It’s the rage that is sweeping the nation. Unless you live under a rock (and even then…) you’ve heard about organic micro greens. Organic micro greens are leafy vegetables that are harvested right after their first “true leaves” appears, and used for a variety of specialty produce purposes in the culinary world.
So what is the big deal about these tiny leaves, and why are people raving about about them? The specific nutritional benefits of each organic micro greens depends on they full-grown counterpart that it is made of. It would be impossible for us to give you an exhaustive list of the health benefits of organic micro greens, but we’ve put together a quick guide to our favorites, below:
Seven Micro Greens That Pack a Powerful Punch
- Arugula
Arugula is full ascorbic acid, which helps the body produce vitamin C. It is also a great source of phenols, a nutrient that promotes your body’s ability to fight off toxins and even lowers your stress levels. When harvested as a microgreen, arugula’s health benefits are a little more powerful.
You’re probably familiar with the somewhat bitter and somewhat spicy flavor of arugula already. This micro green suits savory dishes, like sandwiches or salads well. Our favorite way to use arugula microgreens is as a garnish on soup, to add a little color and crunch to the spoon. - Basil
Basil has so much flavor as it is, it is often used to add a little pizzazz to pasta dishes, or salads. Its micro green counterpart works just the same, but with a little extra power to its punch. Basil microgreens are a great source of polyphenols, a nutrient that reduces inflammation and oxidation in the body, which promotes your gut health and your overall wellness. - Broccoli
Broccoli is a very nutrient-rich food, and its micro green buddies are even richer. Broccoli contains sulfur, which helps your body rid itself of toxins. If you are on a diet, broccoli micro greens are an excellent choice, as they give your body a lot of fuel, with very little calories.
Another great thing about cooking with broccoli micro greens is that it has a great flavor and can be used in a variety of ways. Broccoli micro greens make awesome pesto, they add a delicious zest to your salad, or can be paired with hummus for a great flavor combination. - Chia
Chia is used by many vegetarians and vegans because it is a wonderful plant-based source of protein and unsaturated fats. There is a long list of benefits to chia, that we don’t have time to cover in full today, but it suffices to say that chia is a great contributor to your health and diet, their chia micro greens are no exception.
We like to use chia micro greens in soup and on salad, or to garnish a dish. - Sprouted Clover
Clover contributes a subtle flavor to the dish that it graces, but it goes a long way nutritionally. Clover micro greens a chalk full of minerals like iron, calcium, zinc, and magnesium. We love to sprinkle clover micro greens on our salad for a little extra oomph. - Kale
We all know what a super food kale is. There are very few other natural sources of vitamin C that are as potent as kale, until we harness the ability to drink pure sunlight. Kale micro greens are equally strong in nutrition, without the waxy and bitter flavor of the full grown version. So further compliment the flavor, we like to make a kale micro green salad with dried fruit, apple cider vinegar, fresh squeezed lemon, and tahini, to balance the natural bitterness of it. - Pea shoots
When it comes to micro greens, there aren’t many that pack the nutritional punch that you find in pea shoot micro greens. In fact, in one serving of pea shoot microgreens, you’ll find about 700% the vitamin C content that you’d find in a serving of blueberries, and a whopping 800% of the folic acid content that bean sprouts have. Since pea shoots have a mild flavor, they pair well with bold flavors, like radishes, onion, and strawberries. Pea shoots are a versatile ingredient that complement a variety of flavor pallets.
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