Quarter for Scale: What a Serving of Microgreens Actually Looks Like

When I started my health journey in 2014, I had never heard of microgreens. But as I started doing research, I found out just how nutrient-dense they really are—especially compared to their adult counterparts.

According to a 2012 study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, microgreens contain 4 to 40 times more nutrients than their fully mature counterparts.

I don't know about you, but I can seriously get behind that!

Let's be honest: vegetables are not my favorite food category. They tend to take a long time to chew, and some have pretty strong flavors. I would much prefer to eat a loaded baked potato. Wait, that counts as a couple of servings of vegetables, right? It actually does according to the American Heart Association, but it probably isn't the one we should prioritize for daily consumption!

🥦 The Visual Showdown: A Serving of Microgreens

Ever wonder what an actual serving size of microgreens looks like compared to traditional veggies? The picture paints the picture. What you are looking at is on the left: one cup of broccoli florets- a standard serving. On the right: 2 tablespoons of broccoli microgreens. (with a quarter for scale!).

But there's an even bigger difference behind the scenes:

• The Microgreens: Harvested just hours before the picture was taken right here from my grow room farm.

• The Florets: Purchased from a chain grocery store the same morning.

I have no idea how long that grocery store broccoli had been sitting on the shelves, let alone how far it traveled to get there. Realistically, that head of broccoli was likely harvested 3 to 4 weeks before it even hit the store's distribution center.

Because produce starts losing its nutritional value the moment it's cut at peak harvest, it makes you wonder: How much nutrition is really left in grocery store broccoli? Am I actually getting vitamins, or has it just become fiber? We definitely need fiber in our daily diet, but I think I prefer to get mine elsewhere!

I don't remember where I heard it first, but it sticks with me: Fruits and vegetables today are often bred for shelf life, not nutritional value or flavor.

That’s exactly why growing and eating fresh, local, living food matters so much.

🚚 Ready to skip the grocery store shelf life? You can get your own nutrient-dense microgreens grown on-demand and delivered straight to you! Check out our available microgreens and start boosting your meals today.