The New Complete Book of Food
Buying This Food
Look for: Fresh, crisp sprouts. The tips should be moist and tender. (The shorter the sprout,
the more tender it will be.) It is sometimes difficult to judge bean sprouts packed in plastic
bags, but you can see through to tell if the tip of the sprout looks fresh. Sprouts sold from
water-filled bowls should be refrigerated, protected from dirt and debris, and served with a
spoon or tongs, not scooped up by hands.
Avoid: Mushy sprouts (they may be decayed) and soft ones (they have lost moisture and
vitamin C).Storing This Food
Refrigerate sprouts in a plastic bag to keep them moist and crisp. If you bought them in a
plastic bag, take them out and repack them in bags large enough that they do not crush each
other. To get the most vitamin C, use the sprouts within a few days.Preparing This Food
Rinse the sprouts thoroughly under cold running water to get rid of dirt and sand. Discard
any soft or browned sprouts, then cut off the roots and cook the sprouts.
Do not tear or cut the sprouts until you are ready to use them. When you slice into the
sprouts, you tear cells, releasing enzymes that begin to destroy vitamin C.What Happens When You Cook This Food
Cooking destroys some of the heat-sensitive vitamin C in sprouts. To save it, steam the
sprouts quickly, stir-fry them, or add them uncooked just before you serve the dish.How Other Kinds of Processing Affect This Food
Canning. Vitamin C is heat-sensitive, and heating the sprouts during the canning process
reduces their vitamin C content.Medical Uses and/or Benefits
Lower risk of some birth defects. As many as two of every 1,000 babies born in the United
States each year may have cleft palate or a neural tube (spinal cord) defect due to their
mothers’ not having gotten adequate amounts of folate during pregnancy. The R DA for
folate is 400 mcg for healthy adult men and women, 600 mcg for pregnant women, and
500 mcg for women who are nursing. Taking folate supplements before becoming pregnant