Former Army 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper Doug Evans reveals how to eat healthy through sprouting, making it affordable and accessible to grow fresh food right in your kitchen, in this episode of the Tango Alpha Lima podcast.
Former Army 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper Doug Evans has landed on a niche for affordable health and wellness.
Evans, an early pioneer in the natural food industry, wrote the national bestseller “The Sprout Book,” which reached No. 1 in Plant-Based books on Amazon. He is revolutionizing home gardening through sprouting, making it affordable and accessible to grow fresh food right in your kitchen. As the special guest on this episode of the Tango Alpha Lima podcast, Evans talks about his military experience, benefits of sprouting and how to get started, and much more.
“I wouldn’t be who I am today were it not for my service, learning integrity, learning discipline, and learning physical and mental strength, learning mind over matter,” he said. “I’m very grateful for my military service.”
Evans grew up in New York City with a father who struggled with the demons stemming from his service as a combat veteran during World War II.
“He was the sweetest man in the world until he was unhinged,” he said. “It was safer for me to be out in the streets with real degenerates than it was to be home. I had a very rough upbringing. For me, the Army was my way out.”
Now, as the founder and CEO of The Sprouting Company, his mission is to help people discover how to grow and enjoy the most nutritious food on the planet: sprouts. The Sprouting Company is creating next generation sprouting equipment, designed for modern day kitchens and lifestyles.
After his separation from service, Evans used the money he had to eat cheaply. Meals consisted of a bucket of chicken or a fast food burger, chicken nuggets and dessert. He was also drinking, eating junk food and staying out late.
His life changed when his parents died suddenly and his aunt underwent a double amputation on her feet, below her ankles. “That was unfathomable for me,” he recalled. “I’m going to be 60 and she (his aunt) was younger than I am now. When that happened, it was a real wake-up call for me. I thought I was cursed because everyone in my family died of heart disease, diabetes, cancer. These were the result of lifestyle, not genetics. And that’s when I had my come to cucumber moment.”
That was 26 years ago when he began to focus on eating fresh, raw vegetables and eating sprouts. In 2017, he moved to the desert in California, which was also a food desert. That’s when he taught himself how to grow sprouts. “They taste much better than MREs.”
People have been sprouting for millennia. The basic principles haven’t changed. It’s seeds plus water equals baby plants.
With just one-quarter cup of seeds, it can grow into a full glass jar of 55 ounces of sprouts in just five days.
“The miracle of the sprouts is that they grow without soil, without sunshine, without fertilizer,” he said. “They are a miracle food. They are up to 100 times more nutrient dense than vegetables. They are fresher. It is under $1 a serving.”
Now sprouts make up 50% of his diet. He recommends getting two jars of sprouts and then alternating, eating a handful or two each day.
“Sprouts are the No. 1 weight loss food, weight management food, because they are high fiber, high nutrient, low fat, low calorie,” he said. “They are also great for reducing oxidative stress and hypertension, and great for heart health.”
Also in this episode co-hosts Stacy Pearsall, Adam Marr and Joe Worley chat about:
• The Army-Navy Game, sponsored by USAA, which The American Legion is an associate sponsor of again this year.
• The third season of Pearsall’s PBS series, After Action.
• Department of Defense or Department of War?
You can also check out the more than 300 Tango Alpha Lima podcasts available in both audio and video formats here. You can also download episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify other major podcast-hosting sites. The video version is available at the Legion’s YouTube channel.
- Tango Alpha Lima