Alfalfa Sprouts

I read this on a vegetarian forum, any comments? :confused:

Quote:

---

Alfalfa sprouts are a popular vegetarian delight, but there is a caveat that comes with them. Alfalfa sprouts contain powerful phytotoxins and are detrimental to people with weak Immune systems. In dry leaf form, as used in food supple-ments, alfalfa does not pose a problem. But "fresh" alfalfa sprouts should be avoided like the plague! Cancer patients should NEVER, EVER eat alfalfa sprouts because the phytotoxins in them depress Immune function and create EXCESSES that fuel cancer. Clover and mustard sprouts should also be avoided. Other type seed sprouts are fine.

Occasional sickness is good. It means that your immune system is functioning and that your body KNOWS when things are out of balance.

Two Fabale legumes that cause serious long term problems for grazing animals are clover and alfalfa. In the field, they can be deadly toxic and cause bloating in ruminants. Cows, horses and sheep thrive on grasses which contain growth energy proteins and sugars. Grasses have a different "spin" on their nutrient molecules than do legumes like alfalfa, clover and soy.

Soy PHG reacts with circulating minerals and dissolved blood gases like chlorine, chloramlne and fluorine forming substances that resemble bath tub scum-like that which comes from using Grandma's lye soap in hard water.

Young Again! How to Reverse The Aging Process by John Thomas

---

I am suprised about this. However, I have recently decided to give up eating my homemade 'Sprouts' (usually Chickpea or Lentil), because I have had a couple of episodes of stomach upset with them. Shame, because they are such a cheap food source! :(

To be honest, i'm not sure how much research was done by John Thomas on that, but i do know a couple of cancer survivors who take alfalfa daily and are now very healthy... as a matter of fact, one of them is a sproutarian...

I do eat a lot of alfalfa sprouts, and have to say haven't been too well over the last few months, so perhaps there is something in it? I may go for a period of not eating them and see what happens.

Cheers for the info,

Kev

Health Benefits of Sprouts

by Steve Meyerowitz

Sprouts have long been famous as "health food" but recent research shows that in addition to being a superb source of nutrients, they also have important curative ability. Sprouts like alfalfa, radish, broccoli, clover and soybean contain concentrated amounts of phytochemicals (plant compounds) that can protect us against disease.

Studies on canavanine, an amino acid analog in alfalfa, has demonstrated benefit for pancreatic, colon and leukemia cancers. Plant estrogens are also abundant in sprouts. They increase bone formation and density and prevent bone breakdown or osteoporosis. They are also helpful in controlling hot flashes, menopause, PMS and fibrocystic breasts tumors.

Alfalfa sprouts are one of our finest food sources of another compound, saponins. Saponins lower the bad cholesterol and fat but not the good HDL fats. Animal studies prove their benefit in arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Saponins also stimulate the immune system by increasing the activity of natural killer cells such as T- lymphocytes and interferon. The saponin content of alfalfa sprouts multiplies 450% over that of the unsprouted seed.

Sprouts also contain an abundance of highly active antioxidants that prevent DNA destruction and protect us from the ongoing effects of aging. It wouldn't be inconceivable to find a fountain of youth here, after all, sprouts represent the miracle of birth.

http://www.living-foods.com/articles...tbenefits.html

I've tried looking to find anything that indicates phytotoxins in sprouts. I could find nothing.

I could also find nothing about this John Thomas apart from that book that he wrote. I can't find anything that tells me if he's a scientist, doctor, nutritionist or snake-oil sales man (I'm suspecting the latter).

I'm inclined to believe that it's pure bunk.

You know I gotta say. Everytime a food becomes popular for vegans to eat to get nutrition another article seems to come out on the fact that actually its not healthy for you. Am I the only one who is beginning to find this odd??

Kiva Dancer & TheFirstBus, I can't agree less, sometimes i wonder whether it could be a conspiracy or propaganda to make us eat meat??? :rolleyes:

I'm noticing this, too, TheFirstBus. It seems more and more that unhealthy foods are pushed as "healthy" while the healthy stuff is written in such bad light that it makes toxic waste look nutritious. :eek:

But that's not to say that sprouts are entirely off the hook. There is a possibility that certain germs can grow while the sprout is sprouting, causing food-borne illnesses. People with weakened immune systems should be cautious of this but ONLY because of the germs that might grow on the sprouts, not because of the sprouts themselves.

Cooked sprouts, however don't have this problem. I'm not sure about home grown sprouts. Maybe someone that does their own home-sprouting can shed better lights on this.