Sprouted grain – rich in food enzymes and natural vitamins – grows closer and closer to the mainstream as people across all walks of life search for a better way to incorporate wholesome foods into their diet on a regular basis. While sprouting grain requires extra attention and, like many aspects of traditional foods, additional forethought and planning, the practice is worth the time and is easy to accomplish in your own kitchen, once you get the hang of it.
Sprouted Grain:Benefits
Sprouted grain differs from whole grain in three fundamental aspects: 1) sprouting activates food enzymes; 2) sprouting increases vitamin content, and 3) sprouting neutralizes antinutrients like phytic acid which bind up minerals preventing your ability to fully absorb them. When examining the nutrient density of sprouted wheat to unsprouted wheat on a calorie-per-calorie basis, you’ll find that sprouted wheat contains four times the amount of niacin and nearly twice the amount of vitamin B6 and folate as unsprouted wheat; moreover, it contains more protein and fewer starches than non-sprouted grain and as a further boon, it is lower on the glycemic index making it more suitable for those suffering from blood sugar issues. Furthermore, sprouted grain and sprouted flours – having been effectively “pre-soaked” do not need to undergo further soaking or souring and are therefore suitable for quick breads, cookies and cakes in a way that sourdoughs and soaked flours are not.
Sprouted Grain:Preparation
While it may take a few days to sprout grain, it’s not as labor-intensive of a process as it might seem. All grains and seeds can be sprouted following these basic instructions though the germination time may vary from grain to grain.
How to Sprout Grain
Start with clean grain, so take care in sorting through it to make sure all pebbles and grains with poor appearance are adequately removed. Rinse grains thoroughly. Add grain to a ceramic or stainless steel crock, pouring filtered water over the grain until the grain is completely submersed under several inches of water. Soak the grains overnight in warm water. In the morning, pour the grains into a fine mesh sieve and rinse them well. Throughout the day, rinse the grains multiple times taking care to stir them so all grains are rinsed evenly. Continue rinsing the grains for two to three days until the grains have sprouted to your liking. Rinse the grains one last time, drain them and either refrigerate them or dehydrate them to grind into flour.
How to Make Sprouted Flour
Start with grain that has been sprouted for only a day or two – until the sprout barely emerges from the end of the kernel. The longer it sprouts, the more difficult it is to grind and use in baking. Pour the grain into a thin layer on a mesh screen for your dehydrator and dehydrate at about 105 ° – 110 ° F until thoroughly dry. Alternatively, spread it on a baking sheet and set it in an oven set to the lowest setting you can manage. Note that sprouted grain dried in an oven has inferior baking qualities as compared to that which is dried through the more reliably low temperatures of a dehydrator. Once the grain is thoroughly dry, simply add it to the hopper of your grain mill and grind as you normally would.
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