There’s a New Kind Of Grain The Health Community Is Going Crazy Over–Is It Really Healthier Than The Regular Kind, Though?

Health and diet trends come and go all the time. But the ones that work tend to stick around for good it seems. Perhaps time will tell if the current trend of sprouted grains will end up as staples in people’s diets. One thing can be settled now though. Is the popular food really that much healthier than normal grains? Or is opting for it just a waste of cash?

What Sprouted Grains Are

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Sprouted grains are characterized by the short ‘baby’ root that has started to grow out of the seeds.

First things first, what are sprouted grains really are? For starters, regular whole grains are actually just the seeds of plants like oats, barley or wheat. And like seeds, they have the potential to be grown into the plants they come from.

They are typically consumed at this stage. Sprouted grains, meanwhile, come to be with a few extra steps. In simple terms, though, they are just grains that have started to germinate. This happens thanks to a mixture of moisture, heat, and time.

The germination process can then be stopped by simply drying the sprouted grains or grinding them down to produce a mash of sorts. The product can also be turned into flour and subsequently turned into tortillas or bread.

Which is Healthier, Really?

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The healthy food can be used like regular whole grains and baked into bread.

Unfortunately, experts are still aren’t totally sure whether sprouted grains really do offer more benefits to people. However, there is a theory that tries to explain why it can be though. The sprouting process supposedly ‘tricks’ the seed/grain into thinking that it’s about to grow into a plant. This will end in some of the nutrients inside being more accessible to the potential plant and the human body, too.

Enzymes are some of the byproducts of this process. And according to food scientist Lin Carson, these have the ability to break down lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates into smaller molecules, basically beginning digestion for people. Thus, it’s no wonder how some individuals observe that they tend to digest sprouted grained much easier. Thanks to plant enzymes, humans’ digestive enzymes won’t have to work too hard.

Skip It Or Use It

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The digestion-aiding food can also be used as a salad topping.

At the end of the day, it’s still people’s preference that would prevail and be the judge whether sprouted grains are here to stay. Still, experts say that those who may not like the taste of the food should feel free to just pass up the trendy grain variety altogether.

They’re staying power might also be affected by them and their byproducts being more expensive. But there’s some good news. People can actually easily sprout their grains from their own kitchen. Going this route would save one some money in the long run.