Recently, we’ve started eating a lot of microgreens because through the farmers’ markets we met a very talented and sweet couple that grows them, Doug and Jeannie from Good Seeds Farms, and their microgreens are so fresh and tasty. I put them on and in everything. They are tiny but they pack a nutritional punch for sure.
Have you tried any? Arugula, Kale, Broccoli, Pea, Red Cabbage, Sunflower, and Radish are a few of our favorites they grow. But Doug recently has been experimenting with cilantro and cantaloupe and let me tell you, wowzers on the flavor! I was blown away, really, not just by the flavor but the freshness.
I’m on a mission to help educate on prevention of chronic disease, and treatment of chronic disease by using food as medicine. Nutritionally dense food and gut health are key to being healthier and living longer, and tackling obesity, heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes, cancer and a plethora of other chronic diseases. What you put in your body matters, and the vast majority of Americans are nutrient deficient. So how do we start correcting this? Choosing better foods, locally grown and organic, preferably, and making sure you choose foods high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, such as microgreens.
Microgreens are packed with essentially all the good stuff people desperately need added to their diet and they contain higher amounts of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals than the mature plant – up to 40 times more in fact. 40 times! Lab measurements, differences in growing conditions and the microgreen species itself all contribute to conflicting data and studies regarding the exact nutritional makeup, but there is no denying the fact that they are nutritionally dense with an intense and fresh flavor profile.
Here's a list of what most microgreens contain:
· Iron
· Zinc
· Magnesium
· Copper
· Potassium
· Polyphenols
· Antioxidants
· Vitamin C
· Calcium
· Vitamin A
· Folate
· Protein
· Fiber
· B Vitamins
Practically speaking, let’s go into the diseases that are significantly improved by the addition of microgreens into your diet. They contain pre-biotic fiber which is extremely beneficial for your gut microbiota. They are the perfect way to feed that good gut bacteria, as gut health affects the entire body, including the brain. Much like olives and olive oil, microgreens are high in polyphenols, and studies have shown the cardiovascular benefits with a decrease in triglyceride and LDL levels. The polyphenols in microgreens also may be linked to decrease risk of Alzheimer's Disease and certain types of cancers, and they also prevent sugar from properly entering the cells, which also helps with better regulation of insulin and glucose control in Type 2 Diabetes. Therefore, regardless of what literature you read, the exact of amounts of the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants do not matter as much as the fact that they are nutritionally dense, they can prevent disease, and you would benefit from incorporating into your daily diet, much like we have. Better yet, add some high quality EVOO (such as ours) to your microgreens for an even bigger dose of antioxidants and polyphenols.
If you’re local to Fayetteville, find Good Seeds Farms, and get some of their microgreens. You won’t be disappointed. Let Jeannie and Doug know I sent you! Here is their website: www.goodseedsfarms.org
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