita bread
Vitamin C 14%
Thiamine 14%
Cut the tofu into dice-sized bits. Add
Riboflavin 5%
scallions, carrot, celery, pepper and
Niacin 5%
seeds. Mix gently. Add the
Calcium 7%
mayonnaise (below). Season to taste.
Iron 14%
Chill. Stuff Alfalfa Sprouts into pita
Vitamin B6 4%
bread, add salad and top with a
Vitamin B12 0%
mound of sprouts.
Folacin 13%
Mayonnaise
Serves 4
The Mayonnaise
1/4 pound SOFT TOFU
2 teaspoons Chinese sesame oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup refined peanut or vegetable
oil
Whip the first 5 ingredients in a
blender or food processor. Keep the
machine going, and gradually
drizzle in the oil. When all oil is in

Calories 67
Protein 0.5 g
Carbohydrates 0.3g
Fat 7.3g
Saturated Fat 1.2g
Cholesterol 0.0g
Sodium 69.5 mg
Potassium 4.5 mg
Dietary Fiber 0.0g
Protein 1%
Vitamin A 0%
Vitamin C 0%
Thiamine 1%
Riboflavin 0%
Niacin 0%
- 23 -
you should have a nice, creamy,

eggless mayonnaise to add to your
eggless egg salad.
Calcium 1%
Iron 1%
Vitamin B6 0%
Vitamin B12 0%
Folacin 0%
Fried Rice with Sprouts

Preparation:

Calories 121
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Protein 2.5 g
1 onion, minced
Carbohydrates 20.4g
1 clove garlic, minced
Fat 2.3g
2 stalks celery, diced
Saturated Fat 0.6g
1 cup mushrooms, diced
Cholesterol 0.0g
1 cup BEANSPROUTS, chopped
Sodium 105.8 mg
2 cups cooked rice
Potassium 109.2 mg
2 tablespoons lite soy sauce
Dietary Fiber 0.4g
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet
Protein 4%
or wok. Add onion, garlic, celery
Vitamin A 0%
and mushrooms. Stir-fry 5 minutes.
Vitamin C 3%
Add the Beansprouts rice and soy
Thiamine 6%
sauce. Cook until rice is heated, and
Riboflavin 1%
serve.
Niacin 9%
Calcium 2%
Iron 7%
Serves 4
Vitamin B6 8%
Vitamin B12 0%
Folacin 5%
Sprouts Tabouleh
Preparation:
1 cup bulgur wheat *
1-1/2 cups boiling water
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup fresh lemon and/or lime
juice
1/4 cup fresh olive oil
3 scallions, including greens,
chopped
1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
OR 1/2 teaspoon dried (2 ml)
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
4 ounces mixed munchy sprouts
- 24 -
such as lentils, peas, adzuki beans,

etc.
1 cucumber, diced (optional)
1 tomato, peeled, seeded and diced
(optional)
Combine bulgur, boiling water and
salt in a bowl. Cover and let stand
30 minutes. Add all the other
ingredients. Mix well. At this point
the mixture will be watery.
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours but
overnight is best.
* Bulgur wheat is available
at health food stores
Serves 4
Make a Meal Out of Sprouts!

Tomorrow's Layered Salad
Ingredients
Preparation
10 ounces spinach, cleaned,

pieced (300 g)
4 ounces alfalfa sprouts (125 g)
4 eggs, hard boiled, chopped
1 bunch scallions, chopped
(including tops)
1 pound bacon, cooked and
crumbled (500 g)
10 ounces tiny frozen peas,
cooked (300 g)
2 teaspoons sugar (10 ml)
1 cup Swiss cheese, grated (250
ml)
salt & pepper to taste
In a 10" x 13" glass pan, using

half the ingredients, layer
spinach, sprouts, eggs,
scallions, bacon and peas.
Sprinkle with sugar, salt and
pepper. Frost with half the
dressing. Repeat. Garnish with
cheese. Cover with plastic wrap
and refrigerate overnight.
Recipe serves 8.
Dressing:
1-1/2 cups sour cream (375 ml)
1-1/2 cups mayonnaise 375 ml
Oriental Salad
Preparation:
3/4 cup mayonnaise (175 ml)

Calories 290
Protein 15.2 g
- 25 -
1 tablespoon lite soy sauce (15

Carbohydrates 5.8 g
ml)
Fat 22.8g
1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 ml)
Saturated Fat 3.6 g
3/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
Cholesterol 134.8 mg
(4 ml)
Sodium 619.0 mg
5 ounces BEANSPROUTS (150
Potassium 375.0 mg
g)
Dietary Fiber 1.3 g
1 cup shrimp, cooked
1 cup scallops or crab, cooked
Protein 34%
(250 ml)
Vitamin A 6%
1 cup chow mein noodles
Vitamin C 8%
(optional) (250 ml)
Thiamin 4%
5 ounces (1 can) water
Riboflavin 7%
chestnuts, sliced (150 g)
Niacin 12%
1/4 cup green onions, sliced (50
Calcium 5%
ml)
Iron 20%
1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
Vitamin B6 11%
lettuce leaves (50 ml)
Vitamin B12 408%
Folacin 20%
For dressing mix mayonnaise,
soy sauce lemon juice and
ginger. Mix remaining
ingredients, except lettuce. Toss
with dressing and serve on
lettuce leaves.
Recipe Serves 6.
Beansprouts and Julienned Vegetables

Preparation:

Calories 104
16 ounces BEANSPROUTS 500
Protein 4.7 g
g
Carbohydrates 5.8 g
1 green pepper, julienned
Fat 6.7g
3 slices cooked ham, julienned
Saturated Fat 1.8 g
3 stalks green onions, minced
Cholesterol 91.3 g
2 eggs
Sodium 203.0 mg
2 tablespoons oil for frying eggs
Potassium 172.0 mg
25 ml
Dietary Fiber 1.0 g
Dressing:
Protein 10%
3 tablespoons lite soy sauce 40
Vitamin A 5%
ml
Vitamin C 28%
1 tablespoon oil 15 ml
Thiamin 7%
1 teaspoon vinegar 5 ml
Riboflavin 10%
- 26 -
few drops sesame oil (optional)

Place beansprouts in a bowl and
cover with boiling water for 3-5
minutes. Rinse under cold
water, drain, and set aside.
Prepare green pepper, ham and
green onions. Beat eggs and fry
in thin sheet. Cut sheet into
narrow strips. Toss all
ingredients together with
dressing.
Serves 6
Rice Salad
Preparation:
2 cups brown rice, cooked in 3
cups of water until tender
1/3 cup of olive oil
1/2 cup of orange juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red
pepper
2 tablespoons of tamari
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 cup chopped pineapple (or
canned crushed, undrained)
10 peapods, chopped
3 scallions, minced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
While rice is cooking combine
all other ingredients. Add to rice,
mix well and chill. Pack a cup
and a half or two cups of this
salad and take it to work with a
piece of fruit for a refreshing
lunch. Serve it on a bed of
alfalfa sprouts or alfalfa with
garlic sprouts for an attractive
- 27 -
Niacin 2%
Calcium 3%
Iron 13%
Vitamin B6 6%
Vitamin B12 86%
Folacin 29%
and delicious company lunch.

Serves 6
Enjoy Sprouts Italian Style! Mangia!

Mock Spaghetti Casserole
Preparation:
1 tablespoon, margarine (15 ml)
Calories 281
1 medium onion, sliced
Protein 14.9 g
1 medium pepper, sliced
Carbohydrates 15.3 g
2 cups spaghetti sauce (500 ml)
Fat 16.3g
Saturated Fat 7.3 g
g)
Cholesterol 30.0 mg
8 ounces part skim mozzarella
Sodium 783.8 mg
cheese, shredded(250 g)
Potassium 512.5 mg
Dietary Fiber 2.0 g
Protein 44%
Saute onions and peppers in
Vitamin A 21%
margarine until onions are clear.
Vitamin C 70%
Add spaghetti sauce and mix in
Thiamine 15%
BEANSPROUTS. Pour into a 9
Riboflavin 20%
inch pie plate. Top with
Niacin 8%
mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20
Calcium 57%
minutes in 300 degree oven or
Iron 22%
until cheese has melted.
Vitamin B6 12%
Vitamin B12 118%
Recipe serves 4.
Folacin 38%
Zucchini Pizza Casserole

Preparation:

Calories 462
3 1/2 cup zucchini, coarsely
Protein 28.7 g
grated (875 ml)
3 eggs, beaten
Fat 32.2g
1/3 cup flour (75 ml)
Saturated Fat 15.3 g
2 cups mozzarella cheese,
Cholesterol 210.3 mg
grated (500 ml)
Sodium 436.2 mg
1/2 cup parmesan cheese,
Potassium 552.0 mg
grated (125 ml)
Dietary Fiber 3.4 g
1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, Percent US RDA Per Serving
minced (15 ml) OR (1/2 teaspoon
Protein 64%
(2 ml) dried)
Vitamin A 32%
2 cups pizza or spaghetti sauce
Vitamin C 29%
(500 ml)
Thiamine 19%
Riboflavin 31%
- 28 -
g)
12 black olives, sliced
Niacin 8%
Calcium 91%
Iron 30%
Vitamin B6 16%
Vitamin B12 89%
Folacin 32%
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Salt the zucchini lightly and let it
sit for 15 minutes. Squeeze out
all the excess moisture.
Combine zucchini, eggs, flour,
1/2 cup mozzarella, parmesan
and basil and spread into an
oiled 9" x13" baking pan. Bake
20-25 minutes until surface is
dry and firm. Brush top with oil
and broil to brown lightly.
Remove from oven and layer
with a generous amount of pizza
sauce, BEANSPROUTS, olives
and remainder of mozzarella, in
that order. Return to 350 degree
oven for 15 minutes until bubbly.
Recipe Serves 6.
Easy Store-Bought Pizza

Preparation:
1 12 " fresh prepared pizza,
plain
1/2 cup of your favorite pizza
sauce (125 ml)
g)
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese,
shredded (125 ml)
1/2 cup black olives (125 ml)
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Put
sauce, BEANSPROUTS, cheese
and olives, in that order, on top
of pizza. Follow package
directions adding 5 - 8 minutes
to baking time.
Serves 1

Calories 351
Protein 16.2 g
Fat 14.1g
Saturated Fat 5.5 g
Cholesterol 58.0 g
Sodium 440.5 mg
Potassium 323.5 mg
Dietary Fiber 2.9 g
Protein 26%
Vitamin A 11%
Vitamin C 30%
Thiamine 14%
Riboflavin 27%
Niacin 17%
Calcium 39%
Iron 31%
Vitamin B6 10%
Vitamin B12 10%
- 29 -
Folacin 26%
- 30 -
17th ISGA Convention

New Otani Hotel Tokyo &
Kinugawa Hot Spring Resort, Tochigi Province Japan
April 16 - 19, 2007
Better Health with Sprouts

Enjoy Japan during Sakura, the famous Cherry Blossom
Season
Visit two large, high-tech Bean Sprouts factories
Hear the latest about our industry in Japan and elsewhere
Get inspired by the innovative Japanese Market where Bean
Sprouts have been produced for centuries
Experience the uniqueness of a stay at a traditional Japanese
Hot Spring resort
Enjoy bustling Tokyo and traditional, historical and rural
Tochigi province
Meet old friends, network with those in the sprout industry
Invitation for ISGA Convention in JAPAN 2007

ISGA Japan will be the first ISGA convention to take place in Asia. The
convention will be co-hosted by the Japanese Bean Sprout Growers
Association (JBSA) and the International Sprout Growers Association
(ISGA).
Asia is the biggest consumption area for sprouts; especially bean
sprouts. We as JBSA hope that sprout growers can take pride in their
industry and can contribute to a healthy life for people all over the world
through our products. It is our pleasure to host the 2007 ISGA convention
here.
ISGA JAPAN's main theme is "Better Health with Sprouts". In Japan, bean
sprouts are known as a safe and healthy vegetable. At this convention, we
will focus on bean sprouts as a functional food.
On April 18, the third day of the convention, we will take a tour to see
Japan's two most high-tech bean sprout factories in Tochigi. It will be
cherry blossom season and we can expect to enjoy the blossoms on the
bus ride from Tokyo. In the evening the JBSA will host a dinner at
Kinugawa hot spring.
On April 19, there will be an optional Nikko Sightseeing Tour. Nikko is
declared a World Heritage site. The area has aesthetic landscapes and
- 31 -
there is a famous temple dedicated to the first shogun of Tokugawa

Shogunate. Besides the sights of Nikko, the area is very famous for its top
quality water that is available in abundance. Therefore it is no coincidence
that you find a large number of bean sprouts growers in the area.
The Nikko tour is strongly recommended as Nikko is one of the "mustsee" attractions of Japan. The price per person is USD 150.00 and
includes transportation, lunch and entrance fees to temples. You may
register for this tour on the convention registration form. See the agenda
for the time and starting place of the tour. For more information in
English, please visit
http://www.tochigiji.or.jp/language/English/index.html.
We hope to see everyone from all over the world, not only ISGA members
but all people in the sprout industry, in Japan in April 2007. And we hope
that the convention will help to lead in the future development of the
sprout industry.
Isamu Sotome
ISGA JAPAN Executive Chairman
- 32 -
MAKING SPROUTS AT HOME

Many methods have been used in sprouting mung beans. In Oriental countries, the
beans are soaked in water for about 8 hours and then placed in tubs or crockery jars
provided with adequate drainage and darkness. They are sprinkled with water at room
temperature about three times a day. The sprouts are ready for use in about 4-6 days,
depending on the room temperature.
Chinese masters of the art of sprouting modify the procedures somewhat, but the
general principles of soaking and sprinkling are the same everywhere. For example,
many cooks place a wet, absorbent towel over the top of the container, and then soak the
cloth two or three times a day. Experience is necessary to determine just when to soak
the cloth for the best quality sprouts. To keep sprouts short and plump, some cooks
place a bag of clean sand over the sprouts instead of the towels.
The simplest method for growing bean sprouts in your kitchen is to use the "widemouth jar" technique. A 1 quart (or larger) jar with lid is fine. Punch 8 to 10 holes in the
lid so that it will drain easily and allow the heat of sprouting to escape. Measure out 1/3
cup of mung beans for each quart of sprouts desired.
Wash the beans thoroughly, and sort out any discolored or defective beans. Place the
beans in the jar, cover them with water, and let them soak overnight in a dark place.
Sprouting in light allows a green color to develop and most people prefer white sprouts.
The next morning, drain off the water by turning the jar upside down. Shake the beans
onto the side of the jar and place the jar with this side down in a dark cabinet. Each day
rinse the beans and developing sprouts with water, pouring off the excess water each
time. By the fourth day the sprouts should be at least 1 inch long and ready for using.
When the sprouts reach the desired stage of development, wash them in cold water to
remove seed coats, fibrous roots, and other residue. The sprouts are best eaten soon after
washing, but can be stored for several days in the refrigerator at 40-45F.
COMMERCIAL BEAN SPROUTS

Methods for the commercial production of bean sprouts are quite varied, yet the
principles are the same. According to a Michigan State bulletin by Beeskow, the beans
are soaked at 70F for 8 hours and then transferred to large uncovered metal tanks in
quantity to produce a depth of about 12 inches of beans. A mechanical sprinkling device
waters the sprouts by moving from one end of the tank to the other once every 4 hours.
Sprinkling holds the sprouts at a moderate temperature, washes out accumulated carbon
dioxide and other wastes, and replenishes the oxygen supply. Under these conditions the
- 33 -
sprouts emerge from the seed coat during the first day of sprouting. Growth is rapid and
the sprouts reach the desired size in about 5 days. Sprouts 3 inches long with a
diameter of 1/8 inch are considered best.
USING SPROUTS
Bean sprouts are used both raw and cooked. They are used in stews and soups, take the
place of onions or mushrooms in fried or roasted dishes, or are eaten raw as a salad.
Most commercially produced bean sprouts are canned.
The most palatable sprouts are those eaten fresh. The vitamin C content of mung bean
sprouts ranges up to 0.346 mg per gram of fresh sprouts. Maximum vitamin C is
reached during the second day of germination. However, at this stage the sprouts are
quite small.
- 34 -
SPROUTS HEALTH RISK

In recent years, sprouts have enjoyed increasing popularity in Canada due
to their nutritional value. However, sprouts, including, alfalfa, mung bean
sprouts and radish sprouts have also been associated with several
foodborne illnesses worldwide, including Canada. These illnesses were
caused by Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7. Public health officials
are working with industry representatives to implement safer growing
methods while warning consumers about the risk of eating sprouts.
Who is most at risk?

Anyone who eats raw sprouts or lightly cooked mung bean sprouts, is at risk
for exposure to Salmonella or E.coli O157:H7 bacteria. However young
children, the elderly and people with weak immune systems are most
susceptible to complications from illness caused by Salmonella and E. coli
O157:H7.
What are the symptoms of Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 infection?

Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, an illness characterized by fever,
stomach cramps and diarrhea. The illness can last as long as seven days
and severe cases may require hospitalization. E. coli O157:H7 produces
toxin in the body that causes illness characterized by stomach cramps,
vomiting, fever and bloody diarrhea and can occur within two to 10 days of
eating contaminated food. Infection can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome
(HUS) which can cause acute kidney failure. People who experience
symptoms of salmonellosis or E. coli infection should contact their doctor
immediately.
How do sprouts become contaminated?

Public health scientists believe that the seeds used for sprouting are the
most likely source of contamination. Salmonella or E. coli bacteria can lodge
in tiny seed cracks and are difficult to eliminate. These bacteria can multiply
during sprouting in warm, humid conditions. Poor hygienic practices in the
storage of seeds and in the production of sprouts have also been the cause
of past sprout-related outbreaks.
Most sprouts such as alfalfa sprouts can only be eaten raw, which means
they are not exposed to temperatures high enough to kill bacteria that may
be present. Some sprouts, such as mung bean sprouts, can also be eaten
cooked. Recently, in 2005, an outbreak of salmonellosis in Ontario was
- 35 -
linked to the consumption of raw and lightly-cooked mung bean sprouts,

such as found in some stir-fries.
What is being done?

In consultation with federal and provincial government and industry
representatives, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) developed a
Code of Practice for the Hygienic Production of Sprouted Seeds. This Code
of Practice sets out specific recommendations for the hygienic production of
sprouts and general Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) for the growing of
seeds destined for sprout production.
The CFIA also inspects sprout manufacturing establishments for Good
Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and has a sampling program in place to
monitor the microbiological quality of the sprouts.
What can consumers do?

Consumers who belong to high risk groups, such as young children, seniors
or people with weak immune systems, should avoid eating all sprouts of any
kind especially alfalfa sprouts and mung bean sprouts. In addition, you
should also avoid eating cooked mung bean sprouts found in stir-fries or
soups unless you can determine that they have been thoroughly cooked.
When eating out, be sure to check for the presence of sprouts in salads,
sandwiches, soups and Asian dishes.
If you are a healthy individual and wish to eat sprouts the following steps
can be taken to minimize your risk of illness:
At retail, make sure that the sprouts you are purchasing are
refrigerated or surrounded by ice.
Only purchase sprouts that are crisp-looking, while avoiding dark or
musty-smelling sprouts.
When purchasing bean sprouts in bulk display, use tongs or gloves to
place the sprouts into a plastic bag.
Upon returning home from the retail store, if not consumed
immediately, refrigerate the sprouts. The refrigerator should be set to
reach 4C or less as measured by use of a thermometer.
Before and after handling sprouts, always wash your hands
thoroughly (i.e., ~20 seconds with hot water and soap).
Rinse the sprouts with cold running water prior to consumption.
Do not eat sprouts that are past their best before date or have lost
their crispness.
Only eat mung bean sprouts that have been thoroughly cooked.
For more information on food safety, visit the Canadian Food Inspection
Agencys Web site at: www.inspection.gc.ca
- 36 -
El trigo germinado
Propiedades del trigo germinado
El trigo germinado es muy recomendable en casos de desmineralizacin, personas mal
nutridas, fatiga, anemia, crecimiento, embarazo, lactancia o convalecencia de cualquier
enfermedad.
La verdad es que suele ir muy bien en muchas enfermedades ya que en la mayora de los
casos suele haber alguna carencia nutricional.
Las personas que lo toman durante tiempo suelen sentirse mucho mejor.
La germinacin del trigo favorece la predigestin de las lectinas, que son unos nutrientes del
trigo responsables de ciertos tipos de alergias al trigo que sufren algunas personas.
Informacin nutricional del trigo

germinado (por cada 100 gr.)
Las enzimas que hasta este momento haban permanecido en estado latente se vuelven
activas y empiezan a descomponer las protenas, grasas, e hidratos de carbono, para que
nuestras clulas puedan asimilar esos nutrientes de un modo ms eficaz.
La germinacin incrementa tambin de un modo considerable los nutrientes del trigo.
Como ejemplo diremos que:
El grupo de vitamina B y los cidos graso aumentan considerablemente.
La vitamina C puede aumentar ms de 500 veces y la vitamina E se puede ver

triplicada en apenas cuatro das.
El Fsforo pasa de 420 mg, por cada 100 gramos en grano, a 1050 mg una vez
germinado.
El Magnesio pasa de 130 a 330 mg y el Calcio de 15 mg a 70 mg con el trigo

germinado.
El trigo germinado es un buen aporte para nuestro organismo de minerales como el
Magnesio, Calcio, Potasio, Azufre, Fluor, Silicio, Zinc, Manganeso, etc y de vitaminas como
las del grupo B, la C y la E.
Sabas que?
Su sabor, ligeramente dulzn, es muy agradable.
Hemos de recordar que aunque en su germinacin suele desaparecer el gluten es
conveniente que no lo tomen los celacos ya que siempre pueden quedar restos.
- 37 -
En caso de celiaqua, consultar siempre con el mdico o especialista.
Un germinado en tu plato.
Los alimentos germinados, digestivos y ricos en vitaminas; una
alternativa a cereales y legumbres cocinados.
Cualquier semilla de leguminosa o grano de cereal puede ser

germinado, aunque, los ms apreciados por su ternura y buen
sabor son los brotes de: legumbres (juda mungo, alfalfa), cereales
(trigo, cebada) y tambin de berro, rbano, calabaza, girasol, lino,
ssamo, etc.
En el mercado existen mltiples instrumentos para germinar
semillas en casa. Todos ellos proporcionan una humedad, aireacin
y temperaturas adecuadas para que las semillas broten.
El valor nutritivo de los germinados se asemeja al de frutas y
verduras por su contenido de agua y su riqueza en vitaminas y
minerales, enzimas y clorofila. Por su composicin, estimulan los
procesos digestivos (resultan fciles de digerir), son ricos en
antioxidantes (vitamina C y beta carotenos) y minerales como el
magnesio. Aportan muy pocas caloras (por ej: brotes de soja
aportan solo 30 caloras por 100 g).
Su consumo est especialmente recomendado en casos de anemia
(dada su riqueza en clorofila, con demostrados efectos
antianmicos) y para personas con el estmago delicado (no
toleran las legumbres cocinadas pero s pueden consumir sus
germinados, mejor tras un escaldado previo durante 1 minuto).
Son sencillos de preparar, se comen crudos en ensalada, salteados,
en tortillas o formando parte de diversos platos cocinados, en cuyo
caso se aadirn al final para que no pierdan sus propiedades.
- 38 -
Jugo o germinado de Cebada

Qu es la cebada?
La cebada es una planta gramnea anual y se recolecta para sacarle el jugo cuando tiene
unos 20 cm. de altura ya que su concentracin en principios inmediatos, minerales,
vitaminas y enzimas es el ms ptimo.
Hay empresas que luego lo evaporan y lo comercializan en forma de polvo o comprimido.
Cules son las propiedades de la

cebada?
Se recomienda en:
Envejecimiento celular y aparicin de arrugas prematuramente gracias a su

contenido en las enzimas SOD, peroxidasas y catalasas, vitaminas y minerales y protenas
que actan favoreciendo el buen estado celular tanto de los rganos internos, como de la
piel.
Alteraciones cutneas inespecficas (dermatosis, eczemas, etc), en donde la accin

de vitaminas, minerales y enzimas, se potencian con las de los cidos grasos esenciales.
Alteracin de lquidos, en donde el contenido de potasio y sodio de la cebada, ayuda

a mantener el equilibrio osmtico celular. Evitando la retencin de agua (edemas) y las
deshidrataciones.
Control de peso: acta de forma indirecta, ya que al mejorar el metabolismo a nivel

general, acta agilizando el metabolismo de los lpidos, adems de estimular la movilizacin
de los lquidos tisulares.
Alteraciones hormonales de la mujer, por su contenido en isoflavonas, que le

confieren capacidad estrognica. Al mismo tiempo su riqueza en Calcio, Magnesio y muchos
otros minerales la hacen muy interesante para problemas de Osteoporosis y falta de Calcio.
Anemias por la capacidad antianmica de la clorofila, por su contenido en cido

flico, hierro y cobre que favorecen y estimulan la sntesis de hemoglobina.
Potenciador de la energa sexual y del fluido seminal gracias a su contenido en zinc.
En casos de astenia y fatiga primaveral.
Embarazo: es sabida la garanta de salud para el feto si se mantiene una

alimentacin alcalinizante y equilibrada durante el embarazo.
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Lactancia: por su contenido en vitaminas, minerales, protenas e isoflavonas con

capacidad estrognica.
En enfermedades cardiovasculares, gracias sobre todo, a su contenido en cidos

grasos esenciales (hipolipidemiantes, antiateromatosos, hipotensores, antiagregantes
plaquetarios, etc), a determinados minerales (Potasio, Calcio, Magnesio, etc) y a su poder
alcalinizante.
Hipercolesterinemias por su contenido en cidos grasos esenciales y clorofila.
Cirrosis y esteatosis hepticas, por su contenido en colina (sustancia que se opone a

los depsitos de grasa en el hgado) y en cidos grasos esenciales.
Situaciones de estrs ya que nos produce un mayor consumo y excrecin de

minerales (potasio, calcio, magnesio) y vitaminas, especialmente del grupo B (B1, B2, B6,
niacinamida, cido pantotnico, as como vitamina C, A, cido flico, colina y biotina).
En la rigidez muscular sobre todo de hombros y espalda. Esto es debido a una

acmulo de cido lctico, sobre todo gracias al estrs. El efecto alcalinizante y
remineralizante de la cebada es fundamental en estos casos.
Convalecencias y personas mayores por su contenido en vitaminas, minerales,

protenas, clorofila, etc
Deportistas: adems de ser ideal para reponer la gran cantidad de minerales que han
perdido por el sudor, la cebada por su poder alcalinizante, contrarresta los efectos de la
acidosis producidos en los perodos de mximo esfuerzo muscular, impidiendo la aparicin de
agujetas.
Alteraciones gstricas e intestinales, por su contenido enzimtico, en clorofila,

vitaminas y minerales, colabora en la digestin de los alimentos, favoreciendo su asimilacin
y correcta utilizacin por parte de las clulas.
En procesos reumticos (artrosis, artritis, gota, etc) en donde existe una gran
tendencia a la acidosis del organismo, la cebada tiene un gran campo de accin tanto por su
poder alcalinizante como por su contenido en vitaminas y minerales.
En nios por su riqueza en vitaminas, minerales y clorofila, es muy til en perodos

de crecimiento, en falta de apetito, desarrollo muscular insuficiente, durante el periodo
escolar, en caso de infecciones repetitivas, etc
Informacin nutricional de la cebada
Es bastante corriente, la creencia de que la mayor fuente de protenas procede del

reino animal, es decir, carnes, pescados, lcteos y huevos entre otros. Pero tal creencia es
falsa, de hecho gran nmero de plantas tienen un rico contenido proteico; destacan las hojas
de cebada verde con aproximadamente un 45%.
- 40 -
Contiene tambin grandes cantidades de aminocidos esenciales (son aquellos que el

hombre no es capaz de sintetizar por lo que los debemos introducir a travs de la
alimentacin).
Debemos resaltar su contenido en triptfano, precursor de la biosntesis de diversas

sustancias, entre ellas, la serotonina, sustancia vasoconstrictora y neurotransmisora.
Contiene cidos grasos esenciales, tales como el linoleico, linolnico, zoomrico,

cprico, oleico, ercido, larico, esterico, palmtico, mirstico, araqurico, etc
Es rica en vitamina C, biotina, tiamina (vit. B1), colina, riboflavina (vit. B2), cido
flico, piridoxina (vit. B6), carotenos (provitamina A), cido nicotnico, cido pantotnico.
Es rica en minerales, entre los que destacan: cobre, fsforo, zinc, calcio, magnesio,
sodio, hierro, manganeso y potasio.
Es una fuente muy importante de clorofila.
La cebada contiene aproximadamente unas 20 enzimas. Las enzimas son sustancias

imprescindibles para que el cuerpo humano realice todas sus funciones con normalidad.
Sabas que la cebada?

Es un alimento con un Ph de 6,15 a 6,8.
Como consecuencia de la digestin y metabolismo de los alimentos, el organismo fabrica y
acumula una serie de metabolitos cidos. Cuando aparecen en cantidades ms grandes de lo
que el cuerpo puede eliminar, se crea un estado de autointoxicacin que favorece el
desarrollo de un terreno orgnico predispuesto a padecer estados patgenos.
La cebada ayuda a conseguir el equilibrio qumico del cuerpo sin tener que provocar drsticos
cambios en la alimentacin de las personas, mientras se les va enseando la manera ms
conveniente y adecuada de alimentarse segn las necesidades de cada uno.
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Germinados y fermentos
de semillas
La germinacin es una autentica alquimia de la vida, en la que podemos obtener

un inmejorable alimento nutritivo y vital. Se trata de alimentos vivos de primer
orden que se convierten de secas y duras semillas de naturaleza ligeramente
acidificante para el organismo, en brotes tiernos alcalinos, ricos en enzimas
digestivas, vitaminas, aminocidos, clorofila y minerales muy asimilables, que
ayudarn a mantener nuestro equilibrio cido-base y a recuperar nuestra autentica
calidad de vida.
La capacidad desintoxicante de los germinados es suficiente razn para adoptar la
costumbre de incluirlas en el men cotidiano, y ms si se vive en grandes urbes o
focos contaminantes. A esto se suma el gran poder de regeneracin que poseen las
plantas en su nacimiento. Las plantas a esta corta edad poseen cualidades
revitalizantes y regenerativas nicas que ayudan a mantener y recuperar la salud,
depurando el organismo. Sern grandes aliadas para revitalizar el sistema
digestivo y obtener una alimentacin saludable. Tambin se puede obtener un
agua enzimtica fermentada, "el Rejuvelac" una bebida prebitica, depurativa y
antioxidante.
La clorofila
La clorofila es muy similar a la hemoglobina de la sangre con la
diferencia de que tiene un In de magnesio mientras que el de la
sangre es de hierro. La clorofila lleva oxgeno a las clulas y es un
buen destoxificador y regenerador.
Contraindicaciones
En el embarazo, en pocas de lactancia o en personas con rechazo a
alguno de los componentes de la clorofila.
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Efectos secundarios
Su consumo puede alterar el color de la orina y las heces. La clorofila
puede resultar tan desintoxicante que para algunas personas
solamente con olerla les produce arcadas. Esto denota el grado de
intoxicacin que es proporcional al rechazo que provoca. Es
conveniente empezar a tomarla diluida en agua o jugos de fruta o
zanahoria y aumentar la concentracin gradualmente.
Las semillas que se utilizan para obtener la clorofila son el trigo y la
cebada, que se cultivan en una capa de tierra, para obtener la hierba
de la que se extrae la clorofila. La alfalfa es tambin adecuada
aunque en menos cantidad pero con la ventaja de que se germina y
verdea en un simple tarro. Se come entera y puede acompaar en la
mesa en muchos platos y ensaladas.
El concepto de verde o jugo de planta fresca
http://www.enbuenasmanos.com/ARTICULOS/muestra.asp?art=867
Obtencin de la clorofila
Hierba de trigo y cebada:
Para obtener clorofila se ponen a remojo semillas de trigo o cebada
durante 12 horas y se esparcen sobre una capa de tierra hmeda de
1 o 2 cm. alojada en una caja baja de madera o cartn (Unos 6 cm.
de altura) o en semillero. Las semillas se disponen cubriendo toda la
superficie sin amontonarse y se cubren con un pao fino o una hoja
de papel absorbente "como las hojas del diario de noticias sin
impresin a color". Sobre la caja se coloca un cristal para mantener
la humedad, dejando una buena abertura para el aire. Hay que
mantener el pao o papel humedecido hasta que la fuerza de la
hierba lo levante. Momento adecuado para quitarlo y exponer la
germinacin a la luz indirecta del sol. Cuando la hierva alcance el
cristal este se quita y la germinacin se puede poner directamente al
sol cuidando de que la tierra no se quede seca.
La hierba se corta cuando alcanza de 10 a 20 cm. de altura y puede
volver a recortarse unas cuantas veces, aunque cada vez ser mas
amarga.
Extraer la clorofila de la hierba puede resultar difcil sin disponer de
un extractor manual de acero adecuado. Las licuadoras no cogen la
hierba al ser tan delgada. As que una manera es masticar una buena
cantidad para que la clorofila pase con la salivacin. Aunque el
mtodo no es muy efectivo para la rpida extraccin, sin embargo es
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natural al ensalivar y tratar la clorofila como un alimento masticable.

Tambin puede agregarse a las ensaladas cortada fina y como
suplemento en cremas y salsas fras.
clorofila
http://www.enbuenasmanos.com/ARTICULOS/muestra.asp?art=540
Las enzimas
Una enzima es una molcula de protena con una funcin especfica
para nuestro cuerpo.
Entre las funciones de las enzimas estn la digestin de los alimentos
que comemos y la eliminacin de toxinas Cooperan en el
almacenamiento de azcar en el hgado y los msculos y ayudan a los
pulmones a eliminar el bixido de carbono.
Los germinados y el rejuvelac son alimentos muy ricos en enzimas
vivas. las enzimas ms importantes de los alimentos vivos son:
Proteasa: Digiere las protenas.
Amilasa: Facilita la conversin de los almidones.
Catalaza: Ayuda a descomponer el perxido de hidrgeno en la
sangre y los tejidos.
Lipasa: Descompone las grasas.
Rejuvelac
(Agua enzimtica)
El nombre de procedencia francesa hace mencin a la propiedad
rejuvenecedora de esta bebida resultante de la fermentacin del agua
del remojo de las germinaciones.
Los microorganismos procedentes de las semillas (Encargados de
iniciar la fermentacin necesaria para que se inicie la transformacin
del germen y el nacimiento de la planta. Pueden agregarse y formar
parte de nuestra microbiota amiga)
Mtodos para obtener el agua enzimtica
En general los recipientes deben de estar escrupulosamente limpios y
libres de otras bacterias y levaduras procedentes de otros cultivos
- 44 -
anteriores o distintos. Para ello se lavarn bien y se escaldarn con

agua muy caliente. Se cubren los recipientes con un pao. Conviene
que el agua sea lo mas potable y pura posible. Ante cualquier duda
hervirla. La temperatura ambiente adecuada esta entre 20 y 40C.
Agua enzimtica de trigo
Mtodo 1
Ingredientes:
1 taza de trigo o de otro grano de buena calidad
2 tazas de agua
Los granos se ponen en remojo en un recipiente de cristal o cermica
vitrificada cubierto con un pao y limpio de grmenes durante 24
horas en invierno y 16 en verano. se separa el agua del recipiente de
remojo y el trigo vale para hacer sucesivas tandas o se puede
germinar. el agua reposara en un lugar clido para que fermente
durante dos o tres das. Pasados stos, se remover el lquido
fermentado y se pondr en la nevera. despus de 24 horas se prueba
y se toma cuando el sabor resulte mas agradable.
Mtodo 2
Se germina el trigo 48h. se muele y se deja reposar con el agua un
mnimo de 24h. Se cuela y listo para tomar.
Mtodo 3
El trigo, mijo o centeno se muelen y se ponen en remojo de 16 a 24h.
dependiendo de la temperatura ambiente. Se cuela y el liquido se
deja fermentar de uno a tres das, removindolo de vez en cuando.
Despus se mete a la nevera 24h como mnimo.
- 45 -
Zumo de germinado de trigo

El zumo de hierba de trigo o Wheatgrass juice es un
superalimento natural obtenido a partir del jugo de la
hierba de trigo germinado, cuando esta se encuentra en su
momento de mximo valor nutricional. El zumo de hierba
de trigo es extraordinariamente rico en clorofila (70%),
enzimas, vitaminas, aminocidos y minerales.
Propiedades del zumo de trigo:
- Depurativo y desintoxicante.
- Renueva la sangre.
- Genera glbulos rojos
- Mejora la funcin del hgado.
- Produce Vitamina A.
- Estimula el metabolismo
- Ayuda en las enfermedades de la piel como ezcemas y
psoriasis.
- Ayuda a prevenir la cada de los dientes y el pelo.
- Antiinflamatorio.
- Evita el crecimiento de las bacterias.
- Es un desodorante natural.
- Aumenta la energa.
- Ayuda a la regularidad intestinal.
- Estimula el metabolismo.
- Ayuda en el control y prdida de peso.
- Al reforzar el sistema inmunolgico ayuda a la prevencin
y combate el cncer.
- 46 -
Germinadores y semillas
GERMINADOS
Hoy en da debido a la forma de vida moderna, a la mala calidad de los
alimentos que consumimos, etc., es difcil obtener a travs de la alimentacin
todos los nutrientes que nos son necesarios. Estas carencias se pueden evitar
si aadimos a nuestra dieta habitual el consumo de germinados.
Los germinados son las plantas ''beb'', y poseen adems de una excepcional
vitalidad la ms alta concentracin de protenas, oligoelementos, vitaminas,
minerales, enzimas, bioflavonoides y clulas T a lo largo de la vida de la
planta. La elevada concentracin enzimtica que poseen produce una
regeneracin del torrente sanguneo y de los procesos digestivos
En Cocina Vital ponemos a tu disposicin una variedad de germinadores para
que puedas seleccionar el que mejor se adapte a tus necesidades, todos ellos
de los mejores fabricantes y con el mejor diseo, tanto manuales como
automticos.
Para germinar hemos seleccionado las semillas de GEO, de la casa Bavichi.
Esta casa lleva facilitando semillas desde 1896, y las que comercializa bajo la
marca GEO son semillas de agricultura biolgica especiales para germinar. La
casa asegura un 90% de germinacin en estas semillas.
Cada uno de los sobres de semillas contiene informacin en castellano de
cmo germinar e informacin sobre sus caractersticas alimenticias.
- 47 -
03.
GERMINADOR
MANUAL EASY
HEALTH
49.50EUR
01. GERMINADOR AUTOMTICO FRESH LIFE

134.00EUR 125.00EUR
02. Piso adicional para Germinador Fresh
life
44.95EUR 39.95EUR
01.2
DESHIDRATADOR
02.1
01.1
EXCALIBUR 5 DESHIDRATADOR
DESHIDRATADOR
BANDEJAS
EXCALIBUR 9
EXCALIBUR 5
blanco
BANDEJAS negro
BANDEJAS negro
399.00EUR
499.00EUR
399.00EUR
Deshidratadores
Extractor de zumo
01. EXTRACTOR LICUADORA MULTIFUNCIONAL GreenStar

599.00EUR 549.00EUR
- 48 -
GERMINADO DE COL LOMBARDA

GERMINADO DE GIRASOL
GERMINADO DE HINOJO I
GERMINADO DE QUINOA I
GERMINADO DE RABANO
GERMINADOS AFFILLA I
GERMINADOS ALBAHACA LIMON I
GERMINADOS ALFALFA I
GERMINADOS DE BERRO I
GERMINADOS DE BORRAJA I
GERMINADOS DE DAIKON I
GERMINADOS DE MOSTAZA I
GERMINADOS DE RUCULA I
GERMINADOS DE SHISO ROJO
Informacin / Artculos
Vegetarianismo
Qu pasa durante la germinacin?
Cuando las semillas se germinan su contenido nutricional cambia, se mejora y aumenta. En
cuanto la semilla entra en contacto con el agua, el oxgeno y el calor necesarios, empieza a
desarrollarse y tienen lugar entre otros los fenmenos siguientes:
1. Mediante la absorcin de agua la semilla duplica su volumen y revienta la cscara
protectora.
2. Las enzirnas se activan y provocan una serie de transformaciones:
Las sustancias de reserva son predigeridas y se transforman en cidos aminados,

algunos de los cuales son imprescindibles para el ser humano. El contenido proteico de
la semilla queda presente en el germinado, pero de una forma ms fcilmente
asimilable.
Se sintetizan abundantes vitaminas y fermentos. Otras vitaminas como la Vitamina C
se multiplican (ver tablas adjuntas).
Las sales minerales ( calcio, fsforo, hierro, potasio y magnesio) tambin se
multiplican.
Las grasas se transforman en cidos grasos y el almidn en maltosa y dextrina,
azcares ms simples que exigen menos esfuerzo al aparato digestivo. As pues, se
reduce la naturaleza feculosa de la semilla.
Se forma la clorofila.
Los cidos y las toxinas que de forma natural acompaan a la semilla para su defensa,
se descomponen.
El volumen y el contenido de agua pasa de ser de un 5 al 12% en la semilla a un 70%
en el germinado ( con 3 cucharadas de semilla puede obtenerse casi un litro de brotes
o germinados).
- 49 -
Contenido en vitamina C de las legumbres durante la germinacin
Tiempo de germinacin
Contenido en vitamina C
Al cabo de 24h de germinacin
De 7 a 88 Mg. /100 g
Al cabo de 48 hr. De germinacin
De 10 a 12 Mg. /100 g
Al cabo de 72h de germinacin
De 12 a 14 Mg. / 100 g
Contenido en vitamina B12 de algunas legumbres durante la germinacin

Antes de germinar
Al cabo de 2 das
Al cabo de 4 das
Mungo
0.61
0.81
1.35
Lentejas
0.43
0.42
2.37
- 50 -
Jugo o germinado de Alfalfa

Propiedades
Su riqueza en Clorofila la hace ideal como desodorante natural, para aquellas

personas cuyo olor corporal es muy fuerte.
Efecto depurativo y desintoxicante. Favorece la eliminacin de cido rico.
Es muy til en las anemias ya que es un buen regenerador de la hemoglobina.
Propiedades estrognicas ya que es rica en isoflavonas (ideal, pues, en la

menopausia ya que adems aporta mucho calcio y magnesio).
Muy indicada en periodo de lactancia ya que aumenta la produccin de leche

materna. Adems hace que la mam se recupere ms rpido del parto ya que es muy rica en
Hierro.
Ideal para personas con tendencia a las hemorragias o con fragilidad capilar por su
riqueza en vitamina K y en Rutina.
Favorece las digestiones debido a las enzimas digestivas que posee ya que evita el
desarrollo de bacterias putrefactas.
Es uno de los alimentos ms remineralizantes y alcalinizantes.
Efecto antiulceroso debido a su alto contenido en vitaminas A y E, pero sobre todo a

la vitamina U o metilmetionina, que acta protegiendo la mucosa digestiva.
Efecto rejuvenedor debido a las enzimas SOD y catalasas que disminuyen los
radicales libres.
Puede aumentar la resistencia a las enfermedades debido a sus contenido enzimtico

y a su alcalinidad, que proporcionan al organismo un equilibrio interno.
Informacin nutricional
Es uno de los alimentos ms completos y nutritivos que existe.
7 % de protenas de gran calidad y biodisponibilidad (contiene todos los aminocidos

esenciales y muchos no esenciales).
50 % de hidratos de carbono.
3 % de grasas poliinsaturadas.
25 % de fibra.
Gran cantidad de vitamina K.
Mayor cantidad de vitamina C que los ctricos.
Vitamina A, D, E, cido flico, grupo B y carotenos.
- 51 -
Muchos minerales, como el potasio, magnesio, calcio, hierro, azufre, cobalto y otros
ms.
Es una fuente muy buena de Clorofila.
Muy rica en Rutina, que es un bioflavonoide.
Sabas que?
La fibra de al alfalfa es un poco irritante si se toma en exceso, as que es mejor no pasar de
50 gr. al da o si hemos de tomar mucha, mejor licuarla.
Sabas que....?
Encontramos la descripcin de las sencillas tcnicas de germinacin en
las Escrituras de los Esenios, que vivan en Israel y Egipto en tiempos de
Cristo, y en tiempos no tan lejanos, tanto Vasco de Gama como
Magallanes pudieron realizar sus largas travesas gracias a los
germinados, que protegan a su tripulacin del escorbuto.
The Chinese have been growing mung bean sprouts (nga choy or nga choi) for
approximately 3,000 years. However, the popularity of bean sprouts in the west is a
more recent phenomenon. Many of us first got turned on to sprouts during the health
conscious seventies, when we began piling them onto green salads or in tofu burgers.
And why not? Not only are bean sprouts high in protein, vitamin C and Folacin, but
they are a dieter's dream. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one cup of
bean sprouts contains a mere twenty-six calories. They are low in salicylate, a naturally
occurring chemical in plants that some individuals have difficulty tolerating. (Aspirin is
acetyl salicylic acid). In Chinese medicine bean sprouts are considered to be a yin or
cooling food.
Both the texture and taste of mung bean sprouts - crunchy with a delicate hint of
sweetness - enhances a number of popular Chinese dishes, from Egg Rolls to stir-fries
and salads. In The Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson notes that stir-frying
bean sprouts releases a protein that isn't available when they are eaten raw. However, to
maintain their crisp texture, they shouldn't be stir-fried longer for longer than about
thirty seconds.
Today China and India are the main producers of mung beans, not surprising given their
popularity in both of these Asian countries. When it comes to importing, the United
States is one of the leading customers. This is good news for consumers since it means
that mung bean sprouts are easily obtainable at western supermarkets. When
purchasing mung bean sprouts, look for plumper ones that are not stringy or
discoloured. If not using them immediately, place in a plastic bag with a few drops of
water, seal and keep in the refrigerator. Stored in this manner, they will last for one or
two days. If you need to keep them longer, you can try covering them with cold water
and storing in a sealed jar in the refrigerator. If the water is changed every two days,
they should last for up to a week. However, since they are so easy to find, I prefer to
- 52 -
wait and purchase them just before using. Also, mung bean sprouts can be frozen if
they are to be used in cooking.
- 53 -
Principales semillas utilizadas en la germinacin

Existe una gran gama de semillas que se pueden utilizar para hacer germinados.
Sin embargo, lo ms importante es que las semillas provengan de plantas de cultivo biolgico, sin
txicos qumicos ya que as conservan todo su poder germinativo.
ALFALFA:
Sabrosa y crujiente, la alfalfa germinada es una de las germinaciones ms ricas y completas.
Posee una gran cantidad de vitaminas y minerales. Contiene los aminocidos ms importantes, y
una relacin fsforo / calcio excelente. Los granos de alfalfa son campeones de productividad.
SOJA VERDE:
El germinado de soja es muy rico en protenas y vitaminas y tiene un sabor refrescante. Su
contenido de carbohidratos es el mismo que el del meln. contiene tanta vitamina A como el
meln, tanta tiamina como el aguacate, tanta riboflavina como la manzana desecada, tanta
niacina como el pltano, tanta vitamina C como la pia y menos caloras que la papaya.
TRIGO:
Es el abanderado de los germinados. Tiene un sabor dulce y agradable, y es muy saludable. A
partir de germinados de trigo se pueden realizar numerosas preparaciones culinarias. Es preferible
utilizar variedadesantiguas de trigo como espelta o kamut. pues las variedades modernas han
sufrido numerosas hibridaciones que leshan hecho perder parte de su potencial energtico.
FENOGRECO:
Este grano, muy utilizado en Oriente Medio, tiene un sabor fuerte que permite realizar toda clase
de platos. Los germinados de fenogreco benefician al hgado, y ejercen un efecto estimulante de
todas las funciones digestivas. Tambin tienen fama por sus virtudes afrodisacas.
Y adems, poseen una curiosa particularidad otorgan un agradable olor al sudor de las personas
que lo consumen.
En los tiempos antiguos las bellas orientales, en lugar de perfumarse exteriormente, coman
germinados de fenogreco para oler bien.
GIRASOL:
Las semillas de girasol germinadas son muy ricas en protenas y grasas Insaturadas. Es un
alimento perfecto para el ser humano. Diversos estudios han demostrado que una alimentacin
constituid. casi exclusivamente de germinados de girasol durante semanas, permita alcanzar unos
niveles fsicos y mentales extraordinarios y sin sufrir carencias.
AZUKI:
Esta pequea juda roja procedente de Extremo Oriente, tiene un sabor muy caracterstico , pero
no muy fuerte. Hay que tener precaucin con los granos que no han llegado a germinar pues son
muy duros.
LENTEJAS:
De sabor agradable, son muy ricas en protenas y hierro y tienen grandes propiedades
energticas y nutritivas.
- 54 -
GARBANZO:
Con los germinados de garbanzos se pueden realizar deliciosos pats vegetales. Adems, al
contrario de lo que ocurre cuando cocinamos el grano seco, los germinados de garbanzos no
producen gases durante la digestin.
CEBOLLA:
Los germinados de cebolla tienen el mismo sabor que la cebolla tierna....pero mucho ms tierna!
Resulta chocante su aspecto, pues an despus de germinar, las semillas presentan el mismo color
negro que tenan antes de la germinacin. Sus tallos son largos y verdes, y resultan muy
adecuados para aadir a las ensaladas o condimentar cualquier plato.
ARROZ:
Germina con facilidad, aunque el principal problema reside en encontrar arroz que haya sido
secado a temperatura ambiente. La mayora de arroces del mercado, incluso los biolgicos, han
sido secados con calor y han perdido su potencial germinativo.
HINOJO:
Una forma nueva y original de consumir el hinojo. De esta planta no slo se consumen los
deliciosos bulbos, sino que tambin produce unos fantsticos germinados con su caracterstico
sabor anisado.
MOSTAZA:
Es el germinado ms picante. Ideal para condimentar platos de una forma sana y natural pues su
sabor resulta ms autntico que la mostaza comercializada en forma de salsa.
QUINOA:
Es un cereal procedente de Sudamrica, y el alimento preferido de los incas. Los germinados de
quinoa proporcionan una extraordinaria vitalidad, y se pueden consumir solos o mezclados con
ensaladas u otros platos.
TRBOL:
La simptica planta de la suerte produce unos germinados largos y finos, parecidos a los de la
alfalfa aunque con un sabor ms consistente, y que adquieren clorofila con facilidad.
RBANOS:
Para los amantes de los sabores fuertes. Los germinados de rabanitos conservan el sabor
caracterstico de la planta adulta, pero con mayor intensidad. Resultan muy apropiados para
mezclar con otros germinados ms suaves.
ESCAROLA:
Para los adictos a las ensaladas, nada mejor que un plato de germinados de escarola. La
"tiernicidad" de unas hojas verdes elevada a la ensima potencia.
AMAPOLA:
Las semillas de amapola producen unos germinados algodonosos y de color ocre. Poseen un sabor
muy particular y agradable.
Es como llevarse un plato de flores silvestres a la mesa.
- 55 -
Jugo o germinado de Cebada

QU ES LA CEBADA?
La cebada es una planta gramnea anual y se recolecta para sacarle el jugo cuando tiene unos 20
cm. de altura ya que su concentracin en principios inmediatos, minerales, vitaminas y
enzimas es el ms ptimo.
Hay empresas que luego lo evaporan y lo comercializan en forma de polvo o comprimido.
CULES SON LAS PROPIEDADES DE LA CEBADA?

