Minutus

Hi Shannon,
I just got home from being away for 2 weeks. So I am jumping in. About sprouting rice and beans, is there some simple way of not forgetting that you are doing it and allowing them to spoil? I am interested in sprouting my rice, but my experience with spouting beans tells me that this may not be so easy. I think there is something about speeding up the process by keeping the rice warm as you would in making yogurt.

About white rice being empty calories, It seems to me that the ground flour etc is open to spoiling (Oxidization???). That is the central problem, not just the loss of food value due to milling the exoderm of the rice kernnel. Grains that are covered with an inner Kernnel like brown rice can last longer than such ground flour. Asians eat white rice all the time (many eat it 3 times a day), but I have never heard of allergy to rice, the way flour eaters have allergy to corn and wheat. Japanese are very fussy about when the rice kernnel was milled. There are milling stations all over Tokyo because people don't want to eat "old rice." Also, national standards of rice value are all based on the area where it is produced and the age of the rice since harvest. I have never heard a common American fussing about the age of flour or the milling time. (exclude the few who mill their own flour) I think even white rice is less likely to be spoiled (if moths worms don't eat the uncooked rice first.) because normal not particularily health conscious Japanese people have internalized these standards. They are concerned about the taste and texture of the rice, not health.
Blessings,
Ellen
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This is probably getting off topic now but sprouting couldn't be easier
and such fun even for children because it is so quick and you can
sprout almost any seed (as long as it isn't toxic) - warmth and copious
rinsing to keep wet is the best and eat within a few days. My favourite
is fenugreek seeds. The nutrition in sprouting seeds is excellent as
well. Try this

http://www.sproutpeople.com/seed/beans.html

Best wishes, Joy
http://www.homeopathicmateriamedica.com
http://www.homeopathicmateriamedica.blogspot.com
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i have been part-time lurking on this discussion and apologize if my
thoughts
have already been addressed. what i am not seeing addressed is the
addictive aspect of carbs. aside from the cheapness of production and he
ability of poor farmers to harvest their own seeds for the next years crop
(that is until recently when Monsanto has been trying to patent all the
seeds
of grain farmers around the world!), refined carbs are very addictive in
the
human body. fast rising blood sugar levels for quick energy boosts and then
quick drops which make the body call for more. Pepsi understood this very
well and has made megabucks on their liquid sugar.

also, there is some belief that the early diets of humans did not rely on
grains
and heavy carbs at all. they foraged for nuts and berries and hunted for
animal protein (insects, fish, birds and other wild game). john mercola
posits that all disease is based on inflammation developing in the body and
that inflammation arose, historically, when humans began to eat grain. his
program is to reduce and eliminate all grains and refined sugars from the
diet.
he is big on proteing and select fats (coconut and olive oils). the fact
that
humans are so adaptable accounts for our surviving the worst diets and
toxic environments that have been created. but the quality of our survival
is what's in question.

i am so glad that we have these discussions on diet and other aspects of
health
as they are such an important concomittant to our understanding of
homeopathic
healing.

tanya
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I sprout all sorts and the only thing that seems to spoil is Quinoea- it
goes sour. I've never tried rice , I have to admit but might now!! Thanks
for the suggestion

Rochelle
Registered Homeopath, EFT(Advanced)Practitioner
www.southporthomeopathy.co.uk

Hi Ellen,

Welcome back!
What I do is just leave the jars where they are moderately in the way.
With dish towel draped over, or something, to keep the light off.
Rice is easier! Beans I find very do-able if the weather isn't too
warm; when it is, I have to rinse more often and more aggressively to
keep them from molding, and mostly I just don't bother in hot weather.
But rice does fine with just two rinses per day (after first soaking
8-12 hours if possible; I drink the soak water, or sometimes just cook
it from there, and skip the full sprouting part).
past that they get tough, and take on a sort of grassy taste that I
find kind of weird. That usually takes a couple of days, and sprouted
not-too-much, there is something really wonderful about it--a richer
flavor and a *fabulous* smell and feel. (Or maybe I'm just weird that
way... )
I suppose that would speed it up, but would probably also speed up
tendency to ferment? (Not *necessarily* bad, but the taste goes from
nice to weird, if it ferments too much. As for e.g. happens when you
forget about it, and let it soak for 24 hours or so, sheepish smile...
But it's still salvageable with the right sort of spicing, maybe curry
and butter.)
Oh, YES! Ground whole grains should definitely be kept in refrigerator
or freezer. I suppose they're alright at room temperature for a while,
but I don't know just what that time period would be, and rancidity is
*definitely* a factor if they're not kept cool.
My understanding is the same, or almost. I gather that rice allergy
happens, but only rarely; or that's what I seem to recall. I wonder to
what degree that's because of the qualities of rice, and to what degree
it's because Asians have been eating so much rice for such a long time?
Maybe some of both...
How interesting!!! I'm sure "old rice" is all most Americans have
*ever* had... Do you know what changes, either nutritionally or taste-
or texture-wise?
Folks who do grind their own flour (who are more apt to both be aware
of the issues, i.e. rancidity, and also the only ones with any standard
of comparison) are very aware of the difference between fresh and old,
and well-stored or badly stored (i.e. rancid, bitter). But I'd have to
agree, that's a minority.

Well have fun with the sprouting!!!

Shannon

For some of us even *whole* wheat is addictive (tho takes only a few
days to get past that--much easier than e.g. quitting smoking!) and I
assume this can happen with other foods as well; so "refined" is a huge
*part* of the issue, but not the whole thing, it seems.
Shannon

I haven't been patient enough to try sprouting quinoa, but I have been
soaking it 12 or so hours before cooking, and like the effect of that.
(I'm told that even just soaking begins some of the benefits of
sprouting; a little is better than none, and maybe 8-12 hours would be
ideal?) I also find it much better cooked with a bit of turmeric, for
some reason.
Shannon

no, it is not the whole thing but a big part of it, especially in western
cultures where many people can afford to make choices. the western
food pyramid continually pushes grain eating and supports refined
grains and sugar. the cultural expectations which others have mentioned
is also important. years ago when i was trying to push more healthful
living with my community, i was virtually accused of racism when i
suggested people not eat so much pork and increase the vegetables
that were served. i am happy to say that everyone of those people have
changed their diets over the years, cutting down pork and red meat and
trying to eat more vegetables. and try getting people to not eat any grain
or sugar. they will have a very hard time figuring out a meal that is
satisfying.
also tastes are so conditioned that it becomes a real struggle to make
major changes. and whole grains take some getting used to after a life of
processed white flour and sugar. so, yes, it may take only a week or two
to have the body adjust to eating differently, but getting the mind to join
the struggle is a battle unto itself.

tanya
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Hi Tanya,
Very true. I think that, when encouraging someone to make a big change
such as this, small steps are definitely best! Substitute whole grains
for just part of the refined ones at first, then gradually add in more.
If someone makes too radical a change it can be hard on the body, but
worse, may make them so discouraged and "revolted" that they become
unwilling to try any more. But with small changes and keeping the
issue and the options alive, they can reach a more appropriate balance.
Shannon

HI Shannon,
Have you ever looked at the corn smut remedy, Ustiago maydis. There must be something similar for wheat. I know Ust is used often for the uterus, not for food sensitivities. But, I am wondering if these kinds of moulds are ever used for food sensitivitiies. Not a homeopathic way of thinking, huh.
Blessings,
Ellen
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