This particular point in history is an interesting one because we have the information and means to grow a variety of nutritious foods for the general public, but due to the universal decline of soil nutrients and higher cost of certain health foods, it's becoming increasingly complex for people trying to become more health-conscious. Many find however, that solutions to their many health issues come in the form of stepping back into a simpler, more basic way of living. Through things such as growing our own microgreens indoors or outdoors, we can mimic the actions of our ancestors who would have readily identified and eaten these greens as a part of their daily diets.

What are microgreens?

Microgreens are seedlings from vegetables and herbs that are edible. Instead of letting these delicious plants mature like usual, microgreens are harvested within 14 days or less from the first day of being planted. Microgreen seeds can be bought in individual packages or in variety packages. Just the other day I bought a package of mixed microgreen seeds that included seeds from all sorts of plants such as beets, radishes, Swiss chard and cabbage. Growing microgreens is different from growing sprouts because sprouts are considered ready after about 48 hours of germination in water. Microgreens are different because they require 14 days or less of growth within soil, with plenty of water and sunlight.

What are the benefits?

You may be asking, why cut the lifespan of a perfectly good vegetable just to eat some measly greens? I asked the same question and did some research of my own. I found that the nutritional value of these microgreens is surprisingly significant compared to the vegetables we are already eating. Researchers from the University of Maryland recently conducted a study of 25 varieties of microgreen seeds. They found that these microgreens had anywhere from four to six times the amount of nutrients like vitamins A and E than of the plants that were fully matured. With this being said, there are some great benefits to growing microgreens right off the bat! Unlike a traditional garden you are able to grow these seeds inside or outside, you only have to wait 2 weeks to receive the first batch of your greens, it’s cost effective and your body will be receiving many more nutrients than it might from eating more mature plants. This makes growing your own microgreens effective, convenient and rewarding!

How do I grow them?

I bought my Microgreen seeds from a company called Botanical Interests. They specialize in all things herbs and sell all types of seeds from fruits, to vegetables, to flowers. Upon reading the instructions given on the inside of the packet I found that the seeds are to be grown in shallow containers no more than a few inches deep. The soil should consist of some some organic matter such as compost along with some vermiculite or perlite that can be purchased from somewhere like Lowe’s or your local garden shop. The soil should be consistently moist but not soggy, along with having plenty of bright light. With microgreens you may have a lot of diversity in how your plants receive sunlight. You may have a room in your home or apartment that receives great sunlight most of the time, or you may not have many windows at all. In whatever the case, you can either keep your greens inside, sow them outside or alternate the position of the container from inside and outside in order to make sure that the microgreens are getting enough sunlight.

How to eat them?

The easiest part in your microgreen journey is eating them! They could easily be thrown on a BLT sandwich, tossed on an egg salad sandwich, on top of a creamy tomato soup, thrown in a fresh Asian stir-fry or blended in a strawberry banana smoothie! The possibilities are truly endless with microgreens. You can also check out the many recipes online for incorporating microgreens into your everyday diet.