Se recomienda en:
Envejecimiento celular y aparicin de arrugas prematuramente gracias a su contenido

en las enzimas SOD, peroxidasas y catalasas, vitaminas y minerales y protenas que
actan favoreciendo el buen estado celular tanto de los rganos internos, como de la piel.
Alteraciones cutneas inespecficas (dermatosis, eczemas, etc), en donde la accin de

vitaminas, minerales y enzimas, se potencian con las de los cidos grasos esenciales.
Alteracin de lquidos, en donde el contenido de potasio y sodio de la cebada, ayuda a

mantener el equilibrio osmtico celular. Evitando la retencin de agua (edemas) y las
deshidrataciones.
Control de peso: acta de forma indirecta, ya que al mejorar el metabolismo a nivel

general, acta agilizando el metabolismo de los lpidos, adems de estimular la
movilizacin de los lquidos tisulares.
Alteraciones hormonales de la mujer, por su contenido en isoflavonas, que le confieren

capacidad estrognica. Al mismo tiempo su riqueza en Calcio, Magnesio y muchos otros
minerales la hacen muy interesante para problemas de Osteoporosis y falta de Calcio.
Anemias por la capacidad antianmica de la clorofila, por su contenido en cido flico,

hierro y cobre que favorecen y estimulan la sntesis de hemoglobina.
Potenciador de la energa sexual y del fluido seminal gracias a su contenido en zinc.
En casos de astenia y fatiga primaveral.
Embarazo: es sabida la garanta de salud para el feto si se mantiene una alimentacin

alcalinizante y equilibrada durante el embarazo.
Lactancia: por su contenido en vitaminas, minerales, protenas e isoflavonas con

capacidad estrognica.
En enfermedades cardiovasculares, gracias sobre todo, a su contenido en cidos

grasos esenciales (hipolipidemiantes, antiateromatosos, hipotensores, antiagregantes
plaquetarios, etc.), a determinados minerales (Potasio, Calcio, Magnesio, etc.) y a su
poder alcalinizante.
Hipercolesterinemias por su contenido en cidos grasos esenciales y clorofila.
Cirrosis y esteatosis hepticas, por su contenido en colina (sustancia que se opone a

los depsitos de grasa en el hgado) y en cidos grasos esenciales.
Situaciones de estrs ya que nos produce un mayor consumo y excrecin de minerales

(potasio, calcio, magnesio) y vitaminas, especialmente del grupo B (B1, B2, B6,
niacinamida, cido pantotnico, as como vitamina C, A, cido flico, colina y biotina).
En la rigidez muscular sobre todo de hombros y espalda. Esto es debido a una acmulo
de cido lctico, sobre todo gracias al estrs. El efecto alcalinizante y remineralizante de
la cebada es fundamental en estos casos.
Convalecencias y personas mayores por su contenido en vitaminas, minerales,

protenas, clorofila, etc.
- 56 -
Deportistas: adems de ser ideal para reponer la gran cantidad de minerales que han
perdido por el sudor, la cebada por su poder alcalinizante, contrarresta los efectos de la
acidosis producidos en los perodos de mximo esfuerzo muscular, impidiendo la aparicin
de agujetas.
Alteraciones gstricas e intestinales, por su contenido enzimtico, en clorofila,

vitaminas y minerales, colabora en la digestin de los alimentos, favoreciendo su
asimilacin y correcta utilizacin por parte de las clulas.
En procesos reumticos (artrosis, artritis, gota, etc.) en donde existe una gran
tendencia a la acidosis del organismo, la cebada tiene un gran campo de accin tanto por
su poder alcalinizante como por su contenido en vitaminas y minerales.
En nios por su riqueza en vitaminas, minerales y clorofila, es muy til en perodos de

crecimiento, en falta de apetito, desarrollo muscular insuficiente, durante el periodo
escolar, en caso de infecciones repetitivas, etc.
INFORMACIN NUTRICIONAL DE LA CEBADA
Es bastante corriente, la creencia de que la mayor fuente de protenas procede del reino
animal, es decir, carnes, pescados, lcteos y huevos entre otros. Pero tal creencia es
falsa, de hecho gran nmero de plantas tienen un rico contenido proteico; destacan las
hojas de cebada verde con aproximadamente un 45%.
Contiene tambin grandes cantidades de aminocidos esenciales (son aquellos que el

hombre no es capaz de sintetizar por lo que los debemos introducir a travs de la
alimentacin).
Debemos resaltar su contenido en triptfano, precursor de la biosntesis de diversas

sustancias, entre ellas, la serotonina, sustancia vasoconstrictora y neurotransmisora.
Contiene cidos grasos esenciales, tales como el linoleico, linolnico, zoomrico, cprico,
oleico, ercido, larico, esterico, palmtico, mirstico, araqurico, etc.
Es rica en vitamina C, biotina, tiamina (vit. B1), colina, riboflavina (vit. B2), cido
flico, piridoxina (vit. B6), carotenos (provitamina A), cido nicotnico, cido
pantotnico.
Es rica en minerales, entre los que destacan: cobre, fsforo, zinc, calcio, magnesio,
sodio, hierro, manganeso y potasio.
Es una fuente muy importante de clorofila.
La cebada contiene aproximadamente unas 20 enzimas. Las enzimas son sustancias

imprescindibles para que el cuerpo humano realice todas sus funciones con normalidad.
SABAS QUE LA CEBADA...?

Es un alimento con un Ph de 6,15 a 6,8.
Como consecuencia de la digestin y metabolismo de los alimentos, el organismo fabrica y

acumula una serie de metabolitos cidos. Cuando aparecen en cantidades ms grandes de lo que
el cuerpo puede eliminar, se crea un estado de autointoxicacin que favorece el desarrollo de un
terreno orgnico predispuesto a padecer estados patgenos.
La cebada ayuda a conseguir el equilibrio qumico del cuerpo sin tener que provocar drsticos
cambios en la alimentacin de las personas, mientras se les va enseando la manera ms
conveniente y adecuada de alimentarse segn las necesidades de cada uno.
Datos del Autor:
- 57 -
Nombre: Josep Vicent Arnau

Contacto: JosepArnau@enbuenasmanos.com
Formacin: Naturpata y Acupuntor
Verde es el color de algunas de las formas de vida ms antiguas. La clorofila es la responsable
del color verde de las plantas, las cuales a travs del proceso de la fotosntesis transforman la luz
del sol en energa qumica natural. Adems a la clorofila se le atribuyen importantes propiedades
antiinflamatorias y antioxidantes. Desde la antigedad los alimentos de color verde, ricos en
clorofila, han sido tradicionalmente usados para depurar, renovar y proteger el organismo. La
clorofila es la demostracin palpable de la fuerza vital de las plantas sobre la salud del hombre.
Una dieta sana y equilibrada es fundamental para disfrutar de buena salud y para mantener el
cuerpo joven y activo. Pero en la sociedad actual la pobreza nutricional de la alimentacin, se
camufla muchas veces en la tendencia a concentrar vitaminas y minerales en pldoras con el
intento de dotar al organismo de las deficiencias que le ocasiona la dieta. Pero est cientficamente
demostrado que las vitaminas y los minerales naturalmente presentes en los alimentos son
absorbidos, metabolizados y asimilados en las clulas de manera ms eficiente y rpida que las
vitaminas y minerales aislados o sintetizados, ya que se encuentran integrados y unidos a otros
componentes de la naturaleza reconocibles por el organismo que actan de transportadores
naturales al interior de las clulas.
IMPORTANCIA DE LA CLOROFILA
La clorofila utilizada en uso oral demostr su capacidad de eliminacin del olor corporal y mal
aliento. Cuando la clorofila se toma en forma de dieta vegetariana no es totalmente liberada de
dentro de las paredes celulares del tejido de la planta y consecuentemente no es absorbida.
La clorofila ha sido reconocida desde la antigedad como un gran cicatrizante. Durante la

Primera Guerra Mundial fue utilizada en los vendajes para estimular la cicatrizacin y retirar el
tejido necrosado de las heridas. Se le atribuye a la clorofila la capacidad de estimular el
crecimiento del tejido conectivo y la proliferacin epidrmica con la formacin mnima de cicatriz.
En los aos 40 la clorofila se utiliz para tratar infecciones quirrgicas en heridas abiertas e
infecciones profundas asociadas con drenajes.
El dao y la alteracin del ADN por genotxicos medioambientales es una de las principales causas
de cncer y desrdenes genticos. Se ha descubierto la accin protectora de la clorofila frente a
ciertos genotxicos como el diesel, el humo del tabaco y el polvo del alquitrn. El modo de accin
de la clorofila se debe a que retira de manera muy eficiente estos componentes genotxicos o se
acopla con ellos desactivndolos.
Adems de la clorofila, en los jugos verdes de las plantas podemos encontrar cantidades
importantes de carotenos, de los que existen diferentes estudios que los relacionan con la
disminucin de riesgo a padecer cnceres epiteliales y otros tipos de cncer, en especial por su
riqueza en b-caroteno, xantofila y lutena.
BUENAS RAZONES PARA APUNTARNOS AL CONCEPTO VERDE

Se trata de un alimento natural, ntegro y vital: para asegurarse todos los das un adecuado
aporte de nutrientes funcionales vivos. Son ricos en vitaminas, minerales, aminocidos,
enzimas activas, bioflavonoides, clorofila y otros fitonutrientes necesarios para una
correcta actividad celular y para reparar y proteger las clulas de las agresiones externas y de la
accin del tiempo.
- 58 -
Son el aporte seguro de nutrientes que van a ser perfectamente asimilados.
Garantizan una proteccin contra los radicales libres por la presencia de sustancias naturales con
importante accin antioxidante, imposibles de encontrar en los alimentos excesivamente
elaborados que ingerimos.
Nos ayudan a mantenernos limpios por dentro, favoreciendo la desintoxicacin del aparato
digestivo y la purificacin de la sangre. Los alimentos verdes vienen siendo tradicionalmente
utilizados para purificar el cuerpo y eliminar metales pesado y toxinas.
- 59 -
Souped-Up Broccoli, Broccoli Sprouts Deter Cancers in

Rats
By Judy McBride
November 15, 2001
Specially grown broccoli--containing hundreds of times more selenium than
grocery store varieties--protected laboratory rats against mammary tumors
in a Roswell Park Cancer Institute laboratory at Buffalo, N.Y.
And high-selenium broccoli sprouts protected rats against precancerous
lesions in the colon in an Agricultural Research Service laboratory in Grand
Forks, N.D. Whether the findings translate to humans, either for efficacy or
safety, will require further study.
John W. Finley, a nutritionist at ARS' Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research
Center, and colleagues recently reported the findings together with Clement
Ip at Roswell Park, Buffalo; Phil D. Whanger at Oregon State University,
Corvallis, and others.
The broccoli heads and sprouts used in these studies were produced for
experimental purposes and are not available commercially. The rats were
given enough to approximate a human dose of about 200 micrograms daily.
Several human studies have shown that taking a 200 mcg-selenium
supplement--thats about three times the Reference Daily Intake--can
reduce the incidence of several types of cancer. But it will not reverse
tumors once they develop.
The researchers enriched broccoli because it stores selenium in a unique
form, called SeMSC for short. Its easy for people and animals to convert
SeMSC into the active anticancer agent compared to a much longer process
for other selenium compounds. In earlier studies, when Finley and coworkers challenged rats with known carcinogens, the animals that had
eaten the high-selenium broccoli had far fewer precancerous colon lesions
than the groups given selenium salts--selenate or selenite.
In the latest studies, Ip and coworkers at the Buffalo lab found a similar
protective effect of high-selenium broccoli against mammary tumors, using
a rat model for such tumors. The rats got about 30 times more selenium
from the specially grown broccoli than they would in a standard diet.
Meanwhile, Finley and coworkers at the Grand Forks lab tested highselenium broccoli sprouts in a rat model for colon cancer and saw the same
protective effect they had earlier gotten with high-selenium broccoli. Found
in many health food stores, broccoli sprouts are known to be rich in other
anticancer compounds, but commercially available broccoli sprouts are not
enriched in selenium.
- 60 -
Sproutman's Sprouting Seeds

Organically Grown, Pesticide-Free, Sprouting Grade seeds
Special
To Order: Click on Link at Bottom
Beginner's Dozen
$59.99
Get one pound each of alfalfa, clover, radish, cabbage, barley grass, buckwheat, mung,
lentil, peas, garbanzo, and 4 ounces each of garlic and broccoli seeds. A
$70.00 value. Save over $10.00!
Buckwheat
Kamut
Pounds
Price
Pounds
Price
1 lb
$ 2.99
1 lb
$ 2.99
5 lbs
$11.99
5 lbs
$11.99
10 lbs
$19.99
10 lbs
N/A
25 lbs
$39.99
25 lbs
N/A
- 61 -
Sweet Green Peas
Garbanzo
Pounds
Price
Pounds
Price
1 lb
$ 3.29
1 lb
$ 2.99
5 lbs
$13.29
5 lbs
$11.99
10 lbs
$22.29
10 lbs
$19.99
25 lbs
N/A
25 lbs
$39.99
French Lentils
Red Lentils
Pounds
Price
Pounds
Price
1 lb
$ 2.99
1 lb
$ 3.99
5 lbs
$15.99
5 lbs
$15.99
10 lbs
$27.99
10 lbs
N/A
25 lbs
$ 55.99
25 lbs
N/A
Mung Beans
Pounds
Price
1 lb
$3.29
5 lbs
$13.29
10 lbs
$22.29
25 lbs
$44.99
Fenugreek
Pounds
Price
1 lb
$ 5.99
5 lbs
$19.99
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$35.99
25 lbs
$75.99
lack Sunflower
Red Clover
Pounds
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Price
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$ 5.99
1 lb
$6.99
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$ 19.99
5 lbs
$24.99
10 lbs
N/A
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$42.99
25 lbs
N/A
25 lbs
$91.99
- 62 -
China Radish Rose
Broccoli Blend
Pounds
Price
Pounds
Price
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$5.99
1 lb
$9.99
5 lbs
$19.99
5 lbs
$44.99
10 lbs
$35.99
10 lbs
N/A
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$75.99
25 lbs
N/A
Broccoli
Garlic Chives
Pound/Ounce
Price
Pound/Ounce
Price
4 oz
$5.99
4 oz
$10.99
1 lbs
$20.99
1 lbs
$32.99
NOTE: Prices and availability of items listed on this page

are subject to change without notice.
Sproutman Publications
Steve Meyerowitz, Sproutman
P.O. Box 1100, Great Barrington, Mass. 01230
- 63 -
NK Califa
NK Jalisco MR
NK Sanbro
NK Sanbro
MR
NK Sanay MR
NK Astri
Oleic
Radish
Daikon and China Rose

Spicy and so very very very beautiful!
Seed to Sprout in 3 - 6 Days
Yield = 5:1
Seed Shelf Life at 70 = 4 - 5 years
Sprout Shelf Life = 2 - 6 weeks
Nutritional info:
Vitamins A, B, C, E and K
Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc
Carotene, Chlorophyll
Amino Acids
Trace Elements
Antioxidants
Protein: 35%
- 64 -
Sprouting Instructions
Yields approximately 2 Cups (1/2 lb.) of Sprouts
Prep 3 Tablespoons of seed* then transfer (if necessary) into a bowl or into your
Sprouter.
Add 2-3 times as much cool (60-70) water.
Mix seeds up to assure even water contact for all.
Note: Brassicas tend to float. Try to sink those that do by knocking them down with
your fingers. Most of those floating seeds will sink during the hours they are soaking,
but it is a good habit to pay attention to your seed's needs, and this is the perfect place
to start!
Allow seeds to Soak for 6-12 hours.
Empty the seeds into your sprouter (if necessary).
Drain off the soak water.
Rinse thoroughly with cool (60-70) water.
Drain thoroughly.
Set your Sprouter anywhere out of direct sunlight and at room temperature (70 is
optimal) between Rinses.
This is where your sprouts do their growing. We use a counter top in our kitchen - right
in the middle of the room but where the sprouter won't get knocked over by kids, dogs,
cats or us. Our kitchen gets no direct sun but we don't mind the diffuse sunlight or the
150 watts of incandescent light. Light just does not matter much. A plant can only
perform photosynthesis when it has leaves. Until then light has little if any effect, so
don't hide your sprouts!
Rinse and Drain again every 8-12 hours for 3 days.
As long as you grow you have to keep the sprouts happy!
Note: These wonderful little Brassica plants have a unique root structure. Brassicas
will show microscopic roots starting around day 3. They are called root hairs and are
most visible just before Rinsing when the sprouts are at their driest. When you Rinse the
root hairs will collapse back against the main root. Many folks thing these root hairs
are mold - but they are not. Now you know!
Greening
On the 4th day relocate your sprouts if necessary.
If you've been keeping them away from light, move them. Avoid direct sun - it can cook
your sprouts. Indirect sunlight is best but virtually any light will do. Experiment - you
will be amazed at how little light sprouts require to green up.
Continue to Rinse and Drain every 8-12 hours.
As long as you grow you have to keep the sprouts happy.
Finishing
Your sprouts will be done during day 5 or 6.
- 65 -
The majority of sprouts will have open leaves which will be green if you exposed them
to light.
De-Hull
Before your final Rinse remove the seed hulls.
Brassica sprout hulls are quite large (relative to the seed and sprout) and they hold a lot
of water (which can dramatically lessen the shelf life of your sprouts), so we remove
them:
Transfer the sprouts to a big (at least 3-4 times the volume of your sprouter) pot or
bowl, fill with cool water, loosen the sprout mass and agitate with your hand. Skim the
hulls off the surface. Return the sprouts to your sprouter for their Rinse and Drain.
That's the short course - here is the full lesson.
Harvest
Your sprouts are done 8-12 hours after your final rinse. After the De-Hulling and the
final Rinse we need to Drain very thoroughly and let our sprouts dry a bit. If we
minimize the surface moisture of our sprouts they store much better in refrigeration, so
we let them sit for 8-12 hours....
OR
We can use a salad spinner to dry the sprouts after their final Rinse and skip the final 812 hour wait, instead going directly to Refrigeration.
Refrigerate
Transfer the sprout crop to a plastic bag or the sealed container of your choice.
Notes:
When conditions are warm your sprouts will likely grow faster. If their leaves open
sooner you should green and de-hull and harvest sooner. Likewise they may grow
slower if conditions are very cool. These are just tiny plants they are not difficult to
understand. The more you sprout the better you'll know them and be able to adjust to
their needs. As always 70 is optimal and 70 is what our instructions are written for.
All sprouts generate heat while growing, which is a good thing, but it can get out of
hand on occasion. When the weather is especially hot and humid you will do well to
Rinse more frequently (every 8 hours if possible) using colder water than usual (the
coldest your tap can offer is fine), to compensate.
Depending on your sprouting device, not all of your sprouts will have access to light
and so some will not green. This is not only OK - it is good. The yellow sprouts will be
equally nutritious (they have everything but chlorophyll) and many think them more
delicious (in Europe vegetables are often grown "blanched" by avoiding light). We think
they are prettier when there is a mix of green and yellow to go with the white roots. So
don't sweat it - just eat more sprouts!
It is ESSENTIAL that you keep Brassica sprouts from clumping together and you CAN
NOT grow them vertically using a tray sprouter. Brassica sprouts will mat together
- 66 -
forming a dense bluish root mass which not only is unattractive but shortens the shelf
life of the finished sprouts. So mix em up! We use high water pressure when Rinsing to
keep our brassica sprouts loose, but this only works for so long - so - when water isn't
enough, break the clump of sprouts up using a fork or your fingers (wash your hands
first please, if they need it). If you are using a sprouter that can hold water, fill it mostly
full then use a fork to loosen. You can also dump your sprouts onto or into something
and just shake them apart. You should never be afraid** of touching your sprouts. They
are much stronger then they appear - just be reasonably gentle.
** The only thing to fear is fear itself.
* If using Single Harvest Pack - use the whole bag.
These seeds yield approximately 5:1, so in theory you can start with as much as 1/5 as
much dry seed as your Sprouter has capacity (though we advise less so that you have
some room to move).
Wheat Grass
Hard Winter Wheat

THE Nectar of the Gods!
The ultimate blood purifier, Wheat Grass Juice is the closest thing there is to blood
itself!
Note: This is the same seed we sell for Wheat Sprouts.
Seed to Grass in 6 - 9 Days
Yield = 1:1
Seed Shelf Life at 70 = 1.5 - 3 years
Grass Shelf Life = 1 week
- 67 -
Nutritional info:
Calcium, Chlorophyll, Iron, Lecithin, Magnesium, Pantothenic Acid, Phosphorus, Potassium
Amino Acids
Trace Elements
Protein: up to 30%
How much you soak depends on the area you are planting - see here.
Yields approximately as much grass (by weight) as grain planted
Planting Medium: We have grown Grass - on soil - in Trays, for years. But, we now
have two alternatives: Soilless mediums Baby Blanket and Vermiculite, and organic
liquid kelp fertilizer (Kelpman). Baby Blanket is a thin organic material that you soak
before planting upon. It holds moisture and is the least messy and compact medium we
know of. Vermiculite is a mineral which holds moisture supremely, dispenses added
nutrients over time and in general acts much like soil. We think you should try all of
them if you can - there are differences and though they are minimal you may prefer one
method over the other and the only way to know for sure is to try. Instructions are pretty
much the same in all cases, but where there is a difference we include purple text like
this.
Soil Note: Virtually any soil will do for Grass! We use sterile bagged composted cow
manure, but any sterile bagged soil will do and should cost less than $5 (for a 40 pound
bag!) at any garden center. You can use expensive soil if you prefer - it is your choice always.
Tray Note: Your Planting Tray (the one with the soil or medium in it) MUST have
drainage holes or slits! Nothing will grow in a medium that can not drain - that
condition is commonly called "flooded". When using Baby Blanket or Vermiculite your
Planting Tray must also have drainage, but we do use the Drip Tray to hold some water
at times in the growing process.
When growing Grass: You really MUST Pre-Sprout it before planting.
Pre-Sprout
Put seed* into a bowl or your Sprouter.
Add 2-3 times as much cool (60-70 degree) water.
Empty the seeds into your sprouter if necessary.
Rinse thoroughly with cool (60-70) water
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and Drain thoroughly.

Set anywhere out of direct sunlight and at room temperature (70 is optimal)
between Rinses.
Rinse and Drain again in 8-12 hours.
And, perhaps one more...
Rinse and Drain in 8-12 hours.
And, conceivably one more...
The goal is to have a small root before planting.
When most of the seeds have sprouted tiny (1/8-1/4 inch) roots it is time to plant. This is
typically after just 2-3 Rinse and Drain cycles.
Planting
Soil Note: The amount of soil you use is up to you. The reality is this: As your plants
grow they need more and more water. They get their water from the soil. The more soil
you use - the more water it can hold - the less you need to water.
Thoroughly moisten the soil. Allow puddles to dry.
Sometimes you may need to use your fingers to make sure the soil is moist all the way
down to the bottom of the tray. Water, mix, water, mix, etc. Sometimes you don't have to
do that.
Baby Blanket:
Prepare the pad: Cut it to fit your Tray if necessary. Soak it in water or better yet,
Kelpman enriched water (You don't NEED fertilizer for grass, but we use it when we
grow without soil.) until thoroughly saturated (fold it up and push it into the liquid - use
a pot or something similar to hold it). Unfold it and re-fold differently or do whatever
makes sense - the goal is to get the pad THOROUHGLY soaked. Spread the wet pad
across the bottom of your Planting Tray. Proceed...
Vermiculite:
Vermiculite absorbs liquid so readily and holds it so supremely that you need little of it.
We use 3 Cups for an 11 x 11 inch tray and 6 Cups for an 11 x 22 inch tray. If you're
using another tray, make it 1/4 - 1/2 inch deep. Spray water evenly across the surface
then spread it out as evenly as you can. We like to use Kelpman enriched water (You
don't NEED fertilizer for grass, but we use it when we grow without soil.) so we just
pour it on until thoroughly saturated and then spread it out. The amount of liquid is
this: a little more than one quart for an 11 x 22 inch tray. You don't want more than a
little left in the Drip Tray. Pour off what water remains above the ridges of the Drip
Tray. Proceed...
Spread seeds evenly on thoroughly moistened soil or medium.
Rinse your seeds one last time and then sprinkle them across the planting medium.
Spread them out as evenly as you can. We use a lot of grain and though some literature
will tell you that your seeds should not ever lay atop each other, we have found from
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years of experience and thousands of Trays of Grass grown that that is bunk! You will
learn for yourself that Grass produces a plant that takes up less room than the grain
did, and so to maximize your yield your seeds must lay atop each other to some degree.
The thing to watch is this: If you find mold or fungal problems in your Grass then lessen
the amount of grain you plant. The hotter/more humid your climate is the more of an
issue the mold/fungus is. As always, you need to adapt to your own climate and
seasonal conditions. And learn as you go - this is really easy and fun stuff to learn!
Cover the planted tray
with an inverted tray (the Cover Tray) - to keep light out and moisture in.
Note: Your covering tray should have holes or slits in it so that some air circulation
exists. Without this very minimal air flow you might have mold or fungal problems.
Place in a low-light, room temperature location.
70 is always optimal but Grass will grow very well in cooler temperatures also.
Water lightly once or twice a day.
The goal is to keep the sprouts moist until their roots bury themselves in the
soil/medium - at which point your goal is to keep the soil/medium moist. Spraying the
sprouts is best - whether you use a garden hose sprayer, hand sprayer or faucet sprayer just try to make sure that every sprout gets rinsed and quenched until they bury their
roots. You may use Kelpman if you like.
Water the medium.
Once the roots are buried all you need to do is keep the medium moist - the seeds and
subsequent grass will get the moisture they need through their roots. Water from the side
if possible, to prevent injuring the tender blades.
The Soilless alternative.
Baby Blanket will dry out more quickly than soil in most circumstances, so you should
either water more often or experiment with our somewhat risky trick:
Use the Drip Tray to hold some water. The roots will actually sit in this, so don't go
crazy - too much can drown your plants and/or lead to fungal or mold problems. Just
leave as much water as the grass can drink in a day and then add more the following
day. The amount is dependant on the climate (humidity especially) you're growing in, so
you'll have to learn this for yourself. We suggest that you start with 1-2 cups in the Drip
Tray. Lift the Planting Tray to see how much is left after 4, 8 and 12 hours. If the Drip
Tray is dry add more water - if there is still water 24 hours later then cut back the next
time you add water. Pretty simple really, and not as risky as we make it sound - it is
really a time saver and produces happier healthy grass.
Once again, we do recommend Kelpman enriched water for soilless growers. Soil
growers may use it too of course, but the soil does have some nutrients already, so it is
not nearly as important for you.
Vermiculite holds water better than anything, but the same method works for it: Use the
Drip Tray to hold some water. The roots will eventually grow into this, so don't go crazy
- too much can drown your plants and/or lead to fungal or mold problems. Just leave as
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much water as the grass and Vermiculite can drink in a day and then add more the
following day. The amount is dependant on the climate (humidity especially) you're
growing in, so you'll have to learn this for yourself. We suggest that you start with 1-2
cups in the Drip Tray. Lift the Planting Tray to see how much is left after 4, 8 and 12
hours. If the Drip Tray is dry add more water - if there is still water 24 hours later then
cut back the next time you add water. Pretty simple really, and not as risky as we make
it sound - it is really a time saver and produces happier healthy grass. Use Kelpman
too. We probably give more water than is necessary, but we end up with great crops and
the grass keeps growing even after we cut it - even if we don't add water daily.
Vermiculite is great stuff!
Uncover your Grass
Wait 3-4 days until it is 1-2 inches tall or until it pushes the covering tray up (it really
will do that - it is cool!)
Move to a well lit location to Green your Grass
(If you use direct sunlight (a very good idea for grass) be prepared to do more
watering). Keep it moist by watering the soil/medium daily. Watch it grow. It takes
about 10 days to get to....
Harvest
By cutting just above the soil/medium when the Grass is 6 or more inches tall (actually
height is just a matter of yield - you can cut it any time you want to).
Note: We believe that you will get the best flavor and nutrition from freshly cut Grass.
We cut JUST prior to juicing and we feel the difference! But, you are better off juicing
week old Grass than no Grass at all, so do what you must! Drink More Juice!
If you are going to store your crop: During the final 8-12 hours minimize the surface
moisture of your Grass - it will store best in your refrigerator if they are dry to the
touch. So if you water try to keep the water off the plants - just water the soil/medium.
Transfer your crop to a plastic bag or the sealed container of your choice - glass is
good - and put them in your refrigerator.
Note: Grass can produce a 2nd and even 3rd crop so you may continue to water the
Tray after you cut your first crop. The 2nd and more so the 3rd crop is not as tender nor
usually as big, but it is good to try growing at least a 2nd crop. Decide for yourself if it
is worth it! Vermiculite is the best medium if you want to go for multiple cuttings!
* Note: If using Single Harvest Pack use the whole bag on our 5 inch tray (or similar).
Or Use:
1/4-1/3 Cups Dry Grain for a 4-5 inch square Tray.
1-2 Cups dry grain for an 11 inch square Tray.
2-4 Cups dry grain for for an 11 inch x 22 inch Tray.
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The surest way to know what amount of seed to use: Spread dry seed on the bottom
of your sprouter so that the seed is spread evenly but densely.
Once again: The more densely you plant the seed the less air circulates around the
individual blades of grass. This can cause some fungal growth - we call it fuzzies.
This is not a problem, except that it is unattractive. If you are consuming this as juice just rinse it off when you harvest the grass. If you hate it - increase air flow by planting
less seed. Additionally, you may move your grass to a better ventilated area. In summer
we grow our grass outside (from the point when we uncover the tray) for optimal air
circulation.
Description
The classic power drink's source plant. Easy to grow and seriously rejuvinating when
ingested. If everyone drank this stuff the average life expectancy would jump 10 years,
this is greeeaat stuff! Wheat Grass Juice is has a very intense flavor. We've been
drinking it since the 1970s and have found that we enjoy it more now than ever - since
we got a Green Life (now improved by the mfg. and called Green Star) juicer we mix
our grass juice with carrot and apple juice - it is delicious!
You need a special juicer to extract the nectar from this grass - it is well worth the
effort! Look on our Juicer page for more info
Mung Bean
The most widely consumed sprout on our planet!

Absolutely unique, Mungs are great, grEAT, GREAT!
Seed to Sprout in 2-5 Days
Yield = 2:1
Seed Shelf Life at 70 = 2-4 years
Sprout Shelf Life = 2-6 weeks
Nutritional info:
Vitamins A, B, C and E
Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium
Amino Acids
Protein: 20%
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Yields approximately 1 Cup (1/2 lb.) of Sprouts
Put 1/3 - 1/2 Cup of seed* into a bowl or Sprouter.

Note: Mung Beans are grown in China by farmers - often
with little machinery. After harvest they are left to dry on
gravel roads - so they are dusty. So: Prep before Soaking, by running water through
them until the exiting water runs clear. It doesn't take long - they aren't very dirty
nowadays. Is that not cool?! The dust/dirt you just washed off of your Mungs was part of
a Chinese road!!!
Add 2-3 times as much cool (70) water.
Note: Occasionally Mungs will have some small percentage of hard seed (seeds that are
as hard after soaking as before because they don't absorb any water). If you buy your
seed from us this is not much of a concern, but you should examine them after soaking to
make sure there are no hard seeds lurking at the bottom. If there are - throw those (the
hard ones) out! They are easy to spot as they are smaller and darker, and they make a
different sound, than those that are swollen with water.
We normally soak mungs for the full 12 hours in any case. If you got your seeds
elsewhere and have a problem with hard seeds you can often solve the problem by
initiating your soak with warmer water (start at 80 - 90) that will cool as the soak
progresses. The warmth can convince most hard seeds to go ahead and drink.
Drain thoroughly.
Set anywhere - in low light and at room temperature (70 is optimal) between
Rinses.
How Long to Grow

If you just want little sweet mungs
(1/4 - 1/2 inch roots):
Rinse and Drain every 8-12 hours.
for 2 - 3 days.
If you just want to grow big mungs
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(1 - 3 inch roots):
for 4 - 5 days.
Grow them for as long as you like (as long as you continue to Rinse and Drain every 812 hours) and find out for yourself when they are most delicious!
Big and Thick Notes:

Mung Bean Sprouts are most commonly seen big and thick rooted. They are common in
Chinese cuisine. Commercial Mung Beans are grown with chemicals and gasses in huge
500 gallon machines. You will never get your home grown sprouts to look like those you
see at a restaurant or supermarket, but you can get some thick roots. To do this you will
need a sprouter which drains from the bottom (Easy Sprout, SproutMaster, or The Tube,
and you'll need to add these procedures to your growing schedule:
Plan on filling your sprouter all the way - with finished sprouts. The resulting maximum
mass will help them grow big, so start with dry seed equal to 1/3 of your sprouters
capacity! For example: A 1 Qt. device would want 1.3 cups of dry seed
When you Rinse, try not to disturb them. Let the beans stay where they are. Rinse
longer - with lower water pressure during the first 2-3 days - until they stay in place.
When they stay turn up the pressure as high as they can take it.
Keep your sprouter in as dark a place as you can without limiting air flow too much:
Don't put them (or any other sprout) in a closed cabinet or closet, etc. Darkness is a
VERY over-rated element in sprouting! Just minimize it by using a darkish corner in
your kitchen.
Apply a weight directly to the beans while in the sprouter (between Rinses). We
recommend using an Easy Sprout or two. We fill the Solid Base, of the Easy Sprout that
we aren't growing in, 1/2 - 2/3 full of water. We then put that Solid Base right on top of
the beans between Rinses. You can rig something else if you like - using Easy Sprout or
another sprouter.
On the 3rd day, or when your beans are solidly in place (they won't be budged by
water), soak the sprouts for 10-20 minutes in cool water. If you are using Easy Sprout all
you have to do is leave the Growing Vessel in the Solid Base (that in which it always sits
between rinses) and fill it up. You can do this with The Tube too - using your Solid
Brown Lid. If you are using SproutMaster or some other sprouter you can put it in a pot
or something else that holds water. Rinse well after this soaking.
As the sprouts grow you can reduce the weight on them to nothing by the last day. The
sprouts themselves form such a tight mass that they apply their own weight.
You may skip the last Rinse - allowing your sprouts to grow for 24 hours without water.
They will generate more heat (which all sprouts do as they grow - at every stage) than
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usual and can gain substantial mass during this period. There is a slight danger in this that the sprouts will generate too much heat and will start to slow-cook, but it is a very
rare problem.
Experiment! Have Fun! It's All Good!
Harvest
Your sprouts are done 8-12 (or 24) hours after your final rinse. Be sure to Drain
them as thoroughly as possible after that final rinse.
The goal during the final 8-12 hours is to minimize the surface moisture of your sprouts
- they will store best in your refrigerator if they are dry to the touch.
Refrigerate
Transfer your sprout crop to a plastic bag or the sealed container of your choice glass is good too - and put them in your refrigerator.
* If using Single Harvest Pack use the whole bag.

