Three Healthiest Ingredients To Kickstart Weight Loss

An effective way to overcome water retention & add nutrition with wholesome living foods…

The dried mung beans sat in my pantry for months. It was time to use them. I washed and soaked them in cold water, so I could sprout and use them in salads. I have a problem with water retention. Though I am a small eater, the water retention often shows an increase in my body weight and makes me lethargic. I have to wear compression socks on all long trips by all modes of transport as my legs swell due to the undischarged water from my body.

Now, my soaked mung beans grew larger in size and the outer covering cracked to show beautiful creamy white cotyledons. I drained the water, rinsed it a couple of times, then covered it with a wet towel. The magic kept happening. They sprouted tiny shoots from the axils.

I transferred the contents to a colander, rinsing them again under the running tap and letting the cold water run out of the holes in the colander. Once again I covered the sprouts with a wet kitchen towel. Lo and behold — the sprouts grew larger and fatter and looked most beautiful! More of the creamy white, shiny, smooth cotyledons against the dark green cracked outer coats were a sight to behold. The longer you continue this process the bigger the outcome. Rinse often. I sprouted for three days, rinsing two to three times under the tap.

The quantity just keeps growing! That is the beauty of nature! When you do things as nature has intended there is no dearth! The increase is tenfold! It is the same with plants. Buy one plant and it continuously rewards you tenfold or more not only returning the principal amount but a lot of profit, provided of course, you learn to multiply them.

I prepared the salad by combining the sprouts with chopped red onion, cucumber, tomato, finely chopped green chilli — as I like the spice and added some salt and lemon juice. I also added a generous amount of chopped fresh mint and parsley, and served it as an accompaniment to my family for dinner.

This salad was not only most refreshing, but it seems to have worked, and that night, I woke up three times to visit the restroom. I rarely wake up more than once! My sleep was disturbed, but I was thrilled at the lightness of my body. I was happy that I lost a lot of body water. No doubt the magical salad, did it! Just a word of caution for those who value their sleep, have this for lunch.

Now, which of the ingredients in the salad caused my kidneys to function so well? I set about researching the gems that stood out amongst all the ingredients and here are the results.

Cucumbers are diuretic that contain sulphur, potassium and silicon and are low in sodium. They stimulate the kidneys by increased urination and better removal of uric acid. Cucumbers are also said to inhibit the production of inflammatory enzymes and nitric acid. They reduce swelling, puffiness and water retention.(https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-nutrition/a20707480/natural-diuretic)

Parsley is said to be a traditional remedy for water retention and reduces the reabsorption of sodium and potassium in the kidneys. This helps reduce bloating and increases urination.

Studies conducted on rats by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) indicates that parsley acts as an anti-urolithiatic drug — meaning it prevents the formation of kidney stones by decreasing urinary calcium & protein and increasing urinary pH.

Accumulation of uric acid in the blood leads to a disease called gout causing painful joints which makes movement difficult. When the kidneys do not function properly uric acid accumulates in the blood in the form of urate crystals. For those suffering from gout, exercise becomes difficult.

The researchers recommended the use of parsley in pharmaceutical forms as a safe and effective remedy for anti-urolithiasis.(Source:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5698599/)

Sprouts are germinated edible seeds that can be produced from beans — like black mung beans which I used, or they can be made with grains or nuts.

They are a “living” food that continue to grow vitamins. They can be eaten raw or lightly cooked. The mung beans contain significant amounts of vitamin A, B1, B2, C, Calcium, iron and niacin. They are also said to be high in fibre and protein.

Did you know that Captain James Cook had his sailors eat sprouts along with lime to combat scurvy? During World War 2 when meat and cheese were rationed, the scientific community advised the United States to substitute consumption of germinated seeds as an alternative to protein, in the place of meat.

Sprouts are abundant in active anti-oxidants that are said to prevent the destruction of DNA helping in slowing the aging process.

They are said to be the most powerful enzyme-rich food that has as much as 43 times more enzymes than non-sprouted food. The sprouting process increases the protein content and amino acids. These enzymes and proteins help in easier digestion and reduce the anti-nutrients that prevent any negative effects.(Source:https://www.female.com.au/sproutsmore.htm; (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/raw-sprouts)

The other ingredients that went into my salad are tomatoes and onions which are also rich in antioxidants, vitamins C, K and folate that reduce the risk of cancers and heart disease. Onions are also said to have antibacterial properties, boost bone density, control blood sugar and have cancer-fighting compounds.

Mint is well known for its ability for promoting digestion. It is high in antioxidants, helps with cold symptoms and contains phosphorus, calcium, vitamin A, C, D and E and improves the body’s immune system. People suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other gastrointestinal problems find relief in the consumption of mint. It is also traditionally used to combat bad breath.

In conclusion this salad is nothing short of a most healthy miracle food that can trigger your journey into good health and weight loss. The combination of protein rich “living” foods such as sprouts, with the addition of natural diuretics such as cucumbers and parsley makes it the ideal health food.

Try sprouting with different types of beans and grains. Indian and Asian grocery stores tend to carry a variety of beans and grains. Add to it other nutritious ingredients such as freshly chopped tomatoes, raw onion, chopped apple, mint & coriander. All of these contain antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that slow the ageing process, improves health, gives a glow to your skin and helps lose that unwanted flab.

And most importantly keep up your fitness with regular exercise, keeping hydrated and cutting down on sugars and carbohydrates.

If you like this article and want to read more such articles without restrictions, why not consider becoming a Medium member by using my referral link below?

I get a portion from your monthly fee at no extra cost to you and it all goes in supporting the less fortunate.