Why are alfalfa sprouts bad for you

In general, the health benefits associated with savoring raw or lightly cooked sprouts outweigh risks for healthy individuals. However, be aware that there is risk of food poisoning if you plan to eat them. If you're a high-risk individual, avoidance is recommended. And though not the ideal way to enjoy sprouts in cuisine, the safest bet for all is to thoroughly cook sprouts to reduce the risk of food poisoning. Need serious help making a plan?

The nutrition experts in our professional membership are ready to help you create the change to improve your life. Find a Nutrition Expert. Unlike other fresh produce, the warm, moist conditions required to grow sprouts are ideal for the rapid growth of bacteria, including salmonella, listeria, and E. The Food Standards Agency says you can eat sprouts raw if they are labelled "ready to eat".

All other sprouts should be cooked thoroughly until steaming hot throughout. In addition, you should follow the manufacturers' storage instructions. You should not eat sprouts that are past their use by date and should avoid using sprouts that have turned brown or changed colour. No, washing alone will not completely remove any bacteria.

Sprouts should be thoroughly cooked unless they are labelled ready to eat. Ready-to-eat sprouts can be eaten raw, as producers will have taken steps during production to control harmful bacteria. There are certain groups of people that are not only at increased risk of contracting foodborne illness, but are also more likely to develop health complications as a result.

These could include elderly people, the very young, pregnant women and anyone with a weakened immune system due to underlying health issues.

People in vulnerable groups are therefore advised to cook all sprouts thoroughly until they are steaming hot throughout before eating them. I really miss topping my salads off with a handful of alfalfa sprouts.

What makes them so unsafe? Not so much anymore. The problem is in the way sprouts grow: Seeds need warm, moist growing conditions to sprout — exactly the conditions that illness-causing bacteria, such as Salmonella and E. But as their popularity grew in the s and s, so did the reported number of illnesses associated with them.

First, Clorox is working with the EPA to develop a protocol for treating alfalfa sprout contamination by sanitizing seeds in a dilute bleach solution before rinsing them with water and using them to grow sprouts. So there you have it—steps are being taken to make sprouts safer for everyone, but there are things you can do at home to also make sprouts safer. Lauren Phillips. By Lauren Phillips Updated July 05,