Remember that the yield will be approximately 2:1 if you are growing them small and
3:1 if you are going for the big, thick sprouts, so you can start with as much as 1/2 as
much dry seed as your Sprouter has capacity.
If you are going for big mungs we suggest that you plan on filling your sprouter all the
way - with finished sprouts. The resulting maximum mass will help them grow big, so
start with dry seed equal to 1/3 of your sprouters capacity!
Printable Sprouting Instructions
Description
The most consumed sprout on Earth, Mungs are grown and used extensively in Asian
cuisine. Perhaps the most exciting sprout to grow as it offers unique challenges - if you
grow them big.
Mungs are probably the best cooking sprout - especially if you like Chinese food. Some
of our greatest recipes require Mung Bean Sprouts.
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Arugula
Perhaps the most popular salad green known to humankind,

Arugula is a major ingredient in salad mixes around the world!
Now you can have it's mild peppery flavor anytime you want it
in the form of a Micro-Green.
Seed to Green in 5 - 6 Days
Yield = 1:1
Greens Shelf Life = 1 week maximum
Nutritional info:
Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Niacin, Phosphorus, Potassium
All Essential Amino Acids
Protein: 20-25%
Yields approximately as many micro-greens (by weight) as seed "planted"
This is a mucilaginous seed. Do NOT soak it unless you are performing an

experiment!
FYI - when mucilaginous seeds are mixed with non-mucilaginous seeds in the proper
proportions (our secret) they can be sprouted using traditional sprouting methods (like
in French Garden, Italian Blend and Nick's Hot Sprout Salad)
Grow these on soil or Baby Blanket (soilless medium) in a Tray, on a Hemp Bag, a
Miniature Garden or on virtually any moisture retaining medium (as minimal as paper
towel or fabric - like cheesecloth) you can think of.
The Basics
Thoroughly moisten that upon which you are going to grow.
If using a Hemp Bag or a small bit of Baby Blanket or similar medium - lay it on a
plate or in a pan or something so that you don't end up watering your counter. Likewise,
if using a Tray, put it on a plate or in a solid (Drip) tray to capture water runoff.
Spread seeds sparsely on your thoroughly moistened medium/sprouter.
(there should be a bit of space around each seed but you are not expected to place them
one at a time - just spread them out as much as you can and as evenly as you can*)
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You may cover your seeds:

If planting on soil in a Tray use another tray - up side down.
If using a Miniature Garden you can slide the tray into the central unit for the first 2-3
days.
If using a Hemp Bag or similar medium - be creative.
It is not mandatory when growing mucilaginous Micro-Greens to cover them at all.
Experiment for yourself and see what works best in your climate/location.
Place your Micro-Garden in a low-light, room temperature location (70 is
optimal).
Keep the medium/sprouter moist - but not soggy - by watering or misting every
day or two.
When your plants grow up and begin to shed their hulls they are ready for light so
move them (if necessary) to a well lighted location.
If you go with sunlight be prepared to water more frequently. Room light will usually do
quite nicely as well and will not dry out your medium as quickly.
Keep the medium/sprouter moist but not soggy by watering regularly.
Water from the side if possible to prevent injuring the tiny plants.
When your plants have open leaves and are green, they are done.
Harvest by cutting just above the medium upon which they have grown.
During the final 8-12 hours minimize the surface moisture of your plants - they will
store best in your refrigerator if they are dry to the touch. So if you water try to keep the
water off the plants - just water the medium.
good - and put them in your refrigerator - if you can keep from eating them all
first.
Note: If using Single Harvest Pack and a Miniature Garden use the whole bag on 1 tray.
Or Use:
1-2 Tablespoons for our little 5 tray.
1/3-1/2 Cup for an 11inch x 11 inch square tray.
2/3-1 Cups for ours for an 11 inch x 22 inch tray.
of your sprouter so that the seed is spread evenly and sparsely (about 1/16 - 1/8 of an
inch of room between seeds is the goal, but don't sweat it, there is no way you can do
that even close to exactly - it is just a goal!).
* The first time you grow these you might consider giving quite a bit of space to each
seed just to familiarize yourself with the plants' habit.
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Try this and learn: Plant 1 seed in a tiny pot - something as small as one inch square
(bigger is OK too). Use soil for this and bury the seed 1/8 inch deep. Thoroughly
moisten the soil before planting and keep the soil moist as it grows and keep it in the
light once it emerges from the soil. You can grow this seed into a plant that has several
leaves (it will take 3-4 weeks). This is a great way to learn more about plants in general
and this seed in particular. You can eat the plant it tastes great! Now you know more
about the potential of seeds. Awesome isn't it?!
Curly Cress
aka Pepper Grass
The perfect Micro-Green, Cress is seriously flavorful most would say seriously spicy - easy to grow and has really beautiful leaves too!
Yield = 1:1
Greens Shelf Life = 1 - 2 weeks
Nutritional info:
Protein: 20-25%
This is a mucilaginous seed. Do NOT soak it unless you are performing an

experiment!
Note: Cress is pretty darn mucilaginous - so we think it best to grow it on a disposable
medium like Baby Blanket, our new soilless planting medium, or on soil, in a Tray. You
can plant on a Hemp Bag but it can be difficult to clean. If you use the Miniature
Garden, use Baby Blanket since it's disposable.
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The Basics
days.
optimal).
day or two.
first.
Or Use:
- 79 -

Not Note: This is not Watercress, which is way too expensive to be used as a sprouting
seed. It is also not a seed known in Europe - a non-mucilaginous Cress whose name we
don't know but which many of our European customers have told us about and which
we continue to search for.
Try this and learn: Plant 1 seed in a tiny pot - something as small as one inch square
(bigger is OK too). Use soil for this and bury the seed 1/8 inch deep. Thoroughly
moisten the soil before planting and keep the soil moist as it grows and keep it in the
light once it emerges from the soil. You can grow this seed into a plant that has several
leaves (it will take 3-4 weeks). This is a great way to learn more about plants in general
and this seed in particular. You can eat the plant it tastes great! Now you know more
about the potential of seeds. Awesome isn't it?!
Description
aka Pepper Grass, this spicy mucilaginous Brassica (the same family as Broccoli,
Cabbage, Mustard and Radish...) is, in flavor, something like Watercress and is a very
fast grower which doesn't need (and should not encounter) soaking. Just sprinkle some
seeds on moist soil or a thoroughly moistened Hemp Bag or a Miniature Garden or
Baby Blanket, a great soilless planting medium, and watch your crop grow - in just 5
days - into one of the most intensely flavorful greens you've ever experienced!
A major ingredient in our leafy blends; French Garden, Italian Blend and Nick's Hot
Sprout Salad, Cress was not available as an organic crop back in 1994. Working for
years with our dear farmer friends Mark + Ila we have established it as a standard
certified organic crop.
Cress along with Arugula (which has exactly the same organic history), Onion and
Garlic Chive are without a doubt the most essential flavor additions to any sprout
kitchen!
Note: US and Canadian researchers have found that many brassicas contain antioxidants
including Cress.
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Help Center
This section of our site should have answers or links to
answers
that will solve many a sprout question!
If you have a question that isn't answered here and you can't find it by searching
or please visit our online Help Group.
We now have an e-mail form, so

Contact us if you have a question or comment you can not get answered.
Growing & Sprouter Q & A
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Info & Answers
Sprout Growing Q & A

Follow the links to the answers.
A note about our mixes
There are a lot of un-sprouted seeds in the bottom
of my sprouter.
My Broccoli sprouts stink to high heaven - is that
right?
The colorful mason jar lids do not screw on to my
jar!
The stainless steel lid doesn't fit my jar.
The Small Seed Insert for my Easy Sprout won't
stay in place!
Some of my seeds are as hard after soaking as
before.
My Sprouts are moldy.
My Grass or Greens are moldy.
Why are your some of your labels different?
- 81 -
About our Mixes

We mix our seeds by hand, so the mixes will not
always look like the pictures (some people actually
complain about that), nor will any 2 bags of seed be
identical in their make-up. This is true of all of our
mixes. Just like a cook, my mood may, to some
degree, alter a mix - somedays I'm just spicier than
others (as an example), so I may throw in a few
more radish seeds than usual.
Also - we can not do custom mixing. some of our
customers ask us to leave out this or that seed and
add more of something else. We just can not make
the time for that sort of thing - sorry. You can
always order pounds of individual seeds and make
up your own mixes. It's fun!
I do not wish to complain, but I have to tell you
(again (I know you are sick of hearing it)) that we
are just a tiny family business. We work more hours
than the average workers and we just can't work
more or we'll never see our kids. So remember when you ask us for special treatment (we like to
think we treat everyone special to begin with) you
are asking us to spend less time with our kids.
How's that for a guilt trip =;-D
There are a lot of un-sprouted seeds in the

bottom of my sprouter.
This is the most common problem and the easiest to
answer. Once you remedy this your sprout growing
will soar to new levels!
The answer is this: You need to spend more time
DRAINING after you Rinse your sprouts. If you read
this page you will know everything you need to
know, but I'll give you the basics here.
After Rinsing you MUST get as much water out of
your sprouter as possible! Shake, Spin, Bounce and
Swing your sprouter! If you use Easy Sprout then
bounce the Growing Vessel against the side of your
sink AND spin it around and around. If you use a Jar
or Tube; shake it vigorously and leave it at a 45
angle (lid down) between Rinses to give any
remaining water a way out. Hemp Bags and
SproutMasters are pretty much self-draining, but
spinning the Hemp Bag like a slingshot is efficient
and gently bouncing SproutMaster against the heel
of your hand is all you need. You'll have to tip and
bounce Trays and Bio-Salad. We also suggest you
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tip each tray of Bio-Set after rinsing each

individually - we very much dislike the water that
(as intended by the manufacturer and designer)
stands in it's grooves and in our experience small
seeds will always produce very low yields unless
manual draining is done at every rinse.
Regardless of the sprouter you use, do not be
deceived into thinking the water will drain by itself.
If you are seeing a lot of un-sprouted seeds then
you need to drain more.
My Broccoli sprouts stink to high heaven - is

that right?
This is not quite right, no. Brassicas do smell more
than most sprouts - it is a sulfur smell which you
might notice sounds similar to sulfurophane, the
anti-oxidant in Broccoli and other Brassicas, so a
little smell is a good thing. Brassicas like other small
seeds are more vulnerable to drowning if not well
drained and that is all that we need to deal with
here.
The answer is this: You need to spend more time
DRAINING after you Rinse your sprouts. Read this
page to learn about Draining and you'll be growing
great crops in no time. You may not be able to solve
the problem that easily if you're using certain
Sprouters - siphoning tray Sprouters, so consider a
new Sprouter if you want Broccoli sprouts. Here is
our list of the best Sprouters for Broccoli.
The Small Seed Insert for my Easy Sprout

won't stay in place!
Use any pliers to crimp the thin lip of the insert on
opposite sides. The resulting 2 tiny protruding bits
of plastic will result in a very good fit!
The colorful mason jar lids do not screw on to

my jar!
The current Sprout-Ease lids fit well on a 2 quart jar
(Ball brand), but they are tough to get on 1 quart
jars (Kerr brand). The old lids fit well on any widemouth jar! What's up with that?! We are looking for
different 1 quart jars with hopes that they will hold
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the lids better.

In the mean time here is the fix: Soak the lid(s) in
hot water for a few minutes (the hotter the water
the shorter the soak time). We find that solves the
problem completely. If you still have trouble - this is
good advise for anything that screws on to anything
- turn the lid counter-clockwise until the threads
engage and then turn it clockwise. If you still need
help you can always do what we do with our
stainless steel screens (the rings of which don't fit
anything quite right) and snap them into place. Do
the counter-clockwise turn and then push down
while turning clockwise. It isn't great but it works.
The stainless steel lid doesn't fit my jar.

It's the green plastic ring that fits poorly - it was
originally designed for a custom jar, but it remains
the best choice for stainless steel. We include a
standard chrome plated canning ring with your
order, so you can use that to hold the stainless
screen on - it fits perfectly. You can also use the red
plastic lid that comes with the 3-lid set, if you have
one. We use those green rings too - we pop them on
and off (use your thumbs not your nails). Don't Pry!
POP!. If we ever find a better deal on stainless steel
screens we'll certainly get them. In ANY case stainless screens are the easiest when it comes to
rinsing and draining - so count your blessings =;-D
Nuts/Seeds
Almond, Peanut,
Pumpkin,
Sunflower..
Alliums
Garlic & Onion
Exotic &
Bizarre
Fenugreek and Our
Strangest Mixes.
Grass
Wheat, Cat, Barley
and more.
Greens
Sunflower,
Buckwheat, Pea, etc.
Micro-Greens
Arugula, Cress, Flax
and many more.
Sprouting Seeds for

your Pets
Bird Blends, Kat
Grass & more.
Birds &
Sprouts
My Sprouts are moldy.

99.9% of you aren't seeing mold (if you're using our
seeds), you are seeing Root Hairs. If you are
growing Broccoli, Radish or another Brassica, or a
Grain, and you see this "fuzz" just before you Rinse
- that is Root Hairs. Just Rinse and they fall back
against the main root. You won't see them again
until your next Rinse. Don't feel bad - you are the 2,
247th person to make that mistake this year =;-D
That said.....
It is possible to grow mold or fungus on your
sprouts, but if you are using good seed and have a
sterile Sprouter, it is easily correctable. If your seed
is old, buy fresh (read about Seed Storage) and
store it well. You should sterilize your Sprouter
every few crops (at least) - if you haven't done that,
do it - it makes a HUGE difference to have a clean
Sprouter. Mold is usually associated with high
humidity or lack of air-circulation. The most
common causes of are:
- 84 -
Sprout Kits
Seeds, Sprouters &
more for Newbies
and Experienced
Sproutpeople.
Now the alphabetical list......
Sprouting Seed
Some ofSamplers
the definitions on this list are right out of the dictionary while others are
Sample our VAST
selection of Seeds to
find those you like
best!
our own.
Glossary
Sprouting
Devices
A reference
that defines words used - in this case by These Sproutpeople.
The Widest Selection
of Sprouters on this
Planet!
Air Circulation
Sprouts,
JuicersGreens and Grass need to breathe while they grow. Don't put them in a closed
cabinet or Learn
closet!about
As we've
the said so many times in these pages: Light just isn't anything to
worry about,
so leaveofyour
sprouts in an open place where they can breathe. If it is very hot
Extractors
Nectar.
and humid you should consider moving your air around with a fan - or moving your sprouts
& air
Ends
to a place Odds
where the
moves. If you are growing Grass or Greens you should consider
Planting
Mediums,
moving them outside (when temperatures are over 60), there is no better place for air
circulation.Fertilizer & More....
Sprout Gift Shop

Great Gift Ideas for
Sprout People
whether novice or
master.
Allium
The GenusSprout
of plants Book
from the
&family Amaryllidaceae, whose members include Garlic, Leek
and Onion. See Chart
Music Shop
Learn while you play

music for your
sprouty friends.
Antioxidant
1.
A chemical
compound
Sprout
Recipes
& or substance that inhibits oxidation. 2. A substance, such as vitamin
E, vitamin C, or beta carotene, thought to protect body cells from the damaging effects of
oxidation. Cookery
3. A Cancer preventative compound.
Recipes both raw

and cooked
Customer
Opinions
Bacteria
What our customers
think of us.
Any of the unicellular prokaryotic microorganisms of the class Schizomycetes, which vary in
terms of morphology, oxygen and nutritional requirements, and motility, and may be freeliving, saprophytic, or pathogenic in plants or animals. We mammals are dependant on
bacteria.
The vast majority are beneficial, and sprouts as well as other living, raw foods are
Sprouting
the best source of these. But we do take care to keep our growing environment sterile so as
Specifics
to
prevent pathogenic bacteria like salmonella. Read about food and sprout safety.
The ABCs of Sprouting
Help with Sprouts &

BlanchSprouting
A LOT of Answers &

Education
Withhold light from your plants to keep them from turning green. Blanching is common in
Europe but little known in the US. The usually yellow plants which result from Blanching are
How-To Grow
Sprouting: The
Basics
Start Here
Seed Prep
Soaking
- 85 -
Draining
Greening
Planting
When Are
Sprouts Done?
Hull Removal
usually more tender than their green version, but they lack chlorophyll.
Storing your
Sprouts
Sprouting
BleachDevice Care
Sprouting on
The most common and easily available chemical for sterilizing sprouting devices. Household
the Road
bleach is already
diluted but you need to dilute it further to avoid burning your skin. We
recommend 1 Tablespoon per pint of water for sterilizing. Let sprouter soak for 10 or more
minutes, scrub well and rinse clean. We do not use bleach on seeds - EVER! If you want to
know why READ THIS.
Everything Else
Kid's SproutZone
Grow some
Brassica
Knowledge
Food Safety
A Genus of plants from the family Brassicaceae, whose members include Broccoli, Mustard
Center
and Cabbage. See Chart
Sprouts ARE Safe!
Nutrition in
Sprouts
Who We
Carbohydrate
Are/What We
Any of a group
of organic compounds that includes sugars, starches, celluloses, and gums
Want
and serves as a major energy source in the diet of animals. These compounds are produced
Downloadable
by photosynthetic plants and contain only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, usually in the ratio
Stuff
1:2:1.
Documents &
Desktop Pics!
Sproutpeople
Site & Policies
Certified
How to get around

sproutpeople.com
An accredited 3rd party inspection that verifies a thing to be something. For example:
Shipping, Returns &
Certified Organic means that [seed in our case] is organic because it has been verified by an
Your Privacy.
accredited 3rd party.
Chlorophyll
Any of a group of green pigments that are found in the chloroplasts of plants and in other
photosynthetic organisms.
Cotyledon
Sproutpeople Home
The first leaves of the embryonic plant within the seed that are used as a food supply for the
germinating embryo. Also called a "seed leaf".
- 86 -
Cull(ed)(ing)
1. To pick out from others; select. 2. To gather; collect. 3. To remove rejected members or
parts from (a batch of seeds, for example). Something picked out from others, especially
something rejected because of inferior quality.
Dark/Darkness
Absence or deficiency of light. Used in growing Greens especially. Keeping a crop "in the
dark" allows the plants to grow taller than they would if light were readily available, in some
cases.
Decorticate
In Sprouting Seed: The removal of the thin "coat" of a Lentil by machine. The only
decorticated Lentil we usually sell we call Orange Lentil. It is most commonly a decorticated
Crimson Lentil. For further confusions see Hulled.
Dicot
A flowering plant with two embryonic seed leaves or cotyledons that usually appear at
germination.
Dogma
An authoritative principle, belief, or statement of ideas or opinion, especially one considered
to be absolutely true.
Dormant
1. In a condition of biological rest or inactivity characterized by cessation of growth or
development and the suspension of many metabolic processes. 2. Lying asleep or as if
asleep; inactive.
Drain(ing)
- 87 -
The process necessary after every Rinse. Insufficient Draining is the most common cause of
failure for sprout growers. Read all about Draining.
Enzyme
Any of numerous proteins or conjugated proteins produced by living organisms and
functioning as biochemical catalysts. All Mammals - including Human Beings - and many
other living creatures, require Enzymes for ALL cellular function. No Enzymes = no life.
There is a theory which says humans have a given amount of Enzymes (like women have all
their eggs at birth), that we MUST consume Enzymes to survive and prosper. Enzymes come
from raw and living foods. Eating raw and living foods provides us with these vital proteins.
Eating dead food uses our body's limited store of Enzymes. Eat More Sprouts!
Enzyme Inhibitor
A substance that stops an enzyme reaction. Dormant (dry) seeds remain dormant because
of their Enzyme Inhibitors. Humans (and our pets - as the Bird People and the BARF (Bones
And Raw Food) Dog People know) eat way too many "dead foods" - foods without Enzymes.
Once a seed soaks its Enzyme Inhibitors are no more. Soaked and Sprouted Seeds are
LIVING FOOD - they contain their own Enzymes and so require none from your body - or as
we say - Sprouts digest themselves.
Even Water Contact

We use this phrase to represent thorough mixing of the seeds we prep, soak and rinse. Some
seeds have a tendency to do the "Nestle's Quik " thing: They bond together even when
submerged in liquid, and remain dry (alfalfa and clover are good examples) unless
thoroughly mixed. We use our (clean) hands to mix because we like to touch our seeds and
by doing so we can feel that all the seeds are receiving even water contact. Even water
contact is essential for a good sprout crop.
Floater
Seeds that remain atop the water (with the exception of seeds in shells like Sunflower Greens
and Buckwheat Lettuce) after the soak stage. When a seed is still floating after the soak
stage it sometimes indicates a dead seed. There are so many minor exceptions to this rule
that we no longer specify to "pour off the floaters" after soaking. In most cases there aren't
enough floaters to disrupt the crop and since so many seeds that will sprout may be floating
(Brassicas often have floaters like this) we've decided to let the floaters pass.
- 88 -
Fruit Fly
The pesky little flying bug that appears from nowhere - usually in warm weather - and
usually around ripe fruit or vegetables that are out in the open. Fruit flies can get into some
sprouters but do no harm. You can try Rinsing more often but we generally just tolerate them
when they are around. We've never found any way to get rid of them. They do no harm.
Germ
The cytoplasm of a germ cell, especially that part containing the chromosomes.
Germination
1. To begin to sprout or grow. 2. To come into existence
GMO
Genetically Modified Organism. ALL of our seeds are certified NON-GMO!!!
Grain
1. The fruits of cereal grasses (wheat, rye, oats, etc.) especially after having been harvested,
considered as a group. 2. A small, dry, one-seeded fruit of a cereal grass, having the fruit
and the seed walls united: a single grain of wheat. The seed of Grains are often called a
Berry or Berrie
Grass
Any of various plants having slender leaves characteristic of the grass family. Consumed for
their amazing nutritional value by humans, usually in the form of juice, and by animals by
chewing - all of the cereal grasses have very similar nutritional value, but wheat is favored
for it's availability, ease of growing and flavor (if you think wheat grass juice is bad, try
barley!)
Green
A plant produced by a seed which has been planted on soil or other water retaining medium
- 89 -
and then harvested above the surface of that medium. See Greens information page.
Green(ing)
The process of photosynthesis by which a plant absorbs light. In sprouting: To expose a
sprout, grass or greens to light, thus allowing it to turn green.
Groat
A seed which has had its hull removed. Typically used in reference to Buckwheat which has
been hulled and sometimes to Oats. Oats which have been hulled are almost certainly NOT
sproutable as the hulling process is quite damaging to that tender grain. You may use whole
(not hulled) Oats for growing grass, but the hulls are not edible. We sell only Hulless Oats
which are Oats grown without a hull. Buckwheat is rarely damaged even in the least by
hulling, so the groat of that seed is quite good for sprouting (if the seed is of sufficiently high
quality).
Hard Seed
A seed that refuses to soak up water is called a Hard Seed and though these can be present
in any type of seed, they are most common in Adzuki Beans. If you find that some of your
seeds are as hard after 8-12 hours of soaking as they were before you should try soaking
them in warm/hot water. (See Hot Soak, directly below)
In nature when a plant matures to the point that it has produced seed and dried, it's seed will
drop to the ground. Over the winter that seed will work its way into the ground as the soil
heaves with freezes and thaws. When the weather warms and moisture becomes available,
the dormant the seeds soak up water. They begin to germinate and start the cycle of growing
plants which can produce seed. If however the plants die for some reason (poor weather for
example), the seeds that are still dormant (the hard seeds) can sustain the species. In many
cases the hard seeds will remain dormant until another spring comes, at which time they will
soak up water and begin to grow plants that can produce seeds and re-start the cycle all over
again. Since we are sprouting these seeds we do not want hard seeds - they are as hard as
rocks in many cases. As with any beans used in our kitchen it is always a good idea to cull
(check) them for rocks and for hard seeds. Though they are very rare in good sprouting seed
they can be present.
Hot Soak
The use of warm or hot water during the Soaking of sprouting seed. We do not recommend
this unless your SEED supplier (us we trust =;-) states it is necessary, or you feel like
experimenting.
The use of Hot or Warm water will shorten the time your seeds need to soak or force Hard
Seeds (see item just above) to soak up water. The drawback is that you can "cook" your
- 90 -
seeds if you use water which is too hot, or if you let them soak for too long.
To remedy beans that remain hard after 12 hours in cool water: Rinse well and then Soak the
seeds again in 90-100 water until hard seeds are no longer hard (usually 8-12 hours). Rinse
well and perform all future Rinses with cool water. Note: the Soak water will cool as time
passes. That is as it should be. As long as you start with the right temperature you should
meet with success.
If you have some seeds (or mixes which contain seeds) that you KNOW beforehand will
remain hard in a cool water Soak, you should skip the cool water Soak and just start out with
the hotter water. The 2nd Soak (outlined in the previous paragraph) is for emergency use
only. You will do much better if your seeds Soak only as long as they need to. Soaking too
long can waterlog seeds and Soaking in hot water can "cook" them, so it is follows that if you
can get all of your seeds soaked in 12 hours they are much better off.
If you are in a pinch for time you can use 90-100 water to cut the soak time down. We do
not suggest this, but we have at times done this - out of necessity. With leafy sprouts and
Brassica sprouts you should Soak no longer than 1 1/2 hours. For grains 3-4 hours. For beans
the time varies - you should count on 4 at least and as many as 12 hours. You know it is time
to stop Soaking when your seeds can be squished between your fingers.
The most extreme hard seed story: We have even experienced seeds so determined to stay
hard (Adzukis in 1995) that they required 3 consecutive 12 hour Soaks in hot water! We
would Rinse between the Soaks - a MUST anytime you Soak longer than 12 hours - and add
new hot water to Soak. We were very glad when new seeds were available!
Hull(ing)
Hull: The dry outer covering of a seed or nut.
Hulling: The removal of hulls.
We do not mind most hulls - mostly we consider them to be extra roughage. Most Legumes
(Beans, Alfalfa, Clover) have hulls, some of which will float or otherwise make themselves
available for removal, during regular Rinsing and Draining. You may choose to De-Hull your
crop or not. Here is the method. We do remove hulls from Brassica Sprouts (Broccoli, Radish,
etc.) as they are so big (relative to the sprout) and wet that they compromise both texture
and storage of the finished sprouts if not removed.
Hulled
There is bound to be some confusion here, let me add to it: Most seeds grow in shells
(Sunflower, Buckwheat, Almond, Pumpkin) or pods (Beans, Alfalfa, Clover, Peanuts,
Fenugreek, Radish, Broccoli, Mustard, etc.), and those seeds have a hull as well - it is a thin
dry cover around the seed itself. But in the seed "industry" the word HULLED refers to a seed
which has had it's outer most portion removed. So a HULLED seed is, in our case, a seed
which has been removed from it's shell or pod (see below for more confusion). For example:
We use two types of Sunflower seed - WHOLE (still in its shell) for growing Sunflower Greens,
and HULLED (the shell removed) for Sprouts. But, that Hulled Sunflower still has a thin dry
cover (hull)! The one exception we can think of is Buckwheat. Whole Buckwheat is used to
grow Greens called Buckwheat Lettuce. Hulled Buckwheat is known as Buckwheat Groats.
- 91 -
There is no hull on a Buckwheat Groat.

Grains also are commonly "Hulled". But most Grains actually grow in a HULL, so the phrase
Hulled is literally true when discussing Grains (see Hulless for exceptions). Hulled Grains
therefore do not have the same dry outer covering that most other seeds have.
Hull removal is done with machines which can damage the seeds. In the case of
Almonds it nicks and scratches some of the nuts. With soft seeds like Sunflowers it can
destroy the seed - which is why it is not always easy to find good sprouting Sunflower
seeds. Some seeds are not effected in the least - like Buckwheat Groats and almost all
Beans, most Grains, Alfalfa, Clover, Fenugreek, Radish, Broccoli, Mustard and many
many more. The HULLED seeds which are difficult to find in good condition are
Sunflower, Almond, Peanuts, Pumpkin, Spelt and Barley. Some are impossible, so we
only carry Hulless versions (Oats are the currently the only such seed).
Also see Decorticate, Hulless and Whole
Hulless
A seed which is of a type that usually grows with a Hull, but which in this case is grown
without a Hull. Hulless is in some cases preferable to Hulled because the seed is not
subjected to the mechanical process of Hull removal. Oats are the best example of a seed
which will virtually never withstand the Hulling process and so must be Hulless if used for
sprouting.
Also see Hulled and Whole
Hybrid
The offspring of a cross between parent varieties (usually of the same species) that are
genetically different.
Hybrid seeds are usually quite expensive. If you plant a hybrid seed and harvest the seed
produced by the resulting plant, those seeds will not produce the same plant again if planted,
but rather will revert to aspects of their original parentage. Seeds that produce plants, which
yield the same genetic seed every crop cycle are called open-pollinated. All of our seeds are
open-pollinated.
Hydroponic
A method of growing plants which uses no soil or medium. Hydroponic production has plants
roots in water and uses fertilizer to feed them. Sprouting is basically hydroponic though we
don't generally use fertilizer - though we are experimenting with liquid organic fertilizers at
the present time.
When we refer to hydroponic Grass or Greens, we are speaking about the complete lack of a
- 92 -
medium. We don't care for that method - though we've tried it and wish we liked it as it
would simplify our lives as commercial sprout growers. Somewhere in between hydroponics
and soil is a soilless medium. We are also experimenting with that presently for large Greens
and Grass. We already use it for small crops of Micro-Greens and tests so far are very
positive. We will offer such a medium and organic fertilizers) if and when we are completely
satisfied that the method works well.
Legume
A large family often called the "Pea Family", which is the home of many a sprouting seed:
Alfalfa, Clover, Lentils, Peas, Garbanzo, Mung, Adzuki, Black, Pinto, Soy and many other
Beans, Fenugreek.
Light
That which allows sprouts leaves to turn green. It takes very little light to green sprouts.
Sprouts can't take light in until they have leaves, and until they have leaves, light has
virtually no effect - so don't hide your sprouts in the dark! Let 'em breathe! Direct sunlight is
not advisable as it can cook your sprouts - especially if you're growing in a closed sprouter.
See the seed and sprouter instruction pages for details.
Lot
As in SEED LOT. Seeds are harvested at a farm, cleaned, inspected, tested, bagged and
shipped. Each crop in each year from each farm is given a lot number to identify it.
Medium
That upon which we plant our seeds when we intend to produce plants like Grass, Greens and
Micro-Greens. Normally we use soil (we have used many tons of sterile bagged soil to
produce our non-sprout crops since we started back in 1993), but anything that holds water
can be considered a medium. The lowest example of a medium is paper towel, but a good
medium is something that holds water longer, and is of course, organic. We now offer two
soilless mediums along with an organic liquid fertilizer. Both Baby Blanket and Vermiculite
offer a cleaner medium for planting, and with the addition of Kelpman liquid kelp fertilizer,
you can now produce great crops with much less mess.
Monocot
Any of various flowering plants, such as grasses, having a single cotyledon in the seed.
- 93 -
Mucilaginous
1. Resembling mucilage; moist and sticky. 2. Relating to or secreting mucilage. In sprouting:
A seed which has a hull that when water is contacted, absorbs that water and turns into a
"gel-sack". Usually slippery, these seeds can NOT grow by traditional water-only sprouting
methods. They may be grown if mixed with an appropriate percentage of non-mucilaginous
seeds (French Garden, Italian Blend, Nick's Hot Sprout Salad). To grow them alone they must
be planted on a growing medium and harvested as Greens (Micro-Greens).
Mucilaginous seeds include: Arugula, Basil, Chia, Cress, Flax and (some) Mustards (not ours).
Fenugreek
Used as a spice in Indian food and as a digestive aid by Americans,

Fenugreek is a super nutritious sprout, especially for women!
Yield = 5:1
Nutritional info:
Vitamins A, B, C, E
Phyto-Nutrients - Excellent for Women (Breast Health)
Amino Acids
Trace Elements
Digestive Aid
Protein: 30%
Alfalfa
The most famous sprout in America.

Mild flavor, mild crunch, big time nutrition,
and easy to grow.
- 94 -
Yield = 7:1
Nutritional info:
Amino Acids
Trace Elements
Protein: 35%

Sprouter.
between Rinses.
This is where your sprouts do their growing. We use a counter top - right in the middle of
our kitchen. We don't mind the diffuse sunlight or the 150 watts of incandescent light,
because light just does not matter much. A plant can only perform photosynthesis when it
has leaves. Until then light has little if any effect, so don't hide your sprouts!
On the 4th day relocate your sprouts if necessary, for Greening.
Avoid direct sun it may cook your sprouts - Indirect sunlight is best but virtually any light will
do. Experiment - you will be amazed at how little light sprouts require to green up.
Your last Rinse/Drain will be either at the end of day 5 or the start of day 6.
Your sprouts will be done about the end of Day 6. The majority of sprouts will have
green leaves (you will recognize them).
You may De-Hull your sprouts at any time during day 5 or 6.
Refrigerate your sprouts no sooner than 8-12 hours after their final Rinse/Drain **
- 95 -
much dry seed as your Sprouter has capacity (though we advise 1/8 so that you have some
room to move).
We often start with 3 Tablespoons of seed but we don't mind the extra work involved in
growing a dense crop. You may doubt that these little seeds will fill your sprouter, but they
will. We advise everyone to start with 2 Tablespoons when learning to sprout these seeds.
** You may use a salad spinner to dry your sprouts
after De-Hulling/final Rinse and go directly to Refrigeration.
Notes:
When conditions are warmer your sprouts will likely grow faster. Likewise they may grow
slower if conditions are very cool. As always 70 is optimal.
All sprouts generate heat while growing, which is a good thing, but it can get out of hand on
occasion. When the weather is especially hot and humid you will do well to Rinse more
frequently (every 8 hours if possible) using colder water than usual, to compensate.
Depending on your sprouting device, not all of your sprouts will have access to light and so
some will not green. This is not only OK - it is good. The yellow sprouts will be equally
nutritious (they have everything but chlorophyll) and many think them more delicious (in
Europe vegetables are often grown "blanched" by avoiding light). We think they are prettier
when there is a mix of green and yellow to go with the white roots. So don't sweat it - just
eat more sprouts!
When using a non-tray sprouter, you can help your crop by "breaking up" your sprouts when
they clump up - around day 3 or 4 and daily thereafter. We use high water pressure when
Rinsing to keep our sprouts loose, but this only works for so long - so - when water isn't
enough, break the clump of sprouts up using a fork or your fingers (wash your hands first
please, if they need it). If you are using a sprouter that can hold water, fill it mostly full then
use a fork to loosen. You can also dump your sprouts onto or into something and just shake
them apart. This is by no means mandatory - this loosening - but it can be helpful in keeping
your sprouts from overheating and will help more of them green. You should never be
afraid*** of touching your sprouts. They are much stronger then they appear - just be
reasonably gentle.
Vertical Growing
This method produces very pretty sprouts that green most evenly and whose hulls
are removed most easily. They do not however, taste any better =:-}
If you grow in a Tray sprouter - like SproutMaster, your sprouts can grow vertically - leaves
(cotyledons) up, roots down. The trick to doing this is to keep your sprouts in place (don't
"break them up" as you do in a non-tray sprouter) from day 3 onward. It is easy to do if,
when rinsing, you use a sprayer (that attachment most sinks have - the one that pulls out
and is gun-like or a faucet attachment that offers spraying when pulled down) instead of
your faucet. We have grown many tons of leafy sprouts this way. Here is a breakdown of the
specifics (rinse numbers are based on 12 hour intervals - adjust as needed):
Rinse 1 (right after soak): Use faucet or sprayer and rinse thoroughly (use water at high
pressure and use plenty of it).
Rinse 2 and 3: Use faucet or sprayer and rinse thoroughly.
Rinse 4: Use sprayer and while rinsing thoroughly, spray your sprouts evenly accross the
bottom of the tray. You can use your hands to spread them too. The goal is to spread them
evenly.
Rinse 5 and 6: Use sprayer with less water pressure. Rinse well - (which since you are
using less water pressure means - for a longer time) but don't disturb the sprouts.
- 96 -
Rinse 7 - 10: Use sprayer. You can turn the water pressure back to high - your sprouts will
not be easily moved (broken up) at this point and the higher water pressure feeds oxygen to
your sprouts as well as "cleaning" them, which is a wonderful way to produce healthy long
lasting sprouts. Rinse and drain thoroughly.
Rinse 11 (if you need this many) or your last rinse: Use Sprayer. Hold your tray at an angle
(90 will work but less is OK too) and spray across the top of the sprouts to remove hulls.
We call this SHAVING and it can be done at any rinse or every rinse - starting when hulls
begin to be shed by the opening leaves. Rinse down into the sprouts too.
Vertical growing CAN be done without a sprayer too but it is more difficult. If you want to try
all you have to do is regulate your water pressure - trying to keep your sprouts undisturbed
during rinses 4 - 6.
*** The only thing to fear is fear itself.
Clover
Clover
We now have 2!
Mild flavor, mild crunch, big time nutrition (especially for women),
easy to grow, beautiful green.
Yield = 7:1
Nutritional info:
Amino Acids
Excellent for Women
Trace Elements
Protein: 35%
Sprouter.
- 97 -

between Rinses.
Avoid direct sun it may cook your sprouts - Indirect sunlight is best but virtually any
light will do. Experiment - you will be amazed at how little light sprouts require to green
up.
Your last Rinse/Drain will be either at the end of day 5 or the start of day 6.
Your sprouts will be done about the end of Day 6. The majority of sprouts will have
green leaves (you will recognize them).
You may De-Hull your sprouts at any time during day 5 or 6.
Refrigerate your sprouts no sooner than 8-12 hours after their final Rinse/Drain **
much dry seed as your Sprouter has capacity (though we advise 1/8 so that you have
some room to move).
We often start with 3 Tablespoons of seed but we don't mind the extra work involved in
growing a dense crop. You may doubt that these little seeds will fill your sprouter, but
they will. We advise everyone to start with 2 Tablespoons when learning to sprout these
seeds.
** You may use a salad spinner to dry your sprouts after De-Hulling/final Rinse and go
directly to Refrigeration.
Notes:
When conditions are warmer your sprouts will likely grow faster. Likewise they may
grow slower if conditions are very cool. As always 70 is optimal.
- 98 -
Rinse more frequently (every 8 hours if possible) using colder water than usual, to
compensate.
Depending on your sprouting device, not all of your sprouts will have access to light and
so some will not green. This is not only OK - it is good. The yellow sprouts will be
When using a non-tray sprouter, you can help your crop by "breaking up" your sprouts
when they clump up - around day 3 or 4 and daily thereafter. We use high water pressure
when Rinsing to keep our sprouts loose, but this only works for so long - so - when water
isn't enough, break the clump of sprouts up using a fork or your fingers (wash your
hands first please, if they need it). If you are using a sprouter that can hold water, fill it
mostly full then use a fork to loosen. You can also dump your sprouts onto or into
something and just shake them apart. This is by no means mandatory - this loosening but it can be helpful in keeping your sprouts from overheating and will help more of
them green. You should never be afraid*** of touching your sprouts. They are much
stronger then they appear - just be reasonably gentle.
Vertical Growing
This method produces very pretty sprouts that green most evenly and whose hulls
are removed most easily. They do not however, taste any better =:-}
If you grow in a Tray sprouter - like SproutMaster, your sprouts can grow vertically leaves (cotyledons) up, roots down. The trick to doing this is to keep your sprouts in
place (don't "break them up" as you do in a non-tray sprouter) from day 3 onward. It is
easy to do if, when rinsing, you use a sprayer (that attachment most sinks have - the one
that pulls out and is gun-like or a faucet attachment that offers spraying when pulled
down) instead of your faucet. We have grown many tons of leafy sprouts this way. Here is
a breakdown of the specifics (rinse numbers are based on 12 hour intervals - adjust as
needed):
Rinse 1 (right after soak): Use faucet or sprayer and rinse thoroughly (use water at high
pressure and use plenty of it).
Rinse 2 and 3: Use faucet or sprayer and rinse thoroughly.
Rinse 4: Use sprayer and while rinsing thoroughly, spray your sprouts evenly accross the
bottom of the tray. You can use your hands to spread them too. The goal is to spread
them evenly.
Rinse 5 and 6: Use sprayer with less water pressure. Rinse well - (which since you are
using less water pressure means - for a longer time) but don't disturb the sprouts.
Rinse 7 - 10: Use sprayer. You can turn the water pressure back to high - your sprouts
will not be easily moved (the mass won't break apart) at this point and the higher water
pressure feeds oxygen to your sprouts as well as "cleaning" them, which is a wonderful
way to produce healthy long lasting sprouts. Rinse and Drain thoroughly.
Rinse 11 (if you need this many) or your last rinse: Use Sprayer. Hold your tray at an
- 99 -
angle (90 will work but less is OK too) and spray across the top of the sprouts to
remove hulls. We call this SHAVING and it can be done at any rinse or every rinse starting when hulls begin to be shed by the opening leaves. Rinse down into the sprouts
too.
Vertical growing CAN be done without a sprayer too but it is more difficult. If you want
to try all you have to do is regulate your water pressure - trying to keep your sprouts
undisturbed during rinses 4 - 6.
*** The only thing to fear is fear itself.
Printable Sprouting Instructions
Description
Red Clover is the standard choice. It is a small seed which we use as the base for most of
our gourmet Leafy sprout blends. Crimson Clover is a larger seed which produces a larger
sprout and is therefore a bit easier to grow. There is very little difference except for that.
Both are almost identical to Alfalfa in flavor - nutty and mild, but with a lighter green
leaf. We prefer Clover to Alfalfa as it sheds its hulls better and lasts longer in the
refrigerator - as a sprout.
Both of our Clovers are from Canada.
- 100 -
Garlic
Garlic Chive
Though it is actually the seed of a Garlic Chive plant
the Sprouts taste just like Garlic!!!!
Crop Note: We once again have seed from our long time garlic chive farmer!
It has been 3 years since he last had a crop. We are very happy to have his
seed again.
Yield = 4.5:1
Nutritional info:
Vitamins A, B, C, and E
Amino Acids
Trace Elements
Protein: 20%
Yields approximately 1/2 lb. of Sprouts
Sprouter.
Notes: Alliums tend to float. Try to sink those that do by knocking them down with your
fingers. Most of those floating seeds will sink during the hours they are soaking, but it is
a good habit to pay attention to your seed's needs, and this is the perfect place to start!
There tends to be some plant matter in with the seeds of Alliums. This plant matter is
nothing but small pieces of the plants which the seeds grew on. This plant matter has so
far eluded the massive seed cleaning methods used on sprouting seed. They will not
elude you! These dry plant bits usually float, so the perfect time to get rid of them is
before you soak - during seed Prep and/or after the seeds have soaked for 8 - 12 hours pour off the floating stuff. You can help by stirring the seeds up - thus helping any nonfloating bits to surface from below. Easy isn't it?
- 101 -
Note: Now is a good time to discard floating plant bits.

