Microgreens | The Future Food

Microgreens

Microgreens | The Future Food

Introduction

Diet-related diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke and cancer are escalating both in developed and developing countries, in part due to imbalanced food consumption patterns.
An average increase of fruit and vegetable consumption of approximately 150 g/d, 2.6% cancers in men and 2.3% cancers in women could be avoided.

Why Microgreens?

What are Microgreens?

Microgreens
Microgreens are the seedlings of vegetables, herbs and grains. They are an emerging type of speciality vegetable that people can grow at home or buy from shops from the seeds of vegetables, herbs, or grains.

Different types of Microgreens

Microgreens can be grown from many different types of seeds. The most popular varieties are produced using seeds from the following plant families:

Nutrition

Microgreens are a good source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Vitamins and minerals play hundreds of roles in essential bodily processes.

Effect of Microgreens on Health

The methods used to grow microgreens (i.e., soil, compost, hydroponic) can significantly impact their nutritional value. Eating vegetables is linked to a lower risk of many diseases. This is likely thanks to the high amounts of vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant compounds they contain. Microgreens reduce the risk of the following diseases:

Is it Risky for us?

Eating microgreens is generally considered safe. Nevertheless, one concern is the risk of food poisoning. However, the potential for bacteria growth is much smaller in microgreens. Microgreens require slightly less warm and humid conditions and only the leaf and stem, rather than the root and seed, are consumed.
If you are planning on growing microgreens at home, it is important to buy seeds from a reputable company and choose growing mediums that are free of contamination with harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli.

How to include Microgreens in our Diet

Microgreens are generally more flavorful, some of them quite spicy, then their mature counterparts and have grown in popularity among culinary artists for adding texture and flavour accents to salads, sandwiches, and other dishes.
Wheatgrass juice is a popular example of a juiced microgreen. Another option is to use them as garnishes on pizzas, soups, omelettes, curries and other warm dishes.
Microgreens

How to Grow Microgreens

Microgreens are easy and convenient to grow, as they don’t require much equipment or time. They can be grown year-round, both indoors or outdoors.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Instructions: