Sprouts as antioxidant food resources and young people's taste for them.

To assist our choice of sprouts as healthy foodstuffs, we examined and compared the antioxidant activities of various sprouts. Most sprouts contained higher amounts of vitamin C, polyphenol and DPPH radical-scavenging activity than their mature vegetables. As food materials, young college students preferred sprouts to mature vegetables in case of vegetables whose mature forms are unfamiliar at market. Antioxidant activity of "Toumyo" sprout was highest at the 5th day after germination. Cotyledon and young root of "Toumyo" sprout, though they are usually discarded at kitchen, showed high antioxidant activities. A sensory evaluation by young college students suggested that the cotyledon could be served as meal if it is fried after boiled.