Drain thoroughly.
When we sprout at home we use a counter top in our kitchen - right in the middle of the
room but where the sprouter won't get knocked over by kids, dogs, cats or us. Our
kitchen is not very bright and anyway, light just does not matter much. A plant can only
don't hide your sprouts! This is most true with Alliums because they can begin
photosynthesis as soon as they sprout. Unlike other seeds, Alliums sprout their plant
first, not their root.
Alliums take A LONG TIME to germinate! Just keep Rinsing and Draining Thoroughly,
at least twice a day.
You should see some sprouting action in between 4 and 7 days. Don't give up - EVER they will sprout!
Note: Alliums are unique in that the sprout they produce is actually the plant - as
opposed to the root - which is what almost all other seeds produce during the sprouting
process. These plants look like - and are - tiny little Greens - like micro-scallions! As
soon as these micro-scallions emerge from the seed they are able to take up light because they are the leaf! You don't have to do anything drastic but you can move on
to......
Greening
Once you see sprouting, Relocate your sprouts - if necessary.
If you've been keeping them away from light for some reason, move them. Avoid direct
sun - it can cook your sprouts. Indirect sunlight is best but virtually any light will do.
Experiment - you will be amazed at how little light sprouts require to green up.
Finishing
Your sprouts will be done between day 10 and 15.
The majority of sprouts will have long thin micro-scallions, which will be green if you
exposed them to light. You can eat them at any length but if you let them get to an inch
or more the seed itself will be more tender.
Note: The seed of an Allium is pretty intense. If you grow for a long enough time, many
will fall away from the sprout, but we've never gone that long. They just taste toooooo
good and we don't mind the seed enough to wait.
- 102 -
Harvest
Your sprouts are done 8-12 hours after your final rinse. After the final Rinse we need
to Drain very thoroughly and let our sprouts dry a bit. If we minimize the surface
moisture of our sprouts they store much better in refrigeration, so we let them sit for 812 hours....
OR
Refrigerate
Notes:
You can help your crop by "breaking up" your sprouts when they clump up - around day
5-10 and daily thereafter. We use high water pressure when Rinsing to keep our sprouts
loose, but this only works for so long - so - when water isn't enough, break the clump of
sprouts up using a fork, or your fingers (wash your hands first please, if they need it). If
you are using a sprouter that can hold water, fill it mostly full then use a fork to loosen
the mass of sprouts. You can also dump your sprouts onto or into something and just
shake them apart. This is by no means mandatory - this loosening - but it can help more
of them green. Don't ever be afraid*** of touching your sprouts. They are much
*** The only thing to fear is fear itself!
Ingredient Note
All references to Garlic on sproutpeople.com or any other sprouting seed supplier refers
to the seed produced by a Garlic Chive plant. Garlic does not produce seeds - it
produces bulbuls and bulbs. Garlic Chive is virtually identical in flavor to Garlic.
Seed Storage
Alliums have the shortest shelf life of any sprouting seed. Since they are also so
painfully expensive we suggest that you freeze your seed. Keep them in any sealed
container. The only concern is condensation and all you need to do to avoid it is, return
- 103 -
the seed to the freezer within a few minutes, after you've removed what you need to
sprout. You do not have to wait to soak the seeds.
Alliums yield approximately 4.5:1, so in theory you can start with as much as 1/5 as
Description
Though it is actually a chive seed, it tastes just like Garlic. You can find Garlic in our
Leafy sprout - Italian Blend as well. The slowest sprout, Garlic takes up to 14 days to
finish sprouting - but it is worth it!
Mustard
Oriental Mustard - Yellow Seed

The spiciest Brassica tastes like horseradish to us!
Note: This is the same seed we sell for Mustard Greens
Yield = 5:1
Sprout Shelf Life = 1 week
Nutritional info:
Amino Acids
Trace Elements
Antioxidants
Protein: 35%
Sprouter.
- 104 -
Note: Brassicas tend to float. Try to sink those that do by knocking them down with
your fingers. It isn't a big deal but it is a good habit.
Drain thoroughly.
This is where your sprouts do their growing. We use a counter top in our kitchen - right
in the middle of the room but where the sprouter won't get knocked over by kids, dogs,
cats or us. Our kitchen gets no direct sun but we don't mind the diffuse sunlight or the
150 watts of incandescent light. When we're sprouting Mung Beans we may choose a
darker corner of the room, but 99% of the time we just don't avoid light. Light just does
not matter much. A plant can only perform photosynthesis when it has leaves. Until then
light has little if any effect, so don't hide your sprouts!
As long as you grow you have to keep the sprouts happy!
Note: These wonderful little Brassica plants have a unique root structure. Brassicas
will show microscopic roots starting around day 3. They are called root hairs and are
most visible just before Rinsing when the sprouts are at their driest. When you Rinse the
root hairs will collapse back against the main root. These root hairs impress many
people as mold - but they are not. Now you know!
Greening
On the 4th day relocate your sprouts if necessary.
If you've been keeping them away from light, move them. Avoid direct sun - it can cook
your sprouts. Indirect sunlight is best but virtually any light will do. Experiment - you
will be amazed at how little light sprouts require to green up.
Note: Mustard is a sprout we prefer NOT to green. We like them yellow (like prepared
mustard), so we stop as soon as they have leaves. We then de-hull and eat them. They
don't store very well as they are so fine (thin) and they hold so much moisture relative to
their mass - so though they will keep for several days we usually just eat 'em up fresh!
Finishing
Your sprouts will be done during day 5 or 6.
The majority of sprouts will have open leaves which will be green if you exposed them
to light.
- 105 -
De-Hull
Before your final Rinse remove the seed hulls.
Brassica sprout hulls are quite large (relative to the seed and sprout) and they hold a lot
of water (which can dramatically lessen the shelf life of your sprouts), so we remove
them:
Transfer the sprouts to a big (at least 3-4 times the volume of your sprouter) pot or
bowl, fill with cool water, loosen the sprout mass and agitate with your hand. Skim the
hulls off the surface. Return the sprouts to your sprouter for their Rinse and Drain.
That's the short course - here is the full lesson.
Harvest
Your sprouts are done 8-12 hours after your final rinse. After the De-Hulling and the
final Rinse we need to Drain very thoroughly and let our sprouts dry a bit. If we
minimize the surface moisture of our sprouts they store much better in refrigeration, so
we let them sit for 8-12 hours....
OR
Refrigerate
Notes:
Mustard is the most demanding Brassica to sprout, but it is well worth the effort! It's
flavor is beyond compare!!! It is fine (thin) and holds a lot of water. Draining is most
critical - be as thorough as you possibly can be. Don't even try to grow Mustard if it is
over 85. Wait for cooler weather. But if you insist you can try to compensate by rinsing
with the coldest water your tap puts out.
When conditions are warm your sprouts will likely grow faster. If their leaves open
sooner you should green and de-hull and harvest sooner. Likewise they may grow
slower if conditions are very cool. These are just tiny plants they are not difficult to
understand. The more you sprout the better you'll know them and be able to adjust to
their needs. As always 70 is optimal and 70 is what our instructions are written for.
Rinse more frequently (every 8 hours if possible) using colder water than usual (the
coldest your tap can offer is fine), to compensate.
and so some will not green. This is not only OK - it is good. The yellow leafed sprouts
will be equally nutritious (they have everything but chlorophyll) and many think them
more delicious (in Europe vegetables are often grown "blanched" by avoiding light). We
think they are prettier when there is a mix of green and yellow to go with the white
roots. So don't sweat it - just eat more sprouts!
- 106 -
keep our brassica sprouts loose, but this only works for so long - so - when water isn't
and just shake them apart. You should never be afraid** of touching your sprouts. They
are much stronger then they appear - just be reasonably gentle.
** The only thing to fear is fear itself.
Mustard Note
The Mustard we sell is non-mucilaginous. Most Mustard seed is mucilaginous however,
so if you have some Mustard from someone other than us, and if it gets slippery when
you soak it, you'll have to grow it differently. Follow these directions for mucilaginous
Mustard.
some room to move).
Description
A wonderful tender sprout, this Mustard tastes like Horseradish - Mmmmm!
This is Oriental Mustard - it is a yellow seed and is the only non-mucilaginous Mustard we've
ever seen and therefore the only Mustard you can sprout in a conventional sprouter.
Note: US and Canadian researchers have found that many brassicas contain antioxidants.
And that a symbiotic relationship exists where combining brassicas increases the total soluble
antioxidants.
It's a family thing =:-D
(Yellow Seed) Oriental Mustard
- 107 -
Onion
The variety may change, but it is always onion, they never make you cry and the
Sprouts taste just like Onions!
Yield = 4.5:1
Nutritional info:
Vitamins A, B, C, and E
Amino Acids
Trace Elements
Protein: 20%
Allium Seed Storage

Alliums have the shortest shelf life of any sprouting seed. Since they are also so
painfully expensive we suggest that you freeze your seed. Keep them in any sealed
container. The only concern is condensation and all you need to do to avoid it is, return
the seed to the freezer within a few minutes, after you've removed what you need to
sprout. You do not have to defrost - just soak the seeds.
Yields approximately 1/2 lb. of Sprouts
Sprouter.
Notes: Alliums tend to float. Try to sink those that do by knocking them down with your
fingers. Most of those floating seeds will sink during the hours they are soaking, but it is
a good habit to pay attention to your seed's needs, and this is the perfect place to start!
There tends to be some plant matter in with the seeds of Alliums. This plant matter is
nothing but small pieces of the plants which the seeds grew on. This plant matter has so
far eluded the massive seed cleaning methods used on sprouting seed. They will not
- 108 -
elude you! These dry plant bits usually float, so the perfect time to get rid of them is
before you soak - during seed Prep and/or after the seeds have soaked for 8 - 12 hours pour off the floating stuff. You can help by stirring the seeds up - thus helping any nonfloating bits to surface from below. Easy isn't it?
Note: Now is a good time to discard floating plant bits.
Drain thoroughly.
When we sprout at home we use a counter top in our kitchen - right in the middle of the
room but where the sprouter won't get knocked over by kids, dogs, cats or us. Our
kitchen is not very bright and anyway, light just does not matter much. A plant can only
don't hide your sprouts! This is most true with Alliums because they can begin
photosynthesis as soon as they sprout. Unlike other seeds, Alliums sprout their plant
first, not their root.
Alliums take A LONG TIME to germinate! Just keep Rinsing and Draining Thoroughly,
at least twice a day.
You should see some sprouting action in between 4 and 7 days. Don't give up - EVER they will sprout!
Note: Alliums are unique in that the sprout they produce is actually the plant - as
opposed to the root - which is what almost all other seeds produce during the sprouting
process. These plants look like - and are - tiny little Greens - like micro-scallions! As
soon as these micro-scallions emerge from the seed they are able to take up light because they are the leaf! You don't have to do anything drastic but you can move on
to......
Greening
Once you see sprouting, Relocate your sprouts - if necessary.
If you've been keeping them away from light for some reason, move them. Avoid direct
sun - it can cook your sprouts. Indirect sunlight is best but virtually any light will do.
Experiment - you will be amazed at how little light sprouts require to green up.
Finishing
Your sprouts will be done between day 10 and 15.
- 109 -
The majority of sprouts will have long thin micro-scallions, which will be green if you
exposed them to light. You can eat them at any length but if you let them get to an inch
or more the seed itself will be more tender.
Note: The seed of an Allium is pretty intense. If you grow for a long enough time, many
will fall away from the sprout, but we've never gone that long. They just taste toooooo
good and we don't mind the seed enough to wait.
Harvest
Your sprouts are done 8-12 hours after your final rinse. After the final Rinse we need
to Drain very thoroughly and let our sprouts dry a bit. If we minimize the surface
moisture of our sprouts they store much better in refrigeration, so we let them sit for 812 hours....
OR
Refrigerate
Notes:
You can help your crop by "breaking up" your sprouts when they clump up - around day
5-10 and daily thereafter. We use high water pressure when Rinsing to keep our sprouts
loose, but this only works for so long - so - when water isn't enough, break the clump of
sprouts up using a fork, or your fingers (wash your hands first please, if they need it). If
you are using a sprouter that can hold water, fill it mostly full then use a fork to loosen
the mass of sprouts. You can also dump your sprouts onto or into something and just
shake them apart. This is by no means mandatory - this loosening - but it can help more
of them green. Don't ever be afraid*** of touching your sprouts. They are much
*** The only thing to fear is fear itself!
Alliums yield approximately 4.5:1, so in theory you can start with as much as 1/5 as
- 110 -
Description
An Onion seed produces a tiny onion plant - like a miniature scallion. Usually a sprout is a
root, but in the case of the alliums it is a shoot (that part of a plant which, if grown in a
garden or on soil etc., grows above the soil) - which tastes just like an Onion, what else?
Onion takes about 10 - 15 days to sprout. This is the finest sprouting Onion seed ever, it is
certified organic too! The supply is very limited, so the price is high - but as with the other
Alliums - it is totally worth it! You can find onion as an ingredient in our Russian Mix - which
is our personal favorite leafy blend.
No Specific Onion Variety, but it sure sprouts well!
Adzuki Bean
A very lovely maroon seed with a great bean flavor

Yield = 2:1
Seed Shelf Life at 70 = 5 years
Nutritional info:
High in Calcium, Iron, Niacin
All Essential Amino Acids except Tryptophan
Protein: 25%
Put 1/2 Cup of seed* into a bowl or your Sprouter.

Note: Adzuki Beans will pale somewhat as they swell with water. Before you end your
soak, check them: If you see that on some of your beans, part of the bean (one end
usually) is still as dark as it was before soaking, they need a little more time to soak - to
make sure they have taken up all the water they need.
For that reason we generally soak Adzukis for 12 hours.
If we are in a hurry we'll use warmer water - 80 is a good starting point if you want to
experiment with shorter soak periods, but be careful not to go too hot - it can cook your
seeds in which case they will never sprout.
- 111 -
Adzukis also tend to have more hard seed than other seed types. If you buy your seed
from us this is not a concern, but if you buy Adzuki or other seeds elsewhere be sure to
examine them after soaking to make sure there are no hard seeds (seeds that are as hard
after soaking as before) lurking at the bottom. If there are - throw those (the hard ones)
out! They are easy to spot as they are smaller than those that are swollen with water.
between Rinses.
And, once more...
And, perhaps once more...
And, if you insist - once again...
We usually stop here. We prefer our sprouts small.
Depending on your climate and the time of year you are sprouting and most importantly
your personal preference - You may Rinse and Drain again at 8-12 hour intervals for as
long as you can keep the seeds/sprouts alive and growing.
However - we prefer to sprout only to the point where most of the seeds have sprouted
tiny (1/4 inch) roots, which is typically after just 4-5 Rinse and Drain cycles. They'll last
longer in the refrigerator and to us they just taste perfect at this stage - but hey - that's
just us!
As always, we suggest that you taste your crop at EVERY RINSE - including the very
first - just after the Soak period. The soaked seeds are already alive and though they
may not be their most nutritious they are still very nutritious - they are already without
enzyme inhibitors (a very good thing indeed!) so they'll digest themselves and nourish
you.
Grow them for as long as you like (as long as you continue to Rinse and Drain every 812 hours) and find out for yourself when they are most delicious! If you keep sprouting
for a week you'll get some plants growing as well as roots.
Harvest
Your sprouts are done 8-12 hours after your final rinse. Be sure to Drain them as
thoroughly as possible after that final rinse.
- 112 -
Refrigerate
Transfer your sprout crop to a plastic bag or the sealed container of your choice glass is good too - and put them in your refrigerator - if you can keep from eating
them all first.
Remember that the yield will be approximately 2:1, so in theory you can start with as
much as 1/2 as much dry seed as your Sprouter has capacity (though we advise 1/3 so
that you have some room to move).
Garbanzo Beans
Black, Brown and Beige

aka Chick Peas
One of the most delectable and versatile sprouted beans
Garbanzos come in several colors!
Yield = 2:1
Nutritional info:
Vitamins A and C
Calcium, Iron, Magnesium
Amino Acids
Protein: 20%

- 113 -

between Rinses.
And, once more...
We usually stop here. We like our sprouts small.
your personal preference - You may Rinse and Drain again at 8-12 hour intervals for up
to 6 days. However - we prefer to sprout only to the point where most of the seeds have
sprouted tiny (1/4 inch) roots, which is typically after just 3 Rinse and Drain cycles.
Note: Not all of these seeds will sprout at the same time. They are close enough to mix
together though, so we did. You Don't have to wait for all of them to actually pop a root
(sprout) - it isn't necessary and it can cause some of your seeds to over-sprout, but it is
your choice.
you.
Grow them for as long as you like (as long as you continue to Rinse and Drain every 812 hours) and find out for yourself when they are most delicious! If you grow for a week
you'll get some plants growing as well as roots. Experiment! Have Fun! It's All Good!
Harvest
Refrigerate
them all first.
- 114 -
Lentils
Black, Crimson, Eston, French Blue, Green, Orange, Pardina, Red, & White
Our personal favorite sprouting legume
comes in many colors and sizes and is always beautiful and delicious!
Yield = 2:1
Nutritional info:
Calcium, Iron, Phosphorus
Protein: 25%

Note: Orange Lentils produce starchy water. They won't sprout too well unless you get
rid of it - so Rinse and Rinse and Rinse until the water runs clear. It can take a little
while - but don't skimp.
Every Rinse is the same with Orange Lentlis: Rinse and Rinse and Rinse until the
water runs clear.
Drain thoroughly.
- 115 -
between Rinses.
And, once more...
Note: Not all Lentils will sprout at the same time. They are close enough to mix together
certainly, so we mix them. You Don't have to wait for all of them to actually pop a root
your choice.
you.
Harvest
Refrigerate
them all first.

- 116 -
Descriptions
Many colors in different sizes but always the same lovely shape, lentils are one of the
greatest seeds on Earth! The seed itself remains viable (it germinates well) for years,
they sprout fast and with minimal effort, they taste great as 2 day sprouts and as 7 day
sprouts with tiny plants growing out one end, the sprouts can last in your refrigerator for
2 months and they can be eaten raw or cooked in a multitude of ways - their unique
shape means they'll even stay on a sandwich!
Black
Black Food is all too rare - and beautiful and
Lentils are our favorite sprout - this is a
fantastic seed. Very easy to grow.
Crimson
Another in our beautiful and delicious and
easy to grow Lentil line, Crimson Lentils are
smaller and plumper and of a darker orange
than Red Chief. Exceptionally beautiful!
Eston
A small green Lentil, Eston, as you might
expect, is beautiful, tasty and easy to grow.
Truely exquisite!
French Blue
The most unusual of the Lentils - they are
mottled blue with green and black highlights.
As with all lentils these are very delicious and
very easy to grow.
Green
The most common Lentil, Greens are the
largest, and are equally easy to grow and very
delicious, as well as the least expensive.
Orange
As with all crops of orange lentils there is a fairly high

percentage of split seeds. These are very good as far as
oranges go, but we have to warn you that they are not as easy
to deal with as the other lentils,
These lentils have their thin skin removed to

reveal their gorgeous bright orange color.
These are rarely available as sprouting seeds
so get 'em while you can - when we have 'em!
Pardina
Tastes great and is gorgeous (sorry we don't
have a picture yet). Kind of a cross (visually)
of Crimson and French Blue. Hard to keep in
stock.
Red Chief
Another beautiful, delicious and Easy to grow
Lentil, Red Chief will shed their skins when
sprouted to reveal a gorgeous bright orange
color.
- 117 -
White
Another great tasting Lentil, Whites range in
color from white to light green. They are not
nearly as white as blacks are black but they are
a great addition to any lentil collection just the
same.
Peas
Green, Speckled, Marrowfat, Tiny Mottled Bill Jump & Yellow Peas
Many shapes, many sizes, many Peas!
All Delicious, All Nutritious!
Yield = 2:1
Nutritional info:
Calcium, Iron, Phosphorus
Amino Acids
Protein: 25%

Add 2-3 times as much cool (70) water.
Note: At times (not as of this writing, but sometimes) Bill Jump Peas (and on very rare
occasion other peas) have more hard seed than other Peas. Be sure to examine them
after soaking to make sure there are no hard seeds lurking at the bottom. If there are throw those (the hard ones) out! They are easy to spot as they are smaller than those
that are swollen with water and sound hard when they hit the side of a container.
As a rule you should give Peas the full 12 hours to soak.
- 118 -

between Rinses.
And, once more...
Note: Not all Peas will sprout at the same time. They are close enough to mix together
though, so we mix them. You Don't have to wait for all of them to actually pop a root
your choice.
you.
Harvest
Refrigerate
them all first.
- 119 -
Description
Many colors in different sizes and shapes, Peas will last for years, they sprout fast and
with minimal effort, they taste great as 2 day sprouts and are very popular with kids of
all ages: When the sprouts are let grow for 4, 5, 6 or more days (depending on the pea
and your climate) they will form long roots on one end and Shoots on the other - with
the Pea in between. Apparently there is some fun to be had in pulling them apart while
holding the pea in your teeth which children truly appreciate. Maybe its a Midwestern
kid thing =:-}
Pea sprouts can last in your refrigerator for 2 months and they can be eaten raw, or
cooked in a multitude of ways!
Peanut
Raw Valencia Peanuts

Just Too Good!
Yield = 2:1
Nutritional info:
Amino Acids
Protein: 20-25%

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between Rinses.
And, once more...
And, if you insist - once again...
to 6 days.
However: We prefer to sprout only to the point where most of the seeds have a
prominent bulge at their
germ (the pointy end of the peanut) which is typically after just 3-5 Rinse and Drain
cycles.
you.
Science: If you continue to sprout peanuts for a week or more you can learn a lot about
plants! A Peanut is a DICOT seeds. A dicot seed is itself, the first leaves of the plant it
will grow into. You can just keep Rinsing and Draining or you can make it easier by
sprouting the peanut in a small pot full of soil after you get a small root growing. Keep
it moist in either case and see what you see! Though this is not uncommon in the sprout
universe, peanuts are perhaps the most impressive example - because they are so plump
and big! To learn more about sprout science you may want to visit our Kid's SproutZone
(fun for inquisitive adults too!) and our Glossary/Taxonomy page.
Harvest
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Refrigerate
them all first.

Description
Raw Valencia Peanuts make for one WAY DELICIOUS sprout!
We have gotten thousands of folks addicted to these over the years at the Dane County
Farmer's Market in Madison, Wisconsin (where we sold sprouts most Saturdays from
April - November, from 1993-2002). Peanuts are best when they put out only a bulge at
their tip, not a big sprout, but you can decide for yourself (assuming that you can keep
from eating them long enough to let them grow). Remember - the seed loses its Enzyme
Inhibitors as soon as it soaks - so eat sooner - it's all good!
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Cabbage
Red (Organic) or Green (Conventional)

You Choose.
Mild, sweet, Cabbage flavor available in multiple colors!
Yield = 5:1
Nutritional info:
Amino Acids
Trace Elements
Antioxidants
Protein: 35%
Sprouter.
between Rinses.
See this note!
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Avoid direct sun it may cook your sprouts - Indirect sunlight is best but virtually any
light will do. Experiment - you will be amazed at how little light sprouts require to
green up.
Your last Rinse/Drain will be most likely at the end of day 5
Your sprouts will be done at the end of day 5 or the start of Day 6. The majority of
sprouts will have green leaves (you will recognize them - they are sprouts =;-).
You may De-Hull ** your sprouts at any time during day 4 or 5.
Refrigerate your sprouts no sooner than 8-12 hours after their final Rinse/Drain
***
some room to move).
** You should De-Hull Brassica sprouts. Their hulls are quite large relative to the seed
and sprout and hold a lot of water. They can dramatically lessen the shelf life of your
sprouts if not removed, and these are the easiest of all sprouts to De-Hull so go for it!
*** You may use a salad spinner to dry your sprouts
after De-Hulling/final Rinse and go directly to Refrigeration.
Notes:
Brassica sprouts are smellier than most. They are gaseous (think about it for a minute broccoli, cabbage, radish, cauliflower.......... The antioxidant found in broccoli and
other Brassicas is named sulfurophane. Get it?), there is nothing wrong with them and
they are less gaseous than their full grown namesakes when eaten =:-}
These wonderful little plants also have a unique root structure. Brassicas will show
microscopic roots starting around day 3. They are called root hairs and are visible
just before Rinsing when the sprouts are at their driest. When you Rinse the root
hairs will collapse back against the main root. These root hairs impress many people
as mold - but they are not. Now you know!
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Rinse more frequently (every 8 hours if possible) using colder water than usual, to
compensate.
keep our Brassica sprouts loose, but this only works for so long - so - when water isn't
and just shake them apart. You should never be afraid**** of touching your sprouts.
They are much stronger then they appear - just be reasonably gentle.
**** The only thing to fear is fear itself.
Description
Cabbage is a small seed which produces a mild Brassica flavored sprout. Easy to grow
and very tasty, we offer both Organic and Conventional (non-organic) Cabbage Both
sprout wonderfully. Organic Cabbage is very very hard to come by and expensive.
Our certified organic Red Cabbage produces a gorgeous sprout with red and purple
highlights while our conventional Green Cabbage produces a more typical - though
equally delicious - green sprout!
Note: Canadian and US researchers have found that Brassicas contain antioxidants
such as sulfurophane. Cabbage is a Brassica.
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They come in many shapes and sizes.

They are extremely nutritious.
They are sweet and popular with kids.
They are beautiful, versatile and are some of the fastest sprouting seeds of all!
Grain Basics
Yield = 1.5:1
Nutritional info:
Calcium, Iron, Lecithin, Magnesium, Pantothenic Acid, Phosphorus, Potassium
All Amino Acids
Trace Elements
Protein: up to 30%
Grains are a quick sprout, taking as little as 24 hours and no more than 2 or 3 days to
produce a finished sprout. If you let large grains (wheat, barley, rye,etc.) grow for
several days they produce grass. Grains are all sweet, though some more than others.
Kids love them because of their sweetness. They can be used in breads, as a cereal, in
stir-frys or as a snack - or anything else you can imagine. Oats + Groats and Amber
Waves make a fantastic super nutritious breakfast - top with some fruit, nuts, milk,
maple syrup....anything - you won't believe how great grain sprouts can be!
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Amaranth
A tiny ancient grain that produces the smallest of all sprouts.

Yield = 1.5:1
Nutritional info:
Amino Acids
Protein: 15%
Note: Amaranth does not require soaking!

Put 2/3 Cup of seed* into your Sprouter.
Note:
Amaranth appears water-resistant. Just keep rinsing and draining as scheduled and
have faith - it will sprout!
between Rinses.
Note: Amaranth can benefit from more frequent Rinse/Drain cycles. If you do it every 4
- 6 hours your seeds will sprout a bit sooner.
And then ...
And then again ...
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your personal preference - You may Rinse and Drain again at 8-12 hour intervals for
several days. However - we prefer to sprout only to the point where most of the seeds
have sprouted tiny (1/4 inch) roots, which is typically after just 4 or 5 Rinse and Drain
cycles.
Transfer your sprout crop to a plastic bag or the sealed container of your choice glass is good - and put them in your refrigerator - if you can keep from eating them
all first.
Note: Grains do not store well in refrigeration so you should try to grow just what you
need. It isn't actually that they store poorly, it is just that grains are cool weather crops,
so though they slow down quite a bit, they continue to grow - even in the refrigerator.
Amaranth can make it in refrigeration for about 2 weeks but if you can use 'em fresher
we think you'll like them better.
Remember that the yield will be approximately 1.5:1, so in theory you can start with as
much as 2/3 as much dry seed as your Sprouter has capacity.
Description
An ancient grain which is the smallest seed of all is also one that you do not even soak.
They appear water repellant but just rinse and drain for a few days and these
microscopic seeds sprout tiny tails.
Very nutritious. So small that you can add the to any food!
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Wheat Sprout
Hard Winter Wheat

The most consumed grain on Earth.
Wheat is quite sweet and very nutritious, like all grains.
Note: This is the same seed we sell for Wheat Grass.
Yield = 1.5:1
Nutritional info:
Vitamins B, C and E
Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Pantothenic Acid, Phosphorus
Amino Acids
Protein: 15%
Put 2/3 Cup of seed* into a bowl or into your Sprouter.

Drain thoroughly.
between Rinses.
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cycles.
enzyme inhibitors (a very good thing indeed) so they'll digest themselves and nourish
your cells without requiring anything from your body!
you'll have grass growing as well as roots.
Harvest
Refrigerate
Description
Amazingly sweet, Wheat is a quick and easy sprout favored by children and adults
alike. Snack on it, grind it and throw a bunch into homemade breads, add to stir frys or
salads. We carry Hard Winter Wheat - usually Red but on occasion White (they sprout
exactly the same) as it has the longest shelf life. This is the same seed used to grow
grass for which is found on our Grass page.
We don't carry soft wheat as it doesn't store well and often sprouts poorly. If you want to
make Rejuvelac we suggest (and use ourselves) Rye, but any Grain can be used.
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Rye Sprout
A beautiful thin dark grain that yields a sprout as sweet as Wheat.

Rye produces the very tastiest Rejuvelac.
Note: This is the same seed we sell for Rye Grass.
Yield = 1.5:1
Nutritional info:
Vitamins B, C and E
Amino Acids
Protein: 15%

Drain thoroughly.
between Rinses.
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cycles.
Harvest
Refrigerate
Description
Rye is a quick and easy, sweet sprout favored by children and adults alike. Snack on it,
grind it and throw a bunch into homemade breads, add to stir frys or salads.
This is the same seed used to grow grass for which is found on our Grass page.
If you want to make Rejuvelac we suggest (and use ourselves) Rye, but any Grain can
be used.
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Barley Sprout
Hulless Barley
Purple and/or White
This hulless seed is intended for Sprouting. It will grow grass, but you will get better grass from whole barley.
A sprouting grain which is less sweet than most, but equally nutritious.
Yield = 1.5:1
Nutritional info:
Amino Acids
Protein: 15%

Drain thoroughly.
between Rinses.
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cycles.
Harvest
Refrigerate
Description
A quick sprout which is a bit less sweet than other grain sprouts.This hulless grain is
great for sprouting and can also be used to grow grass (though we recommend Whole
Barley, found on our Grass page for that). We offer whatever variety we have at any
given time (always the best available) - usually a mix of Purple and White but on
occasion one or the other.
Hulless Canadian and Montana Barley
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Triticale Sprouts
Triticale is a modern grain that was developed with the goal of

solving world hunger. It is a nutritious combination of Wheat and Rye.
This is the same seed we sell for Triticale Grass
Yield = 1.5:1
Nutritional info:
Vitamins B, C and E
Amino Acids
Protein: 15%

Drain thoroughly.
between Rinses.
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cycles.
Harvest
Refrigerate
Description
A grain developed not too many years ago, Triticale is a combination of Wheat and Rye,
so it is sweet and easy to grow. It was originally thought to be a solution to world
hunger as it is easy for farmers to grow in most parts of the world and it is - of course very nutritious. As with all of our seeds, this is an open-pollinated seed not a hybrid.
You can use Triticale to make Rejuvelac. We prefer Rye, but any Grain can be used.
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Oats
Hulless Nebraska Oats

Raw, uncooked, not heated, hullesss, tender and very quick to sprout.
AKA Oat Groats, these are a wonderfully tender grain with a mild sweetness.
Note: these are the same seeds we sell for Oat Grass.
Yield = 1.5:1
Nutritional info:
Amino Acids
Protein: 15%
Oat Note: Due to poor crop years of 2002 , 2003 and 2004 (very little precipitation, high temperatures,
etc.) Oats continue to be in VERY short supply (and so the price continues to be high) and their quality
is not as great as back in 2001. 2005 was a much better growing season, but the supply is still limited
for some reason. These are the best Oats out there and we're glad to have them (though, as always, we
don't have much). Get 'em while you can!

Allow seeds to Soak for 30-60 minutes.
between Rinses.
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And, possibly once more...

We usually stop here. We like our sprouts small and we tolerate Oats with no
sprout if they don't have one by now.
cycles.
As always, we suggest that you taste your crop at EVERY Rinse - including the very
enzyme inhibitors (a very good thing) so they'll digest themselves and nourish you.
all first.
Description
These are hulless Oats - they are a very fast sprout are a wonderfully tender grain with a
mild sweetness.
These are fresh off the farm in Nebraska.
They are NOT Groats.
They are NOT heated.
They ARE RAW HULLESS OATS.
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Spelt Sprouts
Hulled Spelt
Another sweet and easy to grow grain, Spelt is a great and popular
alternative for those who are allergic to, or avoiding Wheat.
Note: This is the same seed we sell for Spelt Grass.
Yield = 1.5:1
Nutritional info:
Vitamins B, C and E
Amino Acids
Protein: 15%

Drain thoroughly.
between Rinses.
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cycles.
Harvest
Refrigerate
Description
A great alternative for those allergic to Wheat.
Though this is Hulled it is a great sprouting seed - the farmer we get it from - in Indiana
- has a special hulling method which produces the greatest results we've ever seen!
You can also grow grass from our hulled Spelt (usually). We do not carry whole Spelt
but if you have some of that you can use it to grow Spelt Grass but not sprouts - the hull
is not edible.
You can use Spelt to make Rejuvelac. We prefer Rye, but any Grain can be used.
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Kamut
Ancient Egyptian Wheat
The most beautiful big grain we've ever seen!

Sweet, Easy to grow, Nutritious, Ancient.
Yield = 1.5:1
Nutritional info:
Vitamins B, C and E
Amino Acids
Protein: 15%

Drain thoroughly.
between Rinses.
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cycles.
Harvest
Refrigerate
Description
Kamut is an ancient grain which is now a patented US product. The story is that a
farmer from Montana found some seeds while serving in Northern Africa during WWII.
He brought the seeds back to the family farm and after years of raising the crop applied
for and was given a patent by the US government. Whatever the case, this is a truly
awesome grain! It is bigger than wheat and slightly less sweet as well as more tender.
Kamut is something we rarely have, so get some while you can. This lot of seed is the
most beautiful we've ever seen - and it sprouts wonderfully!
You can also grow grass from our Kamut. Wanna know how? Follow these directions.
You can use Kamut to make Rejuvelac. We prefer Rye, but any Grain can be used.
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Quinoa
"Keen-Wah"
A 5,000 year old grain that produces super nutritious sprouts.
Yield = 1.5:1
Nutritional info:
Amino Acids
Protein: 15%

Allow seeds to Soak for 20-30 minutes.
between Rinses.
Note: Quinoa can be sprouted quite a bit longer but it's texture changes profoundly,
going from a soft crunchy sprout to a very soft sprout. If you sprout it long you'll have to
use it soon as it won't keep well.
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cycles.
all first.
Note: Quinoa - when sprouted very short - can make it in refrigeration for up to 2
weeks but if you can use 'em fresher we think you'll like them better.
Description
An ancient grain which has been cultivated for over 5000 years! It is the quickest of all
sprouts, prefering to soak for only 20-30 minutes and showing 2 roots per seed within
24 hours. Pronounced "Keen Wah".
Quinoa is the only sprout which contains every single amino-acid.
It is very beautiful as well as delicious.
Very nutritious. So small that you can add the to many a food!
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Sesame
Natural Brown or Black

Natural is whole sesame - it is more beige in color actually (check out the picture), but in the seed world
it is called either Natural or Brown, or both.
Black is Black - it can get none more Black.
A fast sprout which, since small and tasty, can be added easily to many meals.
Yield = 1.5:1
Seed Shelf Life at 70 = 2 -4 years
Sprout Shelf Life = 1 week
Nutritional info:
Vitamins B, C and E
Amino Acids
Protein: 15%

Drain thoroughly.
between Rinses.
And, if you've been rinsing every 4 hours ...
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Note: Some people find Sesame bitter if sprouted too long so be sure to taste it at every
rinse to see what you like best. Many people sprout Sesame for only 1 day. You decide!
cycles.
Grow them for as long as you like (as long as you continue to Rinse and Drain and
taste every 8-12 hours) and find out for yourself when they are most delicious!
Harvest
Refrigerate
Note: Sesame doesn't store well, even in refrigeration. Like Pumpkin Seed it can turn
bitter after just a couple days, but then again, it doesn't always. Here is an idea: Sprout
just what you need. Sesame can be done within a day, so why not?!
Description
Sesame is a small seed which makes a great, nutritious addition to many a meal sprinkle it on salads, sandwiches, stirfry, desserts, souffles - you name it - it is quite
inocuous due to its size and tenderness when sprouted.
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Black Sesame - new in 2007. When sprouted it is a beautiful Black and White (the
sprouts are white), like tiny dominos, or as I like to call it Sprouts Noir (Like Film Noir,
you know?;-)
These seeds have their hull on. Hulled Sesame won't sprout and the hull is insignificant
anyway.
Millet
A lovely tiny glossy seed that can be sprouted and added easily to many meals.
Yield = 1.5:1
Seed Shelf Life at 70 = 2 -4 years
Nutritional info:
Vitamins B, C and E
Amino Acids
Protein: 15%

Drain thoroughly.
between Rinses.
- 147 -
cycles.
Harvest
Refrigerate
Description
A small beautiful round shiny seed, Millet is great in breads, as a mildly crunchy
addition to salads or anything else you can think of.
Millet is also a great sprout for birds!
Almond
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Known as a soak as opposed to a sprout because it is done before it's root appears,
which is good because you won't be able not to eat them!
Yield = 1.5:1
Nutritional info:
Protein: 20-25%
Prep 2/3 Cup of seed* then transfer (if necessary) into a bowl or into your
Sprouter.
between Rinses.
Stop here unless you are doing a science experiment or growing an almond tree
seedling.
Note: Almond sprouts are not intended to germinate fully, their germ is meant to bulge
but not put out a root.
Also: You can skip that last Rinse and Drain without altering your crop at all!
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Harvest
Refrigerate
them all first.
Description
Almond Sprouts are often called "soaks" because they swell rather than sprout,
producing only a tiny bulge at their germ instead of a root (sprout). Absolute heaven to
munch, though rather expensive. Almonds are THE most addictive of all sprouts - er,
soaks, so enjoy with caution.
Note: Almonds are best stored in a cool location - we keep ours in a freezer, but a
refrigerator works well too. If you plan on storing Almonds for more than 6 months you
should consider one of these cool locations. If you leave them at 70 they will likely last
for a year or 2, but they may not. Consider yourself warned =:-}
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Buckwheat Groats
Hulled Buckwheat
One of the quickest sprouts around - Groats are nutty, plump and extremely tender!
Yield = 1.5:1
Nutritional info:
All Amino Acids
Protein: 15%

Allow seeds to Soak for 20 - 60 minutes.
Note: Groats take up all the water they need quickly, that is why their Soak time is so
short. They get waterlogged if soaked too long, and will never sprout - so Don't over-soak!
Note: Groats create the starchiest water on Earth - it is amazingly thick! They won't
sprout too well unless you get rid of it - so Rinse and Rinse and Rinse until the water
runs clear. It can take a little while - but don't skimp.
Every Rinse is the same with Groats: Rinse and Rinse and Rinse until the water runs
clear.
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Drain thoroughly.
between Rinses.
And, possibly one more...
We like our sprouts small so we stop whenever they have the tiny tails we seek.
all first.
need. It isn't actually that they store poorly, it is just that most grains are cool weather
crops, so though they slow down quite a bit, they continue to grow - even in the
refrigerator.
Description
Groats refer to a hulled seed, in this case Buckwheat. They are one of the quickest
sprouts around - soak 'em for 1/2 hour, rinse a few times and you have sprouts in 24-48
hours. They are nutty, plump and extremely tender.
A great snack! A great Breakfast!
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Pumpkin
Hulled or Naked Pumpkin Seeds

Exceptional buttery flavored delights!
Yield = 1.5:1
Sprout Shelf Life = 2-3 Days
Nutritional info:
Great for men
Protein: 25%
Pumpkin Note: I have to admit; I am almost sick of looking for sprouting pumpkin seeds. I have tested
more bad lots of pumpkin than any other seed - and I haven't seen a GREAT lot for over 5 years. The
difficulty is this: To sprout, we need to start with either Hulled or Naked (grown without a hull) seeds.
Naked are far preferable but Naked seeds are almost impossible to find. Hulled seeds often sprout poorly,
though I don't know why in this case. We need pumpkin for Madison Market Mix - otherwise I'd probably
stop carrying it. It works in the mix because there are very few pumpkin seeds relative to the other seeds.
But pumpkins are very nutritious and they are very tasty fresh - so - for solo sprouting we have this
solution: Grow them only 12-24 hours and eat them all at that stage - fresh. do not store the sprouts - they
keep poorly (even in a perfect world pumpkins are about as bad a keeper as any sprout). As with all edible
sprouting seeds - they are alive and super nutritious once soaked.
Sprouter.
Note: Pumpkins tend to be a bit on the "dusty" side (it is a by product of the hulling
process) so rinse and rinse some more - until the water runs clear from your sprouter.
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between Rinses.
Harvest
Refrigerate
all first.
Note: Pumpkin Sprouts do not store well in the refrigerator usually. We have kept them
for 2 weeks at times but we generally expect only a few days. We eat them immediately these don't keep well at all - but they sure taste great - so Eat 'em Fresh!
Description
Pumpkins are a pretty high end sprouting seed. They are expensive and the finished
sprout is best eaten immediately. Pumpkins can sprout a nice little tail, but they may be
best as "Soaks" - where they don't really put out much more than a bulge at their germ
(tip). As we always suggest - taste them at every stage - right after soaking at again at
every rinse/drain - and see how you like them best. They are exceptional, buttery
flavored delights.
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Sunflower Sprouts
Hulled Sunflower Seeds

See Crop Note
Extremely succulent and mildly crunchy.

Eat them straight from the sprouter, on salads, cereals or any place at all!
Yield = 1.5:1
Nutritional info:
Protein: 25%
Sprouter.
Note: We prefer the results when we soak them for 1-2 hours - we are after the
crunchiest sprout we can get.
Note: Sunnys tend to be a bit on the "dusty" side (it is a by product of the hulling
process) so rinse and rinse some more - until the water runs clear from your sprouter.
between Rinses.
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Depending on the seeds, your climate and the time of year you are sprouting - You may
Rinse and Drain again at 8-12 hour intervals for several days. However - we prefer to
sprout only to the point where most of the seeds have done no more than sprout tiny
(1/4 inch) roots. Seeds which have not sprouted are just as good; crunchy, nutritious and
delicious.
all first.
Note: Sunny Sprouts do not store well in the refrigerator usually. We have kept them for
2 weeks at times but we generally expect only a few days. They are so full of water and
so tender that they usually develop brown spots and get soft - sorta like peaches - so we
grow only what we need when we need it - they are so fast and so perfect when freshly
sprouted we figure - why mess with perfection?
Description
Hulled (out of shell) Sunnys are a very quick sprout. They soak for only a few hours and
are fully sprouted - usually - within 24 hours. They don't last long, but they taste so
good that that isn't usually a concern. Do not try to sprout them longer or store them
more than a day or so - they just don't do that. These are hard to find as the hulling
process usually results in a too high percentage of broken seeds. Eat them straight from
the sprouter, on salads, cereals or any place at all!
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Easy to grow and multi-talented!

Extract its nectar - the super nutritious juice.
or
Serve it to your cat, rabbit, iguana, turtle, dog or pet.
or
Make it the centerpiece of your dining room table.
Grow your own Grass!
Grass Basics
Yield = 1:1
Nutritional info:
Calcium, Chlorophyll, Iron, Lecithin, Magnesium, Pantothenic Acid, Phosphorus,
Potassium
Amino Acids
Trace Elements
Protein: up to 30%
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Barley Grass
Whole Montana Barley

This seed has a hull. It is intended for growing grass. If you want sprouts, use hulless barley.
The fresh version of the famous nutritious capsule,

is much more nutritious in the form of raw juice.
Yield = 1:1
Nutritional info:
Amino Acids
Trace Elements
Protein: up to 30%
this.
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Pre-Sprout
between Rinses.
Planting
do that.
Baby Blanket:
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Vermiculite:
Tray. Proceed...
Water the medium.
- 160 -
Uncover your Grass
Harvest
- 161 -
Or Use:
circulation.
Description
A broad blade grass with a lighter green color than wheat, Barley Grass is consumed by
many people in the form of a capsule called "Barley Green". The juice is a much more
potent food - as are all fresh foods. The juice is quite intense - flavor wise, so we advise
that you mix it with other grains to come up with your tastiest juice. That is a
completely subjective decision - some of you might love straight Barley Grass Juice but around here we like to mix it into our Wheat at a rate of about 5:1 (20% Barley).
The Grasses all provide about the same nutrition so mix and match freely.
We do not grow hydroponic Grass - we've tried but have never gotten the yields we get
with soil. Now that we have a soilless medium (Baby Blanket) we are even less
interested in hydroponic growing, but there is a plus to hydroponic Grass - you can juice
the entire crop - grains, roots and grass, so if you want to try - go for it! Go to Val at Go
Green - she is the meister of hydroponic Grass. Tell her The Sproutpeople sent you!
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Oat Grass
Hulless Nebraska Oats

Another awesome beverage Grass with nutritional value very similar to that of
Wheat!
Note: these are the same seeds we sell for Oat Sprouts. Hulless Oats do not usually
grow a great crop of grass. We always look for whole oats, but we've never found a
good supply of organic seed. You can grow these for grass, but be warned: the crop
will not be great.
Yield = 1:1
Nutritional info:
Amino Acids
Trace Elements
Protein: up to 30%
Oat Note: Due to climatic problems (too little precipitation, precipitation at

imperfect times, high temperature, etc.) some crops have become very difficult to
find. If farmers can't grow them we can't buy & sell them. Hulless Oats have been
difficult to come by for a few years now. Much of the seed we see is low germinating
or unacceptable in some other way. The Oats we currently have are not as good as
they were back in 2001, but they are the best we've seen since 2001. They WILL
grow Grass, but they are somewhat more prone to fungal problems. That is by no
means a major problem, but you should consider improving air circulation - and
plant your crop less densely than our directions call for. Also soak for a shorter
period (1-2 hours is best). Those precautions will provide you with a better crop.
liquid kelp fertilizer (Kelpman). Baby Blanket is a thin organic material that you
soak before planting upon. It holds moisture and is the least messy and compact
medium we know of. Vermiculite is a mineral which holds moisture supremely,
dispenses added nutrients over time and in general acts much like soil. We think you
should try all of them if you can - there are differences and though they are minimal
- 163 -
you may prefer one method over the other and the only way to know for sure is to
try. Instructions are pretty much the same in all cases, but where there is a
difference we include purple text like this.
manure, but any sterile bagged soil will do and should cost less than $5 (for a 40
pound bag!) at any garden center. You can use expensive soil if you prefer - it is your
choice - always.
condition is commonly called "flooded". When using Baby Blanket or Vermiculite
your Planting Tray must also have drainage, but we do use the Drip Tray to hold
some water at times in the growing process.
Pre-Sprout
Note: Oats can get waterlogged if soaked too long. We know from experience that 4
hours is about the limit if you want a good crop of Grass, but less is better.
between Rinses.
When most of the seeds have sprouted tiny (1/8-1/4 inch) roots it is time to plant.
This is typically after just 2-3 Rinse and Drain cycles.
Planting
grow they need more and more water. They get their water from the soil. The more
soil you use - the more water it can hold - the less you need to water.
Sometimes you may need to use your fingers to make sure the soil is moist all the
way down to the bottom of the tray. Water, mix, water, mix, etc. Sometimes you
don't have to do that.
Baby Blanket:
Kelpman enriched water (You don't NEED fertilizer for grass, but we use it when
we grow without soil.) until thoroughly saturated (fold it up and push it into the
liquid - use a pot or something similar to hold it). Unfold it and re-fold differently or
do whatever makes sense - the goal is to get the pad THOROUHGLY soaked.
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Spread the wet pad across the bottom of your Planting Tray. Proceed...
Vermiculite:
Vermiculite absorbs liquid so readily and holds it so supremely that you need little of
it. We use 3 Cups for an 11 x 11 inch tray and 6 Cups for an 11 x 22 inch tray. If
you're using another tray, make it 1/4 - 1/2 inch deep. Spray water evenly across the
surface then spread it out as evenly as you can. We like to use Kelpman enriched
water (You don't NEED fertilizer for grass, but we use it when we grow without
soil.) so we just pour it on until thoroughly saturated and then spread it out. The
amount of liquid is this: a little more than one quart for an 11 x 22 inch tray. You
don't want more than a little left in the Drip Tray. Pour off what water remains
above the ridges of the Drip Tray. Proceed...
Spread them out as evenly as you can. We use a lot of grain and though some
literature will tell you that your seeds should not ever lay atop each other, we have
found from years of experience and thousands of Trays of Grass grown that that is
bunk! You will learn for yourself that Grass produces a plant that takes up less
room than the grain did, and so to maximize your yield your seeds must lay atop
each other to some degree. The thing to watch is this: If you find mold or fungal
problems in your Grass then lessen the amount of grain you plant. The hotter/more
humid your climate is the more of an issue the mold/fungus is. As always, you need
to adapt to your own climate and seasonal conditions. And learn as you go - this is
really easy and fun stuff to learn!
soil/medium - at which point your goal is to keep the soil/medium moist. Spraying
the sprouts is best - whether you use a garden hose sprayer, hand sprayer or faucet
sprayer - just try to make sure that every sprout gets rinsed and quenched until they
bury their roots. You may use Kelpman if you like.
Water the medium.
Once the roots are buried all you need to do is keep the medium moist - the seeds
and subsequent grass will get the moisture they need through their roots. Water
from the side if possible, to prevent injuring the tender blades.
Baby Blanket will dry out more quickly than soil in most circumstances, so you
should either water more often or experiment with our somewhat risky trick:
crazy - too much can drown your plants and/or lead to fungal or mold problems.
Just leave as much water as the grass can drink in a day and then add more the
growing in, so you'll have to learn this for yourself. We suggest that you start with 12 cups in the Drip Tray. Lift the Planting Tray to see how much is left after 4, 8 and
12 hours. If the Drip Tray is dry add more water - if there is still water 24 hours
later then cut back the next time you add water. Pretty simple really, and not as
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risky as we make it sound - it is really a time saver and produces happier healthy
grass.
growers may use it too of course, but the soil does have some nutrients already, so it
is not nearly as important for you.
Vermiculite holds water better than anything, but the same method works for it: Use
the Drip Tray to hold some water. The roots will eventually grow into this, so don't
go crazy - too much can drown your plants and/or lead to fungal or mold problems.
Just leave as much water as the grass and Vermiculite can drink in a day and then
add more the following day. The amount is dependant on the climate (humidity
especially) you're growing in, so you'll have to learn this for yourself. We suggest
that you start with 1-2 cups in the Drip Tray. Lift the Planting Tray to see how much
is left after 4, 8 and 12 hours. If the Drip Tray is dry add more water - if there is still
water 24 hours later then cut back the next time you add water. Pretty simple really,
and not as risky as we make it sound - it is really a time saver and produces happier
healthy grass. Use Kelpman too. We probably give more water than is necessary, but
we end up with great crops and the grass keeps growing even after we cut it - even if
we don't add water daily. Vermiculite is great stuff!
Uncover your Grass
Wait 3-4 days until it is 1-2 inches tall or until it pushes the covering tray up (it
really will do that - it is cool!)
Harvest
By cutting just above the soil/medium when the Grass is 6 or more inches tall
(actually height is just a matter of yield - you can cut it any time you want to).
Note: We believe that you will get the best flavor and nutrition from freshly cut
Grass. We cut JUST prior to juicing and we feel the difference! But, you are better
off juicing week old Grass than no Grass at all, so do what you must! Drink More
Juice!
touch. So if you water try to keep the water off the plants - just water the
soil/medium.
Tray after you cut your first crop. The 2nd and more so the 3rd crop is not as tender
nor usually as big, but it is good to try growing at least a 2nd crop. Decide for
yourself if it is worth it! Vermiculite is the best medium if you want to go for
multiple cuttings!
* Note: If using Single Harvest Pack use the whole bag on our 5 inch tray (or
similar).
Or Use:
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This is not a problem, except that it is unattractive. If you are consuming this as
juice - just rinse it off when you harvest the grass. If you hate it - increase air flow
by planting less seed. Additionally, you may move your grass to a better ventilated
area. In summer we grow our grass outside (from the point when we uncover the
tray) for optimal air circulation.
Description
These are raw (no heat has ever been applied) Hulless Oats (sometimes mistakenly
called groats). Favored by many a cat and human, Oats are a wonderfully tender
grain which grows a grass with a mild sweetness. Oats grow Grass a bit more slowly
than most other grains.
Easy to grow and seriously rejuvinating when ingested. Nutritionally Oats are
extremely close to Wheat Grass, the Juice of which has a very intense flavor. We've
been drinking it since the 1970s and have found that we enjoy it more now than ever
- since we got a Green Life juicer we mix our grass juice with carrot and apple juice
- it is delicious!
effort! Look on our Juicer page for more info.
We do not grow hydroponic Grass - we've tried but have never gotten the yields we
get with soil. Now that we have a soilless alternatives (Baby Blanket and
Vermiculite) we are even less interested in hydroponic growing, but there is a plus to
hydroponic Grass - you can juice the entire crop - grains, roots and grass, so if you
want to try - go for it! Go to Val at Go Green - she is the meister of hydroponic
Grass. Tell her the Sproutpeople sent you!
Hulless Raw Nebraska Oats
Oats continue to be in very short supple due to the horrible crop years our farmers
have had since 2002 - so the price is very very high. We pray 2004 will be easier for
farmers.
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Flax
Golden and/or Brown Flax

A profoundly slippery seed when wet, Flax is good for you and
is easy to grow as a Micro-Green.
Yield = 1:1
Nutritional info:
Antioxidants
Protein: 20-25%
This is the most mucilaginous seed of them all.

