When you’re looking for fresh, healthy produce, sprout expensive? Some people might tell you that they are, while others may say that the price is just right. So what’s the truth? In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the price of sprouts and compare it to other types of produce. We’ll also discuss ways that you can save money when purchasing sprouts.
So, Is Sprouts Expensive?
It depends on what you’re comparing it to.
Compared to fresh fruits and vegetables, sprouts are more expensive. But if you’re looking at them compared to other types of products that have been pre-packaged and/or frozen, then they’re not as expensive. In fact, sprouts can be a very economical way to get your daily servings of fruits and vegetables.
What Are Sprouts
Sprouts are young, edible plant shoots. They can be germinated from a variety of different seeds and beans.
They’re very nutritious and lower in calories than many vegetables, making them a healthy addition to salads, stir-fries, and sandwiches. Sprouts come in all shapes and sizes: alfalfa (mung bean), clover (beluga lentil), daikon radish, quinoa (pumpkin seed) just to name a few! The history of sprouting goes back to ancient times when people discovered that maize could be germinated into something much sweeter and more delicious than corn on the cob.
The process of turning seeds into nutritious sprouts is easy – all you need is a container and some seeds! One of the most common ways to sprout at home is by using a mason jar with cheesecloth over the top so the sprouts can breathe. A handy tip for keeping sprouts fresh is to store them in the fridge in an airtight container, which will also help prevent mold from growing on them.
The Benefits Of Eating Sprouts
Everyone knows that sprouts are a superfood. They’re high in protein, high in fiber, and versatile in how they can be prepared. But did you know there are more benefits to eating them than just the nutritional ones?
1. Toxin Clean-Up
The reason that living food is so important for our bodies is because it’s teeming with vitality and life force. That means every cell in your body is being bathed by live enzymes on a regular basis, which kickstarts detoxification of all the bad stuff we ingest from time to time.
However, cooked or processed foods lack all this live energy, meaning you need to eat more of it to get the same bang for your buck.
2. Improved Digestion
There are a few different reasons sprouts help digestion, but the main one comes down to their seed-like nature. Seeds have an outer shell that protects the nutrients and enzymes within, which means they need special environments in order to flourish into a living plant. This requires significant time and care from Mother Nature, so by eating them, you’re not only getting all of these amazing benefits for yourself but also rewarding her for her hard work!
3. Immune Booster
It should come as no surprise that your immune system is boosted when you add more vitamins and minerals to your diet. However, this effect is compounded when you combine phytonutrients with live enzymes because it makes them easy to digest and absorb into the blood.
4. Better Nutrition
You may be familiar with the phrase “you are what you eat” – this revelation stems especially from eating sprouts, as they’re packed full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, protein, amino acids, and more! This means that by eating sprouts rather than something else, you are consuming all nutritious aspects of a plant without having to consume so many calories!
5. Weight Loss
Though it might seem counter-intuitive to eat foods high in both water and nutrients when trying to lose weight, these qualities actually work together synergistically. The bulkiness provides satiety for longer periods of time, while the water content flushes the toxins through your system faster because it’s easier for them to move through water than air.
How To Grow Your Own Sprouts
Starting your own sprouts is relatively easy; all you need are mason jars, cheesecloth or other breathable cloth, and organic seeds. There are many different ways to start your own sprouts, including using a new mason jar with holes in the top for drainage or using an old pickle jar that has been sanitized. Many gardeners choose to use cheesecloth instead of buying special equipment because it is easier to deal with than plastic mesh lids, which can sometimes be difficult to clean after sprouting.
Different options for starting include:
- Using fresh manure
- Soaking seeds overnight
- Sprinkling seeds on top of moist toweling
- Placing moistened cotton inside the jar
The best way to figure out the right method for your needs is to watch how others do it. Once you have developed a system of your own, all that remains is to plant the seeds and water them on a regular basis. This will allow them to sprout into green leaves within a few days.
Many gardeners prefer to use alfalfa sprouts because they grow extremely fast and are an excellent source of protein, chlorophyll, vitamin C, niacin, folic acid, iron, and potassium. Other popular sprouts include broccoli sprouts, sunflower sprouts, mung beans, and lentils. Many say that sesame seed is one of the easiest seeds from which to harvest homegrown sprouts.
Once your sprouts start to grow, the sprout will look like a tender shoot coming out of a seed. The appearance will likely be white at first and then turn green when they have been exposed to sunlight for several hours. If you want your sprouts to have a more yellow tint, expose them to direct sunlight every day until the process is complete.
The best time of year to plant seeds in order to get large quantities of fresh sprouts is during months that have an ‘r’ or ‘f’ in them: September through April. Seeds planted then should germinate quickly and provide plenty of organic greens before winter. It’s also important not to buy too many seeds at once because they do not last forever and need time between planting sessions.
Where And How You Can Buy Them
1. Your local market:
this is the most convenient way of buying sprouts but also comes with some drawbacks. First of all, if your budget is limited then this might not be a very good option for you because some markets can sell items at higher than normal prices just because they’re located in prime areas such as malls. Be sure to ask around before heading on over to your local grocery store so that you will know whether or not they have the best deal on sprouts. Secondly, many big stores already have pre-packed cups of sprouts available however the quality cannot be guaranteed because it was harvested several days ago, which means less nutritional value per cup! This is why I would recommend buying organic sprouts instead. Not only do you get better quality but the store has to pay an annual fee for this certification so it will cost them more to cater to your needs which means less profit for them!
2. Local farms:
larger cities usually have plenty of dedicated organic farms that sell fresh produce including sprouts, vegetables, and fruits that are harvested daily so you can be sure of their quality. If you live in these areas, then I would recommend giving them a call first before heading on over because some might be located several hours away from where you live and if they’re too busy with work, then they might not be able to take your order or deliver items to your place on time, so it’s best to find out first how far one of these farms are from your neighborhood.
3. Online stores:
this is definitely the best option if you want to buy sprouts because not only will you get better quality but also more variety to choose from compared to other options! Plus, many online stores offer free shipping for bulk orders, so it’s the perfect way for families who love eating fresh produce on a daily basis. If you’ve never shopped online before then I’d recommend checking out eBay first because they have thousands of listings available and their prices are unbeatable. Just be sure that each listing has at least 4 or 5 positive customer reviews before making your order, just in case something goes wrong during shipping or delivery time. There are plenty of reputable merchants selling organic items on eBay. However, some merchants might sell items for cheaper and still claim that it’s organic and of good quality, but when you receive the item in the mail you find out that they’re just regular seeds. This is why it’s best to ask around on gardening forums or even YouTube channels before making a purchase online so that you can avoid getting ripped off just because you were too busy or lazy to ask questions first!
4. Farmer’s markets:
I know this might seem odd but some farmer’s markets actually offer sprouts grown in local farms so if you have friends who work at a farm then you could always join in together and buy directly from them which would mean better prices per cup compared to other options available. Plus, if they’re selling products from their own farm then you can actually visit them in person and ask more about their products which might include a “behind the scenes” tour where you get to see how your food is being harvested, packaged, and shipped.
5. Community gardens:
another option that I would recommend is joining a community garden near where you live because they offer sprouts for free on a weekly basis. The only drawback here, however, would be that all of the produce that’s given out cannot be taken home with you, so if you have a small family, then this option might not work very well, but it’s great if you have children who love eating healthy snacks!
