Let’s start off by explaining the difference between microgreens and sprouts. A microgreen is a vegetable or herb grown to just about the release of it’s first true leaves. Microgreens grow in about 14-25 days and only have one set of true leaves. They are excellent to grow at home and are a very profitable crop due to their minimal requirements. A sprout has no leaves and has a short growing period of 5-7 days. Typically sprouts are grown in water not dirt unlike microgreens that can be grown in either.
There are many different types of microgreens that can be grown, from broccoli and kale to melon and squash. Most microgreens are extremely aromatic but most importantly they are all nutritious. They have 40 times the nutrients compared to a matured vegetable or herb. Microgreens usually contain high levels of zinc, potassium, magnesium, and copper. They are also abundant in antioxidants. Microgreens are very helpful in fighting diabetes, Alzheimer's, heart disease, and specific types of cancers.
Eating microgreens is generally safe, however, to ensure 100% safety there are certain steps that must be taken to ensure a clean and safe product everytime. Here at Those Plant Guys we use all Food Grade Plastics and Metals for our grow trays and racks. Using these products prevent the chemicals that is on the plastics and metals to transfer to the microgreens. Not using these products overtime exposes the element breakdowns and leech byproducts into the microgreens. The microgreens themselves are grown in a soil less fertilizer free coco noir sheets. We do this to have a complete organic and natural product that is free from anything nature didn't intend. The only thing we didn’t dive into thoroughly during this post is perhaps the most important, the quality of water. You want to use a very clean and pure water source for your seedlings. If all these steps are followed then the product is deemed safe!
Microgreens have four to six times the amount of certain nutrients like vitamins A, C, E, and K than the adult version of the plants!