Microgreens deliver a hefty amount of many vitamins and minerals, as well as protective phytochemicals. Microgreens grown at Redfroglab Inc., an urban modular farm in Montreal, on April 22, 2024.Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press
The “Buy Canadian” movement means many people are turning away from U.S.-grown lettuce and other salad greens in favour of local alternatives.
Microgreens, it seems, are a popular replacement.
My neighbourhood grocery store sells all sorts of Ontario-grown microgreens, including broccoli, arugula, kale, radish, mustard and sunflower.
But are these young tiny greens as nutritious as their grown-up equivalents? Are they worth the higher price?
Here’s a microgreen primer, plus tasty ways to add them to your diet.
What are microgreens?
Also called “vegetable confetti,” microgreens are young seedlings of vegetables, herbs and grains.
They’re typically grown without soil, using hydroponic or aeroponic methods.
With hydroponics, microgreens are grown in a nutrient-rich water solution. Aeroponics involves suspending the plants in the air and periodically misting their roots with nutrient-dense droplets.
Microgreens are harvested seven to 21 days after germination, when the first true leaves have emerged. (Baby greens are ready for harvest in 20 to 40 days, while the harvest time for sprouts is three to seven days.)
These micro-vegetables are typically one to three inches tall, including their edible stem and leaves.
Nutritional benefits: micro versus mature greens
Microgreens are surprisingly nutrient-dense for their small size. They deliver a hefty amount of many vitamins and minerals, as well as protective phytochemicals.
Research has found that microgreens are more concentrated sources of many nutrients than mature plants. This suggests that even small amounts of microgreens may have nutritional benefits similar to larger amounts of full-sized plants.
One study, published in 2012 in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, assessed the content of vitamins C, E and K and carotenoids (beta-carotene and lutein) in 25 varieties of microgreens.
In general, microgreens contained considerably higher concentrations of vitamins and carotenoids than their fully grown counterparts.
For example, 100 g of red cabbage microgreens contained 260 times more beta-carotene than the same amount of fresh cabbage. It also had 28 times more brain-friendly lutein and 40 times more vitamin E.
A 2015 study published in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis found that, compared to mature lettuces, microgreens had a significantly higher content of calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc and selenium.
Because microgreens are harvested very soon after germination, they’re concentrated in nutrients and phytochemicals needed for growth.
What about baby greens?
Fewer studies have looked at the nutritional differences between baby greens and mature greens, or microgreens for that matter.
A 2021 study from Rutgers University in New Jersey found that compared to mature spinach, greenhouse-grown baby spinach was higher in digestible protein, potassium, magnesium, iron, manganese and zinc.
Findings from another study, published in 2019, showed that three species of wild greens grown hydroponically as microgreens and baby greens had comparable, or in some cases larger, nutrient contents than their mature greens.
The study also found that baby wild greens were often richer in minerals and antioxidants than their microgreen cousins. This suggests that the growth stage of greens – from micro to baby – has a significant influence on the content of certain nutrients.
Don’t abandon full-sized greens
These findings don’t mean, though, that mature leafy greens are second-rate, nutritionally speaking. Far from it.
Dark green lettuces and leafy greens such as kale, Swiss chard and spinach are outstanding sources of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. A regular intake is tied to protection against heart disease, stroke, hip fracture, dementia and certain cancers.
Consider too that, compared to baby and mature greens, microgreens have a higher price tag.
A 50-g package of microgreens (about 2 cups worth), for example, can cost as much as $3.99.
Depending on where you live in Canada, you can buy a 113-g package of baby greens, or 300-g package of lettuce, locally grown, for the same price.
Ways to include microgreens in your diet
Microgreens boost the nutritional value and flavour of meals.
Depending on the variety, microgreens can taste bitter, spicy, mild, nutty, even slightly sour. In general, the flavour of microgreens is more intense than that of the mature green.
Add microgreens to omelettes, sandwiches and wraps, or toss them into a green leafy salad. Blend microgreens into a smoothie or vinaigrette salad dressing.
Basil microgreens are delicious as a fresh garnish on pizza or pasta. Garnish avocado toast, grilled salmon and soups with microgreens.
Use cilantro microgreens as taco topping or incorporate microgreens into stir-fries at the end of cooking.
When properly stored in the fridge, microgreens stay fresh for five to seven days.
Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based private practice dietitian, is director of food and nutrition at Medcan. Follow her on X @LeslieBeckRD
