by Anna Fregonara
Sprouts (which can also be grown at home) have a nutritional concentration 10-15% higher than the adult vegetable. They contain little fiber (but for some an advantage)
Year after year they are earning the reputation of superheroes of the world of nutrition. Sprouts, those miniature versions of herbs, vegetables, cereals, legumes, have attracted the attention of researchers because, as emerges from the scientific data available to date, they seem to have vitamins and mineral salts in greater quantities than those present in the plant. adult. It is no coincidence that some scholars read about Molecules, have defined sprouts as the next generation of functional foods: their abundance of phytochemicals and nutrients, in fact, could help protect us from some chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders, malnutrition. The number of scientific research that has measured the action of the health benefits is still small, which is why it is important to conduct further investigations to understand the possible individual and synergistic effects of these micro plants. The interest, however, is there.
More and more widespread
Over the past decade, sprouts have become increasingly trendy, so much so that at least 16% of indoor crops in the United States are now dedicated to the production of microgreens that are harvested after the first set of leaves appear. In the 25 species of sprouts analyzed, the nutritional concentration was 10 to 15 percent higher than in their mature counterparts, Gene Lester, national program manager at the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service, told New Scientist ), commenting on an analysis, commissioned in 2012 by his institute, of the concentrations of carotenoids, vitamin K, E and C in these foods.
They do not replace the 5 servings of fruit and vegetables
Red cabbage sprouts have, for example, 34.4 mg of vitamin E per 100 g of fresh product. The daily requirement indicated by the US National Institutes of Health is 15 mg of vitamin E per day. Studies conducted to date confirm that sprouts contain a high concentration of various phytonutrients, such as antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and phenolic compounds, which varies depending on the nature of the plants selected. Due to their nutritional richness they can effectively contribute to completing the intake of nutrients in the diet. Furthermore, they add intense flavors and colors which can facilitate the consumption of vegetables even for those who are not accustomed to them, explains Valentina Rossi, nutritional biologist and doctor in Environmental Toxicology, professor of Oncological Nutrition at the University of Milan Bicocca. However, let’s keep in mind that the quantity of sprouts consumed by weight is very small and therefore does not replace the 5 daily portions of vegetables and fruit recommended by the World Health Organization.
Few fibers, but for some an advantage
A little study on Foods on brassica sprouts has highlighted how cauliflower sprouts provide the greatest quantity of fibre, around 0.7 g per 100 g of fresh product compared to around 2 g of adult cauliflower and the British Heart Foundation recommends around 30 g per day for adults day of fiber. For the quantity of sprouts normally consumed, the fiber intake is lower than the content of the recommended portions of “adult” vegetables, so it would be impossible to reach 30 g of fiber per day to have health benefits, continues the expert . However, this can be an advantage for people who necessarily have to limit fiber due to intestinal pathologies, while at the same time guaranteeing an intake of antioxidants.
What can we expect in the future
Researchers are also focusing on biofortification techniques. Because sprouts are harvested when they are small, the nutrients they absorb are concentrated in higher levels. The team of Francesco Di Gioia, assistant professor of plant crop sciences at Pennsylvania State University, is trying to modify the environmental and growth conditions, for example by using different light or favoring stressful situations, to stimulate the shoots to absorb more minerals, such as iron and zinc, often lacking in diets.
Grow them at home
We have all grown, perhaps without knowing it, sprouts at least once. happened in elementary school when they germinated some seeds on some damp fabric. Sprouting cereals and legumes is simple. They require no soil or can be grown any time of year. The best materials to use are glass and ceramic; if necessary, special sprouters are on the market. Both cereals and legumes should be soaked for about 8-10 hours, then the seeds should be rinsed well and left in their container for the time necessary for germination which varies depending on the species of seed, concludes Rossi. It is essential to take care to rinse them at least twice a day and drain them carefully to avoid stagnation of water and consequent rancidity or mold. The seeds are preferably whole and from organic farming. Normally on the market there are sprouting seeds selected from an agronomic point of view to have high quality and germination capacity and to be hygienically safe.
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February 8, 2024 (modified February 8, 2024 | 09:39)
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