"But Mom, Do I Gotta?" The 2 Tablespoons of Microgreens Hack

Oct 1

3 min read

"But Mom, Do I Gotta?"

Sound familiar? Or is that your voice still playing in your head from when you were a kid?

It probably goes something like this:

Mom: "Go wash up. It's time for dinner. We're having your favorite. Chicken Nuggets!"

Kid: "Yeah!" while excitedly running to the table after washing up. You sit at the table and then look at the plate. All excitement falls from your face. You look up and moan, "but Mooommmm, do I gotta have broccoli?"

Mom: With an indulgent smile on her face, "Do you want to grow up to be big and strong?"

Kid: Still whining. "Yah, but, I don't like broccoli." ☹️

Mom: "Well, if you want to be big and strong, you have to eat your veggies."

Kid: "Yah, but does it gotta be broccoli?" ☹️

Mom: "It isn't that bad. See I put cheese on it."

Kid: Still frowning. "Okay, I'll eat 2 bites."

Mom: Shaking her head, no. "Veggies are what will make you big and strong. You have to eat all of your broccoli."

Kid: Still frowning. "Why do I gotta have sooo much of it?"

Itsy's Science Corner: The "Little Scoop, Big Power" Swap

Itsy Cella Flora character wearing green glasses next to science microgreens illustrations

Itsy Cella Flora here! 🌱 Let’s talk veggie math.

Look, I get it. Facing down a mountain of broccoli florets feels like trying to eat a whole forest. Even when it is covered in cheese sauce!

No matter your age or flavor palate, you are either entering into a chewing marathon along a sulfur highway that leaves tiny pieces stuck in your teeth, or a mushy sludge water park that should have been closed 3 seasons ago. 😒

But here’s the cool scientific secret Mom didn’t tell you: Your body doesn’t actually need the volume of the giant serving—it just wants the nutrients inside it.

Enter: The Microgreen Shrink-Ray 🔬✨

Imagine if you could take all the superpowers hiding inside that big bowl of broccoli florets and shrink them down into a single, tiny, tender sprinkle.

That’s literally what microgreens are:

Tiny footprint, massive density: Microgreens can contain anywhere from 4 to 40 times more concentrated vitamins and antioxidants than their fully grown adult vegetable versions.
Less chewing, zero battles: Instead of forcing down a whole plate of heavy veggies, a simple tiny pinch on top of your chicken nuggets (or folded into a bite of mac & cheese) delivers even more of a nutritional punch.
Flavor hack: Because microgreens are young, tender leaves, you get a fresh, mild crunch without the overwhelming, heavy bitterness that comes with boiling or steaming full-grown florets.

The 2 Tablespoons of Microgreens Hack

Depending on the veggie, a standard serving size is anywhere between half a cup and a cup and a half.

Here is the microgreens hack. Swap out that big serving with 2 tablespoons of microgreens. That's it! That is all it takes to get what the body needs to be big and strong.

So, the next time Mom says, "You gotta eat all of your broccoli?"

You can say: "Nope! I’ll take the concentrated micro-power in 2 tiny tablespoons instead!" 🥦⚡

Want to dive deeper into the science?