Are you captivated by those sprouted grain products you are seeing more often on supermarket shelves? What are sprouted grains and why are they beneficial to our health?

Sprouted Grain Products

First, let’s understand what makes a grain a “whole” grain. They are dormant seeds of plants, such as wheat, barley, rice, corn, oats, spelt, sorghum, millet, rye, etc. They are called “whole” because the edible parts of the seed – the bran, germ and endosperm – have not been milled and refined to give them a finer texture and improve shelf life.

Since ancient times, humans ground the seeds between stones, crushing them into a coarse powder (the first whole-grain “flour”). But they spoiled quickly if not used right away. When industrial milling was invented in the late 1800s, it became possible to filter out the germ and pulverize the endosperm into a fine, white powder that had a great shelf life (refined white flour).

Next, let’s understand why “whole” grains are more nutritious than refined grains. The process of refining grains removes much of the dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins the whole grain contains. Although these refined products are later enriched with vitamins and minerals, important dietary fiber is not added back.

Unique Pretzel Bakery introduced Sprouted “Splits” and Sprouted Shells, nutritious snacks that are made with organic sprouted 100% whole grain flour made by Essential Eating® Sprouted Foods. Not only are they the only authentically sprouted flour pretzels in mass production, they are also the first pretzels to be made with healthier organic extra virgin olive oil!

Why Our Sprouted Grain Pretzels are Unique 

Whole grain seeds can germinate (sprout), breaking through their outer bran layer and growing into new plants. In the stage between sprouting and developing into plants, they are called “sprouted grains.” Starch molecules in the grain are naturally converted to simple sugars (which we easily digest as vegetables) and the nutrients are preserved.

The process also causes the release of enzymes in the grains that break down proteins and carbohydrates. Their Low Glycemic Index makes them diabetic-friendly, and they may also be beneficial for people with mild sensitivities to wheat. However, sprouted grains still contain gluten.  

Most sprouted products to date have been made using a wet-milling or “mash” process. The grains are soaked (sometimes drowned), and there is no guarantee that they have actually sprouted. They are not milled into flour, but are ground into a paste for baking. Products made with mash tend to be coarser in texture, bitter, and may contain parts of the broken up bran and foreign matter.

There are newer processes, like the one Essential Eating uses, that involve rinsing, drying, sifting and milling the sprouted grain into 100% whole grain flour with great baking characteristics and no bitterness. You can learn more about industry standards for sprouted grain at the website of the Whole Grains Council.

This revolutionary new sprouted flour gives Unique Pretzel Bakery the ability to deliver pretzels that are delicious, diabetic friendly, kosher, vegan and USDA Organic certified. And the health benefits don’t stop there! Our Unique Sprouted “Splits” and Sprouted Shells are cholesterol-free, lactose-free, sugar-free, trans fat-free, and contain only non-GMO ingredients.

Our sprouted grain products are among the healthiest snack foods you can eat. Visit our website to try our pretzels today, or look for them at your local Wegmans, Whole Foods, Fresh Market or Giant stores.