Green leafy vegetables
Most people do not eat enough of these green leafies. Yet their nutritional values are immense. Recent studies have conclusively and definitively confirmed that populations with diets rich in green leafy vegetables run a far lower risk of heart disease and cancer.
Excess weight
For those who are overweight and want to shed those extra pounds, then eating dark green leafy vegetables will shed the weight. If you eat these veggies raw, that’s even better. Start to slowly introduce some of these power veggies into your daily routine.
GREEN LEAFY SUPERFOOD VEGGIES
Fruits and vegetables are at their most healthful when they are eaten raw. The cooking process not only degrades some of the vital nutrients, vitamins and minerals, but heat destroys all of the life enhancing enzymes.
WHAT ARE ENZYMES?
Raw foods are packed with food enzymes. Enzymes are released as soon as you begin to chew. Enzymes are the essential catalysts for all the chemical reactions in your body – your digestion, your immunity and all other metabolic and regenerative processes. Without them, you would cease to function or exist. Think of them as your body’s labour force involved in every biochemical and physiological function. You depend on them to walk, talk, breathe, digest food and function. For good health and a strong immune system, enzymes need to be plentiful and vital.
When enzyme activity is low, you are likely to feel tired and unwell. So clearly the level of enzyme content in your food is more than important – it’s crucial.
ENZYME TYPES
1 Metabolic
Metabolic enzymes occur naturally within your body and act as catalysts in all your bodily functions – eating, breathing, regulating metabolism and so on. You need these enzymes to stay slim and trim.
2 Digestive
Digestive enzymes are produced by our bodies. They are responsible for breaking down the food you eat, and metabolizing and absorbing all the nutrients. If we eat a diet of processed, junky food, we overtax our pancreas organ, to produce more digestive enzymes. If the pancreas is too weak and unable to secrete enough enzyme molecules, it will rob other organs of critical, life-providing metabolic enzymes and will then change these into digestive enzymes. Once this happens, the simplest tasks such as thinking, talking, walking and even breathing will become difficult chores.
3 Food
Food enzymes help the digestive process. They must come from the foods we eat. All raw foods such as raw fruit, vegetables, raw nuts and especially live sprouted seeds are the food sources for food enzymes.
Sprouts are essentially young green plants germinated from the seeds of almost any living vegetation which may include, but are not limited to, nuts, seeds, grains, beans, legumes, as well as various grasses such as barley grass or wheat grass. Some of the most common sprouts are alfalfa, mung, radish, clover, aduki, garbanzo (chickpea), lentil, soybean, sunflower, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, fenugreek, wheat, barley, soy, corn, oats, green peas and lima, just to name a few. Essentially, any seed or bean equipped with the genetic fabric potential to reproduce the next generation of plant life is sproutable.
THE SUPERSTAR NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF SPROUTS
Sprouts are nutritional superstars. They contain a high concentrate of antioxidant nutrients that fight against the damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are substances produced within our bodies that cause damage to cell tissue and accelerate the ageing process. Sprouts are also packed with vitamins, minerals, protein, enzymes and fibre as well as two anti-ageing constituents – RNA and DNA (nucleic acids) – that are only found in living cells.
But what does sprouting mean?
Sprouting is the process of soaking, then germinating the seed, and finally eating the growing live sprouts. Each sprouting seed is packed with the nutritional energy needed to create a full grown healthy plant.
Once the seed is soaked in water, a process necessary for sprouting, loads of enzymes are released. Upon germination, the seed rapidly absorbs water (from soaking) and swells to at least twice its original size.
Simultaneously, the nutrient content swells too. Finally, the germination process effectively pre-digests the seed, making digestion and assimilation of its nutrients easy so there is less likelihood of food allergies. The end result is a superfood with enormous levels of proteins, vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, fibre and enzymes in the most easily digestible form. By sprouting, you not only gain the benefits of the raw food, but also dramatically increase the nutrient content of these seeds and grains.
The Science
A key to your health
Eating sprouted foods regularly can result in dramatic improvements to digestion, immunity and your general health and wellbeing.
Not only will your digestion be healthy and your body more alkaline when you include sprouted foods in your diet on a regular basis, but you’ll be better equipped to prevent and combat common colds and flu, illnesses, even dreaded diseases. Research has shown that sprouts help to keep the immune system strong. When the immune system is fortified, you are far less likely to be stricken – or to succumb to common or degenerative health ailments.
Consider the following study conducted by a team of researchers at the University of Texas Cancer Center. They found that the cancer cells were ‘99 per cent inhibited’ by the mix of live (sprouted) sprouts, mainly sprouted broccoli seeds. Statistically speaking, this would suggest that live sprouts may, in some cases, have the ability to inhibit cancer cells, full stop. Wow! At the clinic, I have had great success using sprouted broccoli seeds for patients who had been suffering from immune dysfunction. So if you are the type of person who is always catching the next cold or flu, then be sure to add lots of raw sprouts, especially sprouted broccoli seeds, to your daily regimen.
OUTSTANDING SPROUTS
You can literally sprout any seed, grain or legume for food in your own kitchen. The greatest health benefits come from sprouted millet and quinoa, as well as sprouted daikon and broccoli seeds.
The easiest sprouts to seed are:
Also try:
HOW TO SPROUT SEED AND BEANS
The easiest way to sprout seeds is to buy a sprouting kit and sprinkle water over the seeds. Try quinoa, broccoli seeds, clover, alfalfa seeds, mung beans, fenugreek and wheat berries, for example.
To do it yourself at home, all you need is a large jam jar, some seeds or beans, fresh water and a piece of cheesecloth or muslin.