Page 13 - nai udaan december

Need to know

Mentor's Intervention
"Tiny, but mighty!
Microgreens pack a
powerful punch of
The World of nutrients in their
petite
forms,
adding
vibrant
Microgreens flavors and colors
to your plate.
#NutrientPower-
house"

M icrogreens, the youthful and delicate greens that
grace our plates, emerge from the germination
of diverse vegetable seeds and herbaceous plants.
This includes a spectrum ranging from aromatic
herbs to untamed edible varieties. Bursting with
flavor and nutrients, these miniature greens
offer a vibrant and nutritious addition to
culinary creations, enriching both taste and
visual appeal.

The harvesting timeframe for microgreens in
India, influenced by species selection (Di Gioia
and Santamaria 2015) and growing conditions,
spans 7 to 21 days post-germination. Cotyledon
leaves fully develop, and the first true leaves
emerge before harvest. Unlike sprouts, micro-
greens consist of single shoots with cotyledon
leaves and/or the first true leaves. Unlike Broccoli microgreens ready to harvest. Photo: Francesco Di Gioia,
Penn State
sprouts, microgreens' edible part is harvested by
cutting young seedlings above the growing They're great when eaten raw and can spruce up
medium. Sprouts, on the other hand, involve salads, appetizers, sandwiches, and even pizzas,
germinating seeds soaked in water, often in giving a burst of both Colour and flavor (Di Gioia
darkness, with the entire sprout, including and Santamaria 2015).
seedling, radicles, and remnants of seeds, being
the edible portion. What's even more awesome is that these mini
greens don't demand much space or
Recently, these little wonders fancy gardening equipment. Forget
have become a big deal in India about fertilizers or sprays – you can
because they're hailed as a easily grow them at home on your
'superfood,' loaded with goodies windowsill, porch, balcony, or a
like fibers, minerals, vitamins, kitchen shelf It's a simple and
and antioxidants (Xiao et al. sustainable way to have fresh greens
2012, Di Gioia et al. 2017). at your fingertips.

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