Five Reasons Sprouted Flour Is Healthier

There’s a lot of confusion and mixed messages about grains out there. They’re bad, they’re good, their indifferent. There’s gluten-free grains, non-gluten free grains, refined grains, whole grains, sprouted grains, and everything in between. Confusing indeed. What’s a real foodie to do?

Well, depending on your personal situation, there is no black and white answer. Some people truly cannot tolerate grains and consumption has been linked to a plethora of chronic illness and autoimmune disease. Others can and live long, healthy lives eating their steel cut oats everyday. The only thing that’s black and white is that white, refined grains are bad news and best left for special occasions {or never}, due to their rapid conversion into sugar in the body, among other things.

One area in the food world that is rapidly {re}-emerging is the influx of sprouted grains and flours in the marketplace. What’s the deal with sprouted grains, you ask?

Permission to geek out? Ok, here goes…

Back in the good old days, grain was able to naturally sprout in the field before it was milled into flour. Thennnnn…the Industrial Revolution happened and we became greedy and lazy with modern grain processing. As y’all know, convenience does not come without cost. No sprouting means the nutritional value of grains plummets. Adding insult to injury, this causes the grain to retain phytic acid, a naturally-occurring anti-nutrient. Anti-nutrient = synthetic compounds that interfere with the absorption of nutrients.

Wicked pissah, right? 

Here’s why sprouted grains rule to roost in comparison to their messed with counterparts:

1. Easier to digest: Numerous enzymes that help digestion are produced during the sprouting process.

2. Increased vitamin C: Sprouting actually produces vitamin C.

3. Increased B vitamins and carotene: Sprouting increases Vitamin B content, especially B2, B5, and B6, while carotene increases dramatically – sometimes eightfold.

4. Fewer anti-nutrients: 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.

5. Less toxic: Sprouting inactivates aflatoxins, potent carcinogens found in grains.

So, now what?

Now that you know the benefits of consuming sprouted grains, if you’re anything like me, you’re ready to toss the phytic acid-filled flour to the curb. Well, that’s one option. You can also soak, sprout, and grind your own flour like our ancestors did. But who has time for that? Not this busy mama. 

Instead, I pony up the extra moolah and buy sprouted flour here. This, my friends, is the easy button. 

Still not sold?

In my professional experience, I’ve had many clients who were grain and gluten-intolerant eat properly prepared {soaked & sprouted} grains and grain products with no issue, a testament to the importance of those enzymes being present. Many learn this coming off of The Superwoman Slim Down, my popular real food detox & cleanse, where gluten {and other food triggers} are eliminated for a period of time, and then reintroduced. It’s quite enlightening and empowering for these individuals to learn how food impacts their body, energy, and ability to lose weight effortlessly. Learn more about The Superwoman Slim Down here.

How to Use

Sprouted flour can be used cup for cup like regular flour in any recipe that calls for flour. No conversion required. The less thinking, the better, right? Store in the freezer to retain freshness.

Buy it here!

Confused about how to soak and cook grains? Read this. 

Source: Sally Fallon Morell, President of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Nourishing Traditions.

Tell me, have you tried sprouted grains? If so, do you notice a difference in how your body digests them versus conventional grains? I’d love to hear. Please leave a comment below.

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