Microgreens were first discovered in the USA in the early 1980s. That's when chefs in fashionable restaurants started adding the "healthiest" greens to their culinary masterpieces. Essentially, these are 2–4 cm tall plant sprouts at the very beginning of their development. The entire cycle, from planting seeds to harvesting, takes 1 to 2 weeks. You can grow traditional crops such as onions, herbs and lettuce, as well as other plants – daikon, radish, amaranth and beets, cereals, cabbage, chickpeas, sunflowers, etc.
What are microgreens and why do you need them
Microgreens, also known as microgreens, have become a fashionable word among healthy lifestyle supporters. Only the laziest do not mention them. Bloggers with millions of subscribers actively extol the benefits of sprouted plants, and vegetarian restaurants include them in the recipes of classic dishes.
The main advantage of microgreens is their environmental friendliness, which is due to their cultivation in clean water, where chemicals are not added on principle. The seeds are not treated before planting, only those with potentially high germination are selected. To grow microgreens, soil or a suitable peat-based substrate is used, as well as hydroponics – a technology that suggests using water with useful substances. For hydroponics, containers filled with a substrate of vermiculite and coconut fiber are used. In this way, plants are grown without soil and can be eaten immediately.
What are the benefits of microgreens
The expected benefit of eating microgreens is based on the idea that at an early stage of development, plants contain the maximum amount of nutrients. Research confirms that the content of microelements in sprouts is five times higher than in adult plants. This is explained simply: during growth, crops use up the nutritional reserves contained in seeds to the maximum. In adult plants, the content of microelements depends on how the crops are grown and on what soil.
Useful substances from young plants are absorbed better. This is especially true for cereals. Cereals, in addition to various microelements, contain fats, carbohydrates, gluten, starch. All these nutrients, but with greater benefit, can be obtained if you eat cereals not in dried form after heat treatment, but at the microgreen stage.
Sprouted seeds contain vitamins E, C, PP, as well as phosphorus, iron and folic acid, magnesium. Cilantro, basil and coriander also contain essential oils that have an antioxidant effect.
Popular types of microgreens
Young and such useful shoots can be grown from ordinary plants. Most often, root crops and greens are used, less often – cereal crops. Microgreens differ from sprouts in that the former has time to release a couple of real leaves, and the latter are consumed as soon as the rootlet cuts through. However, not all seeds can be consumed in sprouted form, so the plants are grown until the first young leaves appear.
Initially, only a few types of plants were grown – arugula, beets, basil, cabbage, coriander. In 2020, dozens of crops were added to the listed assortment, but not all of them gained popularity. The most popular microgreens are peas, mizuna, mustard, soybeans, watercress, daikon, sunflower, lentils, buckwheat, alfalfa and mung beans.
Microgreens from nightshades (tomatoes, eggplants, peppers) and potatoes are not grown at all, since the tops of these crops contain alkaloids – natural poisons. The same applies to the seeds of zucchini, pumpkin and beans – their sprouts contain inhibitors that interfere with the absorption of nutrients, so if you should eat them, then only after heat treatment.
Peculiarities of growing plants at home
To get a harvest of "green vitamins" on the windowsill, you need to carefully select the seeds. Large ones are kept in water for several hours, after which they are sent to a tray for germination. Small ones are not soaked, but immediately sown.
Growing microgreens at home requires creating favorable conditions, including lighting, temperature, and humidity levels.
Artificial lighting is not necessary, but the level of illumination changes the taste and color of some crops. Corn grown in the dark will produce sweet greens, while when grown with light, it will be bitter. Those who decide to use backlighting need to choose the right spectrum, intensity, and duration of exposure, taking into account the needs of a particular crop. Low-intensity red light will help lengthen leaves and stems. Blue light makes the leaves dark and spicy, as well as compact. Microgreens grown under red light are good in salads, while under blue light they are good as a seasoning.
The ideal temperature for microgreens is 18 to 24 °C (64.4 to 75.2°F), humidity - 40 to 60%. Each plant has its own needs. Arugula, watercress and other cruciferous vegetables grow quickly, while leaf parsley takes a long time to grow.
When choosing a DIY microgreen sprouter, it is necessary to prevent the development of pathogenic microorganisms in coconut fiber or another selected substrate. In this regard, stone wool (mineral wool) wins. The material is environmentally friendly, made from volcanic stone. Stone wool does not contain harmful substances, it retains water well.
The plant seeds are carefully placed in a container with a substrate, not watered, but only moistened so that they do not rot. The harvest is collected immediately as a pair of true leaves appear: the plant is cut with sharp scissors, washed under running water and hidden in packaging. The shelf life of fresh greens is up to 6 days in a cool place.
Recommendations on how to use correctly
Microgreens can be eaten as a separate dish and used to serve your culinary masterpieces. In addition, healthy greens are added to smoothies and various vitamin cocktails. The principle of use is the same as for other green crops and vegetables: fresh, added to salads, made into sauces without heat treatment. Healthy leaves are often used to decorate seafood and meat dishes.
The recommendations of nutritionists boil down to two main points:
The fresher the greens, the richer their composition of useful microelements, vitamins and minerals. Almost immediately after harvesting, their content decreases, and with long-term storage, vitamins are destroyed, and the taste of microgreens becomes less rich. Therefore, it is advisable to cut off sprouts with leaves immediately before eating.
Thermal processing of microgreens is contraindicated, like any other. If you fry or boil the leaves, they will turn into a green mass, which will be of no use. Pickling, freezing, salting and preserving sprouts is also pointless. Only a fresh harvest of microgreens provides the benefits listed above. Otherwise, there is no point in growing the product.
