What the heck are activated (sprouted) seeds and grains?

Im sure most people who are trying to be healthy or are just walking casually in a grocery store have asked themselves: What the heck is activated nuts? Why is this here? Why is it so damn expensive? Is this some weird new food trend? I don’t have time or money for another weird trend.
Understandable….. I feel that way most of the time! Well let me tell you, it’s much more important than some fad. It’s about the circle of life and death.

Dramatic much? Maybe. But really it’s about the start of life…for a seed or grain! If you have ever gardened or taken interest in plants, it will all start making sense in a moment.

One semester at UF, I enrolled in a Botany class and was super excited to finally know plants on a scientific level. At this point I was already soaking my nuts and grains just because I heard it was good to do so (plus hispanics always soak their beans and legumes before they cook it). To my surprise my teacher had a lecture on why we should be soaking seeds and grains. He reminds us that seeds and grains are meant to become a plant eventually. It is because of this, seeds/grains store certain nutrients through long periods of time until they are “activated” in the right setting before they release a sprout.

If we think about it some more it makes sense. Seeds and grains, like almonds and beans last forever in the pantry. Though, we never stop to ask why? These seeds have a protective coating on the outside with a certain chemical composition to keep those nutrients in, until the moment they are ready to sprout (scientific name: germinate). When they feel the environment is right a.k.a flooding, the seeds will activate and grow because that is how the plant will survive. We imitate nature by sprouting or activating these babies when we soak them first (“flooding”) and then giving them some sort of proper ventilation by letting it drain and let air flow through, while at the same time making sure to keep it moist (these are conditions of soil).
Well you might be asking yourself: So what? Thats cool and all but I don’t care too much about how a seed grows, and I’m not spending my precious time sprouting them. I barely have the motivation to heat up a pan! ( I feel you, I really do)

So now I’ll tell you why it’s important
Remember the protective coating outside of the seeds. l hate to break it to you but it’s not there to protect you. As a matter of fact they actually irritate you (your digestive tract that is). See this little protective layer is made up of phytic acid and this is a phosphoric compound found in most seeds and grains. It has the ability to bond to metal ions such as zinc, calcium, and iron, which means that it has poor bioavailability. Long story short, the phytic acid is interfering with key minerals in your body. Poor bioavailability means that your body is not absorbing the vitamins and minerals in each grain/seed you consume. Sucks right? You spend the money and dedication to be healthy, and then you find out you’re not absorbing every drop of goodness it has to offer!
It okay, because now you know and you can extract all of it! There’s tons of gadgets and tools for sprouting. The key to sprouting is to let it soak overnight. The next day you will rinse and let it drain, making sure to rinse it repeatedly after 2 times a day minimum. Again, this mimics soil conditions and within 2 days you will start to see it sprout! It really is so satisfying to watch something grow. For me it feels like I am breathing life into something, or awakening it from a deep sleep.

You could also just buy a lid with holes on top for a mason jar. So many people own these jars already and it does the job very well. That is the method I use and it never fails! You can find the link for the lids here .
Think about it this way, you’re getting your value’s worth. At least for me it’s the most important part! I don’t like knowing that I’m wasting my money on beans because I’m skipping the soaking and sprouting process. Which, not only makes my tummy hurt, but makes it more difficult to absorb nutrients as well. Umm, no thank you!
P.S. If you find it difficult or want something a bit easier to do the whole process, they sell sprouted and activated seeds/grains in bulk. It’s a little more expensive, but it’s definitely more convenient. If the price is not too high, I definitely go for that when I’m in a time pinch and need to cook dinner! You can check Trader Joe’s for sprouted rice and sprouted quinoa. Thrive Market has sprouted grains which can be shipped to you. I've even seen it on bulk at Costco!