What are Microgreens?
What are Microgreens?
Microgreens are the baby version of many vegetables you find at your local grocery store! Microgreens are usually harvested within 7-12 days, in some cases as long as 21 days, after germination happens (the seed begins to sprout from the ground). Many vegetables and legumes can be grown as microgreens such as broccoli, kale, arugula, sunflowers, peas, radish, herbs, lettuce, lentils, chickpeas, beets, chia and many more! Microgreens are not only easy to grow but they also require very little material, supplies and knowledge to grow.
IMPORTANT NOTE - Not ALL vegetables can be grown as microgreens, do not consume microgreens of the nightshade family* as their young plants contain high concentrations of solanine. Solanine is toxic compound found in plants of nightshade family that is used to ward off pests such as fungus, animals and insects (4). Solanine is known to be toxic to humans in high concentrations, 200-400 mg of solanine for adults. To put this into perspective, according to the Encyclopedia of Food Microbiology (2014) a potato has <0.2 mg/g. If a potato on your counter has started to turn green, a sign of increased solanine production, do not eat it!
*The nightshade family include tomatoes, white potatoes, eggplants and peppers.
The Difference Between Microgreens, Sprouts and Baby Greens
Sprouts = Grown without a medium in a warm and moist environment and the seed and the sprout are eaten.
Cotyledon leaves = Microgreens. The first couple leaves to open from a seed are referred to as the cotyledon leaves.
True Leaves = Baby Greens. True leaves appear after the cotyledon leaves have opened.
Image created by Katie Fischer, RDN, LDN (2023)
Nutrition Benefits of Microgreens
Unlike sprouts, microgreens generally have less concern for causing foodborne illness. This is because of the growing conditions microgreens require compared to sprouts. Sprouts need a warm, moist environment to grow, then the sprout and the seed are eaten. For microgreens, they require a growing medium such as dirt and the stem and the cotyledon leaves are consumed, not the seed.
Microgreens can have higher amounts of certain nutrients when compared to their mature plants. According to nutrient analysis of sunflower seeds and sunflower microgreens, the microgreens had 4x the amount of iron in a 1 ounce serving.
According to research comparing nutrient profiles of chicory, lettuce and broccoli microgreens; the broccoli microgreens were highest in phenolic compounds such as flavanols, anthocyanin and chlorophyllin (2,7). Phenolic compounds can give the plant their colorful expression as well as have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Anthocyanins are the plant nutrients, if in high enough amounts, that gives a plant its purple, blue or deep red color and chlorophyllin give plants their green color.
Lettuce and broccoli microgreens are rich in vitamin E (2). The recommended daily allowance of vitamin E for adults is 15 mg (6). Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that is important for its antioxidant properties! Other antioxidant nutrients include vitamins A and C as well as selenium. Antioxidants work by neutralizing free radicals (unstable molecules) in your body which are created as a byproduct of energy metabolism as well as exposure to environmental pollutants. Free radicals have the potential to damage cellular DNA which can lead to cancer (6).
Shelf Life
Fresh microgreens should be eaten within 7-10 days of harvesting and stored in the refrigerator. Self-life can be difficult to determine if they are purchased from a grocery store, as you might not know when they were cut. To obtain the freshest microgreens, find a local farmer that grows them or learn to grow your own!
Sources