Are foods highly toxic after they sprout? Some foods can cause poisoning, while others have doubled nutritional value...

This article was reviewed by Liu Shaowei, food safety expert, former deputy director and professor of Food and Drug Regulatory Research Center of East China University of Science and Technology

Every time they go to the supermarket, many people choose to buy food for a few days or a week at a time in case of emergency. However, this practice can easily lead to a problem: some vegetables tend to sprout if left for a long time.

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

When it comes to food sprouting, most people would think "sprouted food is generally poisonous and cannot be eaten. Eating it will be fatal!"

However, we can eat sprouts like mung bean sprouts, soybean sprouts, and pea sprouts. So, for some common foods in life, such as peanuts, potatoes, sweet potatoes, garlic, ginger, etc., will their nutrients double or produce toxins when they sprout?

These foods have higher nutritional value after sprouting

peanut

Vitamin C increases greatly after germination. It is best not to eat those that are not artificially sprouted.

If the peanuts are intentionally cultivated for germination, the vitamin C content will be greatly increased after germination, and resveratrol and flavonoids, nutrients that have antioxidant effects on the human body, will also be increased, greatly improving the nutritional value.

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

Generally, when peanuts sprout at home, it is probably because the outer skin of the peanuts is damaged. At this time, the peanuts are prone to mold and form toxic aflatoxin, which is a strong carcinogen. It is recommended not to eat them. Once you notice that "not good", it is recommended to throw away the sprouted peanuts at home. If you really want to eat peanut sprouts, you should buy them at supermarkets or vegetable markets.

Soybeans, mung beans, peas

The beneficial elements increase accordingly

The nutritional value of beans themselves is very high. After sprouting, they actually become another food ingredient - soybean sprouts, mung bean sprouts, and pea sprouts, which have higher nutritional value.

Take soybean sprouts for example. Compared with soybeans, the fat and reducing sugar content of bean sprouts are lower, while the content of vitamin A, vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin and isoflavones is higher.

Moreover, after the beans germinate, part of the protein will be broken down into various amino acids needed by the human body. The sprouts are more delicious and delicate, and more suitable for people with poor digestive function.

Pea sprouts are the "best of the best". After sprouting, the carotene content of peas (2700 micrograms/100 grams) is 27 times more than that of the fruits and vegetables we usually eat (usually less than 100 micrograms/100 grams).

However, like peanuts, these sprouts must be homemade to ensure the safety of the ingredients and avoid mold.

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

brown rice

After germination, some nutrients double

The brown rice sprouts produced by brown rice are not only easier to digest and have a softer taste, but also some nutrients are doubled. It also activates the brown rice to produce new nutrients, such as γ-aminobutyric acid, a sleeping and brain-boosting ingredient, thus killing two birds with one stone.

These foods can be eaten after sprouting

garlic

You can eat it but the nutrition will be discounted

The nutritional value of garlic will actually be reduced after sprouting, but as long as the garlic is not moldy or rotten, it can be eaten and has no effect on health.

Ginger

Germination is non-toxic, but nutrition is compromised

No harmful substances are produced during the germination process of ginger, but the germination process will consume the nutrients inside it, slightly reducing the nutritional value of the ginger itself.

However, if the ginger is rotten or moldy, it should not be eaten, otherwise it will cause food poisoning.

This kind of food must not be eaten after it sprouts

Potato

Germination toxin poisoning

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

Potatoes naturally contain a toxic alkaloid called solanine. Under normal circumstances, the content of solanine is extremely low. Potatoes that have been stored for a long time may sprout. If the potatoes sprout, the content of solanine will be greatly increased. This substance has a great negative impact on the human body. Eating such potatoes can cause nausea, numbness in the mouth and tongue, diarrhea and other discomforts.

Solanine has high thermal stability and is difficult to destroy by ordinary steaming, boiling, stewing or stir-frying. Potatoes that have sprouted or whose skin has turned green should be discarded and not eaten.

Source: Science Popularization China WeChat Official Account

The watermarked images in this article are from the copyright gallery, and the image content is not authorized for reprinting