As the world becomes more aware of the importance of healthy eating, we're discovering that "superfood" isn't just a marketing term. Some foods are genuinely chock full of powerful vitamins and minerals, and these little nutrient powerhouses may be hiding in your fridge as we speak. If you haven't tried them yet, it might be time to start snacking on microgreens.
They're more nutritious than their mature counterparts.
Microgreens are young, tender, and fragile. They're basically just sprouts of their mature plant counterparts. And because they're so young and tender, they have higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients than their mature counterparts. Chlorophyll is also present in microgreens—which has shown to increase the body's ability to absorb nutrients from other foods eaten with microgreens. One study found that after eating kale on its own or mixed with arugula (another type of green),
participants had increased absorption of folate (a B vitamin) by about 28 percent!
Microgreens contain more vitamin C than bell peppers do; one cup contains 150 percent more than a whole bell pepper does! That's pretty crazy if you think about it: you'd need three bell peppers to get as much vitamin C as one cup of microgreens contains. Not only do they contain more vitamin C than bell peppers but also more nutrients overall: A ½ cup serving is also packed with iron (10% DV) and potassium (4% DV).
They're easy to grow.
Microgreens are easy to grow. You can start growing microgreens in your home, and you don't need a lot of space or money to do it.
Planting microgreens is as simple as placing seeds into soil or a growing medium and watering them regularly.
If you want to grow your own microgreen plants from seed at home, try planting them in small pots and containers that are just big enough for the plant's roots, but not so large that they take up too much space on your windowsill or kitchen countertop (or wherever else you'd like to grow your greens). Remember: the smaller their container is, the quicker they'll mature!
They have better flavor.
You may be wondering what exactly makes microgreens so delicious.
It's all about the taste. Microgreens have milder, yet more complex and intense flavors than their mature counterparts. If you've ever tried baby carrots or asparagus, you know that these veggies are a lot more flavorful than their fully-grown counterparts. This is because they contain fewer chemicals that mute their natural flavor since they haven't been exposed to pesticides or other harmful chemicals yet.
Microgreens are like baby carrots in that sense—they're bursting with flavor because of how fresh and unadulterated they are!
Microgreens are a great addition to any diet, and they're easy to grow yourself.
Microgreens are a great addition to any diet, and they're easy to grow yourself. Look at these benefits:
They add variety. Microgreens are an easy way to play around with different flavors and textures in your food without having to commit a lot of time or money. You can try out a new soup recipe by adding some microgreens or give your favorite salad an extra boost of flavor by sprinkling some on top before eating it.
They're healthy! Microgreens contain essential vitamins and nutrients that will keep you feeling energized throughout the day so you don't feel sluggish when you need it most.* They're easy to prepare! You can simply throw some microgreens into whatever dish you're making at home—they'll blend right in with no extra effort required on your part.* They're easy to store! Since microgreens are grown in soil instead of hydroponic systems like other vegetables, they tend not to be as sensitive when stored away from light sources like windows since they don't require much sunlight (unlike traditional vegetables).
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