Do NOT soak it unless you are performing an experiment!
Note: To learn what mucilaginous really means; take one Flax seed and put s drop or 2
of water on it. Wait for 5 minutes and try to pick the seed up =:-}
Note: Flax is so intensely mucilaginous that we think it best to grow it on a disposable
medium like Baby Blanket, our new soilless planting medium, or on soil, in a Tray. You
can plant on a Hemp Bag but it can be difficult to clean. If you use the Miniature
Garden, use Baby Blanket since it's disposable.
The Basics
- 168 -

days.
optimal).
day or two.
first.
Or Use:
- 169 -
seed just to familiarize yourself with the plants' habit
Description
A mildly spicy, very tender Green grows from this mucilaginous seed. Another Micro-Green
which is perfect grown upon a Hemp Bag, the Miniature Garden Sprouter or Baby Blanket,
our new soilless planting medium.
Desired by many for nutrtional qualities of the seed, it is often used for teas which aid
intestinal health, added to cereals, breads or just ground up in healthy drinks. Whether you
are growing Flax or just looking for seed to eat - these are beautiful seeds!
Golden +/or Brown Flax
Spelt Grass
Hulled Spelt
Wheat!
Note: This is the same seed we sell for Spelt Sprouts.
Yield = 1:1
Nutritional info:
Amino Acids
Trace Elements
Protein: up to 30%
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this.
Pre-Sprout
between Rinses.
- 171 -
Planting
do that.
Baby Blanket:
Vermiculite:
Tray. Proceed...
- 172 -

Water the medium.
Uncover your Grass
- 173 -
Harvest
Or Use:
circulation.
Description
Spelt is one seed which we carry only occasionally as it is very hard to find good
sprouting Spelt. A great alternative for those allergic to Wheat and similar to other
grasses in sweetness and nutritional value. This Grain is hulled by a farmer who
developed his own method. It is the finest hulled Grain we've ever seen - it sprouts so
well one would think it had grown without a hull in the field.
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Easy to grow and seriously rejuvinating when ingested. Nutritionally Spelt is extremely
close to Wheat Grass, the Juice of which has a very intense flavor. We've been drinking
it since the 1970s and have found that we enjoy it more now than ever - since we got a
Green Life juicer we mix our grass juice with carrot and apple juice - it is delicious!
with soil. Now that we have soilless mediums (Baby Blanket and Vermiculite) we are
even less interested in hydroponic growing, but there is a plus to hydroponic Grass you can juice the entire crop - grains, roots and grass, so if you want to try - go for it!
Go to Val at Go Green - she is the meister of hydroponic Grass. Tell her us Sproutpeople
sent you!
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Triticale Grass
Wheat and Rye!
Note: This is the same seed we sell for Triticale Sprouts.
Yield = 1:1
Nutritional info:
Amino Acids
Trace Elements
Protein: up to 30%
this.
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Pre-Sprout
between Rinses.
Planting
do that.
Baby Blanket:
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Vermiculite:
Tray. Proceed...
Water the medium.
- 178 -

Uncover your Grass
Harvest
- 179 -
Or Use:
circulation.
Description
Triticale is a fairly new grain - created about 100 years ago. A combo of wheat and rye,
it is similar in taste and like other grasses very nutritious. This years crop is particularly
awesome.
We've been drinking grass juice it since the 1970s and have found that we enjoy it more
now than ever - since we got a Green Life juicer we mix our grass juice with carrot and
apple juice - it is delicious!
with soil. Now that we have soilless mediums (Baby Blanket and Vermiculite) we are
even less interested in hydroponic growing, but there is a plus to hydroponic Grass you can juice the entire crop - grains, roots and grass, so if you want to try - go for it!
- 180 -
Go to Val at Go Green - she is the meister of hydroponic Grass. Tell her us Sproutpeople
sent you!
All seeds that sprout will grow a plant.

Some of those plants are very tasty.
we call them Greens.
They're easy: We sprout some seeds and lay them on moist soil or soilless
planting medium - in a week or so we have some seriously tender Greens to
feast on.
Greens Basics
Yield = 1:1 to 3:1
Greens Shelf Life = 1 week
Nutritional info:
Calcium, Chlorophyll, Iron, Lecithin, Magnesium, Pantothenic Acid, Phosphorus,
Potassium
Amino Acids
Trace Elements
Protein: up to 30%
Sprouts are eaten root and all - Green's roots are buried in something (soil or some
moisture holding medium) so we don't eat them. Greens are just a plant which grows
vertically and which we harvest by cutting it close to it's base.
We have grown Greens - on soil - in Trays, for years. But, we now have alternatives:
Soilless mediums (Baby Blanket and Vermiculite) and organic liquid kelp fertilizer
(Kelpman). Baby Blanket is a thin organic material that holds moisture and in general
acts much like soil. Vermiculite is an amazingly water retentive medium made by heat
treating a unique mica. We think you should try them all; Vermiculite, Baby Blanket and
soil if you can - there are differences and you may prefer one method over the other and
the only way to know for sure is to try them all.
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The most famous of the Greens is Sunflower. Often called Sunnys, they are a staple of
Ann Wigmore's living diet - they are very nutritious (as is everything in sproutville),
amazingly tasty, tender and beautiful too! Sunnys require a bit more work than other
Greens, but they are well worth the effort.
Greens are a good deal different than Sprouts - they are really gorgeous, but they are a
bit more work. For that reason we suggest that you start with Sprouts if you are new to
all of this, but it's your life, don't let us push you around.
Many more seeds than are listed here can be grown into Greens. Among the obvious
choices are Lentils and Garbanzos which both produce beautiful tasty plants. For now
we just list those we have grown and sold for years, but as we always say - think for
yourself. Experiment!
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Buckwheat Lettuce
Whole Buckwheat In Hull

for Growing Greens
Very tender thin shoots with cute, and outrageously tender leaves
and quite attractive red tinged stems.
Yield = 1:1
Nutritional info:
Vitamins A, and C
Calcium, Chlorophyll, Iron, Lecithin, Potassium
Amino Acids
Protein: 15%
Yields vary depending on method used, climate and technique.
Planting Medium: We have grown Greens - on soil - in Trays, for years. But, we now
this.
Soil Note: Virtually any soil will do for Greens. We use sterile bagged composted cow
manure for everything else, but any sterile bagged soil will do and should cost less than
$5 (for 40-50 pounds) at any garden center (depending on the general cost of living
where you are of course). You can use expensive soil if you prefer - it is your choice always. The deal is this - Greens (garden Greens anyway) are aided by the presence of
the nutrient Nitrogen, in the soil. Nitrogen is the nutrient responsible for plant growth
(a very good thing when growing lettuce or spinach, but too much nitrogen is bad if
growing peas or tomatoes or any plant where the fruit is what we want, as opposed to
the plant itself). Manures come in various strengths depending on the animal that
originally produced it. Too much nitrogen will burn plants - literally burn them - hence
the word HOT is used in reference to nitrogen. The higher the nitrogen content the
- 183 -
HOTTER the manure (or fertilizer) is considered. Cow manure is the least hot - it is
perfect for our needs - it supplies the growing plants with a little extra boost. Chicken
and other bird manures are much hotter and Worm castings are hotter still (worm
castings are worm manure). The catch is this: Greens, Grass and Sprouts are almost all
too young to benefit from nitrogen, because for the most part every seed has all the
nutrients it needs to grow to the cotyledon stage - which is all we do with any of our
seeds. So - though it is contradictory, it is our experience that nitrogen does help
Greens and Grass. Like we always say - EXPERIMENT FOR YOURSELF. In any case a little nitrogen can't hurt.
at times in the growing process. (You'll see the TIP below - keep reading.)
When growing Greens: You really MUST Pre-Sprout before planting.
Pre-Sprout
between Rinses.
For some reason Buckwheat Lettuce sprouts very unevenly. We plant the seeds when
some (as opposed to most) sprouts reach 1/4 inch in length. This is typically after just 23 Rinse and Drain cycles. They catch up for the most part and if you wait for more
sprouts to reach 1/4 inch, there will be many that are too ong and will never grow
plants (because they won't be able to bury their roots).
Planting
- 184 -
do that.
Baby Blanket:
Kelpman enriched water (You don't NEED fertilizer, but we use it when we grow
without soil.) until thoroughly saturated (fold it up and push it into the liquid - use a pot
or something similar to hold it). Unfold it and re-fold differently or do whatever makes
sense - the goal is to get the pad THOROUGHLY soaked. Spread the wet pad across the
bottom of your Planting Tray. Proceed...
Vermiculite:
using another size tray, make it 1/4 - 1/2 inch deep. Spray water evenly across the
surface then spread it out as evenly as you can. We like to use Kelpman enriched water
(You don't NEED fertilizer, but we use it when we grow without soil.) so we just pour it
on until thoroughly saturated and then spread it out. The amount of liquid is this: a
little more than one quart for an 11 x 22 inch tray. You don't want more than a little left
in the Drip Tray. Pour off what water remains above the ridges of the Drip Tray.
Proceed...
Spread seeds evenly on thoroughly moistened soil/medium.
We use a lot of seeds and though some literature will tell you that your seeds should not
ever lay atop each other, we have found from years of experience and thousands of
pounds of Greens grown that that is bunk! You will learn for yourself that some Greens
(like these) produce a plant that takes up less room than the seed and so, to maximize
your yield your seeds must lay atop each other to some degree. The thing to watch is
this: If you find mold or fungal problems in your Greens then lessen the amount of seed
you plant. The hotter/more humid your climate is the more of an issue the mold/fungus
is. As always, you need to adapt to your own climate and seasonal conditions. And
learn as you go - this is really easy and fun stuff to learn!
Place in a low-light, room temperature location. 70 is always optimal but these
Greens will grow very well in cooler or slightly warmer temperatures also.
- 185 -
Water the medium.
subsequent Greens will get the moisture they need through their roots. Water from the
side if possible, to prevent injuring the tender Plants.
Vermiculite holds water better than anything, while Baby Blanket will dry out more
quickly than soil in most circumstances, so you should either water more often or
experiment with our somewhat risky trick:
leave as much water as the Greens can drink in a day and then add more the following
really a time saver and produces happier healthy Greens.
Uncover your Greens
Wait 3-4 days until they are 1-2 inches tall or until they push the covering tray up (it
Move to a well lit location to Green your Greens (If you use direct sunlight (a very
good idea for Greens) be prepared to do more watering). Keep the soil/medium moist
by watering the soil/medium daily. Watch them grow.
Harvest
When the plants are about 2-4 inches tall and have green leaves - by cutting the plants
just above soil or mediums surface.
moisture of your Greens - they will store best in your refrigerator if they are dry to the
- 186 -
Note: Greens can produce a 2nd (smaller) crop so you may continue to water the Tray
after you cut your first crop. Any crop after the first will be prone to fungal growth and
the quality will be likely diminished, but it can't hurt to try once.
Or Use:
1/4-1/3 cup for a 5" square Tray.
1-1 1/2 cup for an 11" square Tray.
2-3 Cups for an 11 inch x 22 inch Tray.
Once again: We use a lot of Seeds and though some literature will tell you that your
seeds should not ever lay atop each other, we have found from years of experience and
thousands of pounds of Greens grown that that is bunk! The thing to watch is this: If
you find mold or fungal problems in your Greens then lessen the amount of seed you
plant. The hotter/more humid your climate is the more of an issue the mold/fungus is. As
always, you need to adapt to your own climate and seasonal conditions. And learn as
you go - this is really easy and fun stuff to learn!
Description
Whole. In Hull. These Greens which are often called Buckwheat Lettuce, are (pre)
sprouted (as are almost all Greens) for a couple days (a 1/4 inch sprout is optimal), then
planted on soil or similar medium, kept moist for 5 - 7 days to produce very tender thin
shoots with cute, and outrageously tender leaves and red tinged stems. Very easy to
grow. A staple of Ann Wigmore's living sprout kitchen.
- 187 -
Cabbage Patch Micro-Greens
Red and Green Cabbage

Wonderful Cabbagey flavor!
Here in the form of a Micro-Green.
Yield = 1:1
Nutritional info:
Calcium, Chlorophyll, Iron, Magnesium, Niacin, Phosphorus, Potassium
Amino Acids
Antioxidants
Protein: 20-25%
These seeds will benefit from Soaking and a tiny bit of Pre-Sprouting prior to
planting. You don't have to soak them but it will help produce a better crop if you
do.
Pre-Sprouting
- 188 -
between Rinses.
The goal is to have a very small root before planting. However many Rinse and
Drain cycles it takes to get 1/16th - 1/8 inch roots is how long you should PreSprout.
Planting
Whether you have soaked, pre-sprouted or are starting with dry seed, this is the way to
proceed:
days.
It is not mandatory when growing Micro-Greens to cover them at all. Experiment for
yourself and see what works best in your climate/location.
optimal).
day or two.
When your plants have open leaves which are green, they are done.
- 189 -
first.
* Dry Seed Volume
2 Tablespoons for our little 5 tray.
1/3 - 1/2 Cup for an 11 square tray.
2/3 - 1 cup for an 11 x 22 inch tray.
The first time you grow these you might consider giving quite a bit of space to each
Note:
You can also grow Cabbage Patch using conventional sprouting methods as described
on our Cabbage page.
Description
A combination of 2 different cabbage varieties (more if we have more in stock) grown on soil,
Baby Blanket or similar medium, Miniature Garden or a horizontal Hemp Bag, for their very
tender greens.
Tastes like Cabbage. Easy to Grow. Tender.

Since any of the seed is not organic, this mix is considered conventional (non-organic).
But it is good just the same!
Note: Canadian and US researchers have found that Brassicas contain antioxidants such as
sulfurophane. Cabbage is a Brassica.
Organic Red Cabbage + Conventional Green Cabbage
- 190 -
Pea Shoots
Snow Pea or Other Great Shoot Producing Pea

A fantasticly delicious and versatile plant that grows from any and all Peas.
Yield = 1:1
Nutritional info:
Amino Acids
Protein: 20-25%
Yields 1-2 pounds per 11x22 inch tray.
Planting Medium: We have grown Pea Shoots - on soil - in Trays, for years. But, we
now have two alternatives: Soilless mediums Baby Blanket and Vermiculite, and
organic liquid kelp fertilizer (Kelpman). Baby Blanket is a thin organic material that
you soak before planting upon. It holds moisture and is the least messy and compact
medium we know of. Vermiculite is a mineral which holds moisture supremely,
should try all of them if you can - there are differences and though they are minimal you
may prefer one method over the other and the only way to know for sure is to try.
Instructions are pretty much the same in all cases, but where there is a difference we
include purple text like this.
Soil Note: Virtually any soil will do for Shoots. We use sterile bagged composted cow
manure for everything else, but any sterile bagged soil will do and should cost less than
$5 (for 40-50 pounds) at any garden center (depending on the general cost of living
where you are of course). You can use expensive soil if you prefer - it is your choice always. The deal is this - Greens (garden Greens anyway) are aided by the presence of
the nutrient Nitrogen, in the soil. Nitrogen is the nutrient responsible for plant growth
(a very good thing when growing lettuce or spinach, but too much nitrogen is bad if
growing peas (except if growing for Shoots) or tomatoes or any plant where the fruit is
what we want, as opposed to the plant itself). Manures come in various strengths
depending on the animal that originally produced it. Too much nitrogen will burn plants
- literally burn them - hence the word HOT is used in reference to nitrogen. The higher
the nitrogen content the HOTTER the manure (or fertilizer) is considered. Cow manure
- 191 -
is the least hot - it is perfect for our needs - it supplies the growing plants with a little
extra boost. Chicken and other bird manures are much hotter and Worm castings are
hotter still (worm castings are worm manure). The catch is this: Greens/Shoots, Grass
and Sprouts are almost all too young to benefit from nitrogen, because for the most part
every seed has all the nutrients it needs to grow to the cotyledon stage - which is all we
do with any of our seeds. So - though it is contradictory, it is our experience that
nitrogen does help Greens and Grass. Like we always say - EXPERIMENT FOR
YOURSELF. In any case - a little nitrogen can't hurt.
When growing Pea Shoots: You really MUST Pre-Sprout before planting.
Pre-Sprout
between Rinses.
When most of the peas have sprouted tiny (1/8-1/4 inch) roots it is time to plant. This is
Planting
- 192 -

do that.
Baby Blanket:
Vermiculite:
Proceed...
We use a lot of Peas and though some literature will tell you that your seeds should not
ever lay atop each other, we have found from years of experience and thousands of
pounds of Greens/Shoots grown that that is bunk! You will learn for yourself that some
Greens (like these) produce a plant that takes up less room than the seed and so, to
maximize your yield your seeds must lay atop each other to some degree. The thing to
watch is this: If you find mold or fungal problems in your Greens then lessen the
amount of seed you plant. This is VERY rarely a problem with Pea Shoots, but Peas are
a COOL weather crop in the garden. The hotter/more humid your climate is the more
work Pea Shoots will be and the more of an issue the mold/fungus can be. As always,
you need to adapt to your own climate and seasonal conditions. And learn as you go this is really easy and fun stuff to learn!
Place in a low-light, room temperature location. 70 is always optimal but these
Shoots will grow very well in cooler or slightly warmer temperatures also.
sprouts is best - whether you use a garden hose sprayer, hand sprayer or faucet sprayer -
- 193 -
just try to make sure that every sprout gets rinsed and quenched until they bury their
Water the medium.
subsequent Greens/Shoots will get the moisture they need through their roots. Water
from the side if possible, to prevent injuring the tender Plants - though Pea Shoots ARE
the strongest of Greens, so they won't fall over nearly as easily.
leave as much water as the Shoots can drink in a day and then add more the following
really a time saver and produces happier healthy Shoots.
Uncover your Shoots
Move to a well lit location to Green your Shoots (If you use direct sunlight (a very
good idea for Greens/Shoots) be prepared to do more watering). Keep the soil/medium
moist by watering the soil/medium daily. Watch them grow.
Harvest
When the Shoots are about 2-4 inches tall and have green leaves - by cutting the plants
moisture of your Shoots - they will store best in your refrigerator if they are dry to the
Note: Shoots can produce a 2nd (smaller) crop but they are much too tough. Plant a
new crop
- 194 -
Or Use:
1/4-1/2 Cup for a 5" square Tray.
1-1 1/2 Cup for an 11" square Tray.
thousands of pounds of Greens/Shoots grown that that is bunk!
Description
Grown from virtually any Pea variety, Shoots are the plant above the soil. Snow Peas are a
popular type of pea to use, but are difficult to find consistently. We currently use our
Speckled Peas as they produce a robust, tender Shoot in 8 - 14 days (depending on your
climate and time of year). Really excellent stir-fried quickly with some garlic and tamari (soy
sauce) and (optionally) ginger.
Note: You can grow shoots from any pea. They all have different characteristics so
experiment. Taste is a very subjective thing, so try them all =:-)
Snow Pea or Other Great Shoot Producing Pea
- 195 -
Popcorn Shoots
Red Popcorn
NOTE: The Popcorn we are selling came (from our farmer friends in
Nebraska) with Diatomaceous Earth, which is an approved
organic pest control. The D.E. is powder, so the bags of seed don't
look so great, but there are no insects and the Corn Shoots are as
good as ever.
Extremely sweet and tender, these shoots are gaining popularity in fine US
restraunts.
They have been used for years in Europe!
Yield = 1:1
Nutritional info:
Trace Elements
Protein: up to 30%
Yields approximately as weight in Greens as popcorn planted
We have grown Greens - on soil - in Trays, for years. But, we now have an
alternative: A Soilless medium (Baby Blanket) and organic liquid kelp fertilizer
(Kelpman). Baby Blanket is a thin organic material that holds moisture and in general
acts much like soil. We think you should try both if you can - there are differences and
though they are minimal you may prefer one method over the other and the only way to
know for sure is to try both.
Soil Note: Virtually any soil will do for these! We use sterile bagged composted cow
manure, but any sterile bagged soil will do and should cost less than five dollars at any
garden center. You can use expensive soil if you prefer - it is your choice - always!
Tray Note: Your planting tray (the one with the soil in it) MUST have drainage holes or
slits! Nothing will grow in soil that can not drain - that condition is commonly called
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"flooded". When using Baby Blanket your planting tray must also have drainage, but
we do use the drip tray to hold some water at times in the growing process.
When growing Greens: You MUST Pre-Sprout the seed before planting.
Pre-Sprout
between Rinses.
Planting
Note: The amount of soil you use is up to you. The reality is this: As your plants grow
they need more and more water. They get their water from the soil. The more soil you
use - the more water it can hold - the less you need to water.
do that.
There really is very little different about growing greens with Baby Blanket - for the
most part the instructions are identical. Where there are differences they will be noted
in purple text. Here are the first differences:
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Kelpman enriched water (You don't NEED fertilizer for Popcorn Shoots, but we use it
when we grow without soil.) until thoroughly saturated (fold it up and push it into the
liquid - use a pot or something similar to hold it). Spread the wet pad accross the
bottom of your Planting Tray. Proceed as with soil...
Spread seeds evenly on thoroughly moistened soil.
We use a lot of popcorn and though some literature will tell you that your seeds should
not ever lay atop each other, we have found from years of experience and thousands of
Trays of Greens grown that that is bunk! The thing to watch is this: If you find mold or
fungal problems in your Greens then lessen the amount of seed you plant. The
hotter/more humid your climate is the more of an issue the mold/fungus is. As always,
with an inverted tray - to keep light out and moisture in.
exists. Without this very minimal air flow you might encounter mold or fungal problems.
(70 is always optimal)
Water lightly every day or two
the goal is to keep the seeds moist (as with any sprouts) until their roots bury
themselves in the soil - at which point your goal is to keep the soil moist.
Uncover your Greens
Wait 3-4 days until your Shoots are 2-3 inches tall or until they push the covering tray
up (they really will do that - it is cool!)
Note: If you want the tenderest shoots possible you should stop now. These yellow
shoots are refered to as Blanched. They look really cool, don't they!? If you want to stop
here skip to the Harvest step.
Water
Every day - from the side if possible, to prevent injuring the tender shoots.
you'll have to learn this for yourself. We will suggest that you start with 1 cup in the
Drip Tray. Lift the Planting Tray to see how much is left after 4, 8 and 12 hours. If the
Drip Tray is dry add more water - if there is still water 24 hours later then cut back the
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next time you add water. Pretty simple really, and not as risky as we make it sound - it is
really a time saver and produces happier healthier greens.
Move to a well lit location to Green your Shoots
(If you use direct sunlight (a very good idea) be prepared to do more watering). Keep it
moist. Watch them grow.
Harvest
By cutting just above the soil or medium, when the Shoots are done.
Note: During the final 8-12 hours minimize the surface moisture of your Shoots - they
will store best in your refrigerator if they are dry to the touch. So if you water try to
keep the water off the plants - just water the soil.
Or Use:
1/4-1/3 Ccup for a 5" square Tray.
1-2 Cups for an 11" square Tray.
2-4 Cups for for an 11 inch x 22 inch Tray.
individual shoots. This can cause some fungal growth - we call it fuzzies. This is not
a problem, except that it is unattractive. You can usually just rinse it off when you
harvest the shoots. If you hate it - increase air flow by planting less seed. Additionally,
you may move your Shoots to a better ventilated area. In summer we grow our them
outside (from the point when we uncover the tray) for optimal air flow.
Description
Used for many years in European cuisine, Popcorn Shoots are rapidly gaining
popularity in fine US restraunts. The shoots are amazingly sweet! They are most tender
when light is withheld - this is called Blanching. Popcorn Shoots are not for everyone.
They are easy to grow but their sweetness is intense. They are very cool looking and
make a garnish for any dish!
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Sunflower Greens
Black Oil Sunflower - In Hull

See Crop Note
Often called Sunnys, these Greens are absolutely Awesome!

Yield = 2:1
Nutritional info:
Amino Acids
Protein: 20-25%
Yields vary depending on method used, temperature and technique. We could get 2-3 pounds of
Sunflower Greens from an 11x22 inch tray.
Planting Medium: We have grown Greens - on soil - in Trays, for years. But, we now
this.
Soil Note: Virtually any soil will do for Greens, BUT - for Sunflower Greens we
ALWAYS ADD Earthworm Castings (20-30% castings maximum in the soil mix). We
know from vast experience that the crop grows more evenly, sheds hulls better, grows
faster and even tastes better when worm castings are added! We use sterile bagged
composted cow manure for everything else, but any sterile bagged soil will do and
should cost less than $5 (for 40-50 pounds) at any garden center (depending on the
general cost of living where you are of course). You can use expensive soil if you prefer
- it is your choice - always. The deal is this - Greens (garden Greens anyway) are aided
by the presence of the nutrient Nitrogen, in the soil. Nitrogen is the nutrient responsible
for plant growth (a very good thing when growing lettuce or spinach, but too much
nitrogen is bad if growing peas or tomatoes or any plant where the fruit is what we
want, as opposed to the plant itself). Manures come in various strengths depending on
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the animal that originally produced it. Too much nitrogen will burn plants - literally
burn them - hence the word HOT is used in reference to nitrogen. The higher the
nitrogen content the HOTTER the manure (or fertilizer) is considered. Cow manure is
the least hot - it is perfect for our needs - it supplies the growing plants with a little
extra boost. Worm castings are Very Hot (worm castings are worm manure) - so we use
them sparingly and only in the case of Sunflower Greens. The catch is this: Greens,
Grass and Sprouts are almost all too young to benefit from nitrogen, because for the
most part every seed has all the nutrients it needs to grow to the cotyledon stage - which
is all we do with any of our seeds. So - though it is contradictory, it is our experience
that nitrogen does help Greens and Grass. Like we always say - EXPERIMENT FOR
YOURSELF. In any case - a little nitrogen can't hurt.
When growing Greens: You really MUST Pre-Sprout before planting.
Pre-Sprout
Note: Sunflower seeds in their shell will FLOAT. You MUST weigh them down when
soaking or they won't all take up water. We use a plate that rests right on top of the
seeds in the bowl or bucket in which we soak, but the easiest of all methods for the
home grower is to use a jar with a lid. Put your seeds in and fill the jar to the brim with
water, screw on the lid and presto - all of your seeds are submerged!
between Rinses.
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Planting
Remember to add 20-30% Earthworm Castings to your base soil for the best possible
crop!
do that.
Baby Blanket:
Vermiculite:
Proceed...
We use a lot of Sunflowers and though some literature will tell you that your seeds
should not ever lay atop each other, we have found from years of experience and
thousands of pounds of Greens grown that that is bunk! You will learn for yourself that
some Greens (like these) produce a plant that takes up less room than the seed
(sunflower seeds are in fact going to grow all the way to the top of the crop, rising on
tender stalks, and be shed to display 2 lovely leaves which are the meat of the seed
transformed into the plant. This is dicot seed at its most illustrative!) and so to
maximize your yield your seeds must lay atop each other to some degree. The thing to
watch is this: If you find mold or fungal problems in your Greens then lessen the
amount of seed you plant. The hotter/more humid your climate is the more of an issue
the mold/fungus is. As always, you need to adapt to your own climate and seasonal
conditions. And learn as you go - this is really easy and fun stuff to learn!
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Place in a low-light, room temperature location. 70 is always optimal but Sunflower
Greens will grow very well in warmer temperatures also.
Water the medium.
subsequent Greens will get the moisture they need through their roots. Water from the
side if possible, to prevent injuring the tender Plants.
really a time saver and produces happier healthy Greens.
not nearly as important for you - especially if you're already using worm castings.
Uncover your Greens
Move to a well lit location to Green your Greens (If you use direct sunlight (a very
good idea for Greens) be prepared to do more watering). Keep the soil/medium moist
by watering the soil/medium daily. Watch it grow.
Harvest
When the plants are about 3-4 inches tall and have green leaves - by cutting the plants
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Harvest should occur BEFORE "true leaves" begin to show. They are leaves which will
appear from the center of the first 2 leaves. If you see a few Greens with these tiny
leaves forming then get your scissors NOW - the Greens get less tasty (a bit bitter) if
left go too long.
Note: Sunflower Greens will shed their hulls as their leaves open, but there are always
some that are slow to shed. You can take the tray at an angle and brush your hand back
and forth over the top of the Greens to help the stubborn along.
moisture of your Greens - they will store best in your refrigerator if they are dry to the
Note: Sunflower Greens can produce a 2nd (smaller) crop so you may continue to water
the Tray after you cut your first crop. The 2nd crop is the result of the seeds that are
slower - the plants you cut will not re-grow.
Or Use:
1/4-1/3 cup for a 5" square Tray.
1-1 1/2 cup for an 11" square Tray.
thousands of pounds of Greens grown that that is bunk! The thing to watch is this: If
you find mold or fungal problems in your Greens then lessen the amount of seed you
plant. The hotter/more humid your climate is the more of an issue the mold/fungus is. As
always, you need to adapt to your own climate and seasonal conditions. And learn as
you go - this is really easy and fun stuff to learn!
Description
Greens grown from Sunflowers are surprisingly delicious. If you don't feel you know us
well enough to believe it, just look under your bird feeder in summertime for a sorta
thick stemmed plant about 4-6" tall, with 2 leaves on top. Pick it off above the soil and
eat it ..... See? Great aren't they?!
We have claimed for years, that Sunnys need to be planted on soil with 20-30%
Earthworm Castings to achieve their full (awesome!) potential in flavor and vigor, but
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we now have two soilless alternatives! A soilless medium called Baby Blanket, and the
amazingly retentive Vermiculite, when used in conjunction with a liquid fertilizer, like
Kelpman (an organic kelp concentrate), produces wonderful Greens without the mess of
soil. Every plant we've grown using this soilless method has turned out wonderfully,
though Sunnys still seem a bit tastier to us when grown using the conventional soil
method. That may be due to our hard headedness, but in any case - Sunnys grown with
either of these methods works very well and produces a very delicious crop.
We do not like the flavor of hydroponic (grown using nothing but water) Sunnys - we
find them virtually tasteless and quite watery - but - if you just don't care what we think
(good for you!) and you are determined to grow these with nothing but water, then go to
Val at Go Green - she is the meister of hydroponic Greens. Tell her those Sproutpeople
sent you!
Nursery Trays
aka Flats
About Trays
Sproutpeople produced over 200 tons of sprouts, Grasses and Greens between 1993 2003, using Trays like these. There is little need for a home sprouter to grow amounts of
sprouts so great that Trays would make sense, but we will be adding information on our
SproutGarden site in the future (we've been saying that for years now, but we REALLY
will get to it - or writing a book - eventually), for small wholesale and farmer's market
growers, which will include methods of growing sprouts in Trays and Buckets. For now,
these Trays are not a good choice for sprouts because their drainage slits are poorly
layed out. They are just swell for Grass and Greens though.
We have grown Grass and Greens - on soil - in Trays, for years. But, we now have
alternatives: Soilless Planting media- Baby Blanket, Vermiculite- and organic liquid
kelp fertilizer - Kelpman. Baby Blanket is a thin organic material that holds moisture
and in general acts much like soil. Vermiculite is a mineral that is heated to 1,600 and
then expands in a worm (verm) like shape, into an extremely light planting medium that
has remarkable moisture retention. We think you should try both if you can - there are
differences and though they are minimal you may prefer one method over the other and
the only way to know for sure is to try both. You can also use both together - Baby
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Blanket on the bottom of the tray and Vermiculite atop it. In either case you definitely
should use Kelpman - it can make a whole lot of difference!
You can use any soil you like for most crops. We used sterile bagged composted cow
manure for all of our crops. We add about 20% Earthworm Castings when growing
Sunflower Greens. You can use any sterile soil you like - or can get. Though expensive
soils are fine, we prefer inexpensive 40 pound bags of sterile cow manure. Whatever
you choose - be sure it is free of chemicals!
Each 11x22 inch tray will grow 1-3 pounds of Greens or produce enough
grass to yield 10-20 ounces of Juice!
Growing Capacity
See seed information pages for details.
Eat More Sprouts + Grow More Often - Easily!
Earthworm Castings
Earthworm Castings are a necessary ingredient in the growing of Sunflower Greens.
They offer more nitrogen to the growing plants which dramatically improves the quality
of the crop - the Sunnys grow more rapidly, more evenly and shed their hulls more
readily. Use no more than 30% worm castings in your soil or the high nitrogen content
will "burn" your plants.
Kelpman
Liquid Kelp Ferilizer
Formerly called
Sea Spray
Pint (concentrate)
A wonderful organic fertilizer from the folks who make Baby Blanket soilless planting medium, Kelpman
gives your Grass, Greens and Micro-Greens everything they need to grow fast and strong - and delicious.
This is a concentrate. Dilute with water and spray (if you need a sprayer, they are
listed directly below) it on your plants, soak Baby Blanket or other soilless medium
and even soak your seeds in it! Each pint (16 fluid ounces) makes up to 25 gallons!
My Grass or Greens are moldy.
There are two issues when it comes to Grass and Greens: Mold and fungus. Mold can grow on seeds even
in the first few days after planting. It is usually a result of bad seed, bad soil, a dirty growing container, or
improper growing methods. We hate to tell folks the ONE way to sprout or grow, but we have heard some
methods from some of our customers which drive us nervous. We will say that if you buy our seeds and
follow our directions, you will get good results. So, if you are having mold problems, follow OUR
instructions on our web site. Do clean your growing containers and Use Only sterile soil (any bagged
soil) or a soilless medium. If you aren't using our seeds, consider buying some - if you can't solve the
problem with our advise.
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Fungus is a hairy growth that is not uncommon in Grass and is sometimes seen on Greens.
It is commonly called FUZZIES by those of us in the growing business. It is NOT
harmful, but it is gross. The answer is to increase air-circulation. This can be done by
growing in a different location - outside is best and solves the problem 95% of the time. The other
solution is to plant less densely. Fungus is only a problem in hot/humid conditions. We plant as much as
50% less seed per tray in the height of summer - that AND growing outside ALWAYS solves the problem
Medium
That upon which we plant our seeds when we intend to produce plants like Grass, Greens
and Micro-Greens. Normally we use soil (we have used many tons of sterile bagged soil to
produce our non-sprout crops since we started back in 1993), but anything that holds water
can be considered a medium. The lowest example of a medium is paper towel, but a good
medium is something that holds water longer, and is of course, organic. We now offer two
soilless mediums along with an organic liquid fertilizer. Both Baby Blanket and Vermiculite
offer a cleaner medium for planting, and with the addition of Kelpman liquid kelp fertilizer,
you can now produce great crops with much less mess.
Greening
Sprouts
We don't do anything special to green our sprouts when we grow at home. We grow
them from start to finish on the kitchen counter - or the dish drainer if there is room. In
either case they get light from our combined 150-200 watts around the room - just
regular light bulbs, and a little (very) indirect sunlight.
When you're growing sprouts, room light is nothing to worry about! Don't bother hiding
your Sprouts, they can't begin photosynthesis until they have leaves anyway and
contrary to the all too popular dogma in sprouting books - it does no harm!
On the day your Sprouts are ready to take in light - when their cotyledons (leaves) have
shed their hulls or are about to - allow your sprouts light - if you've been keeping it from
them. If you grow them - like we do - where light is already available, just watch the
magic (it'll take a couple days so you might want to grab a sandwich if you plan on
watching every moment =:-)
Grass & Greens

If you are Growing Grass or Greens you will have kept the light away most likely, so
now is the time to uncover them. When you see them growing tall (an inch or so for
Grass and 2-3 inches for Greens) but yellow (sans chlorophyll), uncover the container
and move it to a well lit location.Greens (like the Sunflowers in the picture) are a bit
greedier for light, especially Sunflower Greens, so make them happy and give 'em
plenty. If you use direct sunlight be prepared to do more watering. As the plants grow
their roots become more voluminous than the soil on which they're planted, so they
drink up the moisture faster the bigger they get. When you factor in light - especially
direct sunlight which hastens the drying of the soil - you need to work that much harder
to keep your crop moist. Just plan on watering every day during the last few days.
We use the sun whenever we can when Greening plants, we have for years. There is
nothing better for the big plants!
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As for Grass - it will also do swell with the Sprout sufficient light and since you allow
Grass light when still quite small, it is best to keep it away from direct (hot) light so the
soil doesn't dry out. After it has grown to two or three inches it will have developed a
canopy over the soil. You can be more aggressive with your light then, if you wish, but
as with the Greens, the root mass is greater than the soil mass by this time so keep it
moist!
True Leaves
The leaves that appear after the Cotyledon or Seed leaves.
Cotyledon
The first leaves of the embryonic plant within the seed that are used as a food supply for the
germinating embryo. Also called a "seed leaf".
Hull(ing)
Hull: The dry outer covering of a seed or nut.
Hulling: The removal of hulls.
We do not mind most hulls - mostly we consider them to be extra roughage. Most Legumes
(Beans, Alfalfa, Clover) have hulls, some of which will float or otherwise make themselves
available for removal, during regular Rinsing and Draining. You may choose to De-Hull your
crop or not. Here is the method. We do remove hulls from Brassica Sprouts (Broccoli, Radish,
etc.) as they are so big (relative to the sprout) and wet that they compromise both texture
and storage of the finished sprouts if not removed.
Refrigerate your Sprouts

Before moving your sprouts to that big cool box in your
kitchen, they should be dry to the touch. In most cases we let
our sprouts sit for 8-12 hours after their final rinse, and
extremely thorough drain before we refrigerate them, but if
our salad spinner can contain them, we use it. Another option
for centrifugal drying is the Hemp Bag because it is easy and
fun to swing around - though you should do it outside unless
your trying to show your kids a good time.
There is no quicker way to kill produce than to refrigerate it
wet, so make sure that your sprouts are reasonably dry
before you refrigerate them.
You can transfer them to a plastic bag or use your sprouter
for storage, or you can use a glass or plastic container. The
Easy Sprout is an excellent storage vessel for any sprout and any vegetable as well.
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We almost always seal our sprouts - we do not let them

"breathe" - that just drys them out. But If your sprouts are
wetter than you think they should be, or they are warm when
you refrigerate them, go ahead and punch a few holes in the
bag - it won't hurt in that case and it may help a lot. Once
they are cool and dry you can seal them in a new bag or
another container.
Your home grown sprouts should easily keep for weeks
(depending on the type of sprout) in the refrigerator.
Juicers
Click the links to go the the Juicer's Information page.
Miracle Manual Grass Juicer

Our first Juicer, this manual juicer is made of chrome-plated cast iron. It clamps onto your
counter or table and you crank the wooden handle to extract the nectar of life from freshly
cut grass. If you are only juicing a few ounces a day this is a great choice!
MJ-550 Electric Grass Juicer

This was the second juicer of our lives. It makes fast work of extracting juice from grass and
cleans easily. We didn't use ours for long because we decided we wanted to juice other things
too.
GreenLife Juice Extractor

We LOVE our GreenLife! It juices almost everything we could dream of juicing and it does
grass better than the grass only juicers above. GreenLife comes with plenty of supplies.
GreenLife is easy to clean. GreenLife is extremely durable. We love our GreenLife!!!
We will probably add some Juicers and other sprout supplies to our pages in the future, but
we are not eager to sell items we don't personally know.
You are always welcome to ask us to get you something. We can ask our suppliers and give
you a price for just about anything.
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The Basics of Sprouting

Shelf Life and Storage of Seeds
Basic storage is Cool, Dry and Dark. 55-70 (f) with humidity of 70% or less will
(based on our experience) result in shelf life as stated in this chart, though lower
humidity is always desirable.
Seed life can be maximized by Freezing - which will increase shelf life 4-5 times
or
Refrigerating - which will at least double it. In all cases it is essential that you
avoid condensation - which could shorten a seed's life.
Seed
Basic Shelf Life
Adzuki
3 Years
Alfalfa
4 Years
Almond
4 Years
Arugula
5 Years
Barley (whole for grass)
2 Years
Barley (hulled)
2 Years
Basil
3 Years
Black Turtle Bean
4 Years
Broccoli
5 Years
Buckwheat, in hull
2 Years
Buckwheat, hulled (Groats)
2 Years
Cabbage
4 Years
Cauliflower
5 Years
Celery
5 Years
Clover, Crimson
4 Years
Clover, Red
4 Years
Cress, Curly
5 Years
Dill
3 Years
Fennel (leaf)
3 Years
Fenugreek
5 Years
Flax, Brown
3 Years
Flax, Golden
3 Years
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Garbanzo
4 Years
Garlic (Chive)
12-18 Months
Hemp Seed
5 Years
Kale, Red Russian
5 Years
Kamut
2 Years
Leek*
12-18 Months
Lentil
5 Years
Millet
4 Years
Mizuna
4 Years
Mung Bean
2 Years
Mustard, Oriental (yellow)
4 Years
Oats, in hull
2 Years
Oats, hulless
18-24 Months
Onion
12-18 Months
Pea
5 Years
Peanut
5 Years
Pinto Bean
4 Years
Popcorn
8 years
Pumpkin
2 Years
Quinoa
3 Years
Radish
5 Years
Rice
2 Years
Rye
2 Years
Sesame
2 Years
Soy Bean
4 Years
Spelt
2 Years
Sunflower, in shell
2 Years
Sunflower, hulled
2 Years
Tatsoi
4 Years
Triticale
2 Years
Wheat, Hard Red Winter
2 Years
Seed is typically harvested in Fall and is usually available to us in December or

January.
If you are going to stockpile seed make every attempt to plan ahead and
purchase the freshest seed possible as it will store longer for you and provide
you with delicious healthy sprouts further into the future.
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Ideal storage is 40 and 40% humidity. If you can do that you can double the
numbers above. If you freeze seeds you can multiply the numbers by 4 or 5.
Prepare Your Seeds for Sprouting

Though it not always necessary, it is always a good idea to
Prep your seeds before you Soak them.
Besides rinsing them, you should also consider adopting the habit of culling through your
seeds*. Beans especially should be culled because they can contain non-seeds (bean shaped
pebbles, though rare are not unknown). Small seeds are too small to cull, but Radish and all
seeds bigger should be checked for plant parts, pebbles, broken or obviously messed-up
seeds or seeds that just don't belong (weed seeds for example). What we are saying is: we
are not liable for anything that happens as a result of the presence of unwanted objects in
the seed we sell. Sorry, it is just a liability thing - welcome to the 21st century in the US of
A. You will find that some of our seed information pages contain the Seed-Prep step while
others do not. Though we ourselves, when sprouting, perform the Seed-Prep only on a few
seeds, we suggest that you should develop better habits and do it on all of them. It just
NEVER hurts to check your seed and rinse it before Soaking!
Certain seeds have more of a need than others:

Mung Beans are grown in China and dried on dirt roads. Not surprisingly they tend to be
dusty as a result.
Alfalfa and Clover (and therefore all of our Leafy sprout blends) are polished. Polishing is a
modern method of seed scarification which is intended to make the seed take up water more
readily and thereby germinate faster. Polishing is like sanding and it does have the downside
of leaving behind - for you and us to clean - the dust created as the seed's coat is sanded
down. The positive aspect far outweighs that however. The old scarification method - still
used on much of the seed you can buy for sprouting (never from us though!), involves
breaking the seed coat by either scratching it or freezing it. The vast majority of pathogen
problems that the sprout industry has been dealing with over the past few years have to do
with those broken seed coats, so though you have to rinse and rinse and rinse these seeds to
clean them, you know they are whole and safe!
Radish seeds often contain some wild sunflower and buckwheat in their number. We don't
remove them before soaking - it would be a real drag - but we get rid of them when we DeHull - when the crop is done.
Some Grains will have a certified organic (and edible) insect powder (diatomaceous earth) on
them to keep grain weevils (little tiny insects that eat a perfect hole right through a kernel of
grain) at bay. We very rarely have grain that has this powder on it. We prefer freezing which
is another way to control grain weevils, but if your grain is powdery, just rinse like you would
any other seed before Soaking.
There are other examples, but you'll find out about the seeds by looking at their information
pages. Like we say: Culling through your seeds before prep is a good habit, but don't lose
any sleep over it - after all, we sell very good seeds - we sprout so many of them in our
business that we couldn't possibly stand to deal with bad seeds!
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The Method
You can use a sieve or colander for this task as long as your seeds won't fall through the
holes. Some of our Sprouters are perfect for this too. These are the best and in both cases
you can Prep and just move right on to sprouting:
Easy Sprout
Jars with Lids
Whether you use one of our Sprouters or your own container, it should be at least very clean
and even better, sterile. You should scrub it well with soap and/or a dilute bleach solution (1
Tbs. of bleach per pint is good & strong)
Put your seeds in the Sprouter or other thing and run water through them until the water
runs clear. Stir the seeds up with a spoon, fork or high pressure water to make sure they are
all getting well bathed. That's all there is to it.
Seed Soaking
Dry seeds are dormant.
Soaking a seed ends it's dormancy and begins a new life.
In nature this seed will make a plant which can, in turn make seeds, which can
in turn make more plants, which can make More Seeds which make More
plants and more and More and MORE!
We eat all this potential. Its no wonder sprouts are SO nutritious!
Add Water:
Different seeds soak up different amounts of water.
Mix 2-3 parts water to 1 part seed.
The seeds are going to absorb a lot of water while soaking. All that matters is
that we provide enough of it. As a rule 2-3 TIMES AS MUCH water (as
seeds) is enough, but you can not use too much - the seeds will only absorb
what they can regardless of what they have access too. But don't short them or
they won't sprout well.
You can not use too much water, but you can soak for too long. Read the seed
information pages for the seeds you are sprouting.
Mix your Seeds up:

With small seeds in particular, it is important to mix up your seeds to assure
even water contact. We use our hands or a nice wooden spoon or something - 213 -
to stir the seeds around, or, if we're using an Easy Sprout we will repeatedly
twirl and plunge the Growing Vessel into the partially full of water Solid Base.
Seeds like Alfalfa, Clover and Broccoli can be covered with water but still fail to soak
any up - in the same way that a spoon full of Nestle's Quick plunged into a glass of milk
will remain dry. If you Prep your Seeds before Soaking you will likely not suffer the
"Nestle's Quick syndrome" since your seeds will already be thoroughly wet.
How Long is Long Enough?

