Ideas
The Edible Office 'Sproutastic' Fresh Alfalfa
The Edible office is taking its first orders for bags of freshly sprouted alfala as part of its product development trials. Full of vitamins its great sprinkled on salads or as a sandwich filling etc to add to a work lunch.
How to get your Alfalfa sprouts from the Edible OFfice
Cost is £1.50 per sandwich bag which will last up to a week in the fridge.
Its a SPROUTASTIC way to aid health eating!
If you would like to place a trial order contact Sue Walsh or tel: 01707 281233.
Any income will be used to help further develop the project.
Why Alfalfa Sprouts? Alfalfa sprouts are the shoots of the alfalfa plant, harvested before they become the full-grown plant. Because they are so small, the sprouts contain a concentrated amount of certain vitamins and minerals such as calcium, vitamin K and vitamin C. Alfalfa sprouts have no fat and are only 8 calories per cup.
Vitamin K Vitamin K helps with blood clotting when you injure yourself or have surgery. Your intestines make some vitamin K, but the rest of what you need should come from nutritious foods. A vitamin K deficiency, though uncommon, can cause excessive bleeding. The daily requirement of vitamin K is 90 micrograms for women and 120 micrograms for men. One cup of alfalfa sprouts contains 10.1 micrograms of vitamin K.
n.b. Please check with your GP if you have a medical condition which may be affected by eating Vitamin K.
Additional Nutrients One cup of alfalfa sprouts supplies 2.7 milligrams of the 75 to 90 milligrams of vitamin C you need each day for a strong immune system and healthy skin. A serving of alfalfa sprouts supplies small amounts of bone-building calcium and potassium for healthy muscles and a normal heart beat. You also get tiny doses of magnesium, iron, folate and vitamin A from a serving of alfalfa sprouts.
Health Benefits Alfalfa sprouts are one of the most significant dietary sources of phytoestrogens, which are beneficial compounds in plant foods that can help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis, according to Michael T. Murray, author of "The Condensed Encyclopedia of Healing Foods." Alfalfa sprouts also saponins which can help lower your LDL, or “bad” cholesterol while also increasing your HDL, or "good" cholesterol.
Eating Alfalfa Sprouts You should rinse alfalfa sprouts thoroughly under running water for one to two minutes and allow them to drain before eating them. Add rinsed alfalfa sprouts to a salad or layer them into a lunchtime sandwich. Other ideas include:Toppings for burgers, pizzas, cheese on toast. Added to pitta’s or flatbreads stuffed with feta cheese, humous, tomatoes or salad. Added to a serving of pasta or bean salad. We’d love to hear how you enjoy your alfalfa……send in your ideas and recipes to www.theedibleoffice.co.uk
