Have you noticed more organic sprouted flour products appearing on your grocer’s shelves? Discover the differences between sprouted and un-sprouted flour and find out how nutritious it can be.

Organic Sprouted Flour

Unique Pretzels Sprouted “Splits” and Sprouted Shells are made with organic sprouted 100% whole wheat flour made by Essential Eating® Sprouted Foods. They are the only sprouted flour pretzel snacks in mass production and the first to be made with organic extra virgin olive oil, a healthy dietary fat.

What Is a Sprouted Grain?

There are many types of whole grains, including wheat, barley, spelt, corn, rice, oats, sorghum, rye, millet and others, that can be sprouted (or germinated) before processing to improve their natural nutrition and make them easier for our bodies to digest.

Whole grains are simply the dormant seeds of plants. They’re called “whole” because all of the edible (and nutritious) parts of the grain seed – the bran, germ, and endosperm – are still intact.

Just like any other plant seed, grain seeds can be “sprouted” to help them break through the hard outer bran layer and grow into new plants by providing them with the right combination of moisture and temperature.

Young sprouts stimulate their growth by consuming some of the starch molecules in the grain. Those molecules are converted to simple sugars (considered to be vegetables). This makes sprouted grains easier to digest and increases the percentages of proteins, vitamins and minerals in the grain. They are considered to be “sprouted grains” only during the short time between sprouting and growing into plants.

Are Sprouted Grains New?

No; but sprouted grain flour is relatively new. Until recently, manufacturers have turned sprouted grains into a “mash” which they use for making products. The grains are soaked (sometimes drowned), with no assurance that they have actually sprouted, and then ground into a paste for baking. These mash products tend to be more bitter and coarse, and, because they’re not sifted or milled, may contain parts of the hard outer bran and other foreign matter.

Newer processes, such as the one that produces the revolutionary new sprouted flour from Essential Eating® Sprouted Foods, involve rinsing, drying, sifting and milling the sprouted grains into a 100% whole grain flour with no bitterness or bran fragments, and excellent baking characteristics.

The Essential Eating® process produces a 100% whole grain flour by:

  • Testing the grains to guarantee that they’ve sprouted (improves digestion)
  • Rinsing the grains to remove bacteria (improves taste)
  • Drying the grains to stabilize them (improves shelf life)
  • Sifting the grains to remove bran fragments and foreign matter
  • Milling the grains to produce a smooth-textured flour for baking

There is currently no official definition of “sprouted grain,” and no standards for package labeling, but you can learn more about the process at the website of the Whole Grains Council.

We guarantee that Unique Pretzels Sprouted “Splits” and Sprouted Shells are made from premium organic sprouted flour from Essential Eating. These delicious snacks are also GMO-free, vegan, kosher, additive-free, and have great texture and flavor.

Visit our website to order some healthy, lactose free pretzels today or look for them at your local Wegmans, Fresh Market, Whole Foods and Giant stores.