A few seeds do not Soak at all and though most do, they Soak for varying
duration's. The norm is 8-12 hours, but some soak for only 20 minutes, some
occasionally soak in warm or hot water and for more or less time - Check the
seed information pages for the seeds you are sprouting.
After your Soak is over:

Skim off any non-seeds that are floating on the water*.
Run your finger tips over any floating seeds to see if they will sink.
Skim or pour off any seeds or non-seeds remaining afloat.
Proceed to the next step: Rinsing
Tricks & Trouble

Don't even read this until you have a sense of how sprouts work. And a tolerance for my rambling! This
section will be edited in the near future =:-}
There are some tricks you can use - like soaking in hot water, to shorten the time of the
soak or to make seeds - which aren't soaking up water well - soak it up. Warm water can
shorten the time it takes for a seed to finish Soaking. A warm spot in the house can
speed up your crop while a cold spot can slow it down. You can Green sprouts outside
in freezing weather if you make a tiny portable greenhouse.......... There are a whole lot
of ways to make trouble for you and your crop. We will discuss a couple now and will
improve this area as time permits. Really - you should just stop reading this page NOW.
Hot water can cook seeds if used incorrectly or it can make a "hard seed" sprout by
convincing it to soak up water. If you are curious about these tricks read on.
We stock over 70 varieties of sprouting seeds all the time. Every year we test crops from
multiple farmers and seed dealers to find the seeds that sprout best, taste best and store
best. But there are some crop years when it is impossible to find the quality we are
looking for in a given seed. Fortunately since our seeds come from all over the Planet it
is usually just a problem with a few seeds a year. Certain seeds are more prone to
difficulties than others but even the most easily grown crops can suffer. It really boils
down to weather and farm location and as we all know, every year is different
everywhere. We have found, over the years, that the crops that tend to have
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idiosyncrasies most often are: Adzuki Beans, Mung Beans, and Broccoli. So we'll use
them as examples of how to use Soaking to make them better than they want to be.
In the case of Adzukis, Mungs and sometimes, though less frequently Broccoli; there is
many a lot that has hard seed. We deal with that by using warmer water. The worst case
we ever had was Adzukis back in 1995. Those seeds were so difficult that we would
soak them with an initial water temperature of 120 (the water cools as time passes) in
an effort to convince the beans to take up water. It worked. That same year we had
Mungs that started at 100! Maybe the year we had to soak our Adzukis for 36 hours
(changing the water every 12 hours of course) was the worst...... Luckily we haven't had
any seed so demanding in a couple years. Our last hard seed problem was with our 1998
Broccoli crop which required an initial temperature of 100 but which couldn't soak for
more than 1 1/2 hours. If we soaked longer the seed would fail to produce edible
sprouts. Hard seed is really only serious in the case of Beans. A hard Bean is as hard as
a rock and can break a tooth if you're unlucky. When the hard seed is a small seed like
Broccoli the problem is simpler - you aren't likely to break a tooth - the crop is just low
yielding. Still even that is unacceptable. Though all of our seeds are currently
(September, 2001) without any problems, we are always careful - especially with
Mungs and Adzukis.
Both Beans are slower to take up water than other Beans so we make sure that all are
soft before we terminate the soak. Here is what we say on our Adzuki page:
Adzuki Beans will pale somewhat as they swell with water. Before you end your soak,
check them: If you see that on some of your beans, part of the bean (one end usually) is
still as dark as it was before soaking, they need a little more time to soak - to make sure
they have taken up all the water they need.
For that reason we generally soak Adzukis for 12 hours.
Adzukis also tend to have more hard seed than other seed types. If you buy your seed
from us this is not a concern, but if you buy Adzuki or other seeds elsewhere be sure to
examine them after soaking to make sure there are no hard seeds (seeds that are as hard
after soaking as before) lurking at the bottom. If there are - throw those (the hard ones)
out! They are easy to spot as they are smaller and darker red than those that are
swollen with water.
There are some times when we just need to rush things a bit. We will use warmer water
and decrease the Soak's duration. As previously mentioned this is risky. As an example,
if you soak Lentils in 100 water (initial temperature) they will be done soaking in just a
couple hours - or they may have partially cooked by then. The rule of thumb is that if
you use warm water - and even more so when you use hot water - you need to
physically touch your seeds to see when they have softened. It would be wise to try
warm/hot soaks only after you have enough experience to know what a correctly soaked
seed feels like.
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Given proper moisture a seed will germinate.

Rinsing is the process by which we add moisture to our sprouts. Draining is
the process by which we regulate the amount of moisture our sprouts have
available - until their next Rinse.
We've grown sprouts since 1993 - over 200 tons - professionally - from 1993-2003, so
we formed some definite opinions on what works and what works best. Please excuse
our dogma, what follows is what WE know works best. We grow our sprouts (and did
even when we were professionals) by hand - rinsing and draining over a sink, just like
you. You can of course modify anything and everything we say to suit yourself.
The Sproutpeople's Principals of Rinsing:*

Use cool water (60-70).
Use a lot of water.
Use high water pressure whenever possible.
Rinse 2-3 times daily.
By using high pressure water (turning your faucet to high) you "clean" your
sprouts, infuse them with oxygen (oxygenate) and keep them loose - which
helps a lot when it comes to Draining.
Though sprouts will grow with little water - as long as the humidity is right, it
is our long held opinion that they won't grow as well, store as well or taste as
good. Even further - though we have no scientific evidence, we think the
heavy watering/oxygenating makes healthier sprouts. We see sprouting as
micro-gardening. A garden loves nothing more then a nice thorough rain on a
perfect Summer day - plants seem to grow before your eyes. With Sprouts, a
thorough rinse along with desired humidity and 70 temperature is a perfect
Summer day, so let it rain!
Don't forget the other most vital element of sprouting: Draining
Watering Plants
If you are watering Greens and Grass the basic rule is to keep the seed moist
until it's root is buried in the soil (or other water retaining medium), at which
point you keep the medium moist.
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Don't water to the point of drowning however. If your seeds/plants are sitting in a
muddy swamp they will suffer too. Common sense will guide you =:-}
Your plants will require more and more water as they grow bigger - they are
after all, mostly water - so water them whenever they need it - every day or 2
at first and at least every day during their last few days of growth.
Water from the sides if possible to avoid hurting the tender plants - remember
- you are watering the medium not the plants during the last several days.
Given proper moisture a seed will germinate.

Rinsing is the process by which we add moisture to our sprouts. Draining is
the process by which we regulate the amount of moisture our sprouts have
available - until their next Rinse.
We've grown sprouts - over 200 tons so far - professionally since 1993, so we have
formed some definite opinions on what works and what works best. Please excuse our
dogma, what follows is what WE know works best. We grow our sprouts by hand rinsing and draining over a sink, just like you. You can of course modify anything and
everything we say to suit yourself.
The Sproutpeople's Principals of Draining:*

Drain as much of the Rinse water
out of your sprouts
as is humanly possible.
Be Thorough!
You are probably thinking: If I use less water to Rinse I'll have an easier time
Draining. Logical. As we've said so many times on these pages; we've grown a
whole lot of sprouts, and we've tried just about everything over the years including Rinse/Drain variations. We'd love to pay less every month on our
water bill. We'd love to cut our production time in half by having less water to
Drain. We think: Why bother putting all that water in if we're just going to
take it out?
Well: We've tried - too many times. Too many of our employees have tried too many times. We know it may not make sense, but it is true - Rinsing
thoroughly grows better sprouts! BUT - when you Rinse thoroughly you
MUST Drain just as thoroughly.
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So, spin, shake, bounce and twirl your sprouter - just get as much
water out as you can after every thorough Rinse.**
Greening
Sprouts
We don't do anything special to green our sprouts when we grow at home. We
grow them from start to finish on the kitchen counter - or the dish drainer if
there is room. In either case they get light from our combined 150-200 watts
around the room - just regular light bulbs, and a little (very) indirect sunlight.
When you're growing sprouts, room light is nothing to worry about! Don't
bother hiding your Sprouts, they can't begin photosynthesis until they have
leaves anyway and contrary to the all too popular dogma in sprouting books - it
does no harm!
On the day your Sprouts are ready to take in light - when their cotyledons
(leaves) have shed their hulls or are about to - allow your sprouts light - if
you've been keeping it from them. If you grow them - like we do - where light is
already available, just watch the magic (it'll take a couple days so you might
want to grab a sandwich if you plan on watching every moment =:-)
Grass & Greens

If you are Growing Grass or Greens you will have kept the light away most
likely, so now is the time to uncover them. When you see them growing tall (an
inch or so for Grass and 2-3 inches for Greens) but yellow (sans chlorophyll),
uncover the container and move it to a well lit location.Greens (like the
Sunflowers in the picture) are a bit greedier for light, especially Sunflower
Greens, so make them happy and give 'em plenty. If you use direct sunlight be
prepared to do more watering. As the plants grow their roots become more
voluminous than the soil on which they're planted, so they drink up the
moisture faster the bigger they get. When you factor in light - especially direct
sunlight which hastens the drying of the soil - you need to work that much
harder to keep your crop moist. Just plan on watering every day during the last
few days.
We use the sun whenever we can when Greening plants, we have for years.
There is nothing better for the big plants!
As for Grass - it will also do swell with the Sprout sufficient light and since you
allow Grass light when still quite small, it is best to keep it away from direct
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(hot) light so the soil doesn't dry out. After it has grown to two or three inches it
will have developed a canopy over the soil. You can be more aggressive with
your light then, if you wish, but as with the Greens, the root mass is greater
than the soil mass by this time so keep it moist!
Some of the crops we offer need to be planted on soil or another moisture retaining
medium. This is the page that tells you how.
Grass and Greens

Pre-Sprout these seeds as their Detail Pages say to.
Planting Medium: We grew Grasses & Greens - on soil - in Trays, for years. But, we
now have two alternatives: Soilless mediums Baby Blanket and Vermiculite, and
organic liquid kelp fertilizer (Kelpman). Baby Blanket is a thin organic (plant fiber)
material that you soak before planting upon. It holds moisture and is the least messy and
compact medium we know of. Vermiculite is a mineral which holds moisture supremely,
should try all of them if you can - there are differences and though they are minimal you
may prefer one method over the other and the only way to know for sure is to try.
Instructions are pretty much the same in all cases, but where there is a difference we
include purple text like this.
manure, but any sterile bagged soil will do and should cost less than $5.00 (for a 40
pound bag!) at any garden center. You can use expensive soil if you prefer - it is your
choice - always.
Remember to add 20-30% Earthworm Castings (if growing Sunflower Greens) to your
base soil for the best possible crop! You may use Vermiculite and Kelpman too. Read
the Sunflower Greens page for more.
at times in the growing process. (see below)
You really MUST Pre-Sprout these before planting.
Pre-Sprout
Put seed into a bowl or your Sprouter.
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between Rinses.
Planting
do that.
Baby Blanket:
Vermiculite:
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Tray. Proceed...
Spread them out as evenly as you can. We use a lot of seed, and though some literature
years of experience and tens of thousands of Trays of Grass and Greens grown that;
that is bunk! You will learn for yourself that Grasses and Greens produce a plant that
takes up less room than the seed did, and so to maximize your yield your seeds must lay
atop each other to some degree. The thing to watch is this: If you find mold or fungal
problems in your Grass/Greens then lessen the amount of grain you plant. The
hotter/more humid your climate is the more of an issue the mold/fungus is. As always,
70 is always optimal but Grasses and some Greens will grow very well in cooler
temperatures also. All will LOVE 70.
Water the medium.
subsequent plants will get the moisture they need through their roots. Water from the
side if possible, to prevent injuring the tender plants.
crazy - too much can drown your plants and/or lead to mold or fungal problems. Just
leave as much water as the plants can drink in a day and then add more the following
day. The amount is dependant on the climate (humidity especially) you're growing in,
and the size of the plants and roots, so you'll have to learn this for yourself. We suggest
that you start with 1-2 cups in the Drip Tray. Lift the Planting Tray to see how much is
left after 4, 8 and 12 hours. If the Drip Tray is dry add more water - if there is still
water 24 hours later then cut back the next time you add water. Pretty simple really, and
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not as risky as we make it sound - it is really a time saver and produces happy healthy
Grass and Greens.
it sound - it is really a time saver and produces happier healthy plants. Use Kelpman
Uncover your Grass/Greens
Wait (3-4 days) until it is 1-2 inches tall or until it pushes the covering tray up (it really
(If you use direct sunlight (a very good idea for Grass and Greens) be prepared to do
more watering). Keep it moist by watering the soil/medium daily. Watch it grow. It
takes about 10 days to get to....
Harvest
height is just a matter of yield - you can cut it any time you want to). or the Greens are 4
or more inches tall, but only their first set of leaves (Cotyledon) are unfurled and
(hopefully) the hulls have fallen from them. If you wait until the 2nd set of leaves (True
Leaves) form, you have waited too long - your plants may be bitter. In the case of Pea
Shoots there are no Cotyledons or True Leaves - just a vine. Taste one every 12-24
hours after they reach 4 inches, to see when thay taste and feel best.
Grass Note: We believe that you will get the best flavor and nutrition from freshly cut
Grass. We cut JUST prior to juicing and we feel the difference! But, you are better off
juicing week old Grass than no Grass at all, so do what you must! Drink More Juice!
moisture of your Grass or Greens - it will store best in your refrigerator if they are dry
to the touch. So if you water try to keep the water off the plants - just water the
soil/medium.
Micro-Greens
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Pre-Sprout if the seed's Detail Page says to.

days.
It is not mandatory when growing Micro-Greens to cover them at all. Experiment for
yourself and see what works best in your climate/location.
optimal).
day or two.
When your plants have open leaves which are green, they are done.
** The first time you grow Micro-Greens you might consider giving quite a bit of space
to each seed just to familiarize yourself with the plants' habit.
Always look to the information page for the seed you are growing (aka Seed Detail
Page) for complete details and variations.
Clean is Good
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All that you really need to know is noted on the Sprouter information pages, but we will
put it here too.
Basically you should sterilize your Sprouter as often as you can. We do this every 3-4
crops in our home Sprouter, but when we grew professionally we sterilized in between
EVERY CROP (and we used a lot higher bleach concentration). It is always best to have
a clean Sprouter - that way your crop will have a head start. We suggest soaking your
Sprouter for 10-20 minutes in bleach water (1 Tbs. of bleach per pint of water is good
and strong according to the FDA and local Health Department.) and then scrubbing
thoroughly.
You can also use food-grade Hydrogen Peroxide, and some folks like Grapefruit Seed
Extract. Whatever works for you is fine - we do not like bleach, we hate it, but we know
it to work and we use so little now.....
With a few of our Sprouters you may need to poke some seeds out of some tight places.
We use a paper clip or toothpick for this task.
Be sure to rinse all of that bleach out - you don't want it on your seeds!
And - be careful not to burn yourself - bleach is caustic after all.
Hull Removal
De-hulling is the process of removing hulls (seed coats)
from your finished sprouts.
We don't de-hull much in our sprout business. We never bother with Beans, we brush
what we can off of our Greens (by holding the tray at a 90 angle and rubbing a hand
back and forth over the tops of the plants), and since we grow our Leafy sprouts
vertically, the hulls fall off naturally as we rinse (though we do "shave" them if they
need it - which is really fun!). The only sprouts we always de-hull are Brassicas. Their
hulls are quite big (relative to the size of their sprout) and retain too much moisture which can lessen the shelf life of the sprouts.
The sprouts which are typically candidates for De-hulling are grown from Dicot seeds.
Seeds whose 1st leaves (cotyledons (ko-ta-LEE-den)) are the seed itself (Alfalfa,
Clover, Brassicas and many garden Beans just to name a few) will shed their hull as the
leaves unfurl. Any gardener will know from watching a Bean grow - the plant pokes up
through the ground looking like a bean on the end of a stem. The bean on the end of the
stem splits in two in short order. That bean is now called the plant's cotyledons. True
Leaves will follow and the cotyledons will fall off or die as the plant grows - having
done their job - as a seed - being the storage vessel for all of the nutrients needed to
germinate and grow the plant to a point where it could gather it's nutrients from the
Earth and Sun.
In sprouting we grow plants no further then the cotyledons, and then only with certain
seeds. The hulls which are left behind vary from sprout to sprout in regards to texture
and density. some seeds - like the Brassicas (Broccoli, Radish, Cabbage, etc.) shed very
thick hulls which , if not removed can shorten the shelf life of your sprouts due to their
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moisture content. Alfalfa and Clover, as well as Mung Beans have very thin hulls which
in no way effect the shelf life of your sprouts, but some people prefer to dispose of them
for aesthetic or textural reasons. We leave our Mung's hulls alone and remove our Leafy
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sprout's hulls only when we grow in non-tray devices. When we grow in Trays - which
we do in our fresh sprout business we "shave" the hulls off at the last rinse.
Other sprouts also produce hulls. Lentils and Peas - if grown long enough - will shed
their hulls as well. In both cases they are not shed from the cotyledon but from the seed
which in field planting stays where it is planted - growing a root down and a plant up
from that point. That type of seed is called Monocot. Both of these produce rather thick
hulls which you may wish to remove. We don't grow them long enough for the hulls to
fall off so we do not remove them, and in any case, we consider the hulls completely
acceptable and to be a good source of fibre. You decide for yourself - the method is the
same for any sprout. It only varies depending on the device you sprout in and then only
if you are using a tray - which we recommend only for Beans and/or the advanced
sprout farmer.
The Procedure
Transfer your finished sprouts into a large bowl or pot.
Fill 3/4 full with cold-cool water. If you are de-hulling Brassicas or Leafy sprouts you
can use the force of the water to help you break the sprout mass apart.
Break up the sprouts so that they are all swimming independently (This allows for a
much more thorough hull removal.). Swish the sprouts around with your hand (you did
wash your hands didn't you =;-) for a minute or so. You will see the top of the water
become covered with hulls. Look at the swimming sprouts to see if they look hull free
enough for you. Swish as much as you like - you are doing great.
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You get a choice now. You are to separate the sprouts and the hulls at this point and
some folks like to remove hulls 1st while others like to remove sprouts. Personally I like
to remove sprouts so I push the hulls over to the side and grab swimming sprouts.
I do this because I feel that the absence of sprouts swimming in the middle of the bowl
makes it easier to remove the hulls from the top. If I remove hulls 1st I inevitably pull
up some sprouts along with the hulls and I hate to waste a sprout after growing it. In
either case - you can use a strainer to do the work or your hand if you like the feel. We
will be offering strainers specifically for de-hulling in the future.
So - remove the sprouts back to the sprouting device and toss the
hulls in your compost or garbage.
If you grew Leafy sprouts in a tray you can do as above or better yet you can shave the
hulls off the top. Many of the hulls fall off in the course of rinsing when growing
sprouts in the upright fashion a tray does. You can shave the rest off during your last
rinse. Just tip the tray at an angle or hold a sprayer at an angle to the tray and wash the
hulls away.
Rinse the sprouts in cold water and drain painfully well.
Let them sit for 8-12 hours or use a salad spinner to remove the surface moisture before
you refrigerate them. There is no quicker way to kill produce than to refrigerate it wet,
so make sure that your sprouts are reasonable dry before you refrigerate them.
There aren't a lot of sprouters that travel well, but the ones
that do make for a much nicer trip!
The major limitations to sprouting on the road are timely Rinsing and
Draining. Because we don't necessarily know our schedule (a good thing think
we) and may not be around water when our sprouts need it, it is perhaps a
good idea to take seeds that are less demanding on our trip.
We take nuts, seeds, beans and grains when we go mobile, as they take less
time to grow into an edible sprout and therefore require fewer Rinse/Drain
cycles.
If you know you can manage to care for your sprouts every 8 - 12 hours you
can easily grow leafy sprouts and brassicas too.
Here are the sprouters and seeds that will work best while on the road
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This is the place to be if you think seeds are cool. Well, it is at least one of the
places to be. We really want to do this up big time, but we have to satisfy adults
(and they can be very demanding =:-) who want to buy our seeds and supplies, so
this area of our site is kind of slow to evolve. If you can send us links or info, we'd
love it. Let's get going - here's a picture with words you may not know, but will
soon if you read and click around a little.....
Who are us?

We Sproutpeople have grown a whole lot (almost 200 tons) of sprouts, so we know
something about germination and seeds. We like seeds. We put in a garden back in
1989 and we were so turned on by the way plants grew and how the fruits of those
plants contained so many seeds (we could grow hundreds of plants only a year
after planting one seed and growing the plant that seed produced for one
Summer), that we left city (Seattle) life, moved to the middle of nowhere (Illinois)
- started planting more seeds and raising chickens and goats along with our 3 very
happy dogs and 2 very pissed off cats.
We didn't last long in the middle of nowhere Illinois - long story - but even though
we moved to the middle of nowhere Wisconsin after selling our goats and giving
away our chickens (the few the foxes hadn't got to) we were still seed crazy - and
we still are.
The big joke is - we started by wanting to grow one seed into thousands - by saving
the seeds produced by the plants we grew - and now we grow seeds into sprouts we use thousands of seeds to produce just a little tiny bit of food (for example - we
use as many seeds to produce 5 pounds of Broccoli Sprouts as a farmer would use
to plant a whole acre - to grow thousands of big ole Heads o' Broccoli). Life is a
trip! Sometimes it is just confusing - other times it is perfectly sensible =;-D
There really is a lot of fun stuff here - or there will be - sometime soon , but for
now we just had to get something started, so:
Here is a basic description of seeds that I lifted from another site:
The Structure of a Seed: The hard outer portion of the seed is known as the seed
coat. The inside of the seed is called the embryo. The embryo consists of some
basic structures. These are the hypocotyl (hy puh kaht uhl), which will eventually
become the shoot or stem; the radicle (rad ih kuhl), which is the basis for the root
of the plant, and the epicotyl (ep uh kaht uhl), the first true leaves. The seed also
(usually) contains cotyledons (kaht uh lee duhnz). The cotyledons are the seed
leaves. The first one or two little leaves that appear on a seedling. They are not
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true leaves, but are actually food storage organs.

A new seedling is not capable of producing it's own food. Food is stored in the
cotyledons for the new plant to use until it is capable of photosynthesis. The seeds
of some plants produce two cotyledons; these are named dicotyledonous (dy kaht
uh lee duhn uhs), but are called dicots (dy kahts) for short. Tomatoes and beans
are dicots. Other plants produce seeds which have only one cotyledon. These are
named monocotyledonous (mahn uh kaht uh lee duhn uhs) or monocots (mahn uh
kahts).
Corn, and most grasses, are monocots. Monocot seedlings also contain endosperm,
which is another source of food for the seedling. This is not a complete explanation,
as it gets more complicated that , but for now, all we need is the basic knowledge
that a radicle is the root, etc.
The dry seeds you hold in your hand are asleep. To wake them up all you need to
do is give them water or plant them in the ground at the right time of year. A seed
that is alive but asleep is said to be dormant. Some times seeds can't be woken up
the normal ways and people have to "break the dormancy" by freezing them or
laying them out in the light, but the seeds we have sent you will wake up with just a
soak in cool water.
After you soak some bean or lentil seeds you can peel the tough outer coat off of a
few just to look at them. The coat feels like leather and looks like plastic. It
protected the seed from humidity and dirt while it slept. You can pull the seed
apart into two halves that look just alike.
All bean-like seeds have two halves. They are called cotyledons. These cotyledons
contain all the food that the seed needs to begin growing into a plant. And although
they don't look like it yet, those two halves will become two leaves--the first two
leaves on the young plant. But you will eat the sprout before the leaves come out,
unless you want to grow some for longer to see what will happen.
When water is given to the seed amazing things start to happen. Scientists still
don't really understand it all. A factory starts up in those cotyledons that changes
the food that has been stored there when the seed was dormant into energy units
called enzymes, which run everything that lives. The enzymes make the seeds a
super nutritious food for people, birds, dogs, horses, cows, hamsters, mice,
squirrels and all kinds of other creatures. We call them sprouts. Sprouts are very
stong food. They have as much protein as meat and eggs, as much vitamin C as
orange juice, as much vitamin A as carrots, just to name a few.
As your sprouts grow the cotyledons feed a stem that growns between them and if
you let the sprouts grow a really long time a tiny leafy bud would start to grow out
of the top of the stem--but you'll eat them before that happens. A root comes out of
the other end of the stem. It will grow long and will become the first root of the
plant when the seed begins to grow. If you had planted your dry seed in dirt and
then watered it, you would never see that root because it would be burrowing
straight down underground.
Most seeds have two cotyledons. Those seeds are called dicots. Dicot seeds are
beans, lentils, peanuts, garbanzos, broccoli, alfalfa, clover, and just about
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everything you grow in a garden.

But---some types of seeds have just one cotyledon and they are called monocots.
Monocots are wheat, corn, buckwheat, rye and all the other grass plants. You can
tell a monocot plant in the ground because it sends up just one grasslike spear of
green--no leaves like the dicot seeds.
When you give a monocot seed water the factory is not found in the cotyledon. It is
found in a special part of the seed known only to the grass family called the
endosperm. The endosperm feeds the cotyledon while it is dormant, all winter long,
getting it ready for the time when it will be planted and its dormancy will be
broken. In monocots the cotyledon grows a stem and a root, just like in the dicot
seeds, but without the endosperm it would die. The endosperm is what gives the
yummy flavors we like in wheat, oats, corn, and all the other grains.
So seeds aren't really asleep. They are alive and moving in your hand, deep inside,
mysterious. They only look silent to us--until we add water! Happy sprouting!
Why choose The Sproutpeople?
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We want you to grow your own food - it's fun and it's liberating. We
want to sell you seeds for the rest of your life - so we offer
only the finest seeds available. We are committed to making
your sprouting experience as perfect as possible, so in
addition to the most extensive list of seeds anywhere (no
foolin') - we offer a wide range of sprouters and other tools,
thorough growing instructions, recipes and complete
"technical support".
Our goal is to provide the Home Sprouter with everything needed to
grow the finest sprouts anywhere in the world. The seeds we
sell you are the same seeds we sprout.
Between 1993-2003, we grew over 200 TONS of sprouts (1,500
pounds of sprouts weekly at our peak in 1998) - by hand. Our
seeds soaked in buckets and our sprouts were rinsed and
drained over a sink, 2-3 times daily. Nowadays we grow on our
kitchen counter in the same sprouters we sell - of course
using the same seeds we sell.
Because we grew so many sprouts for so long and grow sprouts like
you do - we are better able to understand and anticipate your
needs.
We Grow 'Em - We Know 'Em!
Why Organic?
The more organic seeds we sell - the greater is our demand for
organic seed - causing farmers to create a greater supply of
organic seed to meet our greater demand - the greater the rate
land is farmed organically - the greater the planet feels - the
greater our children's children's children will feel.
What Organic Means to Us
SproutNet
Our WWW home (since August 1996) exists because we feel that the
internet is the current best opportunity for world community,
and we aim to do our part.
Our offerings include:
o
The widest and wildest selection of seeds for sprouting anywhere.
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Over 400 huge pages of sprout information - always free and always available
whether you shop with us or not.
o A full line of home-sprouting supplies.
o Learn to prepare sprouts and enjoy some delicious recipes.
A meeting place for those interested not only in sprouts, but also organics, and
anything else that we discover belongs here.
o Easy Shopping.
Our goals include:

Providing everyone everywhere with the means to grow their own food.
Growing a business organism which provides a useful service, easy access to
information and does its part to heal the planet and the social chaos which is a
direct product of greed.
o
o
Past
Last Updated 12/27/99
The Sproutpeople are comprised of Gil + Lori - a married couple, Sam - a six year old man
child, and Alice - a 2 year old fountain of love.
Gil and Lori met in San Francisco, married six weeks after falling in love at a Grateful Dead
Show, in 1986. Gil managed a comedy club, then drove a limo, then a cab. Lori finished her
MFA (Gil got his in'83) while answering phones at the San Francisco Art Institute, then
managed a commercial real estate office. We adopted two cats and two dogs from the pound
before we moved to Seattle in 1989, bought our first house and put in our first garden. It
was that garden and our first dog - Jupiter's love for nature that led us to quit our pathetic
jobs and sell our home in 1991 and move - sight unseen - to deep Southern Illinois in pursuit
of self-sufficiency. We packed the cats into the VW Bus in-tow, and the now three dogs (we
adopted a stray fox terrier while in the NorthWest) into the front of the seventeen foot
moving van along with us. We arrived in Carbondale, Illinois six days later, found a rental and
started looking for our homestead. A month later we had spent all of our money on a
beautiful post-glaciated forty acres with a shabby little old house. We put in two gardens
totaling about one-half acre, collected a couple goats and a dozen chickens and began living.
We realized too late that we were very alone out there and not financially prepared to be
self-sufficient, and there wasn't a job anywhere. We sold our farm in 1992 at quite a loss and
moved to unglaciated Southwest Wisconsin in pursuit of community and another farm.
We found Gays Mills quite by accident, got jobs picking apples, rented a house and began
looking for our next farm. this time there was a plan - to grow heirloom vegetables and sell
them at The Dane County Farmer's Market in Madison, Wisconsin. We bought our farm in the
Spring of 1993 shortly after beginning our life as farmers market venders. We sold heirloom
plant starts at first, but it was a very wet year and we couldn't get our garden spot tilled. We
ran out of things to sell about six weeks into the market, Lori suggested that we try to come
up with something until our garden started producing. She said "Let's grow sprouts." Gil said
"I hate sprouts." So, Lori grew sprouts - we had over fifty quart jars full a few days later and
had something to take to market.
A few months later we were taking ten varieties of sprouts and had developed a regular
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clientele who begged us to keep sprouting. Gil had found that he actually liked sprouts and
realized that growing them was at least as enjoyable as gardening. After one particularly
horrible market we decided to take our unsold sprouts to a local co-op. The produce manager
at Mifflin Street Community Co-op, Kirsten, said "Sure, I'll buy 'em" and our lives took
another turn from which we are still reeling. Bless her.
Present
It is so fleeting. I'd have to write every day to keep this current - or
every hour - or constantly... we're trying to live in our present so please forgive us if we don't write it down.
Future
What was here today (7/22/05) as I update some pages, was SO out-of-date it wasn't even
funny. I think we need to write a book about sprouting and our lives as sproutpeople ...
Sprouts are Safer

Than They Want You to Think!
INTRODUCTION - Who We Are

Dear Friends,
We are on the edge. Our business could cease to exist literally any day now.
Please take the time to read through this and the other pages you are holding. It
is through no fault of our own that this fate is awaiting us, except perhaps that it
has taken us so long to produce these documents. These pages have
consequences for many people, in fact, every person who eats and especially
those who care about healthy living and organic foods.
We have worked hard for over 6 years, building our little business from the
ground up. We have driven our own little refrigerated truck nearly 250,000
miles to deliver directly to all of our (currently 33, down from 42) accounts to
insure that our sprouts receive the best possible care from our factory to each
store. We have always maintained a very close relationship with all of the
produce people we have dealt with and bent over backwards to make them
happy. Many of them still remember our children coming along with us on
deliveries. Those were happy exciting times, but as anyone who has owned a
business knows, everything else is sacrificed at the alter of your business. 80
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hours is not a long week and a day off is nothing but a dream, but if you are
doing something you believe in (as we have) it is all well worth while. We now
employ 3 people full-time and several others part-time. We pay wages above
most local businesses (spending over 25% of our gross sales on labor in 1998
and a substantially higher percentage this year), we are respectful of our
employees and feel them to be as much "The Sproutpeople" as we are. We are
Certified Organic because we feel that organic is the only viable way to grow
anything if we expect our childrens children to live and thrive on this planet.
But now all of our futures are in doubt due to over a years worth of relentless
bad press from the Federal Government and a media which does not examine
the facts. This has driven our fresh sprout sales down 50% year to date, and its
only getting worse. We expect someday soon there will be a knock on the door
and everything we worked so hard for will be gone in an instant.
We dont expect to be able to stop this madness and we see as a result the death
of our fresh sprout business. Our northern route (which at this time in 1998 was
a thriving 52% of our business) which includes LaCrosse, WI and the Twin
Cities of Minnesota is so close to now losing money that we expect it to be
terminated by the end of August if not sooner. We cannot, after 6 years carry
our business if it is losing money. It was only profitable for a short time and
now that its heading down (steadily since July 1998 in fact) into the red, we will
allow it to die rather than take on more debt to keep it afloat in hopes of a better
future. Things are not at all likely to get better in the sprout industry ever.
But, it is our hope that the educated natural foods consumer will still want our
sprouts, knowing that they are as safe and healthy as ever, and will grow their
own if need be (100% of loyal customers polled at the Dane County Farmers
Market confirm this). So we will try expanding our Home Sprout/Seed business
in hopes of survival for our business, our employees and healthy sprouts for our
end users. If things continue on the way they have been this past year, growing
your own will truly be the only choice for sprout eaters (unless you like bleach
with your sprouts perhaps), and that is by no means a given as you will see in
the following pages. But assuming that sprouts are not made illegal (dont
laugh), we will be after all of our store accounts to add or expand our home
sprout product line and we will try to find money to increase mail-order and
internet advertising and presence. You see - We are not the best at what we do,
we are the only ones who do what we do! And we will require all of you caring
and helping if you want us to be here in some form - next year.
Please, please, please read the following pages and pass them on to others. We
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all must stand up and be counted if we want justice and rights, and NOW IS
THE TIME!
THE REPORT
To All Concerned,
You must take the time to sit down and read this entire letter!
Our fresh sprout business is hanging by a thread and now is the time that you
need to educate yourselves and your customers if you wish us and other sprout
growers to survive.
The FDA has created a panic over the safety of sprouts. Jane Henney, head of
the FDA delivered a press release July 9, 1999 naming sprouts as a high risk
food and warning that everyone, not just the young, thesick and the elderly, but
EVERYONE should stop eating sprouts if they want to avoid illness. If you think
this press release hasnt hurt the sprout industry, heres what we know: a
grower we have talked to in Kentucky has just lost all her restaurant accounts.
In Santa Cruz a company which has been sprouting for 20 years has stopped
growing alfalfa sprouts altogether because they refuse to use the toxic levels of
bleach demanded by the California Department of Health Services. Just this
week the Dane County Department of Health in Madison, Wisconsin banned
sprouts from salad bars and premade deli sandwiches. Sprout growers have lost
gross sales of around 30% across the board. Our own sales continue to plummet
(down 50% as of June) and if not for our mail order business, we would have
laid off most of our loyal staff by now. The FDA has come close to libeling the
sprout industry with misleading and downright inaccurate statements. Why
Jane Henney of the FDA is so intent on obliterating a tiny industry that
produces a wonderfully healthy food and whose contamination percentage is
negligible compared to that of the large and powerful food industries is not at
all clear to us. All we can come up with is that she does it because she can. Also,
we theorize that the sprout "industry" although containing some major players
with high profiles is, by and large composed of small family or even singleperson operations. We have no strong, unified organization that can exert
pressure and influence on us all, the way almost all other food industries have,
and we think that the very independence and illusiveness of this industry
makes it very hard for government agencies to seek out and control it.
Understandably, this could make the FDA nervous and we can, in that sense see
why Henney, maybe out of frustration, maybe out of punitive motives, issued
her harsh warning. The FDA may be motivated by the desire to seek
consolidation within the sprout world, by pushing out small growers like
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ourselves who can't financially withstand the assaults. We, The Sproutpeople
are the only ones who are apparently taking the time to research, write about,
and publish this story in any depth. Make note at this time that we are asking
you all to use any connections you or your friends might have to get this letter
into the hands of a real investigative reporter so that this scandal can be brought
to light. Our own business is tiny even by sprout industry standards. We are a
small family business. We have two young children who have grown up in this
business. Regardless of the FDAs motives, we are highly offended, outraged, in
fact, that the FDA is issuing press releases that say sprouts are filthy and
dangerous, thereby depriving us of our livelihood. The statements of Jane
Henney, Commissioner of the FDA belie the facts. In this paper we will set out
to discredit the FDAs claims by exposing how they put our industry in the
worst possible light, while, in a press release on egg safety just a week before,
they manage to paint that industry, which has terrible salmonella infection
rates, in the most glowing terms. It will be blatantly apparent when you
compare the articles side by side that the FDA kowtows to those with money .
They surely do not expect the public to have done the comparison that we have
done.
We will also lead you through some simple math to demonstrate the actual risk
of eating sprouts and compare that to the risk of other foods. Perspective and
balance is desperately needed on this issue. Honesty is needed. Sincerity is
needed. The sprout industry has had some outbreaks in the past, but they are
way down from 1996 and most of those were caused either by infected seed
from a seed company or from a few people sprouting in conditions that most of
us sprout growers would never have anything to do with and that a simple
health inspection could have rectified. The FDA has simply gone ballistic on
sprouts. They are on a witch hunt and they wont be happy until there are no
sprout companies left in existence. I know this is hard to believe, but they have
just told people to stop eating sprouts! I dont think they want us around
anymore.
The FDA maintains on their web site a list of recent press releases and we went
there to get the actual press release on sprouts written by Henney on July 9,
1999 that was rewritten by Reuters News Service and picked up by The New
York Times and many others. We also noticed a press release written a week
earlier by Henney (July 1, 1999) on egg safety. The facts of the sprout report are
so misleading and unfair and the facts of the egg report so obviously pandering
to the egg industry that we want to both refute the sprout article and contrast it
to the article on egg safety. You wont believe this:
CONSUMERS ADVISED OF RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH RAW SPROUTS
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"Because of reports of increasing numbers of illnesses associated with

consumption of raw sprouts, the Food and Drug Administration is advising all
persons to be aware of the risks associated with eating raw sprouts (e.g., alfalfa,
clover, radish). Those persons who wish to reduce the risk of foodborne
illnesses from sprouts are advised not to eat raw sprouts."
Sproutpeople Respond: Henney lies in her first
sentence :"Because of reports of increasing numbers of illness
associated with sprouts" Its just a lie. Cases are down 60%
from the highest outbreak period of 1995-96. Illnesses are not
increasing, they are decreasing.
"Since 1995, raw sprouts have emerged as a recognized source of food borne
illness in the United States. These illnesses have involved the pathogenic
bacteria Salmonella and E. coli O157. Alfalfa and clover sprouts have been
involved most often, but all raw sprouts may pose a risk."
Sproutpeople Respond: Not happy citing just alfalfa and clover
sprouts, known carriers of Salmonella, Henney must include all
sprouts. Its a meaningless statement that anyone can make:
Umbrellas may also pose a risk; alligator shoes may also pose a
risk; ANYTHING MAY pose a risk. Its a dishonest statement to
make, but an old rhetorical tactic used when attempting to cast
doubt on someone or something.
"The sprout industry has been working in cooperation with government,
academia, and other industry segments to enhance the safety of its product.
These efforts have focused primarily on seed treatment strategies, good
manufacturing practices, and sanitation. "
"Despite all these efforts to make raw sprouts safer, we continue to receive
reports of illnesses associated with raw sprouts. Consumers need to
understand that, at this time, the best way to control this risk is not to eat raw
sprouts, said Jane E. Henney, MD, FDA Commissioner."
Sproutpeople Respond: This is the statement that is killing our
business. Henney completely hides the fact that safety efforts in
the sprout industry so far have dramatically reduced the number
of cases of illnesses associated with sprouts. She is saying in
effect, that everything has been tried and sprouts are still infected.
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In fact, the FDA has tried very little, and what tests have been tried
have been conducted by the sprout and sprouting seed industry
itself. The FDA hasnt really lifted a finger, because that finger
would, we believe point toward the contamination of the sprouting
seed at or near harvest with pathogen-infected cow manure from
sick cows in huge atrocious feed lots (many non-organic seed and
cattle operations run side by side). They arent about to crack
down on agribusiness. It has been argued by some people,
ignorant of certified organic farming practices that organic farmers
are the contaminators because they spread livestock manure on
their fields. Conventional farmers also spread livestock manure on
their fields, in some cases along with toxic sludge, but theres one
difference: In organic farming, the manure to be spread has to
first be composted, a method that kills any pathogenic
bacteria before the manure comes in contact with the field.
People who blame organic farmers are just showing their
ignorance, not just for organic practices but for conventional
farming practices as well,
"Consumers who have eaten raw sprouts and are experiencing diarrhea or other
symptoms of foodborne infections are advised to consult their health care
provider."
Sproutpeople Respond: From the infinitesimally small number
of actual cases, Henney has extrapolated a huge, emergency
situation: "Go to your phone and dial 911 NOW!" Another public
relations (and military) tactic to create panic and a climate of fear
and urgency where none exists.
THE EGG AND US
We feel we really must contrast this muckraking piece of garbage with her press
release July 1, 1999
on the contamination by salmonella of eggs. Though we have nothing against
the egg industry per se,
it illustrates to us how a report involving a massive, well funded food lobby can
be watered down and
obfuscated to avoid upsetting the powers that be, in this case the American Egg
Institute and its
congressional backers. Please bear with us while we give a little background:
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Eggs have since the 1960s become increasingly more infected with Salmonella
enteritidis due to the abysmal overcrowding of chickens in poultry factories and
overdosing with antibiotics which have created resistant strains of bacteria. In
1990 the FDA re-designated the egg as a hazardous food under its model food
codes. Eggs would have to be refrigerated along all points of shipment and
storage. Five years later in 1996 the USDA revealed that the rules had never
been enforced because the egg industry felt they were too restrictive. So the
USDA, instead of blaming egg contamination on the giant producers, blamed it
on the mishandling of eggs by the American public. This is the kind of
"cooperation" weve seen from just one, giant industry. So when we saw this
press release, we almost laughedthe title alone would be a joke if it werent so
sad:
NEW EGG SAFETY STEPS ANNOUNCED, SAFE HANDLING LABELS AND
REFRIGERATION WILL BE REQUIRED.
Sproutpeople Respond: Another farcethis all happened in

