subject: Should We Consume Sprouted Grains? [print this page] Should We Consume Sprouted Grains? Should We Consume Sprouted Grains?
Angelbe asks:
"I also noticed sprouted grains being used in some of the gourmet recipes. What's your opinion regarding those?"
There is no reason to consume wheat, rye, barley, etc because these foods offer nothing in the way of nutrition that cannot be found in fruits, greens, nuts and seeds. "Raw" grains - I use this term loosely because the kernel must be processed before humans can eat it - are acidic, low in vitamin C, high in insoluble fiber and low in necessary water-soluble fiber.
As Dr. Douglas Graham writes in Grain Damage: Rethinking the High-Starch Diet:
"They [sprouted grains] have all the same nutritional problems as do [cooked] grains: lack of vitamin C complex, a predominance of acid minerals, extremely low levels of soluble fiber we need, a high concentration of complex carbohydrates, and so forth.
Though they are often served quite fresh, sprouted grains are exceptionally quick to grow mold, so they must be inspected closely if eaten. Sprouted grains also generate all of teh same environmental, ethical, economic, and ecological issues as do any other grains."
Many raw foodists claim that they actually crave grains and other complex carbohydrates, but this is simply due to a lack of calories. Simply increase the amount of sweet fruit you eat at every meal until you are completely satisfied.
If you want optimal health, get your calories from simple sweet fruits and leave the grains for the birds. :)
For more information on the numerous problems with grains, check out my article here.
