In Sprouting hulled oats, seeds were sprouted at 21°C (70°F) for 3 days. That post ended with a question raised by Oat sprouts analysis regarding desirability of enzymes.

Here’s that study’s analysis of its hulled oat variety’s enzymes, excluding results not pertinent to this post. There was neither a 72-hour measurement period nor a 20°C 60-hour period analyzed. Interpolate measurements accordingly.

1. α-amylase enzyme was described as:

“Alpha-amylase plays a key role during germination since it catalyzes hydrolysis of α-1,4 glucosidic linkages of starch, yielding maltose and glucose necessary for seedling development. Activity of this enzyme increased considerably during oat sprouting [reference to Degree of oat sprouting] but it is also de novo synthesized during this process.

High glucose content in sprouted flour can increase its glycemic index (GI). Foods with low GI are beneficial due to low postprandial glucose response compared to foods with a high GI. Selection of germination conditions is crucial to modulate α-amylase activity in oat for obtaining healthier sprouted flours with lower GI.”

A. 3-day-old hulled oat sprouts probably don’t have “High glucose content.” Studies such as Optimization of Oat Amylase During Sprouting to Enhance Sugar Production found:

“Maltose was the primary sugar, though there was a detectable but smaller amount of glucose.”

B. I understand that researchers have adopted a glycemic index. Does that one dimension indexed on glucose at 100 adequately inform health-choice decisions about oat sprout α-amylase enzyme content?

What’s the point of indexing healthy choices like sprouted whole grains to unhealthy choices that healthy people aren’t going to make anyway?

2. Increased protease enzyme activity was analyzed as desirable, and used as an optimization parameter.

3. Lipase activity increased from 18°C 60-hour to 20°C 96-hour measurements in the above graphic. All sprouted oat lipase levels were below unsprouted control oat flour, however:

“Lipase activity decreased in sprouted var. Meeri flour during germination. Our results suggest that there must be an important lipase activity in oat hull.

Lipase hydrolyse triglicerides to free fatty acids that are prone to oxidation and cause rancidity of cereal flours. According to our results, use of dehulled oat grains is desirable to obtain sprouted oat flours with increased stability and longer shelf life.”

Don’t know which enzyme is responsible for mild throat burn after eating 3-day-old hulled oat sprouts. It isn’t unpleasant, just unexpected. Research so far indicates that people pay for catalytic enzymes that increase proteolytic and digestive activity.

What if we index health decisions on a standard at 100 of drinking a beer first thing in the morning? Would anything scaled by that one dimension inform fine tuning of health-choice decisions?

“Woke up this morning and I got myself a beer
The future’s uncertain and the end is always near”