Soak/Dehydrate/Grind/Soak vs. Grind/Soak ?

[shinybrite]

I've tried searching for this topic, but found a few conflicting opinions.

I'm strongly considering purchasing a Country Living Grain Mill, to be able to make my own flours (rice, bean, wheat, millet, cornmeal). I have a Lehman's best, but it doesn't clamp to my countertop properly, and is a bit messy. I do like to make brown rice farina and peanut butter in it, but I want to start dedicating myself to baking bread everyday (a small loaf, for a ritual).

I know that soaking and/or sprouting are incredibly important, which is why I want to get a grain mill in the first place. But the order in which to do them is what's confusing me. I've soaked, sprouted, dehydrated (at low temperatures) and ground my own wheat flour before with great results. I've also ground then soaked my own wheat flour, again with great results. Does it matter which order they go in? Is one preferable to the other? Am I missing anything in between?

Does it matter to sprout and dehydrate beans in particular before making them into the flour?

Thanks!

[onetrumpeter]

I'm wondering about this, too. ShinyBrite, you're much farther along than I am in the process, though. I've never ground flour or sprouted grains! I've used freshly ground flour and soaked it, but that's it.

My personal - totally novice - opinion is that sprouting then dehydrating and grinding is probably more nutritous, but I'm really not sure. I think that because sprouting might cause more enzyme activity than simply soaking already ground flour. IIRC, one "sprouted flour" company has a line something to the effect of "your body digests it like a vegetable." I read that as meaning b/c it's sprouted, it becomes more of a plant than a seed.

Curious about others' opinions

[JMJ]

Is it necessary to soak it after it has already been sprouted?
Do the nutrients break down as quickly in sprouted flour?

I would think that sprouting and then grinding fresh and using as quickly as possible would be superior except for the fact that I've heard that sprouted flours don't work well for everything (such as sourdough). From what I understand, the sprouted flour is more nutrient dense, but soaking at least gets rid of the phytic acid.

[sarah_bella1050]

From what I understand is that both are good, but in different ways. With grinding and then soaking you are getting a fermented food with beneficial bacteria. With sprouting and dehydrating you are getting a sprouted food that has tons of nutrients. Both are digested well and both are great ways to make baked good. Sprouted and dehydrated wheat or spelt berries area a great thing to have on hand at all time for impromptu baking and such. A friend of mine baked bread with soaked flour and only uses 2/3 soaked flour b/c otherwise the dough will be to wet. She uses unbleached flour for the rest but I think sprouted flour would make a good addition at 1/3 the flour.