Broccoli is the king of nutrients. It is the most nutrient-dense of all the vegetables on this list. It’s high in vitamins A, B, C, and K. It also contains a substantial amount of iron, magnesium, and phosphorus.
Pea shoots boost broccoli nutrition by providing significant levels of vitamin B’s: niacin, thiamine, riboflavin, B-6, and folate. Peas and broccoli are the only microgreens you’ll need. Everything else is purely for variety’s sake.
What Is The Most Nutritious Microgreen?
All microgreens are rich in vitamins and minerals. Some of the most popular varieties have their vitamin and mineral content highlighted below.
| Vit A | Vit B | Vit C | Vit D | Vit E | Vit K | Ca | Fe | K | Mg | Cu | Zn | Protein % DV | |
| Arugula | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 25 | ||
| Beet | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 24 | |
| Broccoli | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 26 | ||
| Buckwheat | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 13 | ||||||
| Cabbage | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 11 | ||||
| Kale | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 16 | ||
| Leek | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 7 | |||
| Pea Sprouts | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 17 | |||
| Radish | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 22 |
Protein % DV = Protein Percentage of Daily Value, based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Which Microgreens Are Good For Health?
Broccoli is the king of microgreens, with the highest nutritional density of any vegetable on this list. It contains many vitamins A, B, C, and K. Iron, magnesium, and phosphorus are all present in significant amounts. To top it off, broccoli boasts the highest antioxidant capacity of all the vegetables on the list.
For a good reason, kale is one of the most popular vegetables on the market. When it comes to vitamin K, it’s the most nutritious vegetable in the brassica family.
Kale has more vitamin B, and the same amount of vitamin C as broccoli, but less vitamin A. Vitamin A is more vital than vitamin K for your health. Additionally, Kale has a far lower antioxidant content than broccoli.
Pea shoots are one of the healthiest microgreens, yet they are nutritionally inferior to kale and broccoli. But, because they contain considerable amounts of vitamin B’s: niacin, thiamine, riboflavin, B-6, and folate, they enhance the nutrition of kale and broccoli.
When compared to broccoli, peas have twice the amount of iron, phosphorus, and magnesium. Pea shoots have the potential to protect the heart and have the second greatest antioxidant capacity.
Do Microgreens Lose Nutrients When Cooked?
Some nutrients are eliminated due to the heating process, while others are enhanced and altered to make them more digestible. Heat destroys vitamin C while increasing the levels of numerous antioxidants.
Heating cruciferous microgreens can diminish certain nutrients that cause discomfort while keeping those needed for optimal health for some people, especially those with specific health issues like IBS.
How we cook makes a difference in the final product. Deep frying always results in less nutritious food than steaming, boiling, or baking. Lower temperatures preserve more nutrients than higher temperatures, and the shorter the cooking period, the less alteration to the nutrient content.
Why Are Microgreens Better Than Vegetables?
Microgreens’ nutrients are not only more concentrated than those found in full-grown veggies, but they are also easier to digest due to the lack of carbohydrates. Seeds produce particular enzymes during germination to convert the starch in the seed to simpler molecules that the newborn plant can use fast.
However, you’ll sometimes hear that they’re “rich in fiber.” While this is technically accurate on a percentage basis, fiber is more about overall volume, so you’re better off with big veggies in that regard.
Do Microgreens Have Fewer Antinutrients?
Sprouts and microgreens are low in antinutrients and high in amino acids, fatty acids, and simple sugars.
Every nutrient source has anti nutrient effects on another. Excess carbohydrates can stifle fat metabolism, while too many ketones stifle glucose metabolism. Phytic acid, found in the skin of nuts, inhibits the absorption of crucial minerals like calcium, magnesium, and iron.
Antinutrients are present in almost all foods; don’t let this put you off consuming microgreens.
How Many Microgreens Should You Eat Each Day?
You should rotate microgreens and other foods regularly to avoid overconsumption of any specific antinutrient. Additionally, this will add diversity to your diet. And using microgreens in your meals will aid in filling in any vitamin or mineral shortfalls.
Microgreens pack a nutritious punch while being low in calories. Microgreens are low in carbohydrates, with most servings containing only five or six calories and less than a gram of carbs.
Adding additional microgreens to your diet won’t add a lot of calories or carbs. It’s not like taking a bottle of vitamins, despite the fact that they’re incredibly nutritious and the vitamins and minerals are easily digestible.
We recommend including as many microgreens as possible in your daily diet. Instead of focusing on the number of microgreens, concentrate on the flavor of your food.
Can You Eat Too Many Microgreens?
There are some microgreens that you should only consume in little amounts, such as buckwheat sprouts. The reason for this is they contain the chemical Fagopyrin.
According to researchers, buckwheat microgreens are fine to eat but don’t eat more than 40 grams each day.
Are Microgreens A Superfood?
Superfoods are nutrient-dense foods that may provide exceptional health advantages when consumed as part of a well-balanced diet. Greens, beans, and legumes are among plant-based foods. Their microgreens also contain 5 to 40 times the amount of nutrients.
Vitamins are organic compounds produced by plants or animals. Vitamin C, vitamin E, and carotenoids (which aren’t vitamins but are used by human bodies to generate vitamin A) are abundant in microgreens.
Minerals are absorbed by plants and stored in their seeds and plant mass when they come from the ground and water. Potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium, and copper are the minerals that microgreens are most abundant in.
Antioxidants protect our cells and DNA from the harmful effects of unstable chemicals. Brassica microgreens are particularly high in polyphenols, a type of antioxidant.
What Are The Benefits Of Sunflower Microgreens?
If you enjoy sunflowers for their bright yellow petals and iconic appearance, you’ll be delighted to learn that they contain edible components like microgreens. Sunflower microgreens are a high-nutrient food that can help lower blood cholesterol, regulate hormones, and supply necessary amino acids.
Sunflower microgreens have a low-calorie count and are abundant in vitamins A, B, D, and E. Beta-Carotene, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, and Phosphorus are also present.
It’s one of the best foods to include in your diet if you want to improve your overall health and well-being.
Hi, I’m John Stephens, chief editor and writer for Totalgardener.com. I’ve been gardening and raising animals for over 15 years starting with a small backyard plot in Northern Virginia where I grew corn, potatoes, squash, and using a high mulch technique called the Ruth Stout Method. I also raised ducks and small mammals for meat and eggs in a movable pen similar to the ones used by Joel Salatin. I later moved to Colorado where I experimented with growing greens using aquaponics inside. I eventually added a microgreens setup and home sprouting operation. I’m excited to share everything I’ve learned plus more from the other local gardening and animal raising experts I know.
