Microgreens are very tiny plants in appearance that are not only precious and adorable but are jam-packed with a lot of vital nutrients and antioxidants. They’ve quickly become a staple in salads and on sandwiches everywhere. You may have even seen them offered as starting planter kits since they are considered low maintenance and are quick to harvest. This makes them likely to be bought from sites like Health Force, planted, and harvested in bulk. Let’s look into the health benefits of microgreens.
What are Microgreens?
Microgreens take on the appearance of sprouts and are a vegetable in miniature form. They exist in copious variety, so there are plenty to incorporate into your diet. These mini greens are seedlings, and they are often culled at the beginning stage of a vegetable’s growth. Vegetables such as broccoli, cabbages, kale, and even cauliflower produce these microgreens. Microgreen sprouts contain approximately 40 times the nutritional value and benefits of their larger vegetative forms.
Because they are such small greens, it becomes easier to integrate them into your diet and everyday household recipes. They can be incorporated into smoothies to help supplement the nutrients you are already providing your body with. As many vegan dishes mirror their non-vegan counterparts, microgreens can replace non-vegan ingredients to ensure vital nutrients are still obtained. These greens can be ingested raw if you’re following any diet that prefers fresh or cool foods to hot foods to decrease fatigue or loss of nutritional value.
Richness in nutrients
Microgreens supply minerals and vitamins, and fiber which assist with preventing a host of diseases and weight management. They can boost both mental and physical health and well-being. An example of a vegetable with these benefits would be kale. Kale is a widely available vegetable, and so it is known as a microgreen.
High Antioxidant Content
Antioxidants help the body eliminate the molecular waste that is often referred to as “free radicals.” Free radicals come from the body’s natural processes and any environmental pressures like pollution. If allowed to build up, then eventually, cell damage is the outcome. This damage contributes to the development of diseases such as cancer. Even though the body can remove some of the free radicals on its own, it is not quick enough to outweigh the recurring production of free radicals. Fortunately, antioxidants from foods can help remove them, too, and so plant-based foods can supply us with those antioxidants to support the elimination process.
Broccoli microgreens contain very high levels of Vitamin E — which is a known antioxidant. Vitamin A is another antioxidant present in lettuce and chicory microgreens and can support the elimination process.
Reducing Your Risk of Heart Disease
Numerous vegetables bode well for blood pressure. I think we can safely say microgreens make the cut and are even at the top of that list. As we’ve all heard one way or another, unhealthy eating contributes to high blood pressure, which in turn increases our chances of heart disease. Often, the first suggestion where blood pressure is concerned is to make excellent and necessary dietary changes. Cutting down on salt is a must. Incorporating more plant-based foods, including microgreens high in fiber and vitamin K, can readily reduce high blood pressure. Of course, coupled with blood pressure treatments recommended by a medical professional can make the therapy more fulfilling and effective.
Supporting The Cancer Fight – Supplementing The Immune System
Microgreens possess anti-cancer properties. More specifically, they keep a compound known as sulforaphane. This compound can be explicitly found in broccoli microgreens, which means that it can work on cancer cells. Aside from this compound, microgreens can even support your immune system while targeting these cancer cells in conjunction with other vegetables. The antioxidants contain help purify and renew the immune system to retain its tip-top shape when fighting infections.
Eyesight Improvement & Digestion Support
Increasing your vegetable intake and including microgreens in your diet means that you are adding lutein produced by the microgreens and are vital to the health of our eyes. Lutein content allows us to take in and withstand bright lights for extended periods. Without sufficient lutein levels, we would suffer more headaches and migraines due to the constant exposure to more colorful lights.
The same greens that support our eyes also help to support our digestive system. Microgreens contain both prebiotics and probiotics. Prebiotics are very helpful for revivifying the beneficial bacteria that exist in our stomachs, known as probiotics. These bacterias are associated with our general sense of wellness.
Reducing Constipation, Lowering Cholesterol, and Improving Kidney Function
When eaten regularly, microgreens might help support bowel movements or speed them up.
They contain the amount of fiber necessary to ease or reduce constipation.
If you’re experiencing higher than normal cholesterol, then perhaps give microgreens derived from red cabbage a try. These greens can lower cholesterol and help with weight loss if you are on a diet higher than your usual fat intake.
Finally, suppose you have any type of impaired or poor kidney function. In that case, whether it be from chemotherapy or kidney disease, you may have been told to avoid foods high in potassium. This can usually include any fresh vegetable. Luckily, microgreens contain deficient potassium levels, so you can still eat them and reap their nutritional benefits. As always, please seek a medical professional for questions, more information, and confirmation before adding microgreens to your diet.
Microgreens are Sustainable
Finally, if you’re concerned with maintaining carbon footprints and reducing food source usage that isn’t local, then microgreens come in handy. They are straightforward to grow at home regardless of your available living space. They do not require a vast expanse or section of your home to thrive. So you’ll get all the benefits of freshly picked and organic foods without having to outsource or travel for it, which cuts down the weight of the burden on our global food supply. Growing these greens at home isn’t just sustainable and effortless, but it’s fun and easy for your kids, too, if you have any. They’ll be a part of the growth process and, in turn, will be happy to eat their successful work too!
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