Many microgreens have a long shelf life, pea shoots for instance can be stored for three weeks or more.
However, most common microgreens, such as broccoli, cabbage, and kale, can be stored for up to 14 days without losing much of their nutritional value and flavor if stored properly.
Softer type of microgreens, like mustards, arugula, and amaranth have a shorter shelf life of up to ten days or so before they start to become limp and dehydrated.
Factors That Affect Freshness of Microgreens
These aromatic greens, also known as micro herbs or vegetable confetti, are rich in flavor and add a welcome splash of color to a variety of dishes.
Despite their small size, they pack a nutritional punch, often containing higher nutrient levels than more mature vegetable greens. This makes them a good addition to any diet.
This article reviews the potential health benefits of microgreens
Internal Moisture
External Moisture
Wetness
The Cut
Gentleness
Type of Container
Air Flow Between Microgreens
Air Flow Over Microgreens Amount of Oxygen in the Container Humidity Condensation Temperature What Else is in the Refrigerator
Microgreens can lower blood pressure.
Foods that are high in fiber and vitamin K can be helpful in maintaining a healthy blood pressure, and microgreens are high in both of these important elements as well as other vitamins and minerals.
Microgreens are more similar to baby greens in that only their stems and leaves are considered edible. However, unlike baby greens, they are much smaller in size and can be sold before being harvested.
Microgreens are packed with nutrients.
While their nutrient contents vary slightly, most varieties tend to be rich in potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium and copper (2, 3Trusted Source).
Microgreens are also a great source of beneficial plant compounds like antioxidants (4Trusted Source).
What’s more, their nutrient content is concentrated, which means that they often contain higher vitamin, mineral and antioxidant levels than the same quantity of mature greens (4Trusted Source).
In fact, research comparing microgreens to more mature greens reports that nutrient levels in microgreens can be up to nine times higher than those found in mature greens (5).
Research also shows that they contain a wider variety of polyphenols and other antioxidants than their mature counterparts (6Trusted Source).
One study measured vitamin and antioxidant concentrations in 25 commercially available microgreens. These levels were then compared to levels recorded in the USDA National Nutrient Database for mature leaves.
Although vitamin and antioxidant levels varied, levels measured in microgreens were up to 40 times higher than those recorded for more mature leaves (4Trusted Source).
That said, not all studies report similar results.
For instance, one study compared nutrient levels in sprouts, microgreens and fully grown amaranth crops. It noted that the fully grown crops often contained as much, if not more, nutrients than the microgreens (7).
Therefore, although microgreens generally appear to contain higher nutrient levels than more mature plants, this may vary based on the species at hand.
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