How To Tap into the Power of the Planet’s Most Nutritious Foods: Sprouts, Shoots, Microgreens & More With Doug Evans.

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Two years ago, I discovered sprouts.

During my early COVID quarantine time when we were all first stuck at home stocking up on Twinkies and toilet paper, I powered through “The Sprout Book: Tap into the Power of the Planet's Most Nutritious Food” to learn how to use dirt-cheap seeds—readily available anywhere even when grocery stores are sold out of Twinkies and toilet paper—to unlock a host of nutrients in an inexpensive, space-saving environment at home.

I used the “Broccoli & Friends” mix —a potent blend of high-germination broccoli, alfalfa, radish, and clover sprouting seeds) and a glass mason jar sprouting method to sprout for 5 days and…holy cow! I was amazed at the life these little powerhouses took on.

The book teaches you how to easily grow sprouts, microgreens, grasses, and much more, the health benefits of sprouts, including the ability to improve the digestive process, increase metabolic rate, increase enzymatic activity, prevent anemia, aid in weight loss, regulate cholesterol, reduce blood pressure, prevent neural tube defects, boost skin health, improve vision, support the immune system, and increase usable energy reserves. Plus, sprouting deactivates all the built-in plant defense mechanisms. I now use most of these on salads and in smoothies, then salt, spice, and dehydrate a batch for a crunchy on-the-go snack.

Doug Evans, my guest on today's podcast, is an early pioneer in the natural food industry, and he happened to have written The Sprout Book. In 2002, he co-founded Organic Avenue, one of the first exclusively organic plant-based retail chains in the country. He then created and founded Juicero, the first fresh, farm to glass automatic cold-press juicer, with the mission of bringing more fresh produce to the home.

Doug Evans lives in the Mojave Desert at Wonder Valley Hot Springs. Doug Evans wrote The Sprout Book in an effort to teach people about the power of sprouts and has written a transformative plan for sprouting. He's revolutionizing gardening and growing your own food right in your kitchen in an affordable and accessible way. His mission in life is to help people learn how to grow and eat the most nutritious food on the planet…sprouts.

Among the mind-blowing nutritional qualities of sprouts:

  • They have 20-30 times the nutrients of other vegetables and 100 times those of meat
  • They pack cancer-fighting properties and help to protect us from cardiovascular disease and environmental pollutants
  • They aid in digestion
  • They are a simple way to grow your own vegetables and are compatible with all diets

The forty recipes inside his book feature sprouts on top of raw vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, spices, sea vegetables, and top-quality cold-pressed vegetable oils for the healthiest diet possible.

During our discussion, you'll discover:

-Doug Evans' personal history…08:25

  • Moved to the Mojave Desert about 3 years prior to this interview being recorded
  • Growing consumable foods in the desert will take a very long time
  • Never sprouted for meals; always as a garnish
  • Within one month, the majority of calories were consumed via sprouts grown in a small box
  • “Digestion begins with the eyes”
  • Microbiome shifted so that sprouts could be digested more efficiently
  • Viome
  • Gutbio

-How sprouts differ from other plants regarding plant-defense mechanisms…14:30

-The sprouting process explained…17:15

  • All plants naturally want to reproduce just like animals
  • One seed has the potential to grow into an entire plant such as broccoli
  • Acids in the nutritional process remove the enzymes and prepare the seed for germination
  • Sprouting is simulating the reproduction process of particular plants
  • Sprouting jars with metal screens  are best to strain the sprouted plants
  • Sprouting stand
  • Rinse them again, invert the jar so the extra water can drain, and still have airflow into the jar
  • Alfalfa vs. alfalfa sprouts are a dramatic contrast in edibility and digestibility
  • Much more digestible than seeds
  • Sprouts don't have sulforaphane by themselves; it's activated when you chew or grind them

-The immediate results of Doug Evans' sprouting practice…31:50

-Logistical questions about sprouting answered…42:10

-How to obtain the best seeds for sprouting…52:25

-Technology that can simplify the sprouting process without compromising quality…56:15

  • Testing showed 100% of samples had yeast present
  • Molds are ever-present
  • Hacks and automation are handy, but are they addressing the above issues?
  • Need water source, circulation, the right type of seeds
  • Software and community to codify and centralize knowledge for the good of the consumer

-Why Doug Evans can't believe more people are not sprouting right now…1:03:30

  • 10x the value if you do a bit of work
  • Sprouting isn't mainstream because people get discouraged with the work involved
  • Everything becomes easy when the demand hits a certain tipping point

-How to make the best hummus you've ever had in your own kitchen…1:07:30

  • Garbanzo can be sprouted in 12 hours
  • Garbanzo hummus recipe—blend for 1 minute:
    • 1 cup of garbanzo sprouts (8 oz.)
    • Pickles (3-4 oz.)
    • Brine (3 liquid oz.)
  • This hummus can be used as a base; add any other sprouts in (lentils)
  • Lentils can also sprout in 12 hours
    • Antioxidant levels in lentils double in 12 hours
    • Vitamin C content is tripled in 12 hours
    • Continuing for 3-4 days quadruples the fiber level

-And much more…

Upcoming Events:

Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode.

Resources from this episode:

Doug Evans:

– Podcasts:

– Books:

– Other Resources:

Link to sprouting jars, sprouting stands, etc. off Amazon

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Do you have questions, thoughts, or feedback for Doug Evans or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!

Ask Ben a Podcast Question

6 thoughts on “How To Tap into the Power of the Planet’s Most Nutritious Foods: Sprouts, Shoots, Microgreens & More With Doug Evans.

  1. Jim Schaaf says:

    Ben, you mentioned Rhonda Patrick several times. I listen to all her podcasts and have for a long time. As you said she has talked a lot about sprouting, but I don’t think she has ever suggested putting broccoli seeds in the freezer and then eating them. She has suggested putting the sprouts in the freezer to save them. But not the seeds. In fact, she has wondered about even eating the seeds.

    1. VanDross Meno says:

      I also have to defend Rhonda here, I believe I’ve listened to most of her content on broccoli sprouts and she’s never recommended just eating the seeds.. great podcast though learned a ton and bought the book with your link!

  2. Dale AKA Healthnut says:

    Ben or Doug –

    Curious your thoughts on a sprouting detox /cleanse.

    I have done the Dr. Pompa detox and I have noticed after some

    research there is a sprouting detox /cleanse.

    Ben – Have you decided on your end of year detox?

    Blessings from Mexico.

    Dale

  3. Jon says:

    I began experimenting with sprouting over a year ago during the COVID pandemic. The interview with Doug reinforces all the reasons I got started with sprouting, plus it added more to my knowledge base! I just ordered The Sprout Book, and I’ll have to try making the sprouted garbanzo bean hummus. I imagine it will make a good spread for my homemade sourdough bread.

    I have been putting together my own sprout combo where I combine equal portions of mung beans, green lentils, wheat, broccoli and radish seeds. I add a scoop of the combo (about 2 tablespoons) to each mason jar and harvest after 4 to 5 days including the first soak.

    I also like cooking up a mix of kidney beans, brown rice and pork, which makes a great burrito filling. I sprout the kidney beans and rice for a few days before cooking. I just wish I had started sprouting 20 years ago!

    1. Thank you for sharing this Jon! Glad to hear my conversation with Doug was reassuring. And as far as starting 20 years ago, well, you know what they say, the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago but the second best time is today :)

      1. Doug Evans says:

        Jon! This is great feedback!
        You are a great example of putting sprouting into practice.

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