"Greens are the healthiest vegetables . . . Their leaves contain the green pigment chlorophyll, which sets off a firestorm of photosynthesis, so greens have to be a packed with antioxidants to deal with the charged high-energy electrons that are formed," states Dr. Michael Greger of NutritionFacts.org. My wife kicked off a new farming venture this year, growing microgreens. I am her biggest fan, first customer, and grateful recipient of some incredible efforts to grow this superfood. It's been almost one month since we began enjoying regular harvests of microgreens, and here's what I've noticed so far. First, I have experienced no sickness this winter. (Three to four healthy servings of greens each and every day must certainly have something to do with strong immunities.) Next, I've noticed an increase in energy. To tell the truth, I feel better than well, and it's the dead of winter when we experience short days and one Rocky Mountain storm after another. Is this a coincidence, or are these phenomena due to the healthy addition of microgreens to my diet?
I decided to put these questions to the test and do some digging. Here's what I've unearthed so far:
•According to a 2010 study by the American horticultural scientific Society, micro-greens are the highest of all greens in antioxidants. What's more, they had very high concentrations of health promoting phenolic compounds.
•A 2012 study of microgreens reported that they have a whopping 20 mg of vitamin C per 100 mg of greens.
•Dr. Greger, one of my favorite authorities on health and nutrition, stated that a USDA study found that microgreens are loaded with an incredible 60% of the RDA for the essential nutrient carotene.
•The nutrition facts label on Trader Joe's microgreens lists that a hundred milligrams of microgreens have only 20 calories, contain zero fat, add 4 grams of fiber to you diet, provide 16% of your RDA for calcium, and 8% of your RDA for iron. (You can add to that four grams each of your RDA for protein, carbs, and healthy sugars.)
Too good to be true? Of course, there is a catch, as microgreens are not cheap. As it happens, you can pay up to $32.00 per pound for this superfood. But, one should consider that two ounces of sunflower microgreens are two full cups and only cost around three dollars. This is a very healthy portion of greens for one quart of smoothie, which is what I make each morning and share with my wife because, after all, she grows the goods. In addition, I would argue that microgreens are powerful preventative medicines, as they are loaded with vitimans and minerals. While the possibility of my lack of sickness and increased energy levels could be due to a placebo effect, I feel as though I have enough circumstantial evidence to warrant the efforts to incorporate them into my daily diet.
My conclusion is that microgreens should be considered a superfood and consumed on a daily basis. Scientific data, my own personal experience, and gut instincts tell me this is the most important food I should be eating. If you can afford healthy microgreens, purchase and eat them regularly. If you cannot, I highly recommend that you learn to grow them on your own. After all, your health is the most important investment to make. As a matter of fact, your very life may depend on it.
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