According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the incidence of diabetes in persons 20 years of age and over grew from 7.8 percent in the years from 1988 to 1994 to 10.3 percent in 2003-2004. This has been called a national epidemic. It is associated with the increase in obesity in people in those age groups, which increased from 22.3 percent in1988 to 1994 to 32 percent in 2003 and 2004. This is a national crisis. The cost of treating diabetes dominates every other health condition in the United States today. The Center for Disease Control estimates that one-third of all babies born in the year 2000 will develop Type 2 Diabetes at some point in their lives.

Jim Morgan was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 1988, when he was 55 years old. He worked hard at managing the disease; however, in 2005, when he was 72 years of age, he was planning a month-long vacation in Europe with his wife to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. A few days before they were to leave, his wife encouraged him to visit his doctor to make sure his health was good enough to travel. Sure enough, his doctor ordered a treadmill test, and instead of going to Europe, he spent his wedding anniversary in a hospital undergoing a triple bypass. His cardiac surgeon told him he had a saying, “Diabetes eats the heart.” If Jim had been practicing an eating plan that included the necessary nutrients for healthy metabolism, he probably could have avoided heart disease. Including sprouts in that eating plan can add bulk while reducing carbohydrates; it can support protein needs; it can provide essential vitamins so crucial to maintaining health and improving immune resistance.

Prevention is crucial, and it can only be done through wiser dietary choices. Including sprouts and raw foods in the diet, beginning with children, can be a very positive way to avoid becoming diabetic and to avoid setting your children up for this disease.

For example, when mung beans are sprouted, the following changes occur in nutrient constituents: Food energy in 100 g of mature raw seeds when sprouted goes from 384 calories to 313; carbohydrates count is decreased from 67.5 to 58.8, a very important reduction to offset obesity and diabetes because of the importance of keeping blood glucose levels down; and protein increases from 27.1 to 33.8. All important minerals dramatically increase as do important vitamins such as A, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin (from 2.91 to 7.08!), and Ascorbic Acid.

Vitamins are vital for the maintenance of normal weight and health. These are substances the body can't make on its own; they must come from food. For example, Vitamin A supports the immune system, bone growth, vision, and cell division.

A well-balanced diet will often provide the right amount and type of vitamins and minerals for the body; however, you must be willing to take the time to shop for and prepare a “well balanced diet” that will include sprouts as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. If you follow a diet that consists of mostly raw and living foods you should pay special attention to the amount of calories and nutrition you take in everyday.

Sprouts play an important role in the food habits of those countries, particularly Asian. Remember–Type 2 diabetes is a plague of the western world, most particularly the United States.

By TTS Cofounder Botanical Chef Omid Jaffari