The Superiority of Sprouted Grains
Filed under: Nutrition
Those of you who read this blog probably know that I am not a huge fan of grains. Not only are they highly overrated for health benefit purposes, I believe they can actually lead to a lot of negative health consequences. Most grains are highly allergenic, cause large insulin surges, and are lacking in vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber. They are also way too easy to over-consume, and it certainly seems that since the advent of the original Food Pyramid, people’s consumption of grains has increased, and so have we. Correlation does not equal cause-and-effect and there are a million other factors that play into this, but it is certainly one of them.
Over the course of human history, grains have not been a large portion of the diet for any significant amount of time. Only for the past 10-11,000 years or so have we domesticated plants and animals. This newfound ability did help create civilization, so it certainly has benefits, but it is a double-edged sword. Agriculture allowed for surplusses of food the likes of which had never been seen, and allowed people to settle into larger populations, creating the the first governments, religious centers, universities, and literature. It also allowed the first organized warfare, deadly plagues, and terrorism. Starting to see the other edge here? Just wait, there is more.
Due to the relatively short amount of time we have been consuming grains, 10,000 years is a blink in our millions of years on planet earth. This is where the problems occur. Due to our relatively short time from an evolutionary standpoint, our consumption of grains should not be so high. Most people are not well suited to it, there are exceptions, but they are not the norm. Some people even have severe reactions to many of the cereal grasses, being allergic to the protein gluten found in wheat, rye, barley and to a lesser extent in oats, called gluten-sensitive enteropathy, or celiac’s disease. Wheat tends to be the worst offender, with it’s very high concentration of gluten, that even if you don’t have celiac’s, can still be problematic for people at a sub-clinical level.
To continue this trend of problems, is that mainstream nutritionists encourage people to just eat more whole grains like 100% whole wheat products. Sounds like a good idea in theory, they are higher in fiber, higher in vitamins and minerals, and are absorbed more slowly. The problem is that we can’t absorb all of these vitamins and minerals. Whole grains contain anti-nutrients that are bound to the vitamins and minerals and severely limit their absorption. These anti-nutrients are things like phytic acid and lectins. Phytic acid is the big one, and it is highly present in normal wheat foods.
Fortunately our ancestors found a solution to this problem. To reduce the phytic acid and lectin content, and free up the nutrients to be available for absorption can be done by soaking, fermenting or sprouting whole grains. Granted you can also consume starches that are low in those anti-nutrients like amaranth, quinoa, and sweet potatoes, but if you want to find a way to enjoy some wheat based products, it needs to have those preparation techniques. Unfortunately, gluten is able to survive all but the longest fermentation process, so people with celiac’s are still out of luck.
One company that is making foods prepared like this widely available is one called Food for Life. They sell several lines of sprouted grain products including Ezekiel, Genesis, and 7 Grain. The Ezekiel line is there biggest, offering up bread, english muffins, wraps, cereals, pasta, hamburger and hot dog buns and more. It is made up of wheat, other grains and legumes, and due to the fact that it contains those other foods, it is lower in gluten, is a complete protein and has a rock bottom GI of 36. It is also preservative free so you have to keep it frozen, a little FYI. I still suggest consuming more oats, quinoa, amaranth and sweet potatoes, but at least now you have a decent wheat option.
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Posted on April 29th, 2009 by Brian St. Pierre
9 Comments
April 29th, 2009 at 8:43 am
Hey Brian,
I’ve really been enjoying your blog! I think these evolution of diet issues are fascinating.
Two questions about today’s entry: where do you see the two other very common cereal grains fitting in: corn and rice? (I’ve never heard of sprouting either.)
Also, regarding anti-nutrients like lectin, I think beans are even higher in anti-nutrients than grains. Yet, I’m also convinced that beans are a wise addition to a healthy diet. Do you agree?
Thanks and keep up the great blogs!
April 30th, 2009 at 7:32 am
Brian,
What are your thoughts on sprouted vs. raw nuts? Are anti-nutrients a bit less of an issue since nut consumption should be very moderate at best or is it a good idea to go with sprouted if that is an option?
On a side note, have you ever read the books “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon and “Wild Fermentation” by Sandor Ellix Katz? If so, I’m curious as to your thoughts on these for tips on food preparation.
May 1st, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Bob,
Thanks for the kind words. Corn and rice are both tricky. Real corn on the cob in the summer is a delicious and pretty healthy treat, but the problem with corn is that it is in EVERYTHING! It is a commodity that is broken down and reconstituted into a million different items and added to tons of food products, that is where the issue arises. Rice is not too bad except that it is very high in phytic acid and is low in phytase (the enzyme that breaks down phytic acid) and it is difficult to remove that phytic acid. There is such a thing as sprouted rice, Sun Warrior makes a sprouted rice protein, that doesn’t have any sucralose either. I just ordered some, I will give a review once I receive it.
Beans can be a healthy addition, though they shouldn’t be a huge addition. They should also be prepared properly. Overnight soaking can absolutely help, Berardi wrote about this after his vegetarian experiment here: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/sexy-vegetarian.
May 1st, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Jack,
On the nut issue that is a good question. To be honest I had never heard of sprouted nuts. I do think that people take nut consumption overboard, and it should be moderate 1-2oz per day of a variety of nuts is more than adequate.
I have not read those books, though they certainly interest me. It seems like I just can read fast enough! My list is ever expanding. Sally Fallon and the Weston Price Foundation are great, so they probably have some great info in there.
May 3rd, 2009 at 9:56 pm
Great post Brian! I wrote about sprouted grain breads in Men’s Health a few years ago and the editors there have never looked back at normal bread again!
The bread tastes best toasted
– it brings out all the flavor and smell via enzymatic browning!
May 5th, 2009 at 7:17 am
Cass,
I do have to admit, you were the one who turned me on to sprouted grains, I knew nothing of them until you gave the seminar at CP. And yes, definitely toast the bread, because of what she said!
September 28th, 2009 at 7:49 am
[...] 1 Ezekiel sprouted grain tortilla [...]
January 6th, 2010 at 3:51 pm
Is it true that your body thinks the sprouted grains you eat are vegetables? I have been eating Ezekial breads and cereals now for about 5 years.
May 13th, 2012 at 10:14 pm
Learned about tart cherry juice concentrate from my nurse for my gout pain. I started getting some a few day ago and I feel great. I even got free shipping from Fruit Advantage