Thoughtful Thursday Microgreens vs Sprouts

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Microgreens and Sprouts are both very healthy additions to your diet especially if you’re trying to get all of your essential minerals and vitamins without pills or supplements. Both of these can help you lose weight, lower your cholesterol and even help improve your mental health and so much more. But what exactly is the difference?

For starters microgreens are young shoots of a plant while sprouts are germinated seeds. Microgreens you’re eating the small plant minus the roots because you cut them at the soil whereas sprouts you’re eating the whole thing. Another difference is in how they’re grown. I created the chart below to give you a better idea:

In regards to what which one provides the best nutrition, that award goes to the microgreens. Although sprouts are very healthy to eat and provide lots of nutrition, along with fiber and protein they just don’t compare to power of microgreens.

Studies have shown that microgreens give you the vitamins and minerals of a full grown plant all packed into a small little plant. These little guys are just loaded with everything a sprout has but lots more of it. Pound for pound, microgreens provide more vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber than sprouts.

I’ve grown both and love them! They’re delicious on their own but I love to add them to salads, sandwiches, smoothies and just about anything else I can think of. Ultimately, it comes down to you and what you’re willing to do to get and stay healthy.

I hope you found this post helpful today. Thanks for stopping by!!!

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β€œThose who think they have not time for healthy eating, will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” ~Unknown

Thoughtful Thursday Growing Microgreens

Last month I wrote a post about the Benefits of Microgreens. Today I’m writing about growing them. I looked up a few tutorials online and decided to start with a kit to see if I liked growing and eating them.

I purchased a small kit made by Back to the Roots. It’s an organic microgreens kit that comes with 2 compostable growing trays, 2 seed packets and 2 expandable soil discs. It was very easy to use. You start by placing the soil disc in the tray and add water. Wait about minute and allow the disc to expand. Then spread the soil in the tray and sprinkle the seeds on top. Cover the tray and let the seeds germinate. After about 2 days the seeds are sprouting and you can remove the lid and just add a little water everyday. That’s it! Within one week I had these delicious microgreens.

The one thing to note is this is a compostable tray that has the potential to leak which can damage surfaces. To be on the safe side I kept my tray on a trivet with a paper towel underneath and it was perfectly fine. It never leaked or got damp.

I used a pair of shears to cut my microgreens at the base and added them to my salad. They tasted absolutely delicious! They’re super easy to grow and super healthy for your body. You can buy a set of 3 kits on Amazon or a single kit from Target. I highly recommend giving them a try.

Hope this inspires you to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Thanks for stopping by!!!

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“Growing your own food is like printing money.” ~Unknown

Thoughtful Thursday Benefits of Microgreens

Photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.com

Previously I wrote a post about homegrown Alfalfa Sprouts which are excellent for your health. But microgreens are different from sprouts, the most obvious being they are grown in soil where sprouts are grown in water. Another difference is sprouts are ready to be eaten in 5-7 days while microgreens are ready in about 2 weeks.

When eating sprouts you’re eating the entire plant and microgreen are cut near the soil so you only eat the stem and leaves. Microgreens are a powerhouse of nutrition because they pretty much contain all the nutrients of a mature plant but in a highly concentrated form.

Depending on the type of microgreens you grow, they’ll have higher levels of the following nutrients:

  • Iron
  • Zinc
  • Magnesium
  • Copper
  • Polyphenols
  • Antioxidants
  • Vitamin C
  • Calcium
  • Vitamin A
  • Folate
  • Protein
  • Fiber 
  • B Vitamins

These small plants are full of antioxidants, beneficial vitamins and minerals. They help protect the body from heart disease, alzheimer’s, cancer, diabetes, they boost the immune system and brain function, protect your eyes and bones, aid in weight loss, prevent anemia and more.

Microgreens are easy to grow and can be grown year round. There are many types of microgreens that you can grow like arugula, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, quinoa, radish, spinach and watercress to name a few. Plus growing your own microgreens is the best way to keep them fresh longer but they’re also available in stores. Either way it’s a win win to improve your health!

Hope you enjoyed this post. Thanks for stopping by!!!

Share the Happy πŸ’–

“To keep the body healthy is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” ~ Buddha