In the seminal journal article out of the University of Maryland in 2012, researchers shared information about certain vitamin concentrations in a wide variety of microgreens. Since people are often deficient of one or more of these vitamins and some people need to limit certain vitamins due to health issues (e.g., taking anticoagulents), we think it’s important to share some of their findings here.
For instance, if you need to limit your vitamin K due to medicine your are taking, golden pea tendrils, magenta spinach, popcorn shoots, purple mustard, and red orach have low vitamin K (i.e., 0.6-1.3 ug per gram). Arugula microgreens also have a relatively low level of vitamin K at 1.6 ug/g and 1.9 ug/g respectively.
For those who need more vitamin K, cilantro, celery, opal radish, pea tendrils, peppercress, red sorrel, red garnet amaranth, and red cabbage microgreens provide a high level (2.2 -4.1 ug/g).
For easy access of vitamin C, China rose radish, red garnet amaranth, and red cabbage are the stars with 96 – 147 mg per 100 grams.
The researchers also studied three forms of vitamin A (beta-carotene, lutein, and violaxanthin). Overall, cilantro, red garnet amaranth, pea tendrils, peppercress, red cabbage, and red sorrel microgreens provide high concentrations.
Vitamin E concentrations in microgreens appears to be extremely high across all of the microgreens studied with an amazing amount in red cabbage – 40 times the amount of vitamin E is in the red cabbage microgreen than in the mature vegetable.
Check out the research study journal article for more detailed information. In the meantime, keep eating these superfoods and stay well!