Last Updated on December 1, 2023
Microgreens are a great way to grow your food in the comfort of your home. They are small but have all the nutrients that you need to be healthy. That’s why they are called the best microgreens for health!
Are you wondering what microgreens are? They’re tiny greens – plants that have just emerged from their seed and grown for less than ten days, providing them with more nutrients than full-grown vegetables because they haven’t been exposed to pesticides or other pesticides chemicals in soil fertilizers.
Let’s go into more detail about what microgreens are, and then we’ll discuss the best microgreens for your overall health.
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What exactly are microgreens?
They are small vegetables or herbs that have been harvested young. Microgreens are a great source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants as well as protein, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and calcium.
Most microgreens can be purchased from a store or a local farmer’s market for a low price. You can also grow them yourself if you want them all year round. More about that below.
5 Benefits of microgreens
1. High levels of vitamins and minerals:
Microgreens are packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals that fight against cell damage to keep your body healthy. They can help to protect the heart, lower blood pressure, strengthen bones, boost immunity, prevent different types of cancer, and slow down aging because they contain vitamins A, B, C, E and K.
2. Contains omega-3 fatty acids:
Omega-3 is a type of fat that the body cannot produce on its own, which means you need to get them through your diet. Nutritious microgreens help you do just that. The human body needs this essential nutrient for good health because it keeps blood vessels flexible to allow blood to flow easily and regulates blood pressure.
3. Microgreens Contain protein:
Proteins are essential for the proper development and maintenance of bones, muscles, and skin, as well as forming important enzymes that assist chemical reactions in cells.
4. Helps to protect against cancer:
Studies show that diets rich in antioxidants can inhibit tumor growth and cell damage caused by free radicals, which are destructive particles produced when the body breaks down food. Microgreens give you those essentials.
5. Promotes regularity:
Fibers found in microgreens help cleanse the colon and control cholesterol levels. They also help regulate blood sugar levels, promote weight loss by helping you feel full for longer, and improve immunity to prevent different types of cancer
Additional benefits of microgreens:
You can use more of the plant in your food.
The great thing about growing microgreens is that you can use more of the plant in your food.
When you harvest large leafy greens, you typically separate the leaves from the thick stems, which you will subsequently remove and toss.
However, because the stems and leaves of microgreens are so soft and small, they may be eaten together. You don’t have to harvest the whole plant at once. You may take as much as you want from the plant and allow it to continue developing.
Microgreens are often used in smoothies, sandwiches, and pizza. There’s no limit to the ways you might incorporate them into your diet, but keep in mind that they lose nutrients when cooked.
Microgreens require little space.
If your gardening space is severely limited, such as reserved for a windowsill, then microgreens are the perfect crop for you to consider. Microgreens require very little room to grow.
You can even use a container with drainage holes in the bottom or poke some toothpicks into Styrofoam cups to grow microgreens on your windowsill.
All you have to do is spread some seeds over the surface of a growing medium, which can be potting soil or even moistened paper towels, and cover them with a small amount of growing medium. The seeds will sprout within a few days.
They can be grown year-round.
If you’re not sure when the best time is to grow microgreens or if it’s too cold outside, don’t worry about that either because you can grow them in the comfort of your home year-round.
All you need to do is find a container that has holes for drainage, add some soil and seeds, spray with water every few days until they’re ready for harvesting, and you’re all set! There’s no need to wait for spring when winter will bring many months of harvesting time for you!
Growing microgreens is a perfect gardening strategy for those living in the city who have limited gardening space. They don’t take up space, but they also don’t take much time to grow from seed to plate. You can do it in the comfort of your very own home, and all it takes is some containers, seeds, water, and light!
Best Microgreens for Health
Now that we know what microgreens are, how they benefit us, and how easy they are to grow at home, what are some of the most nutritious microgreens for our health?
Nutritious microgreens include arugula seeds, which is a cruciferous vegetable that’s rich in antioxidants and contains cancer-fighting properties.
Another great option is sunflower sprouts. Sunflower microgreens are loaded with vitamins A and C, as well as folate.
Swiss Chard is another microgreens option that’s rich in antioxidants and loaded with vitamins A, C, and K. This is yet another green loaded with beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin that can help prevent eye diseases such as macular degeneration.
Beet greens contain a high amount of vitamin K as well as magnesium and iron. This nutritious microgreen is also said to help improve circulation, which is why they were once used as an herbal remedy to cure cold hands and feet.
Mustard greens are another great choice in microgreens because they contain a high amount of Vitamin A that helps boost immunity.
Bean sprouts are high on the list because they’re loaded with protein, vitamin B1, minerals, and fiber.
Pea microgreens are also an excellent choice because pea shoots are rich in plant-based protein, antioxidants, iron, potassium, and vitamin B6.
Arugula microgreens are high on the list because these cruciferous vegetables help fight cancer thanks to their sulfur compounds. It also contains omega 3 fatty acids that help boost heart health.
Radish microgreens are rich in vitamin C, folate, and fiber. Vitamin C helps boost immunity while fiber helps lower cholesterol levels and regulates blood sugar levels along with inhibiting the growth of cancer cells.
Another option is broccoli microgreens. They’re a nutritious vegetable that is particularly beneficial for brain function thanks to the presence of choline in them.
Alfalfa microgreens are also beneficial to our health. They’re rich in protein, vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc.
Kale microgreens are another great option. They offer huge amounts of antioxidants, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C.
Radish microgreens are also a great option for those looking for nutritious microgreens that offer health benefits.
Wheatgrass microgreens are a great source of iron and magnesium. Use these microgreens in smoothies or juices, and you’ll be getting your daily dose of iron to help prevent anemia.
Cilantro also makes for a great microgreen to grow at home. It’s packed with vitamin K, magnesium, amino acids, calcium, and manganese.
Microgreens are a great way to add nutritional value to your diet! As you’ve seen from this article, they contain many nutrients, including antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, anti-inflammatory benefits, and amino acids.
They’re easy to grow at home, which makes them perfect for those living in the city who don’t have much space to work with. They can be grown year-round, even during wintertime if it’s too cold outside.
How to Include Microgreens in Your Diet
These nutritious tiny greens are quite simple to add to your daily nutrition. Here are just a few examples:
- simply plate a small amount as a tasty side on your plate
- use them as a garnish on pizza, salad, soup
- they are a delicious and nutritious addition to an omelet or other type of egg-based dish
- sprinkle some microgreens on a sandwich instead of the usual lettuce type of greens
Conclusion:
Microgreens offer a variety of benefits to your diet while also using some creativity in the kitchen. They require little effort and no time spent under the sun, but they offer a high return on regular consumption.
They’re an excellent choice for gardeners who have limited space, don’t have lots of free time, or don’t want to wait for spring. They’re a nourishing option that everyone can consider growing, and they reward those who take the leap with some fresh produce on their plate throughout the y
Growing microgreens is a perfect gardening strategy for anyone who wants to put the health benefits of microgreens into practice every day. They add essential nutrients to your diet, and they don’t take much time to grow from seed to plate. You can do it in the comfort of your very own home, and all it takes is some containers, seeds, water, and light!
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