Most people have had a salad with bean shoots on it at one time or another, or mung bean sprouts in a plate of Chinese Chow Mien. However, more and more individuals are becoming aware of the power of these ’superfoods’ not just as an addition to something else, but as an amazing meal themselves. Growing sprouts at home capitalizes on this as a simple, low cost and convenient (if you do it the right way…) solution of having the freshest nutritious foods grown right in your kitchen.

Once a grain or seed starts to germinate, they are known as ‘Sprouts’ and they are often classified as ‘Superfoods’. They contain high amounts of vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes and amino acids that are not present in the unsprouted seed. The list of health benefits can go on for pages, but perhaps the most simple and important feature of these living superfoods is that the growing process itself gives you complete control over their cultivation. No hidden pesticides, chemical fertilizers or anything else but the water from your own sink. Most of the time we never really know what has happened to our food before it reaches our table, so the significance of a method allowing you to be in full control cannot be overstated.

Additionally, growing sprouts at home is possible in most places where it can be hard to grow vegetables or deliver them to places while still fresh enough to take advantage of the health benefits. If the climate is too hot or cold or even if you lived on a boat, you can still have access to fresh, live, sprouted vegetables when you learn the basics of sprouting. And also, unlike most vegetables, even if you live in a place where they are accessible, sprouts are never out of season.

The health benefits cannot be overlooked.. The human body thrives on living foods, particularly those that are rich in oxygen. As wonderful as these foods are, there are climates where it is unrealistic to expect people to be able to cultivate them. In extremely cold or hot climates, food often has to travel hundreds, if not thousands of miles to its destination, so one of the few available options is to create an indoor greenhouse. Extremely cold environments would require an indoor heated greenhouse that is extremely expensive and complicated to build and maintain. On the other end of the spectrum, high desert environments are usually low on water, and to use hundreds of gallons of water over a growing season when most of it evaporates is not an option. Even in areas that are perfect for growing large amounts of fresh vegetables, year round growing is not possible.

To combat all of these issues, the answer can lie in growing sprouts. You can create a mini greenhouse (or multiple greehouses), using a jar or similar sprouter, right on your kitchen counter or other convenient location. This simple set-up provides you and your family with an abundance of fresh, oxygen and enzyme rich foods all year round. There is also a basic yet revolutionary new method of growing sprouts known as the Marche Sprouting Method. It offers an amazingly simple process that eliminates the need for daily rinsing and spoiled sprouts. The bonus is that it is cheap, fast and reliable and you can grow as little or as much as you like. To find out more, click here.