Someone on here recently told me that the white stuff that forms on sprouts is not mold. I decided to start growing sprouts again but just want to make sure that my latest batch is definitely mold free. Here's a pic: [imgur.com]

I can't tell from the picture what's going on other than those are going to taste very bitter since they are way overgrown. IMO.

***Oops. Ok now I see you sprouted wheat berries. I have no experience with those so I have no idea how they will taste or how long to grow them.

[ruralspin.com]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/2014 03:52PM by SueZ.

You can't see that white stuff? How can you tell that they're overgrown?

HH Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You can't see that white stuff? How can you tell
> that they're overgrown?


Are you trying to grow wheatgrass?

The pros around here can probably answer better than me, but I've been sprouting for a while so maybe this will help.

They look like root hairs on overgrown sprouts but it's hard to tell. I sometimes use a magnifying loop to check sprouts. Maybe my eyes are just gettin' old,

THeSt0rm's description is really accurate. Root hairs should grow almost "conifer" like from the roots, with tiny branches. Mold kinda webs itself all over the mass of sprouts less organized.

There is usually a "musty" smell when they go moldy.

The problem I find with growing them that long is all that extra time and surface area makes them more susceptible to getting moldy. But I'm in So. CA so temperature is a bigger battle for me.

Thanks, everyone for getting back to this before I did with the good info. I was thinking maybe my computer screen was no good since I couldn't see the hairs, lol.

I think HH was referring to our talk about broccoli sprout which really are hard to see without magnification.

Anyway, here's a good video and lots more info on sprouting wheat...


[sproutpeople.org]

Long story but I have no clue what I was thinking. I have a big bucket of wheatgrass seeds for growing in trays and for some reason spaced-out and put them in a jar. Ugh. Anyway, I've gotten the same white stuff on my broccoli sprouts. Probably not mold.

HH Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Long story but I have no clue what I was thinking.
> I have a big bucket of wheatgrass seeds for
> growing in trays and for some reason spaced-out
> and put them in a jar. Ugh. Anyway, I've gotten
> the same white stuff on my broccoli sprouts.
> Probably not mold.

I wouldn't want to sprout without having a good German or Japanese x10 loupe. In fact I wouldn't want to be without one in any circumstances. They really are indispensable, IMO.

HH Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Someone on here recently told me that the white
> stuff that forms on sprouts is not mold. I decided
> to start growing sprouts again but just want to
> make sure that my latest batch is definitely mold
> free. Here's a pic: [imgur.com]

Those grain sprouts have been grown far too long. Once the grass appears they start getting tough to eat. Only grow to root stage (2 days roughly). That is not mold, but it is at borderline stage where mold can very easily develop. I would be very careful eating that and would clean it thoroughly. Evenstill, eating it at that stage is going to be very unpleasant because you would be eating tough sprouts and high fiber grass...not a good idea.

Here is a picture of rye sprouts grown to an optimal stage. Notice the roots (fine legs) v's the grass part which is only just starting to form (very small nubs). Wheat sprouts and oat groat sprouts should look like this also.



Try to buy soft wheat for sprouting grain sprouts and hard wheat for growing wheatgrass. If you can't get soft wheat you can also sprout oat groats because they are softer and easy to eat. If you are using hard grains such as rye, hard wheat berries and millet it is best to sprout, crush, and then ferment. Millet can be sprouted for 4 - 5 days (depending on temperiture) because it is a slow growing grain. Amaranth and quinoa for 3 - 4 days...it's nice and soft.

Never grow rice sprouts. Sprouting still doesn't soften them up, and fermenting them still doesn't break down many anti nutrients because the solution doesn't enter the hard rice sprouts very well due to their tough structure. That is one sprout you should always avoid unless you cook it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/2014 10:23PM by The Sproutarian Man.

SueZ Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> [ruralspin.com]
> ries-whole-grain-goodness/

Those wheat sprouts are o.k, but that is the longest you want to be growing them for.

The Sproutarian Man Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SueZ Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> >
> >
> [ruralspin.com]
>
> > ries-whole-grain-goodness/
>
> Those wheat sprouts are o.k, but that is the
> longest you want to be growing them for.

