The sprouting process converts the natural starches in the grains into digestible, simple vegetable sugars so your body recognizes and digests sprouted breads, flours, and pastas as a vegetable!
“The process of germination not only produces Vitamin C, but also changes the composition of grain and seeds in numerous beneficial ways. Sprouting increases Vitamin B content, especially B2, B5, and B6. Carotene increases dramatically – sometimes eightfold. Even more important, sprouting neutralizes phytic acid, a substance present in the bran of all grains that inhibits absorption of calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc; sprouting also neutralizes enzyme inhibitors present in all seeds. These inhibitors can neutralize our own precious enzymes in the digestive tract.
Complex sugars responsible for intestinal gas are broken down during sprouting, and a portion of the starch in grain is transformed into sugar. Sprouting inactivates aflatoxins, potent carcinogens found in grains.
Finally, numerous enzymes that help digestion are produced during the germination process.”
(The previous is an excerpt from page 112 of Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon). |
