ARE SPROUTED BEANS PALEO?

legumes paleo

Looking for ways to sneak hummus and falafel into your diet? We’ll take a look at every modern-day vegetarian’s favorite food item: sprouted beans! Are they Paleo?

What are Sprouted Beans?

It is incredibly easy to make sprouted beans – since that’s what they’re naturally wont to do anyway! Sprouted beans are made by soaking the beans overnight, then rinsing and draining them a few times a day; you basically cover the soaked beans with a paper towel or cheesecloth (uncovering to rinse occasionally) and leave them at room temperature until sprouts start to shoot out of them! They’re popular for two reasons: 1) sprouted beans are easier on your digestive tract and minimize gas and bloating, 2) sprouting beans reduces anti-nutrients like leptins and phytic acid.

Now that you know they’re easier on your gut, you might be expected a Paleo stamp of approval. Sorry, but beans are beans, and sprouted beans are still not Paleo. The confusing thing is that they were definitely around for hunter-gatherer societies in the Paleolithic era, but they were likely only consumed by a few of these societies. According to the detailed article below by Chris Kresser, sprouted beans are probably an okay part of a healthy, nutrient-dense Paleo diet, but they’re not as nutrient dense as things like meat, fish, eggs, and vegetables. And, some of their nutrients are not fully available even after soaking and sprouting. So, no, sprouted beans are not Paleo, but they’re one of the healthiest “cheat foods” you can consume.

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