Most foods can be freeze and thus provide several months of shelf life, as form the Sprouts and seedlings No exception. What you need to consider for storage and why you should talk about the Freeze sprouts you should think about, you will learn in the following article.
Sprouts have long been known as true vitamin bombs. Whether they are legumes, grains or vegetable seeds - through germination, proteins are transformed into amino acid, starch is broken down into maltose/ malt sugar, fats are converted into fatty acid, vitamins and minerals are activated. Thus are the Nutrients easier for humans to digest and can be better absorbed in the intestine. The content of Vitamins and Micronutrients is more than two times higher in shoots than in adult plants, with C vitamins and B group vitamins it increases even to 5 times, for vitamin E - on the 3-fold. In addition, sprouts carry a lot of energy, which is necessary for germination, rooting and further growth. Regular consumption of sprouts and seedlings promotes digestion and stimulates the Metabolism on, strengthens the Immune system, normalizes the Acid-base balance, directs Toxins and slags out, improves the Skin appearance and much more.
Whether purchased or home-grown, sprouts and sprouting seeds should be eaten raw, as many valuable nutrients and vitamins are lost through heating. But how do you store them properly, how long are they durable and how much can you extend the shelf life through proper storage?
What is the difference between sprouts and shoots?
Seedlings and shoots are used synonymously and both refer to the plant in its early stage of development between seedling and young plant. However, when you get right down to it, a Seedling on the timeline of development a little younger: this is the baby plant, freshly hatched from seed (first shoots, roots and the seed itself are included). The shoots On the other hand, one or two days "older" - these are stems and young leaves, that is, the aerial parts, often separated or cut off from the seed.
With the formation of the first small leaves, part of the nutritional potential is already lost, so it is advisable to eat the sprouted vegetables in their seedling stage, especially since many plants lose considerable flavor with leaf formation. In the case of cress or radishes, on the other hand, the sprouts that have already formed leaves taste better.
Microgreens or Green herbs are the oldest on our timeline, they are sown in potting soil and cut off when they have formed two to three leaves.
How quickly do the sprouts lose their nutrients?
When shoots or sprouted seeds reach maturity, they must be consumed quickly, because they continue to grow and eventually lose their special advantage over the adult plants. Heat, light, oxygen as well as Water shortage provide the rapid loss of vitamins when stored incorrectly. If you ensure proper storage at low temperature in the refrigerator, microgreens have an average shelf life of up to 7 days and contain all their nutrients, sprouted seeds and sprouts - up to 3 days.
How should you store seedlings?
With the purchased sprouts or sprouting seeds, it is essential to make sure that they are really fresh and free of mold, and that the cold chain is not interrupted. Especially in the summer temperatures, just transporting them home for a long time can cause sprouts to sprout or dry out. To slow down further growth of the sprouting seeds, the Storage place cool and darkl. Microgreens may stand in the room and continue to grow for a few days with regular watering. Whether purchased or homegrown, all sprouted seeds must be thoroughly washed before consumption.
What to consider when storing sprouts in the refrigerator?
In the vegetable compartment in the refrigerator at 4-5 degrees the sprouts or seedlings are best kept. The sprouts must be washed regularly (ideally every 10-12 hours) in a sieve under running water and stored in a glass container. Oxygen deprivation (with a vacuum pump, for example) further inhibits growth and helps preserve vitamins longer. The longer sprouts should be separated from the roots and seed remains, so that they do not continue to grow and dry out, and stored in the refrigerator wrapped in a damp kitchen towel.
When should you stop eating 'microgreens'?
If the sprouts or sprouting seeds wilt quickly due to improper storage and are then perhaps even slimy, turn brown (e.g. in the case of soybean sprouts), sour or have an unpleasant odor, if there is even a trace of mold - get rid of them.
Is it allowed to freeze sprouts?
In fact, like many other sprouted seeds, sprouts can be stored and kept for up to a year by freezing them.
To be always sufficiently supplied with delicious and fresh sprouts, it is best to grow them yourself at home at intervals of three-four days and only in small quantities.
Many sprouts and seedlings become an inedible mush after freezing and thawing. The good taste disappears after freezing, especially with sprouted seeds from small seeds such as radish, cress, alfalfa or mustard. The sprouted seeds of legumes, as well as bean sprouts and mung beans. on the other hand, can be wonderfully frozen and so they should reach 10-12 months shelf life.
Here's how it's done:
For example, to keep bean or bean sprouts nice and crunchy, they need to be blanched before freezing.
- Put the sprouts in a metal sieve and wash them thoroughly under running water.
- Bring water to a boil in a pot and immerse the sieve with sprouts in the boiling water for 3 minutes. If you don't have a metal sieve, the sprouts should be put directly into the pot and taken out with a slotted spoon after 3 minutes.
- Dip the colander with sprouts from the cooking pot into cold water for another 3 minutes to stop the cooking process directly.
- Drain the blanched sprouts, put them in a freezer container or freezer bag (better in smaller portions), note the contents and date, and then you can freeze the sprouts.
How to thaw the frozen green herbs?
Defrosting the sprouts in the refrigerator for at least two hours is particularly gentle if you want to use them fresh in salads or cold dishes. In soups or hot dishes, the sprouts should be added while still frozen. With these tips, growing and eating the little green wonders of life should give you even more pleasure! Have fun growing and snacking!
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