WHAT ARE MICROGREENS?

Microgreens are seedlings of edible vegetables and herbs and have been incorporated into the dishes of many chefs since the 1980’s. They’re also packed with intense flavors, featuring complex flavor profiles. Microgreens can also provide a nice textural contrast. Add a few microgreens to that dish, and your food can go a long way.

Studies suggest that microgreens contain high concentrations of nutrients compared with matured vegetables and herbs. Due to their high antioxidant content, microgreens are considered a functional food and a food that promotes health and prevents disease. 

For example a Yale University study on pea microgreens also discovered that the seedlings started to produce large amounts of vitamin K when they were exposed to light.  Vitamin K offers health benefits for humans by promoting normal blood clotting and preventing excessive bruising. Vitamin K also plays an important role in maintaining strong and healthy bones!

To reap the benefits of microgreens, eat them immediately after harvest. Microgreens, like most other superfoods that are consumed fresh, begin to lose their nutritional value rapidly after harvest. However, one way to boost the nutritional value of the recipes made with microgreens is to use extra-virgin olive oil or an alternative healthy oil. The presence of oil helps improve the bioavailability of the fat soluble nutrients in microgreens (carotenoids, vitamin E & K).