Soaking and sprouting beans and nuts????

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So does anyone here soak and sprout their beans and nuts to make them more easily digestible and the nutrients easier to break down and utilize? I've read about it and am wondering if there is any good reason to start doing this? Seems like a lot of work.
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  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,344 Member
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    no thoughts on this?
  • yskaldir
    yskaldir Posts: 202 Member
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    I do it for lentils and mung beans. Not sure why you think it's a lot of work.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    I soak my beans for 24 hours and then cook them slowly over low heat. This seems to work just fine...sprouting seems overly tedious and more complex than anything I'm interested in getting into.
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,344 Member
    edited September 2017
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    cheldadex wrote: »
    I do it for lentils and mung beans. Not sure why you think it's a lot of work.

    because for nuts not only would I soak, drain, repeat, then sprout/rinse for days until they are ready and then dehydrate them. That's work and by work I mean takes a lot of time, compared to popping a can lid..... that's work.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    cheldadex wrote: »
    I do it for lentils and mung beans. Not sure why you think it's a lot of work.

    because for nuts not only would I soak, drain, repeat, then sprout/rinse for days until they are ready and then dehydrate them. That's work and by work I mean takes a lot of time.

    I've never done nuts. I sprout lentils, wheat and alfalfa for my chickens in winter when the grass is covered by snow. For those I just have to remember to dump the old water and add new each morning and evening. The rest takes care of itself.
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,344 Member
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    cheldadex wrote: »
    I do it for lentils and mung beans. Not sure why you think it's a lot of work.

    because for nuts not only would I soak, drain, repeat, then sprout/rinse for days until they are ready and then dehydrate them. That's work and by work I mean takes a lot of time.

    I've never done nuts. I sprout lentils, wheat and alfalfa for my chickens in winter when the grass is covered by snow. For those I just have to remember to dump the old water and add new each morning and evening. The rest takes care of itself.

    Thanks the sprouter looks pretty cool, The nuts seem to be the most work, I've only done them once, but I remember thinking dang is it worth all this time. I dehydrate them after all that to bring some crunch back to them

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    cheldadex wrote: »
    I do it for lentils and mung beans. Not sure why you think it's a lot of work.

    because for nuts not only would I soak, drain, repeat, then sprout/rinse for days until they are ready and then dehydrate them. That's work and by work I mean takes a lot of time.

    I've never done nuts. I sprout lentils, wheat and alfalfa for my chickens in winter when the grass is covered by snow. For those I just have to remember to dump the old water and add new each morning and evening. The rest takes care of itself.

    Thanks the sprouter looks pretty cool, The nuts seem to be the most work, I've only done them once, but I remember thinking dang is it worth all this time. I dehydrate them after all that to bring some crunch back to them

    I eat a lot of pinto beans as they are a staple food where I live...I looked into sprouting once upon a time and the instructions were to soak them for 24 hours and then drain and rinse them and soak again with draining and rinsing 3-4 times per day until they sprouted...I never ended up trying it because I don't even know when I would do the whole drain and rinse thing 3-4 times per day since I'm at work all day.
  • lemmie177
    lemmie177 Posts: 479 Member
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    I do this with lentils in a mason jar. They sprout really easily. It's not much work, but requires a little planning if you're used to just cooking them right away. I soak ~8hrs and then rinse them in the morning and evening until I'm ready to cook em. Sprouts faster in warmer weather. Its still pretty warm here, so they're ready in about a day and a half.
  • beaglady
    beaglady Posts: 1,362 Member
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    I've sprouted lentils just because I like them that way. Does that count?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    I might have to try with lentils...maybe the pinto beans if I can get away with 2x per day. The instructions I read also said to keep temps around 68*-70*...not too difficult in the winter, but pretty tough going here in the summer.

    I got into fermentation for a time...mostly krauts and kim chi and whatnot...I had to stop because my wife was pissed that our house smelled like cabbage and rotting vegetables...
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Mung beans are so cool sprouted.

    It takes time (days) and close supervision.

    The only danger is the potential for salmonella poisoning.

    I would not eat sprouted nuts.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    I have sprouted rice to make rejevalac (a fermented grain water that can be used to make cultured nut cheeses). It's really easy, you just soak for a while, drain, and then rinse it every few days until it's done.
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,344 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I might have to try with lentils...maybe the pinto beans if I can get away with 2x per day. The instructions I read also said to keep temps around 68*-70*...not too difficult in the winter, but pretty tough going here in the summer.

    I got into fermentation for a time...mostly krauts and kim chi and whatnot...I had to stop because my wife was pissed that our house smelled like cabbage and rotting vegetables...

    haha I feel ya, I have made saurkraut before.....I really want my own small temp controlled greenhouse for these little plant and food projects of mine.
  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,388 Member
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    "I know exactly what he's talking about. I sprout mung beans on a damp paper towel in my desk drawer. Very nutritious, but they smell like death."
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,344 Member
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    "I know exactly what he's talking about. I sprout mung beans on a damp paper towel in my desk drawer. Very nutritious, but they smell like death."

    I have mung beans in my pantry right now, hmm feeling like I should try this
  • ccruz985
    ccruz985 Posts: 646 Member
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    I don't even know what sprouting beans is! I was recently educated on dried beans being better than canned so I'm finishing the canned and have a bag of dried black beans to try.
  • neonnitelight
    neonnitelight Posts: 8 Member
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    Sprouting is easy and you don't need any special equipment. I use wide mouth quart jars with plastic lids instead of the metal so they don't rust. Some people keep the metal ring and put a piece of cheesecloth over the rim and use the ring to secure it. You could also use just cheesecloth with a couple of rubber bands holding it in place.

    Soak whatever you want to sprout overnight, making sure that you add enough water to allow them to remain covered as they plump up. At least a 2:1 water to dry beans, nuts, or seeds. Drain and rinse in the morning. You can stop here if you want to use the beans/nuts/seeds as they are.

    Make sure that they are well drained. You can set them with the mouth down - lid on, but not tight to allow for proper drainage - in a bowl to allow for better drainage and airflow and then place the jar with the bowl in a place that gets indirect sunlight. I just set mine on their sides on the kitchen windowsill, it works for me and doesn't crowd the counter. Then just rinse well and drain at least 2 times a day. You can stop the process whenever they are sprouted to your satisfaction and eat fresh or dehydrate or use them in a recipe.

    Here's a website that you can use as a resource: How to soak & sprout nuts, seeds, grains & beans. It also gives the standard warning that they're subject to contamination - it's why Jimmy John's vegetarian sandwich doesn't come with bean sprouts anymore, you have to ask for them. So if you're immunocompromised, you might want to stay away.

    I mostly do mung beans, alfalfa, and broccoli. I will take out enough for a salad and leave the rest to continue sprouting. People do it so that the beans/nut/seeds are more easily digested. I do it mostly to add variety to my diet and salads.
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
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    I sprout. Have been doing so for a long time.

    Sunflower seeds don't need soaking.

    Lentils sprout nicely. So do chic peas. Alfalfa, chia, wheat berries and mung beans are fun too.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    ccruz985 wrote: »
    I don't even know what sprouting beans is! I was recently educated on dried beans being better than canned so I'm finishing the canned and have a bag of dried black beans to try.

    Why are dried beans better than canned?