Editing Sprouting (section)

==Nutrition==
{{more references needed|section|date=January 2024}}
[[File:Verrine.jpg|thumb|Sprouts growing in a [[verrine]]]]
[[File:Moyashi.jpg|thumb|Mung bean sprouts in a bowl, grown without light to maintain its pale colour and reduce bitterness.]]

Sprouts can be germinated at home or produced industrially. They are a prominent ingredient of a [[raw food diet]] and are common in Eastern Asian cuisine.

Raw [[lentil]]s contain [[lectin]]s which can be reduced by sprouting or cooking. A downside to consuming raw sprouts is that the process of germinating seeds can also be conducive to harmful bacterial growth.

Sprouts are rich in digestible energy, vitamins, minerals, [[amino acid]]s, proteins, and [[phytochemical]]s, as these are necessary for a germinating plant to grow.<ref>{{cite web| title =Plant-based nutrition| date =Spring 2002| url =http://www.plantbased.org/PLANT_BASED_NUTRITION_2002-02.doc| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20040728180402/http://www.plantbased.org/PLANT_BASED_NUTRITION_2002-02.doc| url-status =dead| archive-date =2004-07-28| access-date =2007-11-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Dikshit|first1=Madhurima|last2=Ghadle|first2=Mangala|title=Effect of sprouting on nutrients, antinutrients and in vitro digestibility of the MACS-13 soybean variety|journal=Plant Foods for Human Nutrition|date=2003|volume=58|issue=3|pages=1–11|doi=10.1023/B:QUAL.0000040357.70606.4c|s2cid=84496987}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Rumiyati|last2=Jayasena|first2=Vijay|last3=James|first3=Anthony P.|title=Total Phenolic and Phytosterol Compounds and the Radical Scavenging Activity of Germinated Australian Sweet Lupin Flour|journal=Plant Foods for Human Nutrition|date=13 August 2013|volume=68|issue=4|pages=352–357|doi=10.1007/s11130-013-0377-6|pmid=23943234|s2cid=12683591}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Świeca|first1=Michał|last2=Gawlik-Dziki|first2=Urszula|last3=Kowalczyk|first3=Dariusz|last4=Złotek|first4=Urszula|title=Impact of germination time and type of illumination on the antioxidant compounds and antioxidant capacity of Lens culinaris sprouts|journal=Scientia Horticulturae|date=June 2012|volume=140|pages=87–95|doi=10.1016/j.scienta.2012.04.005}}</ref>

* "The metabolic activity of resting seeds increases as soon as they are hydrated during soaking. Complex biochemical changes occur during hydration and subsequent sprouting. The reserve chemical constituents, such as protein, starch and lipids, are broken down by enzymes into simple compounds that are used to make new compounds."<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite journal|last1=Chavan|first1=J. K.|last2=Kadam|first2=S. S.|last3=Beuchat|first3=Larry R.|title=Nutritional improvement of cereals by sprouting|journal=Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition|date=January 1989|volume=28|issue=5|pages=401–437|doi=10.1080/10408398909527508|pmid=2692609}}</ref>
* "Sprouting grains causes increased activities of hydrolytic enzymes, improvements in the contents of total proteins, fat, certain essential amino acids, total sugars, B-group vitamins, and a decrease in dry matter, starch and anti-nutrients. The increased contents of protein, fat, fibre and total ash are only apparent and attributable to the disappearance of starch. However, improvements in amino acid composition, B-group vitamins, sugars, protein and starch digestibilities, and decrease in [[phytate]]s and [[Protease inhibitor (biology)|protease inhibitors]] are the metabolic effects of the sprouting process."<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

===Protein===
"Very complex qualitative changes are reported to occur during soaking and sprouting of seeds. The conversion of storage proteins of cereal grains into albumins and globulins during sprouting may improve the quality of cereal proteins. Many studies have shown an increase in the content of the amino acid lysine with sprouting."<ref name="ReferenceA" />

"An increase in proteolytic activity during sprouting is desirable for nutritional improvement of cereals because it leads to hydrolysis of prolamins and the liberated amino acids such as glutamic and proline are converted to limiting amino acids such as lysine."<ref name="ReferenceA" />

===Fiber===
"In sprouted barley, [[crude fiber]], a major constituent of cell walls, increases both in percentage and real terms, with the synthesis of structural carbohydrates, such as cellulose and hemicellulose."<ref name="Hydroponic grass">{{cite journal|last1=Cuddeford|first1=D.|title=Hydroponic grass|journal=In Practice|date=1 September 1989|volume=11|issue=5|pages=211–214|doi=10.1136/inpract.11.5.211|s2cid=219216512}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Peer|first=DJ|author2=Leeson |title=S|journal=Animal Feed Science and Technology|date=Dec 1985|volume=13|issue=3–4|pages=191–202|doi=10.1016/0377-8401(85)90022-7}}</ref>

===Vitamins===
Sprouting treatment of cereal grains may improve vitamin value, especially the B-group vitamins. Certain vitamins such as α-[[tocopherol]] (vitamin-E) and β-carotene (vitamin-A precursor) are produced during the growth process.<ref name="Hydroponic grass"/>