{"id":191,"date":"2015-10-26T23:54:31","date_gmt":"2015-10-26T23:54:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.frot.co.nz\/design\/recipes\/sproutedfoods\/"},"modified":"2021-05-18T09:44:36","modified_gmt":"2021-05-17T21:44:36","slug":"sproutedfoods","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.frot.co.nz\/design\/recipes\/lessons\/sproutedfoods\/","title":{"rendered":"Sprouted & Fermented Foods"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Imagine you\u2019re a plant. You\u2019re at the bottom of the food chain and like all living things, your primary urge is survival. Most plants don\u2019t have a very wide range of protective weapons, but one thing they can do is protect their offspring, their seed. Some plants do this by encasing it in a hard shell. The seed is unappetising, so lies rejected on the ground. Or it\u2019s maybe inside a sweet fruit, which gets eaten by a bird. The seed isn\u2019t digested, and passes through the bird and once again, ends up on the ground. Spring comes, and the rain and the warmth. The seed is nestled in the warm, damp earth and the protective casing starts to break down. The seed starts to sprout, and it can now access all the nutrients that have been kept safe for it inside the hard shell. In the same way, we can access the nutrients hidden deep within grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, if we soak them, allow them to sprout, or ferment them.<\/p>\n

Sprouting is very versatile. We can sprout grains, dry them and grind them to make breads. You may have eaten essene bread made from sprouted wheat. Legumes, nuts and seeds can all be sprouted to add crunch to salads. Though a word of warning \u2013 one of the most popular sprouts you can buy, alfalfa, should be avoided as they contain a substance that inhibits the immune system and contributes to some autoimmune diseases.<\/p>\n

Lacto-fermenting originated as a means of preserving foods. But as well as that, it converts starches and sugars to lactic acid, makes the foods more digestible by breaking down indigestible cellulose membranes, increases the levels of vitamins and enzymes, and adds anti-biotic and anti-carcinogenic compounds. Fermented foods were an important part of the diet of all the traditional societies studied by Price, and contributed to healthy flora in the digestive system, as well as good general health. Many foods can be fermented:<\/p>\n