Growing & Eating Microgreens
Today, we are going to be answering all your burning questions about microgreens. What are microgreens? Microgreens are young vegetables that around 1-3 inches in height. They can be bought whole and cut at home. Microgreens are usually harvested 7–21 days after germination.There are many different types of microgreens and they classified into plant families.
Brassicaceae family: Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, watercress, radishes and arugula
Asteraceae family: Lettuce, endive, chicory and radicchio
Apiaceae family: Dill, carrot, fennel and celery
Amaryllidaceae family: Garlic, onion, leek
Amaranthaceae family: Amaranth, quinoa swiss chard, beet and spinach
Cucurbitaceae family: Melon, cucumber and squash
What are the nutritional benefits of microgreens?
Microgreens are 40 times more nutritious than mature vegetables. They are rich in vitamin C and E. Most varieties of microgreens tend to be rich in potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium and copper. There are many health benefits to eating microgreens. Eating microgreens reduces the risk of heart disease, alzheimers, diabetes and certain cancers.
How do you eat microgreens?
There are many ways to incorporate microgreens in your diet such as sandwiches, wraps and salads. Microgreens are versatile enough to also be blended into smoothies or juiced. Wheatgrass juice is a popular example of a juiced microgreen. Another option is to use them as garnish on pizzas, soups, omelets, curries and other warm dishes. Many fancy restaurants plate their dishes with microgreens.
How do you grow microgreens at home?
Microgreens are easy to grow at home because they can be grown year round with no special equipment.
- Good-quality seeds.
- A good growing medium, such as a container filled with potting soil or homemade compost. Alternatively, you can use a single-use growing mat specifically designed for growing microgreens.
- Proper lighting — either sunlight or ultraviolet lighting, ideally for 12–16 hours per day.
- Fill your container with soil, making sure you don’t over-compress it, and water lightly.
- Sprinkle the seed of your choice on top of the soil as evenly as possible.
- Lightly mist your seeds with water and cover your container with a plastic lid.
- Check on your tray daily and mist water as needed to keep the seeds moist.
- A couple of days after the seeds have germinated, you may remove the plastic lid to expose them to light.
- Water once a day while your microgreens grow and gain color.After 7–10 days, your microgreens should be ready to harvest.
So what are your favorite dishes to incorporate microgreens in? Would you want to grow them in your own home? Let us know down in the comments below!
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/microgreens
https://farm2fam.org
http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/homegrown-microgreens-salad/
http://www.urbancultivator.net/tk-ways-kick-dinner-microgreens/