Sprouting is the practice of germinating seeds to be eaten either raw or cooked.
They are a convenient way to have fresh vegetables for salads, or otherwise, in any season and can be germinated at home or produced industrially. Sprouts are believed to be highly nutritious and rich in enzymes which promote good health.
They are a prominent ingredient of the raw food diet

Raw food diet

Raw foodism is the practice of consuming uncooked, unprocessed, and often organic foods as a large percentage of the diet....

 and common in Eastern Asian cuisine.