Yeah, I learned that once I watched the sproutpeople.com video once it dawned on me that HH was showing wheat sprouts. I have stayed away from gluten containing grains for decades so I knew nothing about sprouting them.

BTW, another thing that should be cooked if sprouted is kidney beans

SueZ Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> Yeah, I learned that once I watched the
> sproutpeople.com video once it dawned on me that
> HH was showing wheat sprouts. I have stayed away
> from gluten containing grains for decades so I
> knew nothing about sprouting them.


Yes, best to avoid gluten sprouts if you can. But if you have gluten grain sprouts the fermentation will greatly reduce the gluten and has been reported in the science literature to be tolerated by celiac patients. One man goes as far to say that fermenting gluten grains can reduce gluten to as low as 14 ppm, but take that with a grain of salt because he refuses to show his research.

Here is just one scholar article on fermentation reducing gluten. It's a long boring technical read, but it shows us that we can treat gluten grains to make them more tolerable.

Highly Efficient Gluten Degradation by Lactobacilli and Fungal Proteases during Food Processing: New Perspectives for Celiac Disease

Carlo G. Rizzello, Maria De Angelis et al
[www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]




>
> BTW, another thing that should be cooked if
> sprouted is kidney beans


Yes, and so should lima bean and broad bean sprouts. I recall it is the high levels of cyanide which can contribute to poisening in those foods. Cooking, soaking and fermenting can also remove high cyanide levels. But regardless, sprouting those big bean sprouts doesn't improve them much because they are still very starchy. Sprouted raw broad bean and lima are unpleasant to eat and not something l would ever do again.

Regarding the link to those grain sprouts. Even better would be to sprout grains in the dark. Sunlight draws moisture and can make them tougher. Always want to keep grain sprouts nice and moist so those green nibs stay white.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/2014 11:41PM by The Sproutarian Man.

The
Sproutarian Man Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------




> if you have gluten grain sprouts the fermentation
> will greatly reduce the gluten and has been
> reported in the science literature to be tolerated
> by celiac patients. One man goes as far to say
> that fermenting gluten grains can reduce gluten to
> as low as 14 ppm, but take that with a grain of
> salt because he refuses to show his research.
>
> Here is just one scholar article on fermentation
> reducing gluten. It's a long boring technical
> read, but it shows us that we can treat gluten
> grains to make them more tolerable.
>
> Highly Efficient Gluten Degradation by
> Lactobacilli and Fungal Proteases during Food
> Processing: New Perspectives for Celiac Disease
>
> Carlo G. Rizzello, Maria De Angelis et al
> [www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
> 7/

I wouldn't dare risk it. It was what happened to me after testing some supposedly "new improved" gluten free oatmeal, after 25 years without, which drove me to going raw vegan in the first place. I wouldn't want to go through that again for anything.

I understand. Some people have different thresholds of gluten intolerance. Fortunately those indigestable rogue proteins haven't been a problem for myself, but it sounds like a nightmare for those who do suffer from it. And it seems like allergies and food intolerances is more wide spread than ever now, and it makes me wonder if these mothers eating GM foods are passing on nasty things in their breast milk and contributing to the lack of ability to thrive into their children. It seems that more kids than ever are having health problems and mental unbalance issues now, it's really sad to hear about and see.

so sproutman

do u suggest avoiding wheatgrass due to its gluten content?

and anything with buckwheat or groats?

la_veronique Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> so sproutman
>
> do u suggest avoiding wheatgrass due to its
> gluten content?


No.

Is Wheat Grass and Barley Grass Safe for Celiacs?
[www.youtube.com]



>
> and anything with buckwheat or groats?

Buckwheat is a completely different family of food, nothing to do with wheat. It is gluten free.


Is Buckwheat Flour Really Gluten-Free?
[www.celiac.com]


However buckwheat is high in tannins and our old friend oxalic acid, and contains an undersirabale toxin that can cause sensitivities to sunlight.

Are Buckwheat Greens Toxic?

by Gilles Arbour (simple article)
[www.townsendletter.com]

It's a food that should be taken no more than three times per week.


Fe(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) chelating activity of buckwheat and buckwheat groats tannin fractions

KaramacĀ“, M
[cabdirect.org]

The buckwheat greens always have higher tannin levels than the groats, but still...the groats can rear their fangs when they want to. Gotta keep the beast in the buckwheat under control by only visiting him semi regularly, because once he gets those fangs into you he can hurt ya.

It also looks like the tannins can push the zinc - copper ratio in our favour too.

The Sproutarian Man Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SueZ Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> > BTW, another thing that should be cooked if
> > sprouted is kidney beans


> Yes, and so should lima bean and broad bean
> sprouts. I recall it is the high levels of cyanide
> which can contribute to poisening in those foods.
> Cooking, soaking and fermenting can also remove
> high cyanide levels. But regardless, sprouting
> those big bean sprouts doesn't improve them much
> because they are still very starchy. Sprouted raw
> broad bean and lima are unpleasant to eat and not
> something l would ever do again.


IMO, all beans should not be eaten without being well cooked - just an all around bad choice for eating raw. I say this not because of tannins or cyanide but because they all contain phytohemagglutinin which damage the intestines if not cooked at a full rolling boil for at least ten minutes- even lentils, not just the larger starchier beans.

The Sproutarian Man Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Buckwheat is a completely different family of
> food, nothing to do with wheat. It is gluten free.
> However buckwheat is high in tannins and our old
> friend oxalic acid, and contains an undersirabale
> toxin that can cause sensitivities to sunlight.

Buckwheat is in the rhubarb family.

Well to each his own but if I feel a need for beans I'll just cook them, which although not ideal, is not nearly as unwholesome as the other wretched alternatives IMO. I don't want to eat like a fly does. Even the idea of eating like that turns my stomach. It doesn't seem necessary for humans to eat that way but if you like it you like it I guess.

l am sure Brian Clement wouldn't promote raw sprouted beans and grains if he wasn't aware of the protective measures we can take so we don't get sick.

Sproutman's excellent sprouting book strictly recommends cooking sprouted legumes and grains, but science has moved on since he wrote that book in the 80's. He also overplayed the role that sprouting has on anti-nutrients, but all sprouting books and websites do, except one haha.

All of the old sprouting books have errors in them. And even Brian Clement gets it wrong when talking about mung beans...he says they are the most digestable protein that even babies can digest, but that runs contrary to the science because they do have tannins and various rogue indigestable proteins. And we know that many people have trouble digesting mung bean sprouts. It makes you wonder such high profile sproutarians would say such things, like, why wouldn't he know that?

The Sproutarian Man Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> l am sure Brian Clement wouldn't promote raw
> sprouted beans and grains if he wasn't aware of
> the protective measures we can take so we don't
> get sick.
>
> Sproutman's excellent sprouting book strictly
> recommends cooking sprouted legumes and grains,
> but science has moved on since he wrote that book
> in the 80's. He also overplayed the role that
> sprouting has on anti-nutrients, but all sprouting
> books and websites do, except one haha.
>
> All of the old sprouting books have errors in
> them. And even Brian Clement gets it wrong when
> talking about mung beans...he says they are the
> most digestable protein that even babies can
> digest, but that runs contrary to the science
> because they do have tannins and various rogue
> indigestable proteins. And we know that many
> people have trouble digesting mung bean sprouts.
> It makes you wonder such high profile sproutarians
> would say such things, like, why wouldn't he know
> that?


We really don't know much about how to eat properly in our era yet. Or so it seems to me. Almost everything I'm reading and seeing in videos has either relatively recently become obsolete or is 27th hand ancient "food as a religion" type stuff with old dead guys put on pedestals as idols. Creeps me out.

The raw food gurus are really, really creeping me out - especially your darlings. They all are starting to remind me of carnival barkers.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2014 06:33AM by SueZ.

Sprouts do seem to have a little fuzz sometimes that can look like mold. But I always thought it was part of the plant.