1991and nothing happened. Theres nothing like packaging old
news as new news if your public is unsuspecting. New and
improved same old stuff.
"Continuing their joint efforts to combat foodborne illness, the U.S. Department
of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the Department
of Health and Human Service's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today
announced three important new measures to prevent illnesses caused by
contaminated eggs. The FDA is proposing to require safe handling statements
on labels of shell eggs to warn consumers about the risk of illness caused by
Salmonella Enteritidis (SE)."
Sproutpeople Respond: Notice that the FDA is only
PROPOSING TO REQUIRE thisif the American Egg Institute
says its okay.
"FDA's proposed handling instructions will contain the following statement on
each carton of eggs: "Safe Handling Instructions: Eggs may contain harmful
bacteria known to cause serious illness, especially in children, the elderly, and
persons with weakened immune systems. For your protection: Keep eggs
refrigerated, cook eggs until yolks are firm, cook foods containing eggs
thoroughly."
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Sproutpeople Respond: Cook until yolks are firm? Do you think

the egg industry is going to allow the FDA to say eggs over easy
are infectious?
"In addition, for the first time, there will be a uniform federal requirement that
all eggs and egg products packed for consumers be refrigerated at 45 degrees
Fahrenheit or below. Retail establishments governed by the proposed FDA
regulation include supermarkets, restaurants, delis, caterers, vending
operations, hospitals, nursing homes, and schools. In addition, FSIS is issuing a
directive applying the refrigeration requirement to warehouses and other
distribution locations including transport vehicles. FDA-FSIS risk assessment
found that refrigeration makes it more difficult for SE bacteria to grow."
Sproutpeople Respond: This was a requirement 8 years ago. It
was ignored, written out of legislation and de-funded.
"The Clinton Administration has made ensuring food safety a top priority," said
Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman. "These additional steps will help educate
consumers and reduce foodborne illness caused by contaminated eggs"
Sproutpeople Respond: "Educate consumers"? We hate that
kind of condescending language. As if to say, once again, the
consumer is ignorant and needs education; weve been cooking
eggs all wrong for centuries and its our own fault if we get sick.
BUT WAITIT GETS BETTER:
Even the head of Health and Human Services, Donna Shalala,
whose department controls the FDA, feels the need to put in a
pitch for eggs:
"Eggs are a good source of protein and can be a healthy and economical
contribution to a
well-balanced diet," said HHS Secretary Donna Shalala.
Sproutpeople Respond: Even the Secretary of Health and
Human Services is required to kiss egg butt. She goes on to
admonish:
"However, they need proper handling or they could potentially be the source of
foodborne illness."
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Sproutpeople Respond: "Could-Potentially-Be"I s that a

double maybe? Could you qualify that statement a little more,
Donna? We stupid consumers mishandling eggs aren't quite clear
on this.
The press release then goes on to note:
"From 1996 to 1998, there has been a 44 percent decrease in the number of
illnesses caused by SE, according to the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance
Network, known as FoodNet"
Sproutpeople Respond: THE SPROUT INDUSTRY RECEIVED
NO PRAISE FOR OUR DECREASE, WHICH WAS A HIGHER
PERCENTAGE60%-- THAN THEIRS!
"SE outbreaks have been attributed to undercooked eggs or foods containing
undercooked eggs served in homes, private gatherings,"
Sproutpeople Respond : SE outbreaks are attributed to sick
chickens laying sick eggs in filthy, inhumane, overcrowded poultry
factories and the FDA isnt going to do a damn thing about it!
We apologize for digressing into eggs for such a lengthy period of time, but we
wanted to illustrate how divisive and obviously crude the FDA is handling their
press releases. We think the one on sprouts should be subtitled, "Jane Henney
Penny Says The Sky is Falling" and the ones on eggs, "Henney Penny Lays a
Golden Egg". We think we have the right to indulge in a bit of name calling
while Jane Henney is depriving us of our livelihood. To offer the benefit of the
doubt, perhaps Henney and the FDA is aware of the problems inherent in huge
poultry operations and would sincerely like to change those practices. But the
way they presented their press release on egg safety in contrast to their press
release on sprouts mars their credibility as protectors of public health. The CDC
estimates that eggs sicken 66,00 and kill 40 people per year. Sprouts dont do
that. Yet where is Jane Henney telling the American public not to eat eggs? She
wouldnt dare!
The FDA is unable to remedy or even discuss to the public the real causes of so
many of our food borne diseases, which result from poor sanitation and poor
health of animals due to increasingly unhealthy corporate farming practices.
Chickens are raised in huge lots of 25,000 birds, each bird getting 8 square
inches of space. Cows are being fed chicken manure and cardboard because its
cheaper by 5 cents per day per cow than soybeans. Cow carcasses are processed
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covered in their own manure as are chicken carcasses and nothing is done to
stop it. Vegetables can be harvested and processed next to huge manure lots.
The USDA, FDA and FSIS know this but they dont want you to know that they
know. In this country "downer" cows (those in the U.S. infected with "mad cow"
disease) are fed to other cows even though it is known that feeding meat to
3
herbivores is the problem in the first place. Jane Henney of the FDA cant do
anything to combat the powerful lobbies and public relations companies which
protect the interests of agribusiness. But she can bully the poor little sprout
"industry" instead and give the public the impression that something is
being done about something. She wants labels on eggs, labels she herself
knows will never happen, but she cant touch the way the eggs are actually
produced, which infects the embryo of the egg itself! Our point is, please dont
be gullible about these FDA factoid sheets; they are just plain nonsense, as I
hope we have illustrated.
We wanted you to see these two contrasting press releases so you could
compare the tone of the one that refers to an industry with no money to a big
powerful moneyed group. I know that some reading this will be angered and
call us cynical; they just dont want to believe that our government doesnt have
our best interests at heart. They dont believe that food industries would
knowingly sicken people. But they do. And the pathetic solutions of the FDA
and USDA do not attack the well-researched and documented problem of
poultry overcrowding as the cause. Instead, they attack they way we cook eggs!
I guess we will no longer have the right to eggs over easy, souffles and
homemade mayonnaise (yum) and this may sound frivilous on the surface, but
it has deeper ramificationsdo we have the right to eat the foods that are
traditional parts of our diets without getting sick from them? The answer from
government and industry seems to be "no".
We have the right to eat whole foods that are alive with nutritionand yes
bacteria for without it we will no longer be healthy and able to fend off disease.
Government policy seems to be made by those totally ignorant of bacterial
ecology and unaware that we are organisms IN nature not ABOVE nature. They
seem to think the only good bacteria is a dead bacteria and would render our
food sterile which would leave us as vulnerable as tourists in Mexico without
agua purificada (purified water).
LETS DO THE RISK NUMBERS
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When looking for a food that has caused illnesses it is no longer common for it
to be tested microbially to see if the pathogen indeed exists in it. The cause of
foodborne illness is now deduced through interviews with sick populations and
control groups of well people using statistical analysis. This method is a branch
of medicine called Epidemiology and can be very effective in ferreting out the
cause of disease. Its a little like detective work and is considered the cutting
edge method of pinpointing and controlling disease in a population but it is still
in the proving stages and many people have staked their careers and
reputations on its acceptance.
Epidemiology uses the terminology that a food is "linked" to a disease because
no actual biological tests need be conducted to determine if the pathogen is
present in the food, although most scientists still want to confirm the statistical
findings with actual microbial evidence. When we talk about numbers of cases,
then, these are statistical determinations that point to a specific food or group of
foods. Like any science it can be used well or poorly. An epidemiological finding
often overrides a negative outcome on an actual microbial test, even if none of
the pathogens found in the sick people (called "ills") are found in the suspected
food. If the epidemiological link is strong, that food is determined to be the
cause, or "linked". This is what happened to a case of outbreak in May of 1996
under investigation by the California Department of Health Services (CDHS). It
involved an outbreak of Salmonella linked to sprouts. The report was delivered
by Ben Werner from the Division of Communicable Disease Control of CDHS at
the 3rd annual Federal/State Conference on Food Safety in Washington, D.C.
4
Nov. 1997. In May of 1996 Werner states that California had an unusual
increase in Salmonella Montevideo up from the usual 15 or so to 117 cases. In
association Werner states they had "some increase" in Salmonella Meleagridis.
Three people had both together. Epidemiologically, it was discovered that
approx. 38% of the cases had eaten alfalfa sprouts compared with 11% of their
control group of healthy people. About 1/3 of those infected went to an
emergency room, so the infection must have been pretty severe. So they
arbitrarily selected 46 of the sick people and found that 17 of them had eaten
sprouts (38%). They traced the sprouts to a certain brand, and took seed from
this sprout facility to actually test for a culture of S. Montevideo. Many scientists
do not like to make official announcements until their links are confirmed
microbially. But they were unable to culture it from seed or sprouts in the
laboratory. And they did not find it in the growers own sprouts that were
packaged and ready for shipment. What they did find in the growers own
sprouts was S. Meleagridis, but by Werners own admission, they had only seen
what he refers to as "some increase" in that infection. The epidemiologists were
unable, in this outbreak, to substantiate their findings with microbial evidence.
So it would seem that S. Meleagridis, actually found in the sprouts had made a
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few people sick, but apparently many others who had eaten the sprouts and
presumably contracted this bacteria did not get sick at all. They did not try to
culture S. Meleagridis in the lab from sprouts or seed to determine if the
infection was coming from the seed itself or from inside the sprout facility the
way they tried to culture S. Montevideo. Is it possible that S. Montevideo, the
bacteria that was making 117 people sick enough to seek medical care was in
some other food? Is it possible that S. Meleagridis, the bacteria actually found in
the sprouts only made a FEW people sick enough to seek medical care, even
though many people had eaten those sprouts? We suspect, from the report
given by Werner and the obvious omissions which he easily glossed over, but
which on a 2nd or 3rd reading do not stand up to scrutiny that yes, the relatively
benign S. Meleagridis was what infected sprouts and the aggressive S.
Montevideo infected some other food that they never searched for! Is it possible
within microbial ecology that some Salmonella are more harmful than others
and that some peoples gut contains a mix of flora that can handle certain
infections without becoming the victim even noticing while others, due to the
flora makeup in their gut become deathly ill? Based on our very minimal
research into this incredibly deep subject we think it may be THE question that
deserves an answer. New or "emerging" pathogens are overwhelming our food
supply as the chain of distribution gets longer and longer, harvesting and
packaging practices leave much to be desired and bacteria mutate at a
staggering rate. This field of science is still in its infancy and some of the
epidemiological methods and microbial testing done today and the conclusions
drawn from their findings will be seen as crude and inaccurate in the next
decade. The California Health Services Department (CHSD) was well aware of
previous reports of sprout linked contamination in the years 1995-96 from this
country and internationally. Sprouts had the dubious honor of being on the
short list of pathogenic foods and we believe that CHSD was poised to attack.
They didnt exactly cook the numbers but we think theres room to suspect that
they grossly misinterpreted the results and no one took them to task, except us,
now, too late. This "outbreak" prompted a massive scale raid on sprout growers
throughout California and forced new sanitation procedures on them, most of
whom were conscientious in the first place and had been growing for years with
no problems. Huge recalls were issued whenever an outbreak of any serotype of
salmonella was discovered, whether sprouts could be linked to the outbreaks or
not. Sprouts in California were on the hit list and I can only imagine the angst
this type of wielding of power by the CHSD caused these growers. We were
very happy to be living and sprouting in progressive Wisconsin.
The story of this outbreak does not in our minds absolve this particular grower
of responsibility. He is what all sprout growers dread; the guy growing sprouts
in a plastic walled lean to, full of rodents and dirty workers. All of the sprout
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growers we know would be aghast at growing under these conditions, but the
next speaker on this subject, Jeff Farrar of CDHS launched a complex sanitation
program with the help of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the sprout
industry, State and Federal and local regulators to "help develop a solution to
this" . The "this" was one dirty sprout operation but Farrar was intent on
treating his discovery (the grower was raided by the Farrar swat team on a
Saturday at midnight with the help of the Salinas police, Farrar boasts in his
presentation) as indicative of all sprout growers. He obviously saw an
opportunity to make a name for himself on this issue and ran with it. He
created a situation where none existed and worked hard with slide shows and
hyperbole to scare officials into believing that all sprout growers are working in
filth like the one bozo in question. (Given the rise in food borne illness we think
local officials can be forgiven for overreacting they simply dont know what to
do and a guy like Farrar can just prey on them, especially when he can flash his
CDHS badge). A simple health department inspection could have shut this
particular sprout grower down, but instead the CDHS under Farrars direction
decided to go hunting butterflies with an elephant gun. Not only that, but we
think it is of key importance to note that in late 1996, the CDHS decided to hold
sprouters solely responsible for foodborne contamination in sprouts. The seed
producers protected by their agribusiness status would not have to be bothered
to find out if the contamination was coming from their end and would
therefore, not have to lift a finger. To their credit, some large sprouting seed
companies have taken the initiative and conducted their own tests on seed
sanitation, including radiation, which was found to kill the seed. I think we can
all breathe a sigh of relief for that.
Since the only leverage the FDA has against sprouts is to scare the public and
local health officials by painting them as a high risk food, the fear level will have
to be maintained or people will tend to forget. We expect the reports to
continue, one every few months or so, until either sprouts are no more or until
people realize that the FDA is making itself look ridiculous.
WHAT IS "RISK"
But we must define "risk" since the FDA repeatedly states that sprouts are a
high-risk food. In the worst outbreak of salmonella ever attributed to sprouts
(The 1995 96 outbreak detailed just above) approx. 700 cases were reported
(Remember only 38% of the randomly selected group had even eaten sprouts
and that the specific strains were basically ignored). Most salmonella infections
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amount to "diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps.. lasting 4 to 7 days, and

most persons recover without treatment"
Since not everyone who gets sick seeks medical attention, the FDA guessed that
20,000 people were actually infected. The media picked up that number and had
a field day (Culminating with the final report issued on a very busy news day in
January, 1999).
If there are only 20,000 sprout eaters in the country and they all got sick, thats
obviously a high-risk food. But according to the FDA there are 600 million
pounds of sprouts produced annually in the US alone. We assume
conservatively one quarter of the population is eating sprouts, or 70 million
people. FoodNet, the joint FDA/FSIS/CDC food surveillance group
corroborates that number. Seems reasonable based on our experience. (About 2
and one half ounces per week for those 70 million folks). So, based on the FDAs
highest estimate of 20,000 actual cases we get less than 1/300th of 1% of sprout
eaters was sickened. That means 1 person out of every 3,500 who ate sprouts in
1995-96 got salmonella. If we focus on this year (1999) of less than 200 cases, we
get an FDA guesstimate of 5,700 actual casesremember, they say 95% go
unreportedand we find only 1 person out of every 10,000 people who eat
sprouts will suffer any symptoms of salmonella poisoning. COMPARE THAT
WITH THE RISK OF ANY OTHER FOOD!!!
So thats the risk from eating sprouts. Lets also portray the risks of eating
sprouts in relation to the risks of eating other foods:
The Government agencies state that there are between 2 and 4 million cases of
6
salmonella every year . By far the biggest outbreak ever attributed to sprouts
those 20,000 estimated cases in 1995-96, ACCOUNTS FOR A MINISCULE 1/2%
to 1% OF THE FDAS ESTIMATE OF 2 4 MILLION ANNUAL CASES. As
stated earlier, this year the FDA has stated "nearly 200" reported cases of people
getting sick due to salmonella linked to sprouts, which brings the FDA
guesstimate of actual cases to 5,700. If you do the math again, for this year the
percentage of sickness due to sprouts works out to 3/20ths of 1 % to 1/3 of 1%
of the FDAs estimate of total cases per year from all other foods. The FDA
claims 93% of all bacterial illness cases come from meat, poultry and dairy!
We do not want you to think us callous because we are not. We know each case
represents a person in need of medical care and we acknowledge that the sprout
and sprouting seed industry has a problem that needs to be identified and
solved but we would like to point out that the sprout industry is being dealt
with an absurdly heavy hand in relation to other food industries.
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Sprouts have not been blamed for any other illnesses this year including the
dread E. coli 0157 or Listeria, both much more damaging than salmonella and
both pervasive in meat, poultry and dairy! Absolutely NOWHERE in our
research did we find the FDA issuing press releases to avoid eating the foods
represented by the large food consortiums when outbreaks occur in those
industries. Where is the FDA when you really need themout playing golf with
their buddies on the Beef Council?!
The FDAs mission statement includes promoting healthy foods. This is from a
town meeting of USDA and FDA officials, citizen, consumer and industry
groups in December 1997 and is specifically in regards to fresh produce
(Sprouts were considered produce until mid 1998 when they were re-classified
as "processed food"). From FDA Regional Director Roger Lowell:
"The other thing that I think is important that I emphasize the protect part of
FDAs mission, but about two or three years ago the promote side came into our
mission" "And I see what we're doing here as a part of that role to try
to promote a better way to get these products onto the market so that they are
safer. We all understand that the agency has been promoting the consumption
of fresh produce. USDA has been promoting that for the health of the American
public. So we want to make sure that that message gets out that these are good
products. They are not harmful products. I know some people gave some
stories about people stopping using these products because they're afraid of
E.coli in the product, when the benefit of using the products far outweighs the
risks that may be there."
At the same "Town Meeting" the FDA encouraged commenting members of the
audience to give their names as opposed to remaining anonymous, assuring
them that "Food and Drug is kinder and gentler now .. there will be no
retaliation"
With its latest press release on the dangers of sprouts, the FDA demonstrates a
complete lack of commitment to its proclaimed mission and obvious confusion
about what that mission is. It lacks the vision and leadership to promote fresh
produce and help industry solve its problems.
We think the idea of an agency that has always been the cop of the food
industry suddenly becoming also a promoter of the food industry is a natural
conflict and does not work. You cannot expect the cops to give you the benefit of
the doubtthey are there to suspect you, not to promote youthats the nature of
the job and as it has to be.
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We cant rely on the FDA to promote our products but as an industry we dont
have a national or even a state to state professional organization to tell our side
of the story. The only organization for sprouts, the International Sprout Growers
Association in Amherst, Massachusetts is a joke. Case in point: the FDA
"strongly recommends" soaking sprout seeds in a bleach solution so strong it
needed EPA approval basically 1 part water to 1 part household strength
bleach and by their own admission they dont even know if it works, in fact
the CDHS says they doubt it works, yet the ISGA is absolutely groveling before
the FDA, scared to death of the power they wield, imploring all of its members
to use the bleach and everything will be alright. But nothing is even close to
alright. All sprout growers are on the verge of losing their businesses as the
entire industry gets pummled again and again with misleading press. They
dont understand that, like any industry, the sprout industry needs lobbyists
and a public relation firm on the payroll. Thats just the way it works. But they
think if they just kow tow to the FDA and bleach the hell out of everything in
sight, the FDA will reward them for their earnest compliance by leaving them
alone release to not eat sprouts. The president of the ISGA and owner of
Sniders Sprouts, Nancy Snider admitted to another sprout grower that she
dumps the bleach right into her stream in back of her house. She says her horse
drinks from it and "it hasnt hurt him at all". This is the mentality and
"leadership" we can look forward to from the only organization that represents
sprout growers! ." The ISGA has been totally sincere and complaint with the
FDA to the point of sycophantic and it has gotten them nowhere. The ISGA, in a
recent newsletter implored its membership for support so they can "negotiate"
with the FDA. They naively or perhaps arrogantly do not understand that they
lack the expertise and the influence to negotiate with powerful federal
government departments. The fact is Jane Henny of the FDA has just stabbed
Nancy Snider and the ISGA in the back with her latest press release on the
dangers of sprouts and they dont even seem to have noticed!
We have worked hard for over 6 years, building our little business from the
ground up. We have never had any pathogen problems. We are very clean
(using elbow grease and gallons of bleach to clean every surface we use
regularly) and over 99% of our seed comes from suppliers who test their seed
lots for pathogens. All of our sprouts are hand rinsed two or three times a day
and we believe, although we cannot prove it, that the oxygenation this process
supplies to the sprouts is a major factor in their remarkable shelf life and overall
health. We are Certified Organic even though many of the stores we supply
undermine organics by allowing conventional sprout growers to label their
product "organically grown" when theres nothing organic about them
(especially the use of appalling amounts of FDA recommended-EPA approved
bleach on their seed and then into the earth) . If we used the FDA recommended
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bleach regimen, we would be dumping the equivalent of 100 gallons of

household bleach per week into the Kickapoo River, which runs through our
little town. Bleach is a known carcinogen and does not break down in nature.
We would never even consider it, but if we bleached at those levels we would
lose our organic certification, not to say many of our friends to whom a healthy
environment is of the utmost importance. We do the right thing even though
our profits suffer, due to certification fees, membership fees and the higher
prices of organic versus conventional sprouting seed because we believe organic
is the only sustainable growing practice if we are to continue evolving as a
species and living on this planet. If the FDA sees this letter on our web site or
they bother to read the copy we send them, that day may come soon. It is
completely plausible that they could find some pretext to shut us down by
demanding something impossible of us which would then give them the reason
they need to directly deprive us of our livelihood. We would much rather be
spending our free time with our two small children than stealing precious time
from them to combat this stupidity and downright evil surrounding us. We are
sick to death of it, but we are determined to fight, if necessary with whatever
means we can muster. You can help by saying NO to the local health
departments and by sending letters to the FDA letting Jane Henney know that
you are on to her dirty tricks. Feel free to write your President, Senators,
Representatives and anyone else in power, and pass these pages on to others.
Final summation
Sprouts have been grown for over 5,000 years, but the FDA is on the brink of
outlawing them. Im sure they know what is best for all of us. The FDA and the
USDA have been overwhelmed in recent years by numerous outbreaks of food
borne illness, in every possible form of food (Meat, Poultry, Dairy, Juice, Soft
Drinks, Vegetables and of course Sprouts). These agencies are responsible for
our safety in regards to food. They issue warnings, recalls, meanwhile
devastating entire industries and inevitably small families who work in those
industries. But they cant be expected to close the Meat and Poultry industry,
there are so many lobbyists to help them see that there is no cause for alarm.
Same with most industries. Alas the Sprout industry is vulnerable. The FDA has
created an emergency situationthey have put their own spin on the dangers of
sprouts but the numbers and the science just dont bear this out. We are small
and our only organization (ISGA) is out of their league dealing with federal
agencies. The most disturbing aspect is the blame these agencies cast. They are
supposed to help us promote our products goodness and also to help us solve
problems that arise, but instead they have put almost all the weight of solving
the contaminant issue on sprouters, not the seed producers themselves, and at
the same time come close to libeling our products. Not to mention that the FDA
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"strongly recommends" that sprout growers use a chlorine solution so

concentrated that it needed EPA approval and that the FDA and the California
8
Department of Health Services have admitted they dont think works.

Conventional, non-organic sprout growers continue to use it (and demand that
every sprout grower use it) in the soaking of seed. It is a devastating ecological
poison which does not breakdown in nature and which is being dumped into
the sewers, streams and ponds of America as we speak, as well as finding a
home in the seed which soaks it up. Bleach is a known carcinogen; personally,
we dont want it in our food! We are a very small grower very small. If we
used the bleach suggested, we would be dumping the equivalent of
approximately 100 gallons of household bleach down the drain and into the
river every week! Ask other sprout growers how much they are dumping and
then think about the estimate from the ISGA of 450 growers in this country.
Why the EPA approved this level of bleach is beyond me and why any food
producer thinks it is OK to use it is on their product and poison the Earth with
it is perhaps the greatest mystery.
Thank you for your time in reading this report, and thank you for any support
you are able to lend!
Sproutingly,
Lori Tooker
Gil Frishman
The Sproutpeople
PS Thanks for the good times. Though they were short lived they were great
while they lasted.
DONT Forget to pass this around. Some one of us must be able to get this info
to someone who
can make a difference. Keep fighting for your rights at all costs!
cc: Bill Clinton, Russ Feingold, Bill Bradley, FDA, USDA, Ag. Secty. Dan
Glickman,
all natural foods retailers and food co-ops we can find.
For further research, here is a short list of articles about food borne
contaminants and their web addresses:
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Mad Coke Disease (NY Times 7/99)
FIGHT BACK!
Dear
In July 1999 the FDA issued a press release warning people to stop eating sprouts
because of the health risk they pose.
The contamination links to sprouts are, in many cases dubious and the risk factor no
greater than that of any other food,
yet the FDA issues no advisories to stop eating other things that are linked to similar or
even greater risk.
The sprouting seed and sprout growing industries have been cooperating fully with the
FDA to locate sources of contamination and to find solutions where problems exist from
the time the first major outbreak was epidemiologically linked to sprouts in 1995. We
therefore ask that you help us to get the FDA to back off of their scare tactics and to
resume work on research to help this industry solve it's problems. There is not enough
known about food pathogens linked to sprouts at this point for the FDA to make such
dire statements. Press releases like this one only serve to ruin small sprout business,
most of whom have seen a 30% decrease in sales after a year and a half of bad press
from the FDA culminating in the July statement. Please encourage the FDA to adopt a
policy of fostering food industries and working with them to solve problems instead of
seeking to injure them by panicking the public
Sincerely,
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SPROUTS ILLEGAL FOOD

FDA CREATES PANIC
In July 1999 the FDA issued a press release warning EVERYONE to

stop eating sprouts in order to avoid getting sick. We think this
is unfair and misleading. The science linking sprouts to
contamination is often sloppy and the risk of sickness is LESS
than for most other foods. Yet because we are small and weak
the FDA has gone on a witch hunt for sprouts!
Sprouts are a wonderful, nutritious food. Seed producers and
sprout growers have been working with the FDA right from the
beginning of these alleged outbreaks in 1995 to pinpoint the
causes and find solutions. But now some high stakes bureacrats
are out to make names for themselves, and they have stabbed us
in the back!
YOU CAN HELP
Before the FDA makes sprouts illegal (and they have already
been banned from the deli at Whole Foods in Madison, WI by
the Dane County Health Department), you can grab a clipboard
below and sign your name or send a letter--or both! Help get
our side of the story told before it's too late.
You WILL be heard. Help to save a small organic business.
THANK YOU!!
ABOUT US
Hi, we are The Sproutpeople and we have been supplying the
Madison/Milwaukee and Twin Cities areas with fresh, certified
organic sprouts since 1993. You may have seen us at our stand
at the Dane County Farmer's Market in Madison, running after
our two small children while talking about the virtues of
sprouts. The relentless attacks from the FDA over the last year
and a half have cut our sales by 30%. It is our belief that the
FDA has launched this smear campaign in order to drive small
growers out of a food market ever more dominated by megaindustries with deep pockets. That's the way the government
wants it but WE WON'T GO DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT!
We know many of you care and will do what you can. Please
take a copy of our report and find out that this is really a battle
over who will control our food supply. Thanks again.
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Sproutingly,
Gil Frishman
Lori Tooker
1993-2006
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Junio 13, 2005

Los germinados, un fresco nicho de agronegocios
En forma gradual, los vegetales frescos germinados van ganando aceptacin en la dieta
cotidiana de la poblacin mexicana. Esto ha representado una oportunidad de negocios para
la empresa jalisciense Cultivos Naturales San Francisco la que ha sostenido un ritmo
creciente en su oferta comercial de productos obtenidos con una tecnologa holandesa de
vanguardia (proyecto pionero al momento en el continente americano) en quince hectreas
de invernaderos en la regin de La Barca, Jalisco.
Este agronegocio actualmente produce y comercializa championes blancos y marrones
(hongos de forma de sombrero) y setas (hongos planos) y varios germinados, entre los que
figuran los de alfalfa (en varias combinaciones con otros vegetales), soya, pasto de trigo y
girasol. Para el otoo prximo se tiene prevista la primera cosecha de pimientos morrones en
toda la gama de colores de estos chiles dulces.
Al respecto, su responsable de comercializacin, Lucero Rangel, expuso que adems de una
alternativa nutricional que supone un alimento muy completo, los germinados y las hortalizas
que manda la empresa al mercado agroalimentario suponen el atractivo de ser productos
orgnicos, debido a que su tecnologa de produccin implica un manejo totalmente ajeno al
contacto con el personal de los invernaderos, dado que la mano humana los manipula hasta
el momento de su cosecha y su envo al mercado.
Cit que la tecnologa que implica el uso de equipo de cmputo para la fase de germinacin,
nutricin y riego, evita el contacto con la mano humana. Adujo que esto no implica el
desplazamiento de la mano de obra, puesto que sta se requiere para la cosecha y posterior
proceso de empaque y lanzamiento al mercado, de modo que actualmente la empresa
genera en total 200 empleos, entre todos los puestos de las reas de produccin,
administracin y ventas. De 2002 al momento, ya se acumularon catorce millones de euros
en lo que ha sido el plan de inversiones de esta compaa agroindustrial, segn sintetiz la
informante.
Tambin hizo referencia que el proceso tecnolgico en la produccin de sus germinados
supone el uso de mallasombra en los campos de cultivo, adems de la utilizacin de agua de
pozo profundo que es tratada con rayos ultravioleta para asegurar su pureza. Adems de que
se utiliza un desinfectante natural extrado de la toronja. En el caso de la produccin de los
championes, destac el hecho de que se utilicen compostas pasteurizadas para la
nutricin de estos vegetales en su fase de crecimiento.
El ciclo de crecimiento del champin requiere de seis a siete semanas, mientras que los
germinados slo requieren de cuatro a cinco das para su puesta en los anaqueles de venta.
En lo que es el portafolio de presentaciones en el mercado, la entrevista expres que se
tienen 25 diferentes presentaciones de los germinados (segn el tamao de las raciones en
80, 100 y 250 gramos), adems de varias combinaciones de vegetales, como la alfalfa sola o
mezclada con amaranto, cebolla y brcoli. Otras presentaciones son las de los championes y
las setas, desde dosis de 250 gramos o en cajas de cinco kilogramos en ventas de gran
volumen.
Lucha vs la chatarra
En forma contundente, Lucero Rangel dijo que su empresa le apuesta a que el consumidor
tenga un producto natural nutritivo, aunque esto suponga competir contra una tendencia en
la que abundan las ofertas alimenticias de vveres con alto contenido de colesterol no
asimilable por el organismo, adems de harinas procesadas y azcares refinados que inciden
en situaciones nutricionales que se relacionan con serios problemas de salud pblica, como la
obesidad, la hipertensin y la diabetes.
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Asimismo, hizo hincapi que ante el estilo de vida actual trae retos de mandar al mercado
productos ya listos para su consumo en forma rpida, esto ha supuesto el reto para la
empresa de hacer atractivo y fcil la ingesta de sus productos, por lo que se venden en
presentaciones de cajitas de plstico y con su tenedor incluido para que tengan todas las
facilidades para comerse. Adems, habl de las presentaciones estilo lunch para su consumo,
lo que incluye bolsitas con chile molido y varios aderezos, como el mil islas y el italiano.
Salvador Y Maldonado, Milenio
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Acerca de los Brotes

Cuando un grano de cualquier cereal o
leguminosa cuenta con el agua, oxgeno y
calor suficientes germina. Una vez
germinados son ms nutritivos y fciles de
digerir. Las semillas as tratadas se
incluyen en la dieta porque permiten vivir
ms aos y hacerlo con buena salud.
El proceso de germinacin es muy sencillo.
Tras dejar los granos a remojo durante una noche, y escurrir y cambiar este agua en
repetidas ocasiones, aparecen unos brotes. Con ellos tambin aparecen o se
incrementan las propiedades nutritivas del producto.
En un momento en que ya ha quedado clara la relacin entre algunas
enfermedades como la hipertensin, la arteroesclerosis o la diabetes con los malos
hbitos alimenticios, cada vez son ms conocidos y aceptados los alimentos
germinados tradicionales de otras culturas, como la soja, tpica en Extremo Oriente;
las judas y guisantes, de la India; el trigo, de Oriente Medio; o las bebidas de
cereales, como la malta elaborada a partir de cebada germinada.
Los granos de cereales y leguminosas son alimentos "concentrados" y, debido a su
bajo contenido en agua y su riqueza en hidratos de carbono complejos -como el
almidn- y protenas, no deben consumirse crudos. Para que al organismo le resulte
ms fcil su asimilacin se comen cocidos o asados. Con ello, se realiza una especie
de "predigestin" que nuestro organismo no podra realizar por s slo. Los
germinados, en cambio, es como si ya hubieran alcanzado ese estado.
Bomba nutricional
En su valor nutritivo se parecen a las frutas y verduras, ya que, al igual que stas,
contienen gran cantidad de vitaminas -en especial A, B, C, E y K-, minerales,
enzimas y clorofila. El germinado de trigo, por ejemplo, contiene hasta seis veces
ms vitamina B que la semilla, y en la soja la vitamina C no aparece hasta que no
se ha producido la germinacin.
Tambin resultan muy atractivos si se mira su contenido en azcares simples, que
aportan energa y se asimilan fcilmente. El contenido en aminocidos tambin se
incrementa entre un 10% y un 30%, y lo mismo sucede con el hierro asimilable.
Esta composicin, hace que resulten idneos para estimular los procesos digestivos.
Su consumo se recomienda en casos de anemia y para personas con el estmago
delicado, que pueden comer legumbres cocinadas, pero s sus germinados.
Con las caloras justas
Adems, son alimentos que engordan muy poco porque aportan muy pocas
caloras. Las grasas y almidones de las semillas se transforman en carbohidratos
simples, protenas, vitaminas y minerales -especiamente fsforo-. Los brotes de
soja, por ejemplo, slo tienen 30 caloras por cada 100 gramos.
La otra gran ventaja de estos alimentos es que se pueden producir en casa. Se
almacenan y transportan fcilmente sin estropearse, no requieren mucho trabajo ni
dedicacin y tampoco son caros. El cultivo de germinados en nuestra propia casa
nos permite asegurarnos que los alimentos que consumimos estn libres de
pesticidas e insecticidas.
Los germinados se pueden consumir de diferentes maneras. Algunos tienen mejor
sabor cuando han sido cocinados, como sucede con la soja, cuyas protenas son as
an ms fciles de asimilar. Con ellos se pueden preparar tortillas, sopas de
verduras, purs, ensaladas, guarniciones para las carnes o pescados. Incluso se
puede aadir al relleno de un sandwich, como ingrediente en las salsas de tomate,
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o como novedad en un plato de arroz.

Qu es la germinacin?
Proceso natural de obtencin de alimentos muy

extendido en todo el mundo, la germinacin hace
que las semillas de cereales y leguminosas
aumenten su valor nutricional. Cuando un grano
cuenta con el agua, el oxgeno y el calor
necesario, germina para formar un nuevo ser
vivo, una planta que a su vez producir nuevas
semillas. Cualquier semilla de leguminosa o
grano de cereal puede ser germinado; los ms
apreciados por su textura y por el buen sabor de
sus brotes son los obtenidos de legumbres (soja
verde, juda mungo, alfalfa), cereales (trigo,
cebada) y de berro, rbano, calabaza, girasol, lino
y ssamo.
Germinar una semilla en nuestra propia casa
Aunque se encuentran productos germinados en establecimientos de alimentacin
biolgica y herbodiettica, podemos elaborarlos en nuestra propia casa, si
seguimos estos pasos:
Seleccionar semillas apropiadas para ser consumidas germinadas, en buenas
condiciones higinicas y de conservacin.
Ponerlas a remojo en un frasco de vidrio (nunca de metal) tapado con una tela fina.
La cantidad de agua: tres o cuatro veces superior al volumen de semillas.
Dejar reposar las semillas durante 12 horas en un lugar oscuro y clido.
Desechar el agua y lavar las semillas con agua tibia. Enjuagarlas y cambiar el agua
dos o tres veces al da hasta que se vean los brotes (tardan de dos a cinco das).
Las semillas no germinadas se han de tirar.
Alternativa a la coccin de cereales y leguminosas
Los granos de cereales y las leguminosas son alimentos concentrados y, debido a

su bajo contenido de agua y su riqueza en hidratos de carbono complejos (almidn)
y protenas, no pueden consumirse crudos. Se cuecen en agua o se asan para
facilitar su asimilacin por el organismo. Se trata, por tanto, de una especie de
predigestin que nuestro organismo por s solo no puede realizar. En cambio, los
germinados se asemejan en su valor nutritivo a frutas y verduras por su contenido
de agua y su riqueza en vitaminas y minerales, enzimas y clorofila. Estn ya
predigeridos y se asimilan muy bien por nuestro organismo. Por su composicin,
estimulan los procesos digestivos, regeneran la flora intestinal y son ricos en
antioxidantes (vitamina C y beta carotenos) y en ciertos minerales.
Aportan muy pocas caloras, por lo que resultan de utilidad en regmenes para
controlar el peso (los brotes de soja, por ejemplo, aportan tan solo 30 caloras por
cada 100 gramos). Su consumo se recomienda en casos de anemia (por su riqueza
en clorofila, que posee efectos antianmicos, segn algunos estudios) y tambin
para personas con el estmago delicado (las hay que no toleran legumbres
cocinadas pero que s sus germinados). Adems, resultan sencillos de preparar, se
comen tal cual, crudos en ensalada, salteados, en tortillas o formando parte de
diversos platos cocinados, en cuyo caso se recomienda aadirlos al final para que
no pierdan sus propiedades.
Durante aos la gastronoma ha sido guiada a satisfacer los gustos y exigencias que
durante generaciones fueron definiendo las reglas del "Arte del Buen Comer". En la
actualidad, con el desarrollo del conocimiento cientfico sobre las influencias de la
nutricin balanceada para mantener la salud humana, comienzan ha surgir nuevos
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modelos de alimentacin que persiguen elevar la calidad de la vida dentro de un

equilibrio con el entorno natural.
Siguiendo los preceptos de la gastronoma tradicional todo parece indicar que,
hasta nuestros das, la mayora de las personas han preferido alimentarse
fundamentalmente a partir de asados servidos de forma abundante y guarnecidos
con discretas cantidades de verdura, cereales y viandas para luego realizar
digestiones lentas preferentemente en estado de reposo. Por suerte, en estos
tiempos, ha comenzado a surgir una nueva preocupacin a escala planetaria para
conocer detalles sobre la calidad de los alimentos que aparecen en nuestras mesas,
as como las reglas para realizar una buena asimilacin de sus nutrientes.
S bien es cierto que en los ltimos decenios hubo un rpido desarrollo para las
cadenas de produccin de alimentos rpidos, conocidas como "Fast-Food ". Un
creciente sector de la opinin pblica ha comenzado a reconocer a estos productos,
por sus dudosos valores alimenticios, como "alimentos chatarra". Estos criterios han
coincidido con el punto de vista de muchos especialistas en materia de nutricin
quienes advierten de un empobrecimiento de la riqueza de la dieta humana en los
finales de este siglo. La opinin de los expertos se ve avalada por un creciente
nmero de enfermedades asociadas fundamentalmente al modo de comer:
hipertensin arterial, diabetes, algunos tipos de cncer, enfermedades
cardiovasculares, ateroesclerosis y otras tantas, aparecen entre las principales
causas de muerte en los pases donde aparentemente estn resueltos los
problemas de la alimentacin. Es por eso que el inters por una alimentacin sana,
sustentada en el consumo de productos frescos, adquiere cada vez un mayor
nmero de seguidores en todas partes del mundo.
Las ensaladas naturales, las frutas de estacin, los jugos puros, las comidas con
bajo contenido de grasas, azcares y sal, estn marcando las pautas de una
alimentacin ms acorde con las leyes de la vida natural tanto para los hombres
como para el planeta en que vivimos. Y es en este contexto donde los brotes
comienzan a ser reconocidos como uno de los alimentos ms importantes por sus
elevados valores curativos y nutritivos.
Desde hace milenios los asiticos recomendaban el consumo preferente de brotes
para lograr vivir ms de 100 aos. Y no se trataba de vivir muchos aos sino de
hacerlo con calidad y libre de enfermedades. Los brotes pueden aportar al
organismo, adems de las enzimas que se activan en el momento del desarrollo de
la nueva plntula, parte de la energa vital intrnseca al nuevo organismo vivo.
Mas que cualquier otro tipo de alimento, los germinados vienen a simbolizar el
momento del cambio en nuestros hbitos alimentarios. Desde hace ms de 25
aos, han comenzado a invadir los bares de ensaladas en los servicios de alimentos
rpidos y son fciles de encontrar en los mercados de los pases industrializados.
Para los pases con menos recursos econmicos; su consumo presupone adems de
una extraordinaria fuente de nutrientes de primera calidad, un ahorro importante
de energa en la esfera domstica ya que evitan los gastos de combustible que,
durante incontables horas, se necesitan para ablandar los frijoles de los potajes y
purs. Pero, es necesario conocer que, a pesar de lo sabrosos que resultan estos
tradicionales platos para el paladar, al someter los frijoles y granos a temperaturas
altas, muchos de sus nutrientes se desnaturalizan y no logran aportar ni
remotamente las cantidades presentes en los mismos granos pero consumidos
como germinados.
Quiere que lo mimen. Usted puede hacerlo. Slo necesita disposicin, orientacin y
notar el cambio. No lo piense ms. S, es hora de empezar a dar los pasos para su
bienestar fsico y, por qu no, econmico? En estos tiempos de crisis laboral,
definitivamente que descubrir una oportunidad escondida all.
Cmo hacer germinados (brotes, sprouts) de forma sencilla
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Introduccin
Parece que ya los esenios coman germinados. No han quedado muchos restos por
su propia naturaleza, si hubieran consumido refrescos de cola en botella de plstico
quiz lo supiramos con ms certeza.
Pueden comerse crudos como ensalada, hervidos, en bocadillo,...como a Vd. se le
ocurra.
Parece que tienen muchas ms vitaminas que las semillas de donde proceden y
tienen pocas caloras. (S, las semillas se ponen a producir vitaminas cuando se las
remoja).
Al ser de fcil preparacin, puede ser una actividad que pueden realizar los nios
pequeos.
Al ser tan sencillo el procedimiento, Vd. mismo puede hacer experimentos y
variaciones.
Ingredientes:
Algn tipo de semillas y agua. Las semillas ms usadas son las pequeas: lentejas,
soja verde,... pero puede probar con cualquier cosa.
(No puede utilizar semillas irradiadas, porque claro, no germinarn).
Elaboracin: Parece natural utilizar semillas lo ms ecolgicas posible. Idem con el
agua, mejor de manantial que no del grifo. (Si es del grifo, djela unos das en un
envase antes de utilizarla para que salga el cloro).
El tamao al que hay que comerse los brotes vara con la semilla: la alfalfa o las
lentejas sacan brotes de 4 o 5 centmetros fcilmente y sin problemas. Con el trigo,
arroz, los brotes slo miden unos milmetros.
Hay dos procedimientos, el sencillo y el complicado:
Procedimiento sencillo:
Se vierten las semillas en un plato hondo. Recomendamos poner pocas semillas, de

