What are microgreens?

Microgreens, tiny versions of leafy vegetables and herbs. They are in between sprouts and a baby green. They have been described as healthier than full-sized greens. They are also more expensive.

Microgreens, also called “vegetable confetti”, are grown in a similar way to regular vegetables and other plants. But they are harvested when the plant is no taller than 5cm, which takes about 1-3 weeks from when the seeds are sown.

Source of concentrated nutrients

We all know greens are rich in minerals which are necessary for different functions in the body. Sufficient minerals can help lessen your risk for cancer, risk of stroke, and improve your energy.

Microgreens are clearly more nutrient dense, meaning typically they are more concentrated sources of vitamins and minerals. And like the full sized versions, microgreens are equally low in calories.

New flavours to experiment with

Microgreens can be considered as herbs, and the leafy vegetable varieties can have different flavours when small. These may be sweeter or more peppery and can add new flavours to lift recipes not just visually but with respect to taste too. It could even potentially have a healthy side effect as the fascinating flavours from these small plants could reduce the desire to add additional seasoning, having an indirect health benefit.

Growing microgreens at home

The quality of greens and microgreens available from the market is suspect. So it is always a good idea to grow them at home. Microgreens are quite unfussy and can be easily grown in the comfort of your home.

• Use a shallow tray
• Spread some potting soil on the tray and sprinkle the seeds close to each other
• Lightly mist the soil with a sprayer
• Place the tray by a sunny window
• Harvest after 10 to 15 days
• Start a new tray after a few days of the first tray so as to have a continuous supply.

Which seeds can be used to grow microgreens?

Image credit: coloboque via Pixabay.com

The seeds of the following vegetables can be used to grow microgreens.

• Radish
• Beetroot
• Carrot
• Dhania
• Mustard
• Cabbage family seeds
• Methi
• Amaranthus
• Spinach
• Wheatgrass etc

Try experimenting with whatever seeds you have on hand and have fun.

How to use microgreens?

Use scissors and snip the greens from the root up in order to harvest. Microgreens can be used just like you use greens. However to retain the nutritional value, it is best to have them raw.

Sprinkle them on salads and soups, use them as a sandwich or roti filler, top them on pizzas or dosa, add them to your veggie juice, add them to pestos or even add them on top of your fruits. Try different combos and see which flavour you like.

Conclusion

Being attached to our food supply and looking beyond the “superfood” hype and nutrient levels, these little veggies take an important place in our kitchen, reminding us where our food comes from and encouraging us, especially younger ones, to try new foods and flavours. This attachment to food may even encourage us to choose to eat more healthily overall.

In urban spaces, growing microgreens is a great way to add more greens onto your plate. Engaging children in this activity makes it educational and fun for them and increases the probability of them consuming them. Faster and easier to grow and harvest so they keep you motivated to keep doing it.

So what are we waiting for ? ....... learn this new skill that is super easy and doable for enrichment of our body ❤❤

Reference

https://scroll.in/magazine/897363/eat-shoots-and-leaves-many-indian-mothers-are-growing-microgreens-in-their-homes

Note: We acknowledge the inputs given by Nidhi Agarwal in our above article. Thank you Nidhi Agarwal for sharing your insights on micro greens at Wellcure.