“Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food.” – Hippocrates

The US is Facing a Nutritional Crisis

We have a major issue on our hands in today’s society, we are more unhealthy and malnourished than we’ve ever been in modern history. 6 out of every 10 adults in the United States have a chronic disease, while 4 out of every 10 have two chronic diseases. We spend more on healthcare than any other country and yet we are the most diseased country of the “first world”.

A large part of this is the number of processed and GMO foods that line our grocery store shelves. Most grocery stores’ produce sections are loaded with chemically sprayed, and genetically altered foods. Even much of the organic food is grown in soil that is deprived of nutrients from mono-crop farming so we are not getting the amount of nutrients that we should. 

This is where microgreens come in. Microgreens are the super food of super foods, loaded with more nutrients than any food on the planet, pound for pound. These foods contain on average 4-40x as much nutrients as their fully grown counterparts (Univ. of Maryland study). For example, 1 oz of broccoli microgreens contains, on average, as much sulforaphane as 1.5 lbs of mature raw broccoli! This is incredible, especially considering how beneficial sulforaphane is for the human body, especially when it comes to issues like cancer. Microgreens are loaded with vitamins and minerals the body needs to function properly, and different microgreens are high in different nutrients.

An Abundance of Nutrients

Virtually all microgreens contain vitamins C, E, and K1.  Cabbage has the highest in vitamin C, Radish has the highest in Vitamin E, and Garnet Amaranth is the highest in K1.  All the leafy green microgreens like kale will be high in vitamin K1.  Greens like broccoli are high in several nutrients, the most interesting one being sulforaphane, which several studies have shown is incredible for fighting cancer.  Sulforaphane is a powerful antioxidant that is excellent at fighting free radicals which have been shown to lead to numerous diseases, including cancer.  

While their nutrient contents vary slightly, most varieties tend to be rich in potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium and copper and beneficial plant compounds like antioxidants.  These are all important for the body in their own ways, and all these are found in higher amounts in microgreens compared to the mature plants.  Some varieties are also high in protein, namely sunflower and pea.  Pea protein is the main ingredient in almost all plant-based protein powders you’ll find in stores or online, and the protein is more concentrated in microgreens. 

Microgreens are also high in polyphenols.  Polyphenols are a category of compounds naturally found in plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, tea, dark chocolate, and wine.  Polyphenols can act as antioxidants to neutralize free radicals, and can also reduce inflammation.  

Specific Health Issues Microgreens may Help With

  • Improves Digestion – Very high amount of enzymes that help digestion, as well as being very easily digestible.
  • Boosts Metabolism – Most contain protein and they’re all very high in enzymes
  • Promotes Weight Loss – Microgreens are very high in nutrients but very low in calories, the fiber also helps you feel full.
  • Improves Heart Health – Sprouts can be a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, especially alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which is an essential fatty acid.
  • Boosts Immune System – High in essential vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C & Zinc
  • Helps improve eye health- Most varieties are high in Vitamin A which has been shown to improve eye health. 
  • Microgreens contain 4-40x more nutrients than when they’re fully mature.

Microgreens may also be great for fighting or preventing these diseases:

  • Heart disease: Microgreens are a rich source of polyphenols, a class of antioxidants linked to a lower risk of heart disease. Animal studies show that microgreens may lower triglyceride and “bad” LDL cholesterol levels
  • Alzheimer’s disease: Antioxidant-rich foods, including those containing high amounts of polyphenols, may be linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease
  • Diabetes: Antioxidants may help reduce the type of stress that can prevent sugar from properly entering cells. In lab studies, fenugreek microgreens appeared to enhance cellular sugar uptake by 25–44%
  • Certain cancers: Antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, especially those rich in polyphenols, may lower the risk of various types of cancer. Polyphenol rich microgreens may be expected to have similar effects. Greens like Broccoli are very high in sulforaphane which has been shown to be excellent for fighting and preventing cancer.

Sources

  • https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889157514001513?via%3Dihub
  • https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408398.2016.1144557?journalCode=bfsn20
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3614697/
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3492709/
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3899625/
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC23369/
  • https://www.nature.com/articles/165765b0 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2692609/
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3550828/
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7971791/
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23902242/
  • https://agnr.umd.edu/news/mighty-microgreens