More Than a Concentrate: The Benefits of Microgreens
- Tara Scott
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
If you’ve ever wondered whether microgreens are just tiny versions of vegetables, you’re not alone. It’s a fair question—especially when you hear claims like “up to 40 times more nutrients.”
So what makes these little plants so different? And are they really worth all the attention?
Let’s look at what the science actually says about the benefits of microgreens.
🌱 1. The benefits of microgreens go beyond size—they’re more concentrated
Microgreens are harvested when the plant is still running on the energy stored in its seed. That early growth stage is an intense period of biochemical activity: enzymes are firing, chlorophyll is forming, and the plant is producing protective compounds at speed.
Studies show that many microgreens contain multiple times the vitamin and antioxidant concentration of