How to Sprout Seeds and Beans (Sprouting Guide)

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Last updated: June 10, 2022

Learn one of the most useful and versatile kitchen tricks: how to grow your own sprouts from seeds and beans.

Dishes that include fresh sprouts tend to be more multidimensional, super nutritious, and above all, lots of fun.

In this practical guide, I am going to explain why and how to sprout seeds and beans, and how sprouts can offer nutritional benefits.

Here are a few good reasons to learn how to sprout seeds and beans:

• You can grow sprouts yourself in the winter to get lots of nutrition without spending a fortune on produce.
• Keeping dry seeds and beans for sprouting is a great way to be prepared for national food shortages that might leave you with not enough food. All you need is some water to sprout.
• It’s very satisfying to watch seedlings and beans awaken and sprout in front of your eyes. It reminds us of the magic of nature.
• You can eat a variety of different beans and sprouts that you might not be able to buy in stores if you sprout them yourself.
• Sprouts make a great addition to so many meals and they add a great texture to salads too.

Sprouts are much more nutritious than the dormant seed or bean from which they spring from. By “awakening” these seeds, we are actually eating all of the live potential energy of the sprout.

Because of the higher water content in sprouts as opposed to dry seeds and beans, we find a higher nutritional content.

Sprouts contain absorbable protein, and contain increased calcium, potassium, sodium, and iron, as well as vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, and C.

Another benefit to growing your own sprouts is cost-efficiency. Seeds and beans are inexpensive and can yield an almost unproportional amount of sprouts.

You can also buy sprouting seeds and store them for long periods without spoilage. Contrast that with a bunch of lettuce that does not last more than one week in the refrigerator.

Sprouts are one of the most economical foods and some have called them the foods of the future.

Sprouting your own seeds and beans is so simple, and yields such savings and benefits that I cannot recommend it enough.

Here’s a quick and simple guide to sprouting seeds:

1. Soak seeds overnight in a bowl with water.
2. The next morning, drain water and rinse with fresh water once or twice.
3. Place in a sprouting bag, or sprouting jar without any water. (Should still be humid, not completely dry.)
4. Every morning and night rinse with fresh water, to keep the sprouts wet and clean of mold.
5. Ensure the sprouts never dry up, and repeat the process until your desired length or age of sprout.
6. Rinse out with fresh water and serve immediately in salads, wraps, smoothies, juices, bread/crackers, or just eat as a snack.

I personally use a nut milk bag, which resembles cheesecloth, for my sprouting efforts. It’s inexpensive and also versatile because you can also use it to make nut milk too.

I’ve also tried sprouting in jars, and I prefer the flexibility and ease that a sprouting bag seems to provide.

Feel free to experiment with what works best for you, depending on the climate where you live.

One great source of sprouting information that has been around since 1993 is Sprout People. You can buy sprouts and sprouting kits from them as well.

Did I get you excited about sprouting seeds and beans? Personally, I’m partial to mung bean sprouts, and also buckwheat sprouts.

Now I’m curious if you’ve ever grown your own sprouts, and which ones are your favorites. Would love to hear your thoughts and comments!