The big question when people are considering eating more organic foods, including vegetables and fruits, is “Are microgreens bad for you?” There has been a lot of recent research on this subject, which indicates that consuming foods grown with microgreens could potentially be good for your health. However, like most things, there is more to the story than meets the eye. The issue centers around whether or not these particular foods have the proper nutrients to make them good for you.
Microgreens, also known as ammonia leaves, are an extremely small yet rich variety of leafy green vegetables. It looks very much like spinach, only smaller. While both of these vegetables contain great amounts of water and nutrients, microgreens are significantly lower in calories and protein. While it is true that most people who eat microgreens often consume a wide variety of other highly nutritious vegetables, the fact is that they lack some nutrients found in other leafy greens. In fact, experts suggest that eating as many as 18 ounces of microgreens each day will provide you with just one point of vitamin A per serving. That may not seem like a lot, but if you take into consideration how many servings of other leafy vegetables you actually need to consume to get the same amount of vitamin A, you may start to see why eating microgreens is not recommended.
If you look at other forms of green leafy vegetables, such as lettuce and collard greens, you will see that they are packed with nutrients. Collard greens, in particular, are loaded with beta carotene, which has been linked to reduced risks of heart disease and certain cancers. By taking collard greens, as well as other vegetables, you can get all of the antioxidants you need without loading up on the calories and other nutrients. If you are interested in getting as many vitamins and nutrients as possible, you might consider replacing foods made from white grains and other grains with these healthier alternatives.
You might also wonder: Are microgreens bad for you? While there has been some research on this question, the results have been conflicting. Some studies have shown that consuming leafy greens can be beneficial to your health, though others have warned that ingesting too much can cause serious constipation. It is possible that these results could mean that people are allergic to the beta carotene or other nutrients in these plants. While it’s impossible to identify exactly what ingredients are contained in microgreens, it is probably safe to say that you should avoid them altogether.
The bottom line is that while there are good sources of vitamin A and other nutrients in leafy greens, consuming too much can cause you to experience negative consequences. For example, excess consumption of baby spinach can cause nausea and vomiting. This is likely caused by the beta carotene found in leafy greens, although ingesting too much spinach can also cause indigestion, diarrhea, stomach cramps and bloating. The bottom line is that leafy greens are tasty, colorful vegetables that add color and flavor to any meal. So it’s up to you to determine how much you really want to eat!
Before taking a shot at whether or not microgreens are bad for you, it’s important to remember that they aren’t actually good for you. They’re full of beta carotene and other nutrients, which can help you to lose weight if consumed in large quantities, but eating them too frequently can lead to other health complications. So before answering the question “Are microgreens bad for you?” think carefully about how much you really want to consume.