This careful preparation of wheat and other grains is necessary in order to eliminate anti-nutrients such as phytic acid and lectins. It also helps neutralize toxins and break down difficult to digest proteins such as gluten. This process optimized digestibility to allow maximum absorption of nutrients.
Unfortunately, this traditional preparation method has been lost with our modern cooking techniques. Today, home chefs value speed and convenience over nutrient density and digestibility!
Many consumers are returning to these wise and traditional preparation methods, especially as allergies and intolerances to grains continue to explode in the industrialized world. It is amazing to me how many folks label themselves as “gluten intolerant”. If they only realized how simple cooking techniques will easily break down the gluten and allow them to enjoy wheat again! This is exactly what my husband discovered when we started eating traditionally prepared grains in our home.
Benefits of Sprouted Flour
Sprouted flour is substantially more nutritious than unsprouted. For example, vitamin C is produced by sprouting grain, but it is absent in the unsprouted form. Vitamin B content is increased dramatically by sprouting as are carotenes, precursors to Vitamin A.
Sprouting inactivates the irritating substances in the hull of the grain as well. These inhibitors (phytic acid) have the potential to neutralize enzymes in the digestive tract. Hence, sprouting exponentially increases ease of digestion! It reduces the chances of indigestion and bloating too.
From a practical point of view, you feel full more quickly and stay satisfied longer when sprouted foods are consumed. The increased nutrition in each bite is what makes this possible.
Sprouting Inactivates Aflatoxins
Much media attention has been focused recently on the problem of aflatoxins in grains. Aflatoxins are potent carcinogens in grains and are present in high quantities in highly processed foods such as crackers, cookies, chips, and cereals. Sprouting inactivates aflatoxins, which is just another reason to follow the wisdom of traditional peoples in grain preparation!
Sprouting takes a bit of time, but it is quite easy and can be done in bulk. You probably will only need to do it once a month or so depending on how much sprouted flour you use.
Equipment for Sprouting Flour
The first item you need to sprout grain is a glass container with a screen lid (like this one). Many health food stores sell sprouting jars, but they are sometimes pricey. You can easily make one yourself at home using a glass jar and a clean pair of pantyhose cut to fit the lid of the jar and fastened with a rubber band.
The recipe below describes the sprouting process from start to finish.
Homemade Sprouted Flour
How to make sprouted flour yourself at home from sprouted grain for all your baking needs. Sprouted flour is more nutritious, filling and digestible.
Ingredients
- 2 cups grain preferably organic
- filtered water
- sprouting jar
Instructions
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Fill sprouting jar no more than half full of grain. Rinse the wheat several times with filtered water until the berries are completely wet.
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Fill the jar until almost full with water and let the berries soak overnight. The next morning, tip the jar and drain out the water using the screen lid to prevent the berries from spilling out. Rinse the wheat one more time and then invert the jar and let it sit at an angle to facilitate draining and allowing the circulation of air. I use my grain grinder as a support for the jar so that the draining occurs right over the kitchen sink.
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Every few hours, rinse the wheat again and reset the jar in the draining position. In anywhere from a few hours to a few days (depending on the time of year and warmth/humidity in your home), small white buds will appear on the ends of the wheat kernels.
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Pour the sprouted wheat kernels into baking pans and place in a dehydrator or a warm oven (150 F) for about 24 hours until fully dried. Keep a shallow depth for the wheat kernels in the pans to ensure quick drying. Take care not to go over 150 F/ 65 C else you will toast the flour in addition to dry it..
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After the sprouted wheat berries are dry, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or grind immediately and then freeze the sprouted flour. Use sprouted flour just like you would use regular flour in your favorite baking recipes.
Recipes Using Sprouted Flour
Once you’ve successfully made your first batch of sprouted flour, try one or more of these sprouted flour recipes to enjoy the delicious fruits of your labor!
- Sprouted Brownies
- Belgian Waffles
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Traditional Sprouted Stuffing
- Sprouted Flour Pizza Crust
- Sprouted Crackers
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Hi Sarah,
I read you post about making sprouted flour and it reminded me of how much time and effort it used to take me to make sprouted flour. Last year I found a company that sells certified organic sprouted flours and gave them a call. They do some things that a home sprouter cannot. First they test each batch to assure the grain has been sprouted as sometimes grain looks sprouted but is in fact drown. They have an organic rinsing system to remove the unwanted bacteria and they sift the finished flour to remove foreign matter. More steps that are not done by home sprouters. Their milling system is also more sophisticated, which enables their flour to have great baking characteristics. Bottom line is that after talking with these folks I'm happy to buy their safe, sanitary flour and it's so easy to pick up a bag at my health food store. Shiloh Farms is the brand, but the company that makes the flour has a lot of info on their site at essentialeating.com. Just thought those who don't have the time to sprout and mill their own might be interested.
Hi Sarah,
I applaud you for your efforts and have just read your sprouted flour post. It reminded me of the time and effort it used to take me to make sprouted flour. Last year I found a company selling certified organic sprouted flour and I gave them a call. Surprisingly they were doing some things that I couldn't do as a home sprouter. First, they test every batch to assure the grain has sprouted versus drown. They sift the sprouted flour to remove any foreign matter and they have more sophisticated milling equipment that makes flour with much better baking characteristics. All things I could not do a home. But the most enlightening thing was that they have an organic rinsing system that removes the "unwanted" bacteria from the sprouted grain, something I also could not do a home. So the bottom line is that I am now happy to buy their delicious, safe, sanitary, organic sprouted flour at my health food store and I'm sharing it with you and those who don't have the time to make sprouted flour at home. It is the only flour I use as it digests as a vegetable. Shiloh Farms is the label, but for more info on the company producing it see essentialeating.com. This sprouted flour has so improved my health and my kids love it. I'm happy to spread the word!
Hi Sarah,
Thank you for the interesting information. I wanted to ask you whether you stop the sprouting process even though not all of the grains have actually sprouted. I'm just sprouting spelt and some of the grains have the barely visible white sprout and some don't. Those that don't are soft and chewable, and I'm not sure whether to leave it a bit longer to wait and risk that those sprouting already will sprout too much…
Hi Eva, I would wait a bit until all of the spelt berries are sprouted. It shouldn't take but a few hours more.
Sarah, you explained this simple process so well. I've hesitated sprouting my own bc I thought it was a really big time consuming job. Not so. Thanks.
I was wondering if anyone has sprouted any gluten free grains like millet or buckwheat?
I didn't find a company that carries these.
Thanks
Karen
Hi,
I always sprout my gluten free grains.I sprout amranth,quinoa,buckwheat etc.They sprout very well but do take little bit more time then spelt or wheat.I always sprout lentils too.They also sprout very well.Mung beans sprouts are gluten free and considered very healthy.Let me know if any concerns.
Hi Sara,
I am wondering if you can share how you would make bread with sprouted flour. I could use this flour with baked goods that do not require a rise. But without gluten in the grain how do you make a loaf of sandwich bread rise? Yeast or no yeast? I did a search but didn't see this on the blog.Thanks!
Holly
Hi Holly, I do not use sprouted flour for bread. It works best for baked goods that don't require much of a rise, like pancakes, waffles, or pizza crust. Yeast is fine to use with sprouted flour if you want on perfecting that process, but it is better to ferment the dough (sourdough) for bread if you are using unsprouted flour. No yeast is required to bake a sourdough loaf.
Hi Sarah!
Do you know why yeast is fine to use with sprouted flour, but not with unsprouted flour? I’ve read that yeasted breads are not good, but do not really know why that is. Do you have any info. on this? Thanks so much!
Bess
Thanks for the info! Very helpful! My first experience with sprouting was unsuccessful, as I used hard wheat and sprouted too long. So, it's good to know that I need to use soft wheat and I look forward to not have to soak quick breads.
Thanks again!
I just want to say that I have had some great success with the sprouting. I have sprouted white wheat, dried it, and baked with it this week. It is VERY light. It made yummy scones and pancakes. Also I sprouted red winter wheat, ground it in my food processer and made some delicious loaves of hardy chewy yeasted bread. It rose wonderfully. I just wish I had a better way to grind the wet grain as I think I would get a lighter loaf. I am really enjoying the change. I have baked whole wheat bread for 15 years, but I know that my stomach is not always happy about the wheat. Hopefully this will be something my body handles better. Just wanted to share and say thanks for all your work and the blog. I really enjoy it and it is so helpful.
Holly