California was growing microgreens long before the rest of the United States even knew what they were. Way back in the early 80s, high-end chefs were using these micro vegetables as a garnish on their plates. Slowly, slowly other restaurants began to use them. Word-of-mouth spread and it wasn’t long before the tiny greens were plated from coast to coast. They were tiny. They were flavorful. And they were pretty.
Well, it turns out they’re not just tiny, flavorful, and pretty—they’re also packed with nutrients. A study by Xiao, Lester, Luo, and Wang, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, took a close look at the vitamin and carotenoid content of these little greens.
The researchers analyzed a variety of microgreens and discovered they have significantly higher concentrations of vitamins and carotenoids compared to their mature counterparts. For example, red cabbage microgreens have six times more vitamin C than mature red cabbage! That means adding just a handful of microgreens to your meal can give you a serious nutrient boost.
What’s even more impressive is the variety of microgreens available—each type brings its own unique set of nutrients. So, whether you’re into radish, cilantro, or amaranth, there’s a microgreen to meet your nutritional needs.
In short, if you’re looking for an easy way to up your vitamin intake without popping pills, microgreens might be the answer. They’re not only a burst of flavor and color on your plate but also a powerhouse of nutrition. So next time you see these tiny greens at the market or in a dish, you’ll know they’re more than just a garnish—they’re a health kick in miniature form!
Thank you for reading! We are Dawn Farm, a USDA-registered Urban Farm located in Canyon, Texas, owned and operated by Tim and Suzan Triplett. We are dedicated to growing microgreens indoors using sustainable agricultural practices. We work closely with the NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) and their urban farming initiative to build a better vegetable production facility. In the summertime, you can usually find us at the Canyon Farmers Market. Our mission is to provide fresh, nutritious, and eco-friendly greens to our community. Follow us for more tips, recipes, and updates on how we bring the best microgreens to your table.
This article was generated with the assistance of ChatGPT by OpenAI.
Sources:
- Xiao, Z., Lester, G.E., Luo, Y., Wang, Q. 2012. Assessment of vitamin and carotenoid concentrations of emerging food products: edible microgreens. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 60(31):7644-7651 (Hamama)(Phys.org).