Microgreens, or arugula, have long been touted as the perfect, all-natural food. All-natural because of their “GMO” status. There are many studies in support of this claim. But I’ve also seen arguments that microgreens and other all-natural foods are really just supplements.
In any case, more studies of this type are showing that there are a variety of beneficial nutrients found in various microgreens. And many of these can be found in what is considered to be a lower grade of all-natural food. And since we’re talking about the microgreens, this would be the Asian greens.
So what makes them so special? The answer has to do with the way the microgreens and their chemical component, the oil, are grown, processed, and treated. Here’s a look at some of the information you need to know about the differences between organic and non-organic products.
When a plant is grown in a good relationship with its natural environment it produces much higher levels of several important nutrients. One of these is a compound called chlorophyll. This will make a definite difference in the way the leaves, stems, and roots are exposed to light.
When the plants are grown in an environment with a lot of sunlight, they will produce much more chlorophyll than when the plants are grown in a shaded location. The chlorophyll, in turn, absorbs more of the blue, green, and red wavelengths of light.
Microgreens can be grown in locations with either no sunlight or very little, but the plant produces a lot of chlorophyll in this manner. In this way the microgreens come out with a much higher level of minerals. Minerals like iron, magnesium, potassium, and calcium are all much higher than in conventionally grown foods.
Microgreens have almost none of the dietary fiber that is found in fruits and vegetables. They do contain beta carotene, which is a source of vitamin A.
To the extent that there is any benefit from the microgreens, it is from the alkaline water they are grown in. The Asian greens are grown in water which is slightly acidic. When the water is treated in a chemical process, the water is further changed by adding other elements.
Some of the elements which are added to the water, in an attempt to change the acidity cause the microgreens to absorb more minerals and have a higher nutrient content. But many of the minerals are not really absorbed.
Thus the amount of additional minerals released is somewhat less than the amount of minerals that are in the plants themselves. The result is a product that is high in alkalinity but low in nutrient value.
When the microgreens are picked, they are immediately washed and then washed some more before being dried before being ground into meal for use as the main ingredient in salad dressings, or as toppings for fresh leaves. Or even as a topping for sandwiches!
So here is the story of how it is possible to eat the same foods and gain benefits from them as if you were actually eating the microgreens for a specific day of the week. You don’t have to eat all the microgreens for the entire week, but they provide nutrition when you want them.