Sprouts are starting to be fairly well known among the general public, and that is really a good thing. Having a very great nutritional value, they represent at best living food (a 100% natural food). Yet… Even if their notoriety is growing, sprouted seeds are still too little consumed while they are a major asset for the athlete, especially the vegetarian / vegan athlete!
Vegetarian / vegan athlete: why consume sprouted seeds?
Nutritional value
There are two main reasons why sprouts are so popular; the first being their very high nutritional value. And this comes from their particular characteristics, precisely because of their germination.
Indeed, germination quite simply activates the life within the seed itself (the seed being the germ of the plant) thanks to the humidity. The shoot (the new growth of the plant) feeds on the seed in order to proliferate and this creates an abundance of nutrients in the seed to allow it to grow.
Sprouted seeds are part of so-called “biogenic” foods, that is to say foods that give and generate life (video to come on the Youtube channel TreeningLife regarding the notable differences between the consumption of ‘ live foods and dead foods on health and sports performance.)
Germination represents the life stage of the plant in which the latter is the most loaded with nutrients (enzymes, vitamins, minerals, trace elements, etc.) as well as chlorophyll, and that is why sprouted seeds are considered real “nutritional bombs”. For example, the vitamin C present in the germinated seed of wheat could increase up to 600% compared to its “adult” equivalent, vitamin A of 300 %, etc…!
Their ease of assimilation
Besides their great nutritional value, they are also easily assimilated by the body. In food, we do not take enough account of the digestibility of a food; too often we are content to look only at the macronutrient content (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids). Yet digestibility / assimilation will have a huge impact on the actual amount of macronutrients absorbed by the body …
And on that, germinated seeds have a double advantage: they are easily assimilated because germination produces a kind of “pre-digestion”. The proteins, carbohydrates and lipids contained in the seed will be hydrolyzed into their basic component (for example, proteins will pass in the form of amino acids), which allows them to be used much faster by the body. .
In addition, as we have seen previously, they are rich in micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, trace elements, etc.) and these play a major role in the assimilation of macronutrients present in the diet, it is therefore a veritable virtuous circle that is taking place!
This makes sprouted seed a relevant choice for a vegetarian / vegan athlete wishing to increase his performance, accelerate his recovery after exercise, strengthen his immune system, etc … A food with high net gain!
The benefits are so manifold that it’s hard to name them all, and these multiple benefits are the reason sprouts shouldn’t be eaten so occasionally. Having realized this, I will personally increase their daily consumption well.
What can you germinate?
We mistakenly believe that germination comes down to seeds found in organic stores (alfalfa, fenugreek, arugula …) but it is possible to germinate a lot more foods! Certain well-known legumes such as chickpeas, mung beans or lentils can be germinated, as well as certain cereals / pseudo cereals (eg: quinoa, buckwheat…). More details by clicking here .
To germinate your seeds, you must already go through the first phase: the soaking phase. Just put the equivalent of a teaspoon of seeds in a germinator, fill it with water and leave it there for about night.
Then, it is necessary to empty this water thanks to the filter of the germinator, then to fill again the germinator and to filter again in order to rid the germinated seeds of the potential bacteria and inhibitors of digestion.
Then we leave the germinator like this (therefore without water but leaving the seeds moist) and we repeat the last washing / filtering operation for a few days (generally 2 to 4 days) until the shoot has grown sufficiently.
Then, after 3 to 5 days, it’s consumable! The sprouted seeds can be stored for about a week in the fridge and go perfectly with salads, vegetables and even burgers, etc… Here is an example of a commercial hotbed, available by clicking here . No need to buy one online, the sprouts are easily found in organic stores (and you can even make them yourself).
Still too much sidelined, the sprouted seed should really find its place in a healthy and nutritious diet. Their extreme concentration of nutrients makes them a food of choice for vegetarian / vegan sports nutrition!
If you want to start vegetarian / vegan sports nutrition and bodybuilding now, don’t forget to download my free guide by clicking here . Train with the heart, eat with the heart.
