Microgreens, explained plainly.

Harvested young, eaten whole above the soil line.

A microgreen is a seedling of an edible vegetable or herb, cut at the stem just above the growing medium, typically 6–14 days after sowing depending on the crop. You eat the stem and the leaves; the root stays behind.

Microgreens, sprouts and baby greens are different.

Sprouts

Germinated seeds eaten whole — root included — usually grown in water without light. Because of the warm, humid conditions they require, food-safety authorities treat sprouts as a distinct higher-risk category. [5]

Microgreens

Grown in a medium with light, cut above the root, eaten as a fresh green.

Baby greens & mature vegetables

Harvested weeks to months later, larger, milder, and generally sold through a longer supply chain.

Dense by weight — with important caveats.

A frequently cited study measured vitamin and carotenoid concentrations across 25 microgreen varieties and found levels that were, per unit weight, often substantially higher than published values for their mature counterparts. [1]

Two caveats matter. First, this is concentration by weight, and a serving of microgreens is small — a garnish is not a portion of vegetables. Second, values vary widely by crop, growing conditions and freshness, so a single multiplier for 'microgreens' is misleading.

Broccoli

Studied for glucoraphanin, the precursor that converts to sulforaphane when the plant tissue is chewed or chopped. [3]

Red cabbage

Among the highest measured for vitamin C and anthocyanins in the 25-variety comparison. [1]

Kale

Measured for lutein and other carotenoids. [1]

Add them at the end, raw.

Most of what makes microgreens worth eating — texture, aroma, and heat-sensitive compounds — does not survive cooking. Treat them as a finishing ingredient: on eggs, folded into a salad, over a grain bowl, in a sandwich, or blended into a smoothie.

Rinse before eating. Cut what you need and leave the rest growing.

Sensible handling, and when not to eat them.

Fresh produce carries ordinary food-safety considerations: clean hands, clean tools, clean water, and rinsing before eating. Keep the growing area and any reusable parts clean between cycles.

Do not eat a tray that smells sour, is slimy, or shows fuzzy growth on the stems — discard it and start again. If you are pregnant, immunocompromised, or feeding young children, follow standard fresh-produce guidance from your local food-safety authority. [5]