How to Grow Healthy Sprouts in the Home Kitchen

Sprouts are the first roots and cotyledons of seeds that grow before the seed begins to produce true leaves of a plant. Seed sprouts only require water to grow as the root gets its first nutrients from the grain or seed. Seeds and grains that are inedible without cooking become nutritious raw food sources as sprouts.

Sprouting food grains and seeds in the home kitchen provides a supply of fresh healthy sprouts to add to recipes and meals. You can complete the sprouting process of food seeds and grains in a home kitchen. To begin experimenting with growing healthy sprouts start with mung bean sprouts.

Quart glass canning jar
Mung bean seeds
Cheesecloth

Instructions

- 1
  
  Whole raw mung beans
  
  Purchase whole untreated mung bean seeds. If they are not available in the grains section of a local grocery store or health food store, you can find them online.
- 2
  
  Quart canning jars with tomatoes
  
  Thoroughly clean and rinse a quart size glass canning jar. Place 3 to 4 tbsp. of whole raw mung beans into the jar. Fill the jar with fresh water to cover the seeds. Set aside for several hours.
- 3
  Place a few layers of cheesecloth over the top of the jar. Place the outer lid ring on the jar to hold the cheesecloth in place. The holes in the cheesecloth layers should be small enough that the seeds can not pass through.
- 4
  
  Sprouts exposed to light
  
  Drain off the water after the seeds have soaked for a few hours. Keep the cheesecloth in place to prevent the seeds from washing out of the jar. Gently shake the mung bean seeds evenly across the inside of the jar so they are evenly spaced.
  
  Lay the jar on its side inside a dark cupboard. The darker the area the longer the sprout roots will grow seeking light. Small cotyledons on sprouts are greener when exposed to light and the flavor will change. Too much light will cause the sprout to produce true green leaves on short roots.
- 5
  
  fresh clean water
  
  Gently wash the new sprouts with clean water and drain immediately two or three times a day. This keeps the young sprout growing. Drain off excess water to prevent rotting.
  
  Mung bean sprouts are ready to use when 2 to 3 inches long, white, juicy and crisp. Rinse and drain before eating.

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