How to grow sprouts and microgreens

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Add microgreens to your plate.

Sprouted vegetables are a quick and easy way to get many nutritional benefits. Sprouting your own vegetables is simple. ` Although these vegetables are “micro,” their benefits are major. Sometimes over forty times than fully grown vegetables. They’re also easy to grow and add to your plate.

What’s the difference between sprouts and microgreens?

Microgreens are the stage of a plant from seed to “baby plant.” They are “young and tender edible seedlings.” [Renna, 2016] They’re just past the stage of sprouts which are forming small leaves.  Sprouts are 1-3 days and have no leaves. They are equally good for you, and you can begin adding them to your meal once a sprout begins.

Or give it a few more days, and it will become a microgreen.  Sprouts and microgreens take about 3-10 days to grow and are really simple. 

 Where do you grow microgreens?

Microgreens are so easy to grow, and they can be grown indoors, outdoors, and within days.  I like to use the NOW Food Sprouting jar to grow my sprouts for the week.  It makes it very simple because it has a mesh lid to remove liquid and is made of glass so you can observe the process.  The process is so simple that my six-year-old can do it and often does.

 Microgreens come in different varieties:

Most people think of Microgreens as broccoli, Brussels, and alfalfa sprouts, but you can eat so many vegetables and grains in “micro” form.

  • Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, watercress, radish, and arugula
  • Lettuce, endive, chicory and radicchio
  • Dill, carrot, fennel, and celery
  • Garlic, onion, leek
  • Amaranth, quinoa swiss chard, beet, and spinach
  • Melon, cucumber, and squash
  • rice, oats, wheat, corn and barley, legumes 

Consuming these vegetables at the early stage can have many micronutrients and give you a variety of flavors from savory, spicy, to even sweet, depending on the microgreen.


Why are microgreens so nutritious?

Every microgreen is different in its nutritional makeup, depending on the variety.  Microgreens like Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, watercress, radish, and arugula are rich in potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium, and copper (Weber, 2017)

The great thing about microgreens is you can eat less of these baby plants and get the same nutrient value as if you ate more vegetables fully matured.  So, a little goes a long way with microgreens.

Why do I add microgreens to my diet?

I am in an ongoing battle with my digestive system. For those of you who have followed me, you have been on the ride with me. I have a hard time digesting vegetables like Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts.  So, I’ve been swapping them for the “baby” version or microgreens.

When I found out eating microgreens can give me the same things I need from the fully matured vegetable. I began adding them to my plates regularly. It’s like adding a fresh herb.  I really like trying the different seeds that NOW Foods  has with different dishes. Microgreens can have over forty times the nutritional value of the fully mature vegetable. (Xiao, Lester, Luo, Wang, 2012) 

How do you eat microgreens?

You can add them to anything. They do have a flavor, but it’s like adding spice to your dish but packed with phytonutrients, polyphenols, vitamins, and minerals in small quantities.  

Add microgreens to your:

  • Sandwiches
  • Salads
  • Wraps
  • Juices
  • Smoothies
  • Juice
  • Pizza toppings
  • Paninis
  • Soups
  • Omelets
  • Casseroles
  • Stir fry

 They give everything a power boost.

I also find that for those who don’t like vegetables, microgreens can be an easy compromise to get all that you need that you miss from a limited vegetable intake.

What to know when growing your own microgreens?

Make sure that you have quality seeds. That is why I get my supplements and foods from NOWFOODS . I can trust them to test and provide quality products. I also use Citric Acid Powder from now on to withstand any bacteria growth.  NOWFOODs  has a straightforward 5 step process to growing your own sprouts.  It makes it very simple and easy to grow your sprouts and gives you confidence they are safe to eat.

How to grow your own?

NOW Foods has a sprouting kit that makes it very easy to grow your own.  All you need is the NOWFoods Sprouting Jar , Citric Acid Powder , and Sprouting Seeds of your choice. I suggest starting with the Alfalfa sprouts. I also like the Zesty Sprout mix. It has some great flavor profiles. Follow the directions, and in 3-5 days, you have sprouted. In about 7-10 days, you will have microgreens.  

 

Use code “FAITHFUELED” to get 20% off of your kit.  

 

Have you ever tried sprouts or microgreens?

 

Resources:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15428052.2016.1225534

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5362588/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22812633

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