6 Major Microgreen Health Benefits That Will Boost Your Overall Health

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Microgreens are tiny leafy vegetables that come with a multitude of health benefits. These micro plants aren’t just decorative additions to food dishes, but they also pack a nutritious, healthy punch. Some microgreen species can even be 40 times more potent than their regular, larger counterparts. In this article, we’re going to discuss the 6 major microgreen health benefits that will boost your overall health.

1) Reduce Your Risk for Heart Disease

• One of the crucial microgreen health benefits is that these tiny vegetables contain a high number of polyphenols, which are antioxidants that have been linked to lowering the risk for heart disease. Antioxidants are known for their ability to prevent free radicals from growing. Free radicals are reactive compounds that cause cell damage and diseases. Not only are microgreens a carrier of polyphenols, but they also contain a higher number compared to their mature vegetable counterparts.

2) Minimize Risk of Certain Cancers

• Since microgreens carry a large amount of polyphenols, they can lower the risk for different kinds of cancer. Vegetables and fruits that are rich in antioxidants can be a fantastic addition to disease prevention.

3) Nutrient-Dense Vegetables

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• Even though they’re small for their size, microgreens have a vast array of health benefits. These tiny vegetables can have up to 40 times as much nutrients compared to mature vegetables. Knowing this, it can be life changing to incorporate small amounts of microgreens in every meal because they’re packed with nutritional benefits.

4) Can Improve Eyesight

• Another wonderful microgreen health benefit is that these leafy greens contain lutein, which is a phytochemical seen in vision health. When you’re staring at your screen for too long, the intense rays can cause headaches, eye strain, and more. Lutein makes it easier for your eyes to absorb any excess light intensity to relieve headaches or other harm caused by excess light.

5) Reduces the Risk of Diabetes

• One of the major microgreen health benefits is that they’re packed with antioxidants. These antioxidants can help lower the stress that prevents sugar from entering cells. Fenugreek is a specific microgreen known for its ability to increase sugar uptake in cells.

6) Lowers Chance of Alzheimer’s

• Foods that are high in polyphenols may be able to lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli are high in Vitamin B and carotenoids which may lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that has been linked to cognitive decline. The microgreen version of cruciferous vegetables will be packed with even more vitamins and nutrients and should be incorporated in a daily diet to prevent disease.

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Microgreen health benefits are vast and can not only boost our immune systems but also keep us healthy and safe from certain diseases. If you’ve been wanting to learn how to grow your own microgreen from home but aren’t sure how, subscribe to our weekly blog and YouTube channel for all the newest tips and tricks. You can also sign up to our new microgreens class and join our Facebook group to learn from others wanting to learn!

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4 Tips on How to Harvest Microgreens From Growing Containers

When it comes to ​harvesting microgreens​, the process is fairly simple. Most plants take around 7 to 14 days to grow, but this depends on the specific microgreen plant you’re growing since the germination and harvesting times differ from species to species. This article is going to provide you with 4 tips on how to successfully harvest microgreens from growing containers.

Tip 1: You Don’t Have to Wash Your Microgreen Harvest

If you’re using a small microgreen growing container, you can expect a simple, yet efficient harvest. Once it’s time to harvest your microgreens, hold your container over a bowl to collect them, and tilt the container to snip the stems. You do not have to wash your microgreen harvest if the crop has been ​watered from the bottom​ because it should be free from any soil. However, if you do notice soil on the stems, then you can rinse them with water to get rid of any leftover soil.

Tip 2: You Can Refrigerate Your Harvest to Extend Its Shelf Life

If you happen to grow microgreens in repurposed growing containers, you can refrigerate your microgreens before it's time to harvest. When it comes time to snip your microgreens, you can extend their shelf life by placing your microgreen growing container in your refrigerator. However, the cold air can dry out your microgreens, so make sure to place the container in a plastic bag. By doing this, your microgreens can be in the fridge for an extra week as long as you make sure to bottom water the plants anytime the soil starts to feel dry if you leave the plastic bag open. Once you’re ready to eat the microgreens, place the container on a windowsill or anywhere to allow it to reach room temperature–then it’s safe to eat!

Tip 3: Harvest Your Microgreens One Portion at a Time (Or In Patches)

If you’re not ready to eat your entire grow, then you can snip your desired patches by rows or patches. You’ll want to make sure to leave space for your leftover growing microgreens to lean as they grow. This is a more commonly used method for tray gardening where you’ll have larger pulls.

Tip 4: Do Not Pull Microgreens Directly From the Soil

It’s very important to not pull your plants straight from the soil in the microgreen growing container. Doing so can disturb the plant's roots and affect your harvest. This is why it’s best to use scissors to cut the stems to your liking.

We at the Nick Greens Grow Team strive to utilize our expertise and vast knowledge to inform our readers about the process of growing microgreens. If you would like to learn more about harvesting microgreens from growing containers or anything microgreen-related then sign up for our new microgreens class that’s happening every Friday! Can’t attend? Then make sure to subscribe to our blog and YouTube channel for the latest microgreen-growing updates.