forma que cubran el fondo del plato pero que slo haya una capa, que no monten
las unas sobre las otras. (Una cucharada de semillas, ms o menos). Si no cubren el
fondo, no importa.
(En el procedimiento, las semillas van a crecer de volumen. Si son pequeas las
semillas y nos hemos excedido en la cantidad y algunas montan sobre otras, no hay
mucho problema, pero si las semillas son grandes, a poco que nos excedamos en la
cantidad, abultarn demasiado.
La clave est en que todas las semillas germinen al mismo ritmo. Si unas estn
encima de otras unas germinarn antes que otras y unas se las comer crudas y las
otras podridas ).
Se echa un poco de agua para que todas las semillas se mojen, pero sin que las
sobrepase ( a las semillas les gusta baarse hasta la cintura, pero no saben
nadar !).
Se mete en un rincn de un armario sin luz y a esperar.
Cada da se las echa un vistazo. El agua va desapareciendo, en parte porque lo
absorben las semillas y en parte porque se evapora. Si se han quedado sin agua
hay que reponerla.
Al cabo de unos das (uno, dos, tres), van apareciendo los brotes blancos. Siga
reponiendo el agua.
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Cuando los brotes tengan una longitud de 2,3 o 4 centmetros ya se las puede
comer. (La longitud depende de cada semilla)
Si ha echado demasiada agua o se ha olvidado de las semillas y aparece moho
entre ellas, le recomendamos que las tire y vuelva a empezar. (Si no se olvida de
ellas durante unos cuantos das no es fcil que ocurra). Idem si por cualquier
motivo, huelen mal -se estn pudriendo-.
Antes de comer los brotes se lavan bien en un colador. (se pueden guardar varios
das en la nevera).
Para los viajes: Si debes viajar, puedes llevrtelas en un tarro. Al final del viaje las
vuelves a depositar en un plato, y ya est.
Ventajas de este procedimiento: Hay que trabajar muy poco cada da: slo mirarlos
y reponer el agua si es preciso. Las semillas no tienen nunca contacto con plsticos.
Se pueden hacer cantidades industriales de forma sencilla. Las semillas se lo pasan
bien jugando todo el da y cantando sin que las vea ni oiga nadie.
Procedimiento complicado:
Compre un germinador de los varios tipos que venden en las tiendas ecolgicas y
siga las instrucciones.
O fabrqueselo Vd. mismo con un bote de cristal y una tapa agujereada.
Hay que echar unas semillas en el bote (poca cantidad), cerrarlo, echar agua dentro
y luego escurrir varias veces.
Despus de esta operacin se deja inclinado en un lugar oscuro.
Hay que repetir la operacin de lavado y escurrido varias veces al da ( de dos a
cuatro).
Inconvenientes de este procedimiento: Hay que conseguir un germinador o
hacrselo uno mismo. Las semillas pueden estar en contacto con plstico bastante
tiempo. Y sobre todo: el acordarse varias veces al da es demasiado laborioso.
Para una cosa que podemos hacer de forma sencilla !
Adems, las semillas, al estar en una posicin inclinada, tienden a agolparse las
unas sobre las otras. Estn en un ambiente ms cerrado. (Quiz para otras latitudes
sea necesario).
Detalles a no olvidar
Al germinar soja verde pueden quedar semillas sin germinar (o incluso piedras).
Cuidado al comerlas, estn muy duras!.
La temperatura afecta bastante al su desarrollo (y puede detenerlo). La
temperatura debe rondar los 20. Quiz haya otros factores (la luna) que tambin
pueden afectar. Vd. lo ir comprobando.
El cultivo de races no es ninguna novedad. Es una prctica muy antigua. Ya los
chinos las conocan. De hecho, cuando de tribus vegetarianas pioneras se habla, es
de rigor mencionar a los esensios.
Posteriormente, Ann Wigmor y Christian Challer, simultneamente, programaron el
mtodo de alimentacin viviente.
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Hoy en da en diversos lugares se cultivan los brotes tiernos y hacen germinar las
semillas para alimentar reses y animales de engorde, explic Riviere.
Sus bondades
No requieren de mucho espacio, puede sembrar las semillas hasta en un pote, un

vaso o plato de cartn.
Constituyen una nutricin sana. Es un mtodo barato de tener nutrientes diversos
(Vitaminas, minerales, oligoelementos y fibras, protenas vegetales) a mano.
No contienen agroqumicos.
Limpian y enjuagan el cuerpo
Los granos germinados no contienen colesterol.
Los germinados son alimentos pre-digeridos por el proceso que ellos toman. Se
usan mucho en la alimentacin de convalescientes (enfermos de lupus y cncer,
por ejemplo), porque se digieren fcilmente.
El suyo es un manual sencillo para ensear a las personas a hacer los germinados
(brotes tiernos).
Manifest que no se trata de que la gente se vuelva vegetariana, sino de que en
colegios, universidades y casas, grandes y chicos aprendan a este tipo de
alimentacin positiva.
Dijo que en Mxico un nio hablaba con la mama sobre el tema con conocimiento
de causa, pues constituye una materia de colegio.
Considera importante capacitar a la gente en esta alimentacin del nuevo milenio,
para que haya menos hambre en los hogares y mejor nutricin.
Riviere estudi en la Fundacin Soleir y tiene una vasta trayectoria dictando cursos,
conferencias y talleres.
Propiedades
El fenogreco (propiedades: ayuda a desintoxicar el hgado el organismo entero,

normaliza las funciones digestivas. Y, cuando se come el germinado el cuerpo
empieza a transpirar el olor del fenogreco (las mujeres de Oriente lo utilizan
mucho). Algunos lo cultivan por sus virtudes afrodisacas. Su germinado dura tres
das.
El garbanzo: Se puede comer crudo o cocido. Cuando se hace germinar tiene fibra,
que optimiza el funcionamiento del aparato digestivo. Resulta bueno para el
estreimiento y por su alto contenido de magnesio protege de enfermedades
cardacas y el estrs.
Adems, est comprobado que ayuda a las lceras ppticas y duodenales. Contiene
minerales y vitaminas del complejo B. Su germinado dura entre 2 y 3 das.
La soja: Contiene los 8 cidos necesarios para darle la proteccin correcta y nutrir al
organismo.
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Girasol:
Contiene calcio y hierro.
La alfalfa y lenteja tambin forman parte de este grupo con un alto valor nutritivo.
La germinacin en la historia
El uso de semillas germinadas en la alimentacin y en la medicina es dos veces

ms antiguo que la Gran Muralla China. Cerca de 3 000 aos antes de Cristo, el
Emperador de China escriba sobre las hierbas medicinales y los frijoles germinados
los cuales en esa poca eran prescritos para dolencias como edemas, contracciones
musculares, deficiencias en el funcionamiento de las vsceras, desrdenes
digestivos, debilidades pulmonares y problemas relacionados con la piel y el pelo.
Los chinos y japoneses germinaban los frijoles de soja, el de mungo y la cebada
como suplemento alimentario fijo de su dieta.
En Occidente, las germinaciones fueron tambin usadas, primeramente como
medicina y despus como alimento. El Capitn Cook conocido como uno de los
mejores navegantes del Siglo XVIII fue el primero que realiz un viaje por el
ocano que dur ms de tres aos sin perder ni un slo hombre por causa del
escorbuto. Antes de este viaje la mayora de los barcos perdan la mitad de sus
tripulaciones durante las largas travesas. El secreto de Cook consista en darle a
sus marineros una bebida fermentada obtenida a partir de frijoles germinados
Durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial en los Estados Unidos se prepararon
condiciones para hacer de los brotes de soja un producto de primera necesidad
para los norteamericanos. En aquellos aos se lanz una campaa para ensear a
prepararlos y as crear una reserva alimentaria estratgica para los tiempos de la
guerra. A partir de 1948 se olvid todo este programa y no es hasta entrados los
aos setenta, con el boom de los aerbicos y las campaas sobre cultura fsica y
alimentacin sana, que comienzan a tomar un papel cada vez ms importante en la
alimentacin humana. En la actualidad los brotes son reconocidos como alimentos
muy especiales entre las personas con tendencias a las prcticas del naturismo.
Valor alimentario
Los granos y legumbres recin germinados tienen una gran cantidad de clorofila,
vitaminas, minerales, oligoelementos y otras sustancias vitales. Entre las vitaminas
pueden ponerse como ejemplo las contenidas en los brotes de trigo: A, B, B6, B12
(difcil de encontrar en los vegetales), B17, C, E, cido flico, pantotnico, adems
de colina. Tambin poseen calcio, hierro, magnesio, cobre, cinc, yodo, potasio junto
con los aminocidos esenciales que el cuerpo necesita para formar las protenas
necesarias para restaurar sus tejidos.
Los germinados constituyen uno de los mejores alimentos que la naturaleza nos ha
dado. De poderoso efecto regenerador y curativo, se dice que el jugo de brotes
impide el desarrollo del cncer, ayuda a corregir la anemia, equilibra la presin
arterial, alivia el estreimiento, aumenta la actividad hormonal, hace que
desaparezcan las canas y por sobre todas estas propiedades ayudan a desintoxicar
el organismo de muchos agentes contaminantes presentes en nuestro medio
ambiente.
Un buen nmero de cientficos ha publicado sus descubrimientos sobre el valor de
los brotes como alimento y es bien amplia la literatura de que se dispone en la
actualidad como para no dudar de la necesidad de introducir la prctica de la
germinacin en nuestra vida cotidiana.
Sugerencias
La mayora de los granos y las semillas de ciertas verduras y hortalizas son

susceptibles de someterse al proceso de germinacin. Habitualmente utilizamos los
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frijoles colorados, negros, blancos, garbanzos, judas, gandul, caballero, mungo,

alfalfa, el maz, los frijoles chinos, el trigo y las semillas de girasol siempre que no
hayan sido sometidas a tratamientos qumicos o que haya vencido su fecha de
viabilidad.
Para preparar los germinados deber en primer lugar escoger el tipo de frijol o
semilla que desee utilizar y determinar la cantidad que desea obtener a partir de la
informacin de la tabla que muestra las caractersticas de los germinados. A
continuacin:
1. Remoje las semillas o granos en agua durante toda la noche. Las semillas ms
pequeas necesitan menos tiempos para hidratarse que los granos. Unas pocas
semillas pueden llenar un pomo completo de germinados. Por ejemplo dos o tres
cucharadas de semillas de alfalfa (o cualquier otra semilla pequea) pueden crecer
hasta llenar un recipiente de un litro. Lo mismo ocurre con media taza de frijoles
mungo, que luego de cinco das ocupan el mismo espacio. Una regla general que
debemos conocer es que las semillas pequeas ocupan menos espacio en el pomo
antes de germinar pero se expanden ms que los granos o frijoles aunque tambin
necesitan de mayor cantidad de tiempo para lograrlo. O sea que las semillas
necesitan ms espacios para crecer en mayor cantidad de das que los frijoles.
2. Al segundo da, escurra toda el agua y enjuague bien las semillas varias veces.
Deje escurrir toda el agua excedente durante 10 minutos o ms colocando un
colador en la boca del pomo e invirtiendo este. Un buen enjuague y el escurrido
garantizan la buena salud de las germinaciones.
3. Las germinaciones necesitan agua; por lo que debe enjuagarlas dos o tres veces
al da y dejarlas escurrir muy bien.
4. Deje crecer sus germinaciones en un lugar donde reciban luz indirecta as podr
actuar la clorofila en sus hojas. Nunca las ponga directamente a la luz del sol ya que
esta es muy caliente para los brotes tiernos.
5. Las germinaciones necesitan aire; por eso es conveniente cubrir la boca del
pomo con un pedazo de gasa o cualquier material que permita la ventilacin e
impida el paso de los insectos pequeos. Se recomienda fijar siempre la tela con
una liga o algn tipo de banda elstica.
6. En resumen, para germinar granos el mtodo a seguir es: hidratar durante la
noche, enjuagar y escurrir bien tal como se ha indicado durante los das que tarde
el crecimiento de los brotes y hacerlo varias veces al da de forma que se remuevan
los granos del fondo del pomo. Recuerde que el exceso de agua malogra todo el
trabajo.
7. Las germinaciones estarn listas despus de dos y hasta cinco das en
dependencia de la temperatura en que se desarrollen. Cuando se desee detener el
proceso de crecimiento se podrn almacenar en el refrigerador y se podrn
conservar all durante varios das.
Propiedades del jugo de trigo germinado

Del jugo o zumo de trigo germinado slo se oyen nada ms que maravillas.
Cada vez hay ms mdicos y profesionales que lo aconsejan a sus pacientes ya que nutre y depura nuestro
organismo al mismo tiempo.
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Es ese el "secreto" de porque se recomienda en cualquier enfermedad. Por supuesto cuanto ms grave es la
enfermedad ms necesitamos de alimentos que nos aporten muchos nutrientes pero que no dejen residuos en
nuestro maltrecho organismo.
Hemos de tener en cuenta que es rico en protenas (contiene 16 aminocidos), vitaminas y minerales.
Adems es muy curiosa su similitud con la sangre humana. Una de las nicas diferencias entre la clorofila y la
hemoglobina es que la molcula de clorofila contiene magnesio como ncleo central, mientras que la
hemoglobina contiene hierro.
Su riqueza en clorofila ayuda a eliminar toxinas de nuestro organismo. Algunas personas con fuerte olor
corporal observan que a las pocas semanas de tomarlo ha desaparecido ese olor.
Mdicos y cientficos de todo el mundo lo recomiendan en enfermedades tan diversas como Anemias, Cncer,
Diabetes, Fatiga crnica o simplemente estreimiento.
No pretendemos decir que vale para curarlo todo sino simplemente que puede ser un buen aliado ante la
enfermedad.
Consultad cualquier duda con vuestro mdico o especialista.
Modo de tomar el jugo de trigo germinado

Lo ideal es tomarlo en ayunas o antes de las comidas.
Dos cucharaditas al da es la dosis que se recomienda habitualmente aunque no se conoce ningn problema por
tomar ms.
Recordad que comer cada da germinados es un regalo de salud para nuestro cuerpo.
Rejuvenecer con clorofila

El contenido nutricional de las semillas germinadas es equiparable al de frutas y verduras, pero las
superan en cuanto a su riqueza enzimtica y en clorofila. La clorofila tambin ha demostrado su accin
antianmica y revitalizante, as como antitxica. Estudios con ratas han constatado el aumento de
vigor en animales de mucha edad, as como la reduccin y prevencin de tumores y tejidos
degenerados.
Las semillas germinadas son tiles ante mltiples dolencias. Los distintos germinados se han demostrado
tiles como reguladores intestinales, antianmicos, revitalizantes, en casos de descalcificacin y
estados carenciales. Son depuradores del organismo, potenciadores de la produccin de leche
materna, reguladores del sistema endocrino y del metabolismo en general, incrementan el tono
muscular, disminuyen el meteorismo... y tienen probados efectos rejuvenecedores.
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MARCAS
Bsicamente se aplican tratndose de personas fsicas o morales (empresas
comerciales) dedicadas a la fabricacin y venta de diversos productos o que
prestan determinados servicios y que han diseado una imagen que los
distingue de su competencia en diferentes niveles.
Si Usted desarroll una reputacin y realiza ventas repetidas de su producto o
servicio, sera desastroso si un competidor pudiese vender un producto similar
que pudiese ser confundido con el suyo. Para ms informacin lea sobre las
ventajas de una marca registrada.
Al usar una marca -- una seal distintiva la cual identifica su producto o servicio
exclusivamente -- usted desarrolla lealtad hacia su producto. Adems puede
usted licenciar o franquiciar su producto y/o servicio y cobrar regalas sobre sus
ventas. En caso de un abuso por parte de un competidor, una marca registrada
le da bases slidas para su defensa legal.
Una marca es un signo que distingue un servicio o producto de otros de su
misma clase o ramo. Puede estar representada por un trmino, un smbolo,
logotipo, diseo o signo, o una combinacin de estos. Para efectos del registro
de marcas deben distinguirse los tipos y las clases de marcas.
La ley de la propiedad industrial reconoce cuatro tipos diferentes de marcas:
MARCAS NOMINATIVAS
Las nominativas, son las marcas que identifican un producto o servicio a partir
de una palabra o un conjunto de palabras. Estas marcas deben distinguirse
fonticamente de los productos o servicios de su misma especie. Es decir, no
deben tener semejanza con marcas que pertenezcan a productos o servicios
de su misma especie o clase.
Ejemplo: NIKE. Al tratarse de una marca para calzado y ropa deportiva esta
marca pertenece a la clase 25.
MARCAS INNOMINADAS
Las marcas innominadas, son figuras o logotipos que diferencan visualmente a
una marca. Es decir, son figuras distintivas que no pueden reconocerse
fonticamente, slo visualmente.
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Ejemplo:
Como en el ejemplo anterior, al tratarse de una marca para calzado y ropa
deportiva esta marca pertenece a la clase 25.
Registra tu marca!
MARCAS MIXTAS
Las marcas mixtas, son el resultado de la combinacin de tipos definidos en los
prrafos anteriores. En la mayoria de los casos son combinaciones de palabras
con diseos o logotipos.
Ejemplo:
Como en el ejemplo anterior, al tratarse de una marca de calzado y ropa
deportiva esta marca pertenece a la clase 25.
Registra tu marca!
MARCAS TRIDIMENSIONALES
Las marcas tridimensionales, corresponden a la forma de los productos o sus
empaques, envases o envoltorios, siempre y cuando sean caractersticos y los
distingan de productos de su misma clase. Es decir, las marcas
tridimensionales corresponden a cuerpos con 3 dimensiones, como botellas,
empaques, cajas, estuches, etc.
Ejemplo:
En este caso la marca pertenece a la clase 32.
Registra tu marca!
Cuando una marca es registrada por una asociacin o sociedad de productores

o en general por varias personas que Quiren diferenciar su producto o servicio
se habla de una MARCA COLECTIVA. Si perteneces a una agrupacin de
productores de bienes o de servicios (ganaderos, avicultores, lecheros,
contadores, abogados, etc.) que han diseado un logotipo que los distingue de
las dems agrupaciones de su tipo, entonces el logotipo de dicha agrupacin
puede ser registrado como MARCA COLECTIVA.
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Adems de los tipos de marcas mencionadas anteriormente, existen tambin

las siguientes figuras de proteccin:
NOMBRE COMERCIAL
El Nombre Comercial, es una variante de las marcas que lleva un proceso
diferente al del registro. Los nombres comerciales, no reQuiren de la emisin
de un ttulo expedido por el IMPI, como es el caso de la marca y el aviso
comercial. Slo es necesario solicitar la publicacin del mismo. La diferencia
con las marcas radica en que el nombre comercial, slo proteje el nombre de
un comercio, industria, empresa o prestador de servicios en el rea donde se
encuentra ubicado.
Ejemplo: Miscelnea Del Valle, Fonda La Ta Rosa, etc.
Registra tu aviso o nombre comercial!
AVISO COMERCIAL
El Aviso Comercial, es una frase u oracin que sirve para promover y
diferenciar a un producto, prestador de servicios o empresa, de otros que se
dediquen a la misma actividad. Puede servir como slogan o frase
publicitaria.Los avisos comerciales son frases que distinguen un producto
inclusive sin mencionar la marca, en diversas campaas publicitarias, tal sera
el caso de JUST DO IT! frase que sin mencionarlo nos refiere a la marca NIKE,
otro ejemplo sera A QUE NO PUEDES COMER SOLO UNA! que nos refiere a
la marca SABRITAS.
Registra tu aviso o nombre comercial!
Preguntas Frecuentes
MARCAS
Tienes una denominacin para el producto que fabricas y/o comercializas o
para el servicio que prestas?
En ese caso puedes registrar dicha denominacin como una marca nominativa.
Adems de la denominacin, tu marca tiene un logotipo o la propia
denominacin tiene signos distintivos?
Entonces puedes registrar esa imagen distintiva como marca mixta.
Tu smbolo distintivo es un logotipo simplemente y no tiene ninguna palabra o
frase que lo acompae?
En este supuesto tu logotipo puede ser registrado como una marca
innominada.
Haz diseado un envase o forma de presentacin novedoso y totalmente
diferente a los que normalmente se utilizan para contener un producto?
Tu idea puede ser registrada como una marca tridimensional.
Perteneces a una agrupacin de productores de bienes o de servicios
(ganaderos, avicultores, lecheros, contadores, abogados, etc.) que han
diseado un logotipo que los distingue de las dems agrupaciones de su tipo?
En este supuesto el logotipo de dicha agrupacin puede ser registrado como
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marca colectiva.
Registra tu marca!
AVISOS COMERCIALES
Tienes en mente un slogan o una campaa publicitaria que sirva para
distinguir un producto y/o servicio?
Entonces debers registrar dicha frase o slogan como un aviso comercial.
Los avisos comerciales son frases que tienen como objetivo el distinguir un
producto inclusive sin mencionar la marca, en diversas campaas publicitarias,
tal sera el caso de JUST DO IT! frase que sin mencionarlo nos refiere a la
marca NIKE, otro ejemplo sera A QUE NO PUEDES COMER SOLO UNA!
que nos refiere a la marca SABRITAS.
Registra tu aviso comercial!
NOMBRES COMERCIALES
Tu empresa tiene una denominacin que la distinga, sin que se utilicen los
nombres de los socios?
En este caso se trata de un Denominacin Comercial que puede ser publicada
en la Gaceta del IMPI.
El nombre de tu empresa est formado con el de uno de sus socios, con los
de algunos o con todos?
En este caso se trata de una Razn Social que tambin puede ser publicada en
la Gaceta del IMPI. Los nombres comerciales no reQuiren de un registro ante
el IMPI, sin embargo se recomienda su publicacin en la Gaceta de dicho
Instituto, a fin de que se presuponga la buena fe de su uso y se asegure no
estar infringiendo derechos de propiedad industrial de terceros.
Registre su marca!
El registro de una Marca le brinda muchas ventajas. Usted puede licenciar o
franquiciar su producto y cobrar jugosas regalas. En caso de un abuso de su
marca (Piratera, difamacin etc.) usted cuenta con fundamentos slidos
legales para su defensa. Antes de proceder le recomendamos lea nuestra
introduccin a las marcas. El registrar una marca consta de tres pasos:
Paso 1
Verificar si la marca ya se encuentra registrada mediante una bsqueda
de anterioridades ante el Instituto Mexicano de la Propiedad Industrial.
Por favor llene este formato.
Paso 2
Presentar la solicitud correspondiente a su clase de productos y/o
servicios ante el Instituto Mexicano de la Propiedad Industrial en la(s)
clase(s) que sean necesarias.
Paso 3
Titulacin de la marca. El plazo que maneja el IMPI es de 6 a 8 meses,
siempre y cuando el Instituto no haga observaciones a la solicitud.
Clases de Marcas
Es importante saber cuales son las clases de productos o servicios que quiera
amparar con el registro de su marca.
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Tipos de Marcas
Consulte los diferentes tipos de marcas.
Marcas Comunitarias en la Unin Europea
Si Usted desea exportar su producto a la comunidad europea registre su marca
comunitaria y proteja su marca en los quince pases de la Unin Europea que
comprenden: Austria, Blgica, Dinamarca, Francia, Alemania, Grecia, Irlanda,
Italia, Luxemburgo, Los Pases Bajos, Portugal, Espaa, Suecia, El Reino
Unido y Finlandia. Verifique si su marca esta disponible en la Union Europea
GRATUITAMENTE, gracias a nuestra alianza con Marcanet.com. Haga click
aqu
Sproutable Seeds
Most seeds can be sprouted and eaten but avoid sprouting any seeds from plants that
may have poisonous parts. Common seeds for sprouting include alfalfa, fenugreek,
lentils, peas, radish, and red clover. Mung beans have been sprouted in Asia for
thousands of years, but take more equipment and time than other seeds. Other less
common seeds include cabbage, broccoli, garbanzos, mustard seed, and quinoa. Most
grains can grow chlorophyll rich grass crops in soil, and grains without hulls can be
used as short sprouts. Save garden seeds (radish is easy, just let them go to seed and
harvest when dry and ripe). Caragana seeds make delicious sprouts. Spread a blanket or
tarp by the bushes just before the pods pop open to catch the seeds.
Food Poisoning and Sprouts.

There have been several recent news stories regarding salmonella contamination in
sprouts. These have been combined with warnings from the FDA and the CFIA that
sprouts could be contaminated with food poisoning bacteria and advising the very old,
the very young, and those with compromised immune systems to avoid raw sprouts.
I feel that the stories were far overblown because it made interesting news - the original
"health food" might be bad for you.
What can you do to be extra safe?
Use certified organic seeds. Organic certification assures that seeds have been grown
and handled in a manner that helps minimize possible sources of contamination. Manure
used on organic fields, for example, must be composted for a long period. Composting
has been shown to reduce or eliminate pathogens in manure. Organic farmers are also
required to use rodent and bird proof storage for seeds destined for consumption.
Organic sprouting seeds haven't been implicated in any outbreak of food poisoning.
Make sure that any seeds you buy have been handled as a food crop and not a farm
planting seed crop. Seeds that have been in contact with animals or animal waste could
be contaminated with salmonella or e-coli O157 H7, leading to food poisoning.
Reputable sprouting seed suppliers test all lots of seeds for contamination.
Refrigerate finished sprouts. Treat sprouts and foods containing sprouts as you would
any nutritious food - refrigerate until used.
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If you collect your own garden seeds, make sure to dry them and store them in a clean
and rodent free environment.
For more information on the relative risks of sprouts compared to other foods, see this
article by the Sproutman, Steve Meyerowitz. I feel that home grown sprouts, especially
grown from certified organic seed are far safer than a hamburger or potato salad at a
picnic.
Wheatgrass and Mold
By Carroll J. MacIntosh
E-mail: info@evergreenjuices.com
Web Site: Evergreenjuices
You might find this interesting. My father is a retired minister and he started growing
wheatgrass juice in Canada over 14 years ago. It started out just for ourselves but then we
grew to serve many health food stores and restaurants. We also sold the juicers.
There are a couple things that always bothered us about the juice and that is the reactions
many people (including us) had after drinking the juice, such as nausea and headaches
within seconds after drinking. We were always told that this was "detoxification". Then we
had a lady break out in hives all over her body within minutes after drinking.
We were also told that this was just a strong detoxing symptom. Howvever we just
couldn't buy the story anymore. Nausea and headaches and especially hives are a
reaction to something, not detoxification. There is no other herb or juice concoction that
makes you detox within seconds with these strong reactions. What we did trace it to is
the mold that grows on the trays. Mold is highly toxic and can cause instant reactions
such as headaches and nausea and even hives. The mold comes from the seeds that don't
germinate, and that is why some trays are better than others. We tried using hydrogen
peroxide and colidial silver and even picking out the ungerminated seeds with tweezers.
We also noticed that those with candida got much worse after drinking wheatgrass juice.
(Sugar and mold will set it off.)
So after being indoor growers of wheatgrass juice for over seven years, we decided that
we couldn't serve any more knowing that all the so called detoxing symptoms were
reactions to the mold. We shut the whole thing down.
The following spring my dad was visiting a farmer friend and his winter wheat was
coming up. For the fun of it, he cut down a bunch and juiced it. He couldn't believe the
difference in the taste!!! Smooth and mild tasting and no sugary/bitter taste. He kept
drinking it until he had finished a whole glass. And guess what? NO REACTIONS. We
have done a bunch of testing and found that:
A. In the process of growing winter wheat, the frost kills the mold on the
ungerminated seeds, thus no mold.
B. Also the chlorophyll is much higher because it is in the sun.
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C. The simple sugars in the indoor sprouts cannot mature enough to change
into complex carbohydrates, and that is why it is sweet like syrup.
Outdoor grass matures just before the jointing stage and creates a smooth
grass taste.
D. It is in the ground for over 200 days compared with 7 - 10 days indoors.
At great expense we now have an organic farm in Ontario, where we plant winter wheat
and harvest it in the spring. We have about three weeks per year to do this. We chill it in
1 1/2 minutes to just above freezing and then it is packaged and frozen. Lab reports
show little change in the nutrients even after up to three years in the freezer. Freezing
doesn't harm it, it is heat that does.
Our work now is trying to convince those who have sworn off wheatgrass juice, because
of past reactions, to try it again. A good example of this is Ernest who owns Rainbow
Bridge store in Ojai, CA. (805) 646-4017. His reaction to indoor grown wheatgrass was
with his throat swelling up to the point where it was hard to breathe. At the Expo West
show in Anaheim, I met him and explained why he reacted to it. I convinced him to try
our wheatgrass and with a shaking hand he did. He couldn't believe this was wheatgrass
juice. It tasted so different. He was waiting for a reaction, that never happened. He is
now so sold on our wheatgrass juice, that he confidently sells it to his clients.
My dad met Ann Wigmore once after he shut down the indoor growing system and he
asked her about growing outside. Her answer was "I never thought of it before". I am
sure you are familiar with Steve Meyerwitz. He totally believes in what we are doing
and in the revision of his book put a page in about us. Pine Wheatgrass also is
supportive. They understand the importance of winter wheat.
We know that most who grow wheatgrass don't realize that the mold can make their
clients sick. The body will usually try to tell us when it doesn't like something, but often
people think that they are doing something good by taking it. I have heard so many
people tell me that it got to the point where they would bring the wheatgrass up to their
mouths, but they just couldn't drink it anymore. But with outdoor grown wheatgrass
juice the body absorbs it and people feel good.
I have been trying to get the frozen wheatgrass people to acknowledge the fact that the
myceal mold from sprouted wheatgrass berries is not harmful. MMI Pathology
Laboratories in Georgia, U.S.A., rans tests several years ago on the topical mold
ocurring in the trays of wheatgrass that is grown certified and state inspected. (See
attached report). Here in Florida this is our 6th year producing. Our product is not at all
pathengenic (harmful) to humans. You are what you eat and freeze dried or frozen
wheatgrass juice will never replace the power of fresh and since we drink the sprouted
grass and not the berry. We grow a premium product. If you have candy bars,
barbituates, antibiotics, boooze, cancer, you will purge from fresh wheatgrass every
time. With frozen, you will not de-tox that way because we grow a fresh crop every
week not every 200 days and freeze it.
Please note: Results reported here are based on material submitted to MMI for analysis.
All pathology evaluations are subject to the normal limitations of laboratory accuracy.
No other warranty is expressed or implied by MMI and its employees or associates.
MMI is liable only for the purchase price of the services rendered. Failure to recover a
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microorganism from a sample does not establish the field or commodity represented by
that sample to be free of that organism. MMI and its employees and associates do not
recommend use of specific chemicals and only list chemicals (if applicable) that are
reported as useful in the literature. Be certain any chemical you use is approved for your
crop under the conditions in which you intend to use the chemical. Check with your
extension agent and/or chemical supplier for suitability of use under your growing
conditions before using any chemical on your crop.
SYMPTOMS: Mycelial growth on media surface
I. FUNGUS TEST RESULTS (1): Probable slime mold (surface mycelial growth)
Rhizopus sp. (surface mycelial growth)
Pythium sp. (slight infection, scattered seedlings)
DIAGNOSIS: A probable slime mold was identified on the media surface of the wheat
grass flat. The profuse growth over the entire flat and numerous sporangiophores can be
characteristic of slime molds. Slime molds may grow at a very fast rate and cover entire
surfaces, but slime molds are not pathogenic. Slime molds use the plants for support but
do not penetrate the tissue. The profuse growth observed on the flat was easily removed
from the seeds, lower stems, and roots of the plants. No penetration of plant tissue was
observed. Slime molds are favored by wet environments and feed on dead organic
matter. Rhizopus sp. also was identified in the surface growth. Rhizopus is a ubiquitous
fungus that grows profusely in high humidity environments. Rhizopus generally is only
a problem in storage rot situations, and the fungus has not been reported to be
pathogenic on wheat seedlings.
Pythium sp. was observed in the root tissue of selected seedlings. The Pythium infection
appeared slight and was confined to discrete root sections of smaller seedlings. No
pathogenic fungi were identified on the majority of the seedlings.
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EASYGREEN.COM
Seeds
OUR SEEDS ARE GUARANTEED FOR FRESHNESS. WE WILL REFUND OR EXCHANGE IF YOU ARE
NOT 100% SATISFIED. FREE shipping for seed orders over $120!
EasyGreen Mistaponic Cloner Model MC
Price per Unit (piece): $199.00
Home gardening! Clone annuals, perennials, vegi's and anything clonable....year

round. For rapid crop production, optimal root oxygenation and unbelievable growth
rate.
A mixture of pressurized oxygen and solution (patented) is emmited by the mist
generator, resulting in snow white roots and sturdy foliage. No external lines, no
pumps that heat the growing chamber, no misters that may clog, no stuff hanging
around. Neat, clean and effective.
Regular Price is $239.00 + $27.90 shipping to 48 states. Here is our special
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the 48 states). (For other states and overseas, please go to our "Help Center"
and fill in our form with your full shipping address and you will receive a shipping
quote). Supplied with all standard equipment for cloning, Mist Generator, 30 x 2"
Special Net-Pots, 30 x Pocket Lids, 96 Activation Timer, Drainage Valve, and
Instructions.
The Patented Mistaponic Cloner Model MC will be the last cloner you ever buy!
Each unit filters the air with a carbon filter prior to pressurizing the unit. The air
pressure and lack of pump heat produce the fastest and best cuttings youve ever
seen. It forces less than a 6 micron particle of solution to each and every cutting.
This is much different then the abrasive streams of water in the other units
available on the market.
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Kelp - Liquid Fertilizer for Greens
Price per Unit (piece): $8.80
Organic Wheatgrass Solution

(Cold Processed Liquid Kelp) The Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) for use
in organic production. Guaranteed Minimum analysis:
- Total Nitrogen (N) .01%
- Soluble Potash (K2O) 1.0%
- Available Phosphoric Acid (P2O2) .05%
- Organic Matter 4.0%
Use Kelp Help with confidence on: Wheatgrass, Barley Grass, Sunflower &
Buckwheat Sprouts; and virtually anything that grows. Your plants will love it!
FOR BEST RESULTS APPLY AS FOLLOWS:
SHAKE WELL BEFORE USING!
Wheatgrass, Buckwheat and Sunflower application: Dilute two (2) tsp of Kelp in the
growing compartment of the EasyGreen MikroFarm "when full".
All other seeds: one (1) tsp in the growing compartment of the EasyGreen
MikroFarm "when full".
Here are the benefits of sprouting:
Sprouting neutralizes phytic acid, which if present will not allow as much
calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc to be absorbed during digestion
It also increases the amount of B vitamins and carotene
Vitamin C is created in the process of sprouting
complex sugars responsible for intestinal gas are broken down
Sprouting also inactivates aflatoxins, which are potent carcinogens found in
grains
During sprouting additional enzymes are produced during the germination
process that help digestion
heatgrass Benefits
Wheatgrass is one of the most potently healthy substances on earth. Yet for some reason it
is still not mainstream even though there are thousands of wheatgrass benefits that are so
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clear and felt so quickly. Since Ive been using wheatgrass Ive noticed my energy levels go
sky high, my skin clear up and colds, coughs and illnesses disappear forever and these are
just a few of the wheatgrass benefits Ive noticed! Others have seen their gray hairs vanish,
Rosacea clear up, bad breath subside, allergies clear up and a whole lot more.
Wheatgrass benefits are so easy to achieve and feel because:
30mls of freshly squeezed wheatgrass juice (a wheatgrass shot!) is equivalent in

nutritional value to 1kg of leafy green vegetables
Wheatgrass contains over 90 minerals, including high concentrations of the most
alkaline minerals: potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium
It contains the essential enzymes: Protease (assists in protein digestion),
Cytochrome Oxidase (a powerful anti oxidant), Amylase (facilitates digestion),
Lipase (a fat splitting enzyme), Transhydrogenase (strengthens the heart muscle)
& Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) (found in all body cells and is known for its
ability to lessen the effect of radiation and slow cellular aging)
Just one teaspoon of Wheat Grass powder, weighing a mere 3.5 grams, is
nutritionally equal to an entire spinach salad weighing a full 50 grams it packs
a punch!
Wheatgrass has more vitamin C than oranges and twice the vitamin A as carrots!
Wheat grass juice helps your body to build red blood cells which carry oxygen
to every cell. By increasing the oxygenation the body you can help offset smog
and carbon monoxide and increase your endurance during physical exercise
It also contains 19 amino acids, the building blocks of protein making this one of
the most powerful wheatgrass benefits
Wheatgrass Benefits Explained

Before I get onto where and how to get wheatgrass, Im going to list out the four main
reasons why I love wheatgrass benefits so much:
1. Wheatgrass Benefits #1: Wheatgrass Builds Blood: Many health experts

including Dr Young (pH Miracle) and Steve Meyerowitz (Natures Finest
Medicine) have highlighted that the chlorophyll molecule in wheatgrass is
almost identical to the haemoglobin molecule in human blood. The only
difference is that the central element in chlorophyll is magnesium and in
haemoglobin it is iron.
Due to this inherent similarity the human body can easily transform chlorophyll into
haemoglobin increasing the red blood cell count as well as the bloods capacity to
deliver oxygen and other nutrients to the bodys cells (Hagiwara, 1985) .
Chlorophyll has been shown to build red blood cells quickly, normalise blood pressure
by dilating the blood pathways though out the body, destroy poisonous carbon
dioxide, release free oxygen and promote higher metabolism and stimulated enzyme
systems. On top of all of these benefits, consuming chlorophyll from wheatgrass is a
highly effective way to alkalise the blood and energise the body!
Click here for more info on chlorophyll and its health benefits
2. Wheatgrass Benefits #2: Wheatgrass Cleanses the Body: Wheatgrass is an

extremely beneficial food in terms of both its cleansing capabilities. The
contents of wheatgrass juice and powder (green drink) are reported to be within
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the region of approximately 100 separate elements with scientists dubbing it a

complete food. According to The Wheatgrass Book (Wigmore, 1985), just
140g of fresh wheatgrass offers the same nutritional value as over 3kgs of fresh
green vegetables! Thats a great way to get your daily fresh vegetable quota
rocking all from one wheatgrass shot.
Wheatgrass is a great source of vitamins B, C, E and carotene which are hugely
effective in destroying and eliminating free radicals and cleansing the body.
Wheatgrass is also highly regarded for its ability to cleanse the blood, organs and
gastrointestinal tract.
Because it is also high in saponin, wheatgrass offers excellent support to the
lymphatic system, helping to carry away hundreds and thousands of toxins from the
cells of the body. Kulvinskas (Survival into the 21st Century, 1975) wheatgrass helps
to detoxify the body by increasing the elimination of hardened mucous, crystallised
acids and solidified, decaying faecal matterIt is the fastest, surest way to eliminate
internal waste and provide an optimum nutritional environment.
These are just some of the cleansing wheatgrass benefits, and I have barely
scratched the surface with regards to listing its nutritional content. Put most simply,
whether you are looking to undertake a formal cleanse, or simply try to add more
nutrition to your diet these reasons alone are enough to consider adding
wheatgrass to your daily lifestyle.
3. Wheatgrass Benefits #3: Wheatgrass Has High Amino Acid Content:: You
may have heard the expression before that amino acids are the building blocks
of protein. They are absolutely essential to our growth and cell regeneration. It is
the astonishingly high amino acid content in wheatgrass that is leading to many
bodybuilders and gym-goers incorporating fresh (a wheatgrass shot) or
wheatgrass powder into their daily routine.
Wheatgrass benefits are so impactful because it is a complete protein and contains,
amongst others, the following amino acids: arginine, serine, absenisic, lysine,
aspartic acid, glycine, alanine, methionine, leucine, tryptophane, phenylalanine, and
valine.
4. Wheatgrass Benefits #4: Wheatgrass Fights and Protects Against Illness:

Organic wheatgrass powders and juices are an extremely effective way of
boosting the bodys immune system to fight against and recover from illnesses
and ailments. Wheatgrass is a great source of beta carotene, contains most of the
B vitamins and vitamins C, E, H and K, and also contains over 90 different
minerals and 19 amino acids. It also contains several active enzymes which play
a major role in breaking down fats, undertaking biological functions and assist
hugely in weight loss. Of the 90 minerals found, many of these are very
alkalising and include calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium and iron.
Many of the health benefits of wheatgrass stem from the fact that it is a living food.
Being highly anti-bacterial, consuming wheatgrass will help to alkalise and detoxify
the lymph and blood cells, helping the body to rebuild and transport toxins out of the
body quickly and effectively.
Again, coming back to the chlorophyll content of wheatgrass this can protect the
body from carcinogens more effectively than any other food. Studies conducted on
animals have shown that wheatgrass consumption has reduced the absorption of a
number of very serious carcinogens whilst strengthening cells, detoxifying the liver
and neutralising polluting elements within the blood.
- 276 -
But I thought wheat was acidifying?

Good question. The simple answer is: wheat is acidifying. The fully grown, harvested,
stored, milled and prepared wheat plant is highly acidifying. But as with almost every grain,
when sprouted it is very alkaline, and this is certainly the case with wheatgrass.
Do not worry about wheatgrass being acidifying, it really, really isnt!
Wheatgrass Benefits: Where to Get Wheatgrass

There are three main ways to incorporate wheatgrass into your life. There are pros and cons
(sort of) of each, and getting a bit of each is probably best to get the full and awesome
wheatgrass benefits explained above!
Wheatgrass Supplements
Wheatgrass (and other grass) supplements are powdered greens, condensed down, that you
simply mix with water and drink! There are many, many, grass supplements out there so
make sure you pick one that works for you. Here are my main tips to make sure youre
getting a good one, and after that it is really down to taste!
Make sure it is organic

Make sure it is powdered juice, not just powdered plant
Make sure it isnt heat-dried
Make sure there are no fruits or sweeteners added
Make sure it doesnt contain spirulina or any other algae, which are acidifying
It is also good to aim for a mix of grasses, alongside wheatgrass to get an even wider range
of health benefits.
Here are my top three wheatgrass supplements:
Sweet Wheat: This is the original and probably the best organic freeze dried wheatgrass
powder on the market.
The best wheatgrass powder benefit is that it contains ONLY the juice and provides an
extraordinary balance of all the vital nutrients and minerals the body can use. One teaspoon
of Sweet Wheat is roughly equivalent to one to two ounces a fresh wheatgrass shot. One
ounce of wheatgrass juice equals the nutritional equivalent of 1.5 pounds of organic
vegetables.
[click here to find out more]
Dr Youngs Power Plants: Dr Young is the world authority on the alkaline diet, so when he
makes supplements, you tend to sit up and notice. This is a 4th generation green drink (he
created the 1st too SuperGreens) containing high quantities of wheatgrass, alongside
barley grass, shave grass, dog grass and the powdered juice of vegetables such as broccoli,
celery, spinach and more.
This stuff works, it gives you a real buzz and it tastes light, fresh and summery!
MegaGreens: a highly concentrated blend of 34 superfoods, 17 amino acids, vegetables,
minerals, vitamins, omega oils, enzymes and more that will completely revolutionise your
training. The dense hit of nutrients from each serve delivers instant and sustained energy
- 277 -
and provides your body with the tools it needs for weight loss, muscle growth, rehydration,
repair and replenishment.
By infusing your body with easily absorbed nutrients, omega oils & amino acids (and with
only 3 calories per serve) Mega Greens gives your body the fuel it needs to burn fat and
build muscle.
Fresh Wheatgrass
Buying your wheatgrass fresh from a juice bar is also a great way to get your wheatgrass
health fix! Make sure they snip and juice the grass right in front of you though! Ive seen
some sneaky bars in Sydney having it delivered, already juiced! Pretty much all of the
benefits are gone if you dont have it fresh.
Having your wheatgrass freshly juiced is a great way to feel the instant energy hit, it is so
noticeable!
Growing Your Own Wheatgrass
And finally, you can grow and juice your own! This is great fun, not all that time consuming,
and not all that expensive either! All you need are:
Some space
Wheatgrass seeds
Sprouting trays or an automatic sprouter (such as an EasyGreen)
Patience
A pair of scissors
A masticating or manual juicer
In that order.
Note, you cant grow wheatgrass in a standard sprouter (such as this) and you cant
juice wheatgrass in a standard juicer (such as this). But having said that, the
masticating juicers (such as this Hurom) are far better quality in my opinion anyway,
you youre better off buying one of these anyway.
So there you have it! Can you think of any reason not to start having your daily wheatgrass
juice? The wheatgrass benefits and ease of use make it a pretty simple decision!
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EL CULTIVO DEL GIRASOL

La temperatura ptima del suelo para la siembra vara entre 8 y 10C.

El girasol adapta muy bien su superficie foliar a la disponibilidad de agua en el medio.

-Realizar labores profundas durante el otoo.

Sprouts Are They Really A

Expert Studies Validate Sprout Nutrition and Health Benefits

Antioxidant Capacity of Alfalfa Sprouts

What Are Sprouts? Where Do They Come From?

Where to Find Sprouts

Shopping for Sprouts

beansprouts can be frozen if they are to be used in cooking. They stay

The History of Sprouts and Their Nutritional Value

fresh fruits and vegetables and a continuous program of growing and

It is really only in the past thirty years that

This Winter And This Millennium, Don't Forget The Sprouts*

aging. It wouldn't be inconceivable to find a fountain of youth here, after

Broccoli Sprouts May Cut Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Clover Sprouts and Menopause

phytoestrogens include isoflavones, coumestans, and lignans. Alfalfa

Add to tossed salads

Add Color, Texture and Variety to Salads with Sprouts!

Fresh Winter Salad

high speed, till creamy.

Gently toss all ingredients. Serve

Baby Greens and Spinach Salad

February Fruit Salad

One-half cup sunflower seed sprouts

Make a Sandwich Come Alive with Sprouts!

Sprout Mountain Sandwich

Lively Grilled Cheese

sprouts, buckwheat sprouts and a sprinkle of sunflower seed sprouts.

Delicious Sprout Omelet

Add Flavor and Variety to Low Calorie Meals with Sprouts!

Nutrition Per Serving

Combine beansprouts, cabbage,

Cottage Cheese, Fruit and Sprout Salad

Nutrition Per Serving

Quick and Easy Stir-Fry

Nutrition Per Serving

1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, diced

Nutrition Per Serving

Eggless Egg Salad

Nutrition Per Serving

Nutrition Per Serving

you should have a nice, creamy,

Fried Rice with Sprouts

Nutrition Per Serving

such as lentils, peas, adzuki beans,

Make a Meal Out of Sprouts!

10 ounces spinach, cleaned,

In a 10" x 13" glass pan, using

Nutrition Per Serving

1 tablespoon lite soy sauce (15

Beansprouts and Julienned Vegetables

Nutrition Per Serving

few drops sesame oil (optional)

and delicious company lunch.

Enjoy Sprouts Italian Style! Mangia!

Zucchini Pizza Casserole

Nutrition Per Serving

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Easy Store-Bought Pizza

Nutrition Per Serving