Here is a step-by-step guide to making bean sprouts at home, an easy and economical way to prepare salads and Asian dishes.
It is important to know that what is called soybean sproutsare in fact shoots of mung beans (or green amber).
When you know how easy it is to prepare them at home, and the immense quantity of soya sprouts that can be produced with a small bag of mung beans, you think that buying them ready-made and often not very fresh in the shops is really throwing money down the drain!
And there is no need for special equipment, a large jar will do!
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1 - How to sprout green soybeans: buy mung beans
You can find them in organic or Asian shops and even in some supermarkets for a few euros.
You have to be careful because there are some poor quality brands, you can easily see this by making these sprouted seeds, usually they all germinate, if you see many that don't germinate, then you have to choose another brand.
I personally use this one:
2 - Making bean sprouts: finding a container
First you need to find a large container, glass is best, like a large jar, but it doesn't have to be airtight, so close it with a hole in the lid, a piece of cloth and a rubber band or whatever you want.
You can even just leave the lid on, as long as some air can get through, it's fine.
I use a plastic container found in a "cheap" product shop which does the job very well, although it is better to use glass:
3 - How to sprout green soybeans: soak them overnight
Then fill the container with mung bean seeds, remembering that they will grow to 15 times their original size!
Then the first step is to soak them overnight, or 12 hours in water, fill the container well with water thinking that the seeds will swell.
4 - How to make beansprouts: rinse the beans
The next day, or after soaking for 12 hours, empty the container of water and rinse it well with the seeds before removing the water.
You don't want to dry it out either, I always leave a little moisture in it in case I forget to rinse it one day.
And you should leave the container in a dark place, in a cupboard or under a cloth.
5 - Homemade sprouted soybeans: two rinses per day
Then simply rinse them twice a day, in the morning and evening, for 5 to 6 days, always keeping them in a dark place.
You can of course consume it before, at the end of the second day for example, and that's where it gets fun, to take a small quantity and find the jar at the same level or even fuller the next day!
If you forget a rinse, it's usually not a big deal, they will just dry out, rinse them and leave a little more moisture in the container to allow them to rehydrate.
To avoid forgetting, you should put them in a cupboard that you open often.
Or, as in the video below, in a corner just covered with a cloth.
If you let them grow too much, they may rot, so normally after the 5th or 6th day you can eat them or put them in the fridge, then they will stop growing.
Beansprouts keep well for up to 48 hours in the fridge.
Sprouted seeds: instructions for use in video
The nutritional benefits of sprouted soybeans
Soybeans have been used for centuries for their nutritional and medical benefits.
They can be eaten raw or lightly cooked or they can be pressed.
Soy sprouts are a real concentrate of energy and nutrients. Unlike ripe vegetables, whose nutritional value gradually diminishes after harvesting, bean sprouts retain their nutritional properties until they are eaten.
Soybeans are the richest source of amino acids (for protein), vitamins and minerals, and also contain a good amount of fibre.
They contain all types of vitamins (A, B, C, D, E and K), folates and are an excellent source of iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc.
Other nutritional benefits vary depending on the type of sprouting.
Interestingly, mung bean sprouts contain oestrogen-like phytochemicals, called isoflavones, which are responsible for some of the healthy properties of these sprouts.
Health benefits of bean sprouts
The sprouts of all beans and/or seeds are rich in highly digestible nutrients, vitamins and minerals which can be considered as true multi-ingredient natural supplements.
However, here we will focus on the health benefits of mung bean sprouts, which are the most widely consumed sprouts in the world and the most studied by researchers.
Anemia
Mung bean sprouts (as well as other types of bean sprouts) are rich in iron, which plays a key role in the synthesis of haemoglobin, the protein found in red blood cells. They are also particularly rich in vitamin C, which improves the absorption of iron from the gut, thus helping to prevent or treat anaemia caused by iron deficiency.
Cardiovascular health
Combined with a low intake of saturated fats (found in meat, poultry and dairy products), regular consumption of mung bean sprouts can help reduce LDL cholesterol levels in fibre and lecithin.
This effect is beneficial to the heart and vessels, as it helps prevent the development of atherosclerosis, the most common cause of cardiovascular disease.
Constipation
Due to their high fibre content, mung bean sprouts can help improve intestinal motility and relieve signs of constipation.
Fragile hair and nails
Weak hair and nails are often the result of certain nutritional deficiencies, particularly proteins, vitamins and zinc.
Mung bean sprouts contain large amounts of all these nutrients in a readily available form and are therefore particularly useful for preventing and treating hair and nail problems.
Liver health
Mung bean sprouts are an excellent source of lecithin which, in addition to lowering blood cholesterol, helps to reduce liver fat, thus preventing common hepatic steatosis which can lead to liver dysfunction.
Menopause
Mung bean sprouts are rich in phytoestrogens, which have low oestrogenic activity.
For this reason, they can help relieve many of the symptoms associated with the menopause (such as hot flushes and heart palpitations), which result from reduced oestrogen levels.
The phytoestrogens present in mung bean sprouts are also effective in combating osteoporosis associated with the menopause.
Anti-ageing effect on the skin
The phytoestrogens in mung bean sprouts have been shown to act on certain oestrogen receptors in the skin, stimulating the synthesis of hyaluronic acid, collagen and elastin.
Therefore, regular consumption of mung bean sprouts can help prevent many age-related skin changes, including elasticity and moisture loss.
Stress and fatigue
Mung bean sprouts are a readily available source of energy and other nutrients that are particularly useful in combating the signs and symptoms of mental and physical stress and fatigue.
Danger of soybean sprouts
Always do the sprouts in a clean container, cleaned with boiling water or white vinegar.
Commercially produced raw sprouts have been associated with food-borne illnesses, as the high levels of moisture and heat generated during the sprouting process may have favoured the growth of bacteria.
Always ensure that sprouts are kept at refrigerator temperature.
Discard sprouts that smell, have turned black or are slimy.
Rinse the sprouts thoroughly with water before eating them.
Some people are allergic to the proteins present in certain legumes or legume sprouts and it is therefore recommended that these people do not eat them at all.
See also :
Mussel pancake (hoy tot), the recipe
Stir-fried tofu with bean sprouts: the recipe
Pad Thaï: the recipe for Thai fried noodles
Source: Wikipedia ; juicing-for-health.com ; Photos: pxhere.com
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