There is a relatively new popular health trend – bread made with sprouted grains.
To be totally honest, it is not that “new.” Archaeological evidence points to the use of sprouted grains in ancient Egypt for making beer. Sprouting the grains increases their sugar content, which accelerates their fermentation capability.
Everyone is familiar with sprouts sold in the vegetable section of the supermarket – bean sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, etc., that are often added to salads to add texture and nutritional value.
What makes sprouted grains healthier than regular grains?
A grain/seed can survive in its dormant, inert state for a long time, even years. During this time, the tough, leathery skin covering the seed protects the interior of the seeds and its viability to rejuvenate. When you plant a dry, dormant seed in the ground and water it, this triggers germination. It begins to grow “sprouts” – small roots that form the foundation of the new, growing plant.
While the dry seed is in its dormant state, its nutritional value is static and predetermined. However, when the seed begins to germinate and grow, there is an ever-increasing demand for nutrients to feed the fledgling plant, much like a pregnant mother begins to “eat for two.” As a result, the nutrient value of the seed is increased substantially, as is the accessibility of the nutrients. During germination, enzymes in the grain break down complex sugars and proteins into a more readily available form. It is one of the most wondrous miracles of nature.
Baking your own sprouted grain bread is relatively easy and fun, especially during the warm summer months, which are perfect for germinating the grains. The process just takes a little longer than regular baking – and you need to be meticulous with hygiene to prevent growth of unwanted and potentially harmful bacteria.
Let us begin with sprouting the grains. These may be wheat, spelt, etc. (or many grains of your choosing). Before beginning the process, all utensils must be cleaned well with soap, and then sterilized by pouring boiling water over/in them. The grains also need to be sterilized by first soaking in vinegar for an hour, followed by rinsing well in a strainer under running water for a couple of minutes after the water runs clear (do not reuse the vinegar).
Place the grains in a sterilized container and cover (to the level of the grains) with boiled and cooled water. Cover the container with a lid and leave on the kitchen counter at room temperature. After 24 hours, pour out and replace the water with new boiled, cooled water. Repeat, until you see sprouts beginning to form on the grains.
If the grains begin to smell bad, you have an unwanted “guest” (bacteria) in the mixture. Dispose of them and begin again from scratch.
Rinse the sprouted grains well in a strainer under running water. You may now begin baking using these sprouted grains immediately, or store them (in an airtight container) in the refrigerator for up to a week.
DEPENDING ON taste and personal preference, it is possible to bake bread entirely with sprouted grains, or combine them with regular flour. Bread made with only sprouted grains and no flour tends to be denser and heavier than a combination of the two. The sprouted grains may be blended into a paste in a food processor, or added whole in the dough, together with regular flour (dough made with whole sprouted grains only and no flour will not rise).
The next stage is baking. Part of the reason to bake bread with sprouted grains is for the increased nutrient content. The bread must therefore be baked differently so that the heat does not destroy some of the heat-sensitive vitamins. It is not possible to avoid destroying vitamin C (which happens at 30°C/86°F), as it is impossible to bake bread under 30°C.
However, the remaining heat-sensitive B vitamins are resilient to temperatures until about 90°C/194°F. For this reason, the bread is baked at a low temperature (around 60°C/150°F) for a longer time – overnight. You pop the bread into the oven before you go to sleep, and when you wake up (eight hours later), you have a wonderfully smelling house and fresh bread for breakfast.
Eating it together with a glass of fresh orange juice (to provide the missing vitamin C) for breakfast will give you a nutrient and energy boost for the day.
The writer, a master baker originally from Johannesburg, South Africa, lives in Karnei Shomron with his wife, Sheryl, and four children. He is CEO of the Saidel Jewish Baking Center (www.jewishbakingcenter.com), which specializes in baking and teaching how to bake healthy, traditional Jewish bread. He also manages the Showbread Institute (www.showbreadinstitute.org), which researches the biblical showbread.