Green lentil - sprouting seeds

Green lentil - sprouting seeds (Lens culinaris).
Sprouts (sprouted seeds) are a very valuable and healthy food product. In germinated seeds, several times more vital substances are formed than in a grown plant.
Germinated lentil seeds contain a lot of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, C and E, as well as phosphorus, iron, zinc, magnesium and sodium. 
Honey-flavored lentil seeds mixed with wheat, oat, barley, buckwheat, table lentil or soybean seeds are a great treat.
Germinating seeds is easy. They should be thoroughly rinsed, placed in a container for germination and filled with water.
The water should cover the seeds, its volume should be 3-4 times the volume of the seeds. Seeds should be soaked in water for 4-12 hours (depending on their size) until they swell.
Then drain the water. Store swollen seeds without water in a covered container so that they do not dry out before germination.
You need to germinate seeds from 2 to 10 days (depending on the variety). At least twice a day, germinating seeds should be moistened (filled with water and drained again).
Grow overgrowths of germinated seeds in the light. Cut off the seedlings and squeeze the juice out of them.

* The exceptional value of sprouted seeds is that sprouts are the only "live" food. Their inclusion in the diet is a unique opportunity for a person to use a whole living organism for food, which has all natural biological properties and is in the phase of maximum vital activity. This period lasts only a few days and it is at this time that a person should use them in order to get strength and health from such an extraordinary product. Sprouts are the oldest health remedy, known for more than 5 thousand years.
Sprouted seeds carry enormous energy potential. By adding them to food, we get a powerful boost of vivacity. The enzymes contained in seedlings break down the storage proteins, fats and carbohydrates of these seeds, making it easier for us to assimilate them, and continue to work in the human body, saving its internal strength. The total content of antioxidants and vitamins increases many times during germination, they are built into the organic system of the living tissue of the plant and work interconnected, supporting and enhancing the action of each other.
Regular consumption of sprouts stimulates metabolism and hematopoiesis, improves immunity, compensates for vitamin and mineral deficiencies, normalizes acid-base balance, helps to cleanse the body of toxins and effective digestion, increases potency, slows down the aging process. Sprouted seeds are especially useful for children and the elderly, pregnant women and nursing mothers, people of intensive mental and physical labor.
In addition to the general positive effect on the human body, the seedlings of each individual culture, having in their composition a certain set of nutrients, vitamins and microelements, have a specific healing effect and are recommended for people suffering from certain ailments.
Sprouted lentil seeds are a very healthy and tasty product. Lentils have long been valued as a medicinal plant. It was used in the treatment of stomach diseases and nervous disorders. Ancient Roman doctors believed that the constant use of lentils makes a person patient and calm.
A decoction of lentils was used internally and externally for smallpox. A mixture of lentil flour with butter treats burns, and with egg yolk - wounds. A decoction of lentils is recommended to be taken for kidney stones, stones in the bladder, liver diseases, and lentils are also indicated in the diet of heart patients.
Lentils are one of the few foods in our diet (along with peas and grains) to which our body and our digestive system are genetically adapted. The process of such a complete adaptation takes more than one century: dishes and products made from lentils contain almost everything that our body needs.
Lentils contain more than a third of protein. In terms of its nutritional qualities, lentil protein is in no way inferior to meat protein. In addition, it is much easier for our body to absorb and does not have those fatty components that accompany meat protein.
Lentils have nutritional value due to the content of valuable protein in seeds (up to 60%), which is higher in it than in meat. In addition, it contains a lot of carbohydrates, fiber, mineral salts.
Lentil seeds are a good source of protein (35 mg / 100 g), carbohydrates, fiber. Contains potassium (1500 mg / 100 g), calcium (83 mg / 100 g), magnesium (up to 380 mg / 100 g), iron (7 mg / 100 g), zinc (up to 5 mg / 100 g), selenium ( 0.06 mg / 100 g), boron, fluorine, silicon, sulfur, manganese (1.3 mg / 100 g), copper, molybdenum. The seeds contain vitamins B1, B3, B5, biotin, B6, folic acid.
When lentil seeds germinate, the content of vitamins B1, B6, biotin, folic acid increases significantly. The amount of vitamin C increases during germination from 2.83 to 64.41 mg / 100g. The total content of antioxidants in the process of seed germination of this plant increases 2.1 times, and reaches 90 mg / 100g on the fifth day. This makes lentil sprouts an indispensable product for the prevention of influenza and colds in the autumn-winter period. Promote hematopoiesis, increase the level of hemoglobin.

* Lentils are thoroughly washed and poured into glass, porcelain or enamel dishes with a layer of no more than 2 cm to ensure uniform germination. The seeds can be placed either on a lined cloth or directly on the bottom of the dish. Cover the top with a cloth or gauze and fill with water at room temperature to the upper level of the seeds. You can even sprinkle the seeds on the bottom of the dishes and not cover them with anything, but you need to make sure that moisture remains in the thickness of the seeds. In this case, you should mix the contents at least once to uniformly wet the seeds and their effective germination. It is recommended to place the dishes or a tray with lentils in a warm, shaded place, and in the future it is necessary to moisten the upper fabric. For a day - two, depending on the ambient temperature and the quality of the seeds, 3-4-millimeter white sprouts appear, the seeds become soft. Before using them, they must be rinsed again, as there is a danger that molds may develop on them.
Sprouted lentil seeds, that is, sprouts and seeds, are eaten together. Can be used for food, seeds with slightly hatched sprouts and even simply swollen (seed germination does not occur simultaneously, and those that have not hatched yet, but have already filled with juices, are a full-fledged product). Sprouted seeds or dishes made from them are best consumed immediately, but they can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days at temperatures from +2 to + 60 ° C in a sealed glass container. They should be washed daily with cold boiled water. To store such dishes, it is advisable to add honey and lemon as preservatives. Sprouts should be introduced into the diet gradually. A useful minimum dose is 100 g per week. It is recommended to use this amount for 4-5 days, using sprouts in the morning and in the afternoon, one dessert spoon 15-20 minutes before meals or with food, then a break for 2-3 days (the food is energetically very strong, it is necessary for the body to adapt) ... After 4-5 weeks, the daily portion can be brought up to 50 g and no longer increased, half the dose is recommended for children. Sprouted lentils can be eaten whole (chewed thoroughly) or added to food. Sprouted seeds and dishes from it are recommended for breakfast. It is good to add sprouts to porridge by placing directly on a plate or by simmering them for 20-30 minutes with porridge. You can skip the seedlings through a meat grinder or mixer (both alone and with lemon along with the zest), add honey, dried fruits, fruits, nuts to taste. You can prepare various salads from vegetables, herbs, dried fruits with the addition of whole or ground seeds.

Sprouts: Lentil. Suom.: Kylvövirvilä eli linssi. Sven.: Lins.