Germinated foods and their effects on health

Abstract

Plant sprouts attract attention as ready-to-eat healthy foods in many countries. Different processes such as adding nutrients to the environment, especially humidity and temperature, are also necessary to ensure optimum germination. Germination is an inexpensive and effective method for improving the nutritional quality of plants. In the past, germination of legumes, especially some grains such as wheat and barley, was a common practice, but today, alfalfa, broccoli, soybean and some other cereal grains are germinated and consumed as sprouts. The amount of antinutritional factors decreases with germination; The amount of bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds, phytosterols, folate, gamma aminobutyric acid, antioxidant activity and digestibility can also increase. In addition, the synthesis of new compounds such as Ɣ-oryzanol and amino acids increases during the germination process. In addition to the many physiological effects of germinated nutrients; It has been reported that these foods may have a decrease in the risk of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and neurological diseases. Therefore, germinated foods are considered as functional foods. Various biological activities of germinated nutrients have still not been conclusively proven. Therefore, there is a need for more studies on the various bioactive component contents of germinated foods and their effects on human health.