Alfafa, mung, clover, sunflower, and lentils. The positive health benefits of eating sprouts are almost as plentiful and diverse as the varieties of types of sprouts you can grow yourself!

Sprouts are jam-packed full of minerals, proteins, vitamins, and enzymes and are thought to be one of the only living vegetables that continue to get richer in nutrients even after they are harvested. If you are interested in learning more about the health benefits of sprouts, check out: healingdaily.com

While some varieties of sprouts are readily available at your local grocery store, they are incredibly easy to grow at home yourself. It takes only a few minutes each day, and most sprouts will only take 4-5 days to harvest.

Serious sprouters can invest in starter kits, but in truth all you need are some seeds, a jar, cheesecloth or a fine screen, and some water.

Give it a try:

1. Take 2-3 tablespoons of seeds and remove any dirt, broken seeds, and stones. Give them a good rinse.
2. Place rinsed seeds into a jar and cover seeds with approximately 2-3 inches of filtered water. Let soak for 8-12 hours. Overnight should do.
3. Cover the jar with cheesecloth or a fine screen and hold in place with an elastic. Turn the jar over and strain all of the water out of the jar.
4. Give the seeds another rinse and strain right away, giving the jar a little shake to ensure all the water is out. It may even be a good idea to leave the jar upside down for a little while to ensure complete drainage so the seeds don’t rot.
5. For the next 4-5 days continue steps 2,3, and 4 observing the green leaves and white shoots emerge.
6. To harvest the sprouts, give them another good rinse and then store in refrigerator.

You can use sprouts on salads, sandwiches, or lightly fried with other veggies. Truly a nutritious and delicious accent to any meal.