|
Post by LilyandDaisy on Jun 15, 2021 15:42:56 GMT -8
I'm surprised it's not more well known about millet and especially sorghum sprouts being unsafe. There's plenty of stuff online about grapes being poisonous and that isn't even true!
|
|
|
Post by betty on Jun 15, 2021 16:26:41 GMT -8
Indeed. No, I am not a sprouter so haven't heard of or done any proper research on what can or can't be eaten sprouted. I originally read about all the washing, soaking and leaving around and gave up on the idea almost immediately! (I am a lazy foodie).
Although, I know that there are ALWAYS clauses for plants in any form - so always check before trying. I am certainly not an 'it will probably be alright' sort of eater...
Frightening.
|
|
|
Post by tanzanyte on Jun 17, 2021 13:38:11 GMT -8
Thanks LilyandDaisy - panic over! I had no idea about the millet. Most of the mini pet garden videos I've watched all seem to have millet in so it was one of them on my list. I'm really pleased I only did the couple of plants for mine to munch on. We're still going strong with a couple of them as I've worked out it's best to pull a few leaves off and leave them for them to eat. When I put the whole plant in they just chewed the pot.
|
|
|
Post by betty on Jun 18, 2021 8:24:29 GMT -8
Chewed the pot! Soooo gerbil...
Also, any sprouters out there - when is sprouted seed no a sprout anymore? I mean, I feed grown millet all the time and feed as a short grass too (with a green stem at least). So is the colour of the stem the time when it is no longer producing these chemicals? And what if they eat the whole thing pale and green bit - like we do with salad cress?
|
|
|
Post by Markpd on Jun 18, 2021 9:44:56 GMT -8
Not that I would want anyone to test it, but seeing as millet is one of the gerbils natural foods I would think they'd instinctively avoid sprouted millet seeds, also wouldn't it smell bad to them too?
|
|
|
Post by LilyandDaisy on Jun 18, 2021 10:44:27 GMT -8
Not that I would want anyone to test it, but seeing as millet is one of the gerbils natural foods I would think they'd instinctively avoid sprouted millet seeds, also wouldn't it smell bad to them too? There are many different millet species and the concentration of cyanogenic compounds varies between species. It's possible the species that grow in the gerbil's native habitat are relatively harmless even sprouted. Sorghum seems to the most problematic but it's native to Africa. I assume there are rodents native to where sorghum grows, so it would be interesting to know if they avoid the sprouted seeds. I've finally managed to access the archived egerbil page and their reason for not sprouting millet isn't actually cyanide (I couldn't remember what egerbil said and it was down so I googled sprouted millet toxicity and found information about cyanide), it's a compound called hordenine which when it enters the blood stream releases stores of epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine. These cause increased activity, alertness, anxiety and an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. This may actually be the origin of the myth that millet causes hyperactivity. However Wikipedia says that this effect is not generally caused by oral ingestion of hordenine. Hordenine is also found in barley and wheat grasses which are very commonly fed to small animals without any problems it seems. One article I found said that certain chemicals are found at a much higher concentration in sprouts than in the developed plant, which I suppose would mean that millet, wheat or barley grasses are safer than the sprouted seeds. This article was specifically referring to beneficial chemicals but the same may be true for harmful ones too.
|
|
|
Post by Markpd on Jun 18, 2021 11:11:06 GMT -8
Interesting stuff, good to know!
|
|