soaking vs sprouting seeds

[birdy.929]

i usually sprout seeds for my bird, and i was just about to purchase more seeds today. i then found a "soak mix." i was wondering if is there a difference in nutritional benefits between soaking and sprouting? and which one do you think works better?

 

[finchly]

Sprouts have more nutrition,, although soaking does help make the nutrition in the seed more available to their body. So you’d want sprouts first and. Soaked seed second.

 

[birdy.929]

thank you so much!

 

[Destiny]

Soaking over night (or for a few hours) will soften the seeds and start the germination process. It is very easy to do, since it just requires a little rinsing and draining.

Sprouting involves soaking the seeds and then letting them continue to develop until they start to sprout. Sprouted seeds can be fed as soon as the roots start to develop or you can wait until the first tiny leaves appear or wait longer until the sprout is a fully formed baby plant. Some people will even grow trays of different sprouts and trim off the green leafy parts to make a "microsalad".

Birds tend to prefer the "just sprouted" seeds that are not yet getting that leafy.

One thing to be aware of .. be careful with sprouting beans. Raw beans are not safe for birds, so you must be careful when sprouting mixes that include beans. Be sure to fully sprout the beans to ensure that the harmful compounds are broken down completely or switch to a bean-free mix

 

[saroj12]

 

[saroj12]

Soaked overnight

 

[Ali]

@saroj12 if you don't mind me asking, what is in that mix?

 

[Destiny]

Oh and I forgot to say in my previous post, the nutritional profile of soaked seeds/sprouted seeds/sprouts are all going to be different. Seeds are packed with energy and vitamins , but they are not that easy to digest. As they start to sprout, plant enzymes break down the seed, making it easier to eat and releasing important nutrients.

Generally speaking, sprouted grains will have more Vitamin C, Iron and folate and the plant protein will be more easily digested. As the plant continues to grow, it will start to use up the stored nutrients to help the plant grow and develop so sprouts tend to be less densely packed with nutrients, compared with sprouted seeds. They are lower calorie and similar to feeding fresh veggies or salad mix. Still good, just in a different way.

Ideally, you want to aim for soaking over night, then sprouting for a day or two (maybe longer for some seeds or large beans). This should give you the best "bang for your buck". However, there is nothing wrong with feeding a little earlier or later. They are still good for your bird.

Experiment to see what works best for you.

 

[saroj12]

@saroj12 if you don't mind me asking, what is in that mix?

Ingredients are on here. It’s a China prairie mix

Soak & Serve THRIVE! Exotic Blend 2.5 lb.

Check out the deal on Soak & Serve THRIVE! Exotic Blend 2.5 lb. at China Prairie Products

www.chinaprairie.com

 

[Destiny]

I notice that mix includes buckwheat groats. Buckwheat grains/seeds are fine, dry or soaked. But please be aware that buckwheat greens are toxic, so they should not be fed as sprouts if they reach the "leafy" stage.

Buckwheat contains a compound that can cause a phototoxic skin reaction in animals (and people!). It is only present in low levels in the seeds, but much higher in the green parts of the plant. Discontinuing the greens should resolve symptoms in a few weeks.

Just an FYI.

 

[birdy.929]

wow thank you so much! that is very useful information

 

[Destiny]

Yeah, the problem with feeding buckwheat as forage has been well documented in agriculture because it is a common cover crop. Cattle that are allowed to graze excessively would develop skin rashes and hair loss on lighter colored parts of the body and seek out shelter from the sun.

St John's wort, bishop's weed, and spring parsley are other plants that are known to cause photosensitive reactions in grazing animals.

The reaction is dose dependent, so a smaller amount of buckwheat consumption (or less sun exposure) will cause a weaker reaction. The active compound is called fagopyrin.

In humans, the toxic dose is relatively high. It has been documented in people who drank daily "green smoothies" that included buckwheat greens as part of a raw foods diet, but it doesn't seem to be as much of an issue if you eat smaller amounts of buckwheat green infrequently. Some people will choose to eat buckwheat sprouts for nutritional benefits and just avoid eating too much. One study listed that safe daily intake was at least 40 grams for buckwheat sprouts. Most of the fagopyrin is found in the leaves and the sprouts are just as potent as the mature plant.

I have no idea how much might be safe for birds, so probably best to avoid offering the green parts entirely. Buckwheat groats should be safe.