What are Microgreens?

Microgreens, the Food of the Future

In the past five years, we have seen a trend for organic foods, vegan foods and any other health habits related to the food we eat.

What are Microgreens?

Microgreens and Micro Herbs are the second growth stage of any vegetable or herb. The first stage is Sprouts, followed by Microgreens, Baby Greens and Fully grown greens.

Despite their small size, Microgreens pack 9 times more nutrients compared to fully-grown vegetables due to their size. Fully grown vegetables contain a lot of water, almost 90% of every vegetable is water, leaving the nutrient content lower than a smaller sized vegetables such as Microgreens.

It is common to confuse Sprouts with Microgreens. The difference is simple, sprouts are only the stem with the cotyledon – the stage where the seed transforms into a leaf. That said, Microgreens contain the first true leaves of the plant. Also, Microgreens are harvested when they start photosynthesis, giving them their full colour.

Microgreens are harvested when they are 2,5 to 7cm, depending on the varieties.

Microgreens are very convenient to grow, as they can be grown in a variety of locations, including outdoors, in greenhouses and even on your windowsill.

Microgreen Varieties

Microgreens can be grown from many different types of seeds.

The most popular varieties are produced using seeds from the following plant families:

• Brassicaceae family: Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, watercress, radish and arugula
• Asteraceae family: Lettuce, endive, chicory and radicchio
• Apiaceae family: Dill, carrot, fennel and celery
• Amaryllidaceae family: Garlic, onion, leek
• Amaranthaceae family: Amaranth, quinoa swiss chard, beet and spinach
• Cucurbitaceae family: Melon, cucumber and squash

Microgreens can have different flavour profiles, from spicy to sour and even sweet. That’s what makes microgreens attractive for chefs and individuals. 

Microgreens are packed with Nutrients

Microgreens are mostly known for their high content of nutrients.

There have been many scientific studies that identified the benefits microgreens have versus mature greens (source).

A recent study found that some microgreens contain up to 9 times more nutrients per gram than their fully grown version (source).

Most Microgreens varieties are rich in potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium and copper (source).

Research also shows that they contain a wider variety of polyphenols and other antioxidants than their mature counterpart. 

One study measured vitamin and antioxidant concentrations in 25 commercially available microgreens. These levels were then compared to levels recorded in the USDA National Nutrient Database for mature leaves.

Although vitamin and antioxidant levels varied, levels measured in microgreens were up to 40 times higher than those recorded for more mature leaves (source).

Microgreens increase your Health

Any type of vegetable data is linked to a lower risk of many diseases (source).

This is thanks to the number of minerals and packed nutrients they contain. Specifically, it has been proven that Microgreens help prevent these diseases:

• Heart disease: Microgreens are a rich source of polyphenols, a class of antioxidants linked to a lower risk of heart disease. Animal studies show that microgreens may lower triglyceride and “bad” LDL cholesterol levels (source).
• Alzheimer’s disease: Antioxidant-rich foods, including those containing high amounts of polyphenols, may be linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease (source).
• Diabetes: Antioxidants may help reduce the type of stress that can prevent sugar from properly entering cells. In lab studies, fenugreek microgreens appeared to enhance cellular sugar uptake by 25–44% (source).
• Certain cancers: Antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, especially those rich in polyphenols, may lower the risk of various types of cancer. Polyphenol-rich microgreens may be expected to have similar effects (source).

While most studies seem promising, there needs to be more research to study the effects long term on a constant diet including Microgreens.

How to Use Microgreens in Your Diet

At Greens Bali, we deliver our Microgreens to a wide range of restaurants with different types of cuisines.

We found that Microgreens work best as a compliment to healthy dishes or in a salad with other greens to increase the flavour and add a punch of crunchiness.

If you are still unsure where to use Microgreens, don’t overthink it too much, a sandwich is a great opportunity to try Microgreens.

See below some of our favourite customer photos with our Microgreens.