In the US, the sprouted grains market is developing fast, with sales of products featuring sprouted grains on track to reach over $250 million by 2018, according to Mintel.
Driving interest in sprouted grains is a small but growing percentage of mainstream consumers who are reducing their consumption of carbohydrates, in particular foods made from wheat and corn.
The number of new product launches with sprouted grains is small – just 19 in 2014 according to Mintel – but numbers are growing fast.
A number of breakfast cereals from start-ups and organic brands are using sprouted grains and the concept has even shown up in better-for-you pizza.
“By taking grains and sprouting them before using them in snacks and other foods, they’re delivering ‘good grains’ that are naturally gluten-free,” said Julian Mellentin, director of New Nutrition Business, which has been tracking the sprouted grains trend over the past year.
What are they?
Sprouted grains have a long history of use in bakery in markets as diverse as Germany and the Middle East.
The idea of using sprouted grains is that a seed is basically a storage container for grain, keeping everything inert until the conditions are just right for the germ to digest the endosperm and begin growing. And at that point, studies show, the nutrients held by the plant become more bioavailable in the human body.
According to US industry body the Whole Grains Council:
- The amount of soluble fibre in sprouted grains is higher than in regular grains.
- There are higher levels of certain minerals and vitamins.
- The nutrients in sprouted grains stand up to heat processing better than those in regular grains.