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Microgreens are increasingly used to prepare sophisticated dishes for increasingly demanding consumers. Consumers who are particularly attentive to their health, as well as to the quality of food. In restaurants they are mostly used to decorate dishes; but microgreens have above all an interesting nutritional profile and are legitimately considered “super foods”.
NUTRITIONAL VALUES
Comparing microgreens to their mature versions, they can provide us with bioactive components capable of improving some strategic functions within our body. Furthermore, we should consider that compared to conventional vegetables that are often cooked, microgreens are normally eaten raw. The advantage is the preservation of nutrients, avoiding the degradation of thermolabile vitamins, susceptible to high temperatures, which normally occurs cooking our vegetables and boiling our herbal teas.
Considering the daily intake values of vitamins recommended by the FDA and other world food safety agencies, it’s possible to demonstrate that a few grams of microgreens can fully satisfy the recommended daily requirement of these vitamins.
An average adult might consume 25g of the micro version of radish to meet the recommended daily requirement for vitamin E.
Basically, with a few handfuls of different microgreens we may not be full, but surely we can absorb the necessary nutrients to perform our functions at best. Not only vitamins and antioxidants, but also beta-carotene and minerals in abundance such as potassium and calcium. They are also particularly suitable for those who follow a low-sodium diet, for example for those experiencing problems with blood pressure and water retention.
Microgreens represent a great opportunity and alternative for demanding consumer categories. Vegetarians, vegans and raw food eaters can expand their diet with the numerous species available.
The greatest advantage of all is the simplicity and rapidity with which it’s possible to grow microgreens without using any fertilizer, even in very small spaces, such as a window sill.
HOW TO ENJOY AT MOST MICROGREENS BENEFITS
To make the most out of the many health benefits microgreens have, eat them raw as quickly as possible after harvesting. Just like most foods eaten fresh, they begin to gradually and rapidly lose their nutritional value after harvest.
Consider growing tasty microgreens at home, this will allow you to decide exactly when to harvest and consume them, making you able to enjoy their many benefits to the fullest.
It’s essential to recognize the importance of the short supply chain, self-produce food; rather than turning to trustworthy local producers to consume fresh, rather than greens produced who knows when, and harvested who knows where. Large-scale retailers are able to provide economically favorable foods, but certainly low in nutritional content, and for this reason also poor in taste.
The choices about which microgreens to grow are many, take a look at this article where we discuss further about the many possible varieties to choose from: “Microgreens: what varieties to grow“.
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