Are you eating micro-greens for your lunch or dinner?

If not, now is the time to learn about the great nutritional benefits of these little veggies! Micro-vegetables are the baby version of foods that you may already know and like. They are usually shoots (or small bud-shaped leaves) usually less than 14 days old. You can find ripe staples like spinach, kale, chives, arugula, and broccoli as microgreen. However, you can mix things up with watercress, mustard greens, onion sprouts, radish, and alfalfa. Each of the microgreens will not taste exactly the same as the adult plant. They are usually milder, since they have not fully grown. However, foods like mustard, onion, and radish will taste stronger and spicier.

How do these little leaves add great value to you?

They generally have FOUR to SIX times the concentration of nutrients that you normally get from the largest / adult size plant. That means you get more nutrients in a smaller package, like beta carotene, B vitamins, vitamin C, and even amino acids. That’s good news if you don’t want a traditional salad every day. Since you don’t need as much plant material to reap the benefits, it’s easier to include them in your diet with ideas like blending them into a smoothie, using lettuce sprouts to top a burger instead of lettuce (or topping any sandwich, really), or substituting the spinach leaves in an omelette with spinach micro sprouts.

Microgreens are tiny leaves with many health benefits.

The health benefits differ slightly between the different varieties of plants you can choose from. For example, most bean sprouts are high in C, while alfalfa has more calcium, potassium, and magnesium. While no one would think of eating the sunflower plant, you can (and should) eat the sprouts, as they have amino acids, folic acid and vitamin E, as well as traces of copper. The benefits go on and on, so the best thing to do is pick your favorite flavored sprout (sweetest, softest sunflower, or energetic radish, or maybe the strongest crunchy bean sprout in a stir fry) and look. for all your specific nutrients on the internet.

Can you grow micro-vegetables in your own home?

Yes! But some are easier than others. For example, with lentils you have to have several periods of soaking, rinsing and resting before you can make them sprout. Of course, it’s worth it if you really enjoy sprouted beans, but if you’re looking to get to veggies faster, you need the chia seed. If you’re looking for the simplest and quickest sprout, (it’s pretty much foolproof) look for the chia seed first. Chia seeds are so easy to germinate that they even made a trick ceramic “pet” for the kids to grow. They grow quickly, thanks to the nutrient-packed seed, making sprouts to add to your salad even quicker. Chia sprouts have a somewhat “spicy” flavor. It is not as powerful as onion or radish sprouts, but it is not as smooth as alfalfa.

What is sprout safety?

With a few seeds, some potting soil (or seed mixing soil), and a low plate, most people can grow microgreens in their own home. Chia seeds will certainly sprout if placed in moist soil on a low plate. It is important to take proper care of the microgreen of any plant, to avoid problems such as mold and to maximize the attractiveness at the time of serving, as well as the nutrition. However, with a few quick tips, small plants like these are generally easy to handle.

Things to keep in mind include:

Cut tiny leaves or stems about a centimeter above the substrate in which they grew.

Clip only with clean food grade scissors

Plastic or ceramic scissors will prevent browning (important for serving presentation)

Expose vegetables or sprouts to strong sunlight for several hours before harvest; this will maximize the chlorophyll content for better health

Do not use / consume sprouts if you find mold on the base

In humid or humid weather, it is best to let the seeds sprout on a sunny windowsill and keep them there until ready to avoid mold problems.

Trim most vegetables when they are 1 to 2 inches tall

Don’t grow them outdoors unless they are well protected by a mini greenhouse or screens; You may like micro-greens, but so do insects, spores, and other pests that you don’t want on your food.

Misting for Moisture: Misting ensures safe humidity levels where abundant watering can lead to crushing of shoots and removal of seeds or mold from the soil.

Most vegetables are ready in about 10-14 days, but they will not grow back once cut.

Rinse vegetables gently with cold water only and serve immediately.

They do not need to be fertilized, they get their initial nutrition from the seed itself.

Growing your own veggies also saves money – sometimes this healthy ingredient is expensive at the grocery store or seems less than fresh. Keep in mind that each one has a different flavor, if you don’t like one microgreen, you can enjoy another, so experiment as much as you want, now that you know that the nutritional benefits are well worth it. If you try a few varieties and still want something a little milder that adds nutrition to your meals, you can always just eat the chia seeds. While the chia sprout has flavor, the seeds themselves do not. They can be mixed with everyday foods without altering the taste, such as yogurt, ice cream, salad dressings, soups, casseroles, scrambled eggs, and PB&J. If you can sprinkle it, you can use chia seeds. Remember the last sprout tip: “The sprout does not need fertilizer because it gets its initial nutrition from the seed”; This illustrates the nutritional power of chia as you watch it grow. Its bud is large and vigorous despite the tiny size of the seeds. And it is not surprising because the seed contains more calcium by weight than milk, it has 23% complete protein (like that of meat) it has healthy omega-3 oils and two types of fiber, in addition to B vitamins and the trace element boron.

With eating fresh and eating raw getting so much press for its health benefits, you can be ahead of the curve with the freshest food in town … food that was harvested minutes before serving. Save money at the store and save space at home, because microgreens can be grown in small batches and never require pots or large areas. Something as simple as a tin of aluminum foil and a small bag of potting mix is ​​all you need to get started (and the seeds, of course!) So there’s hardly an upfront cost of time or supplies.