Todd Moody wrote:
>One argument is that legumes could not have been part of
>paleolithic diets because they are not edible raw, or if they are
>edible it is only for a brief time.  Another argument is that
>they contain anti-nutrients, such as trypsin inhibitors and
>phytic acid, and so would have had unfavorable effects.
>Nevertheless, I conjecture that it is impossible to generalize
>about legumes in this way.  Some legumes, such as lentils, can be
>eaten after soaking for several hours, and soaking seens to me to
>be a technology within reach of paleolithic humans.  It does not
>require durable pottery vessels but can be done with animal
>bladders.

In my experience, almost all legumes can be sprouted at any time of year
and the sprouts eaten.  It takes no more than a week of daily or twice
daily watering and rinsing to grow bean sprouts and no technology is
required.  While I use glass jars with handy metal-sieve lids for
rinsing, I'm sure an empty skull-bone dragged through a stream would work
just as well.

It is my understanding that sprouting neutralizes most of the enzyme
inhibitors and other bad guys.

Bob Avery ([log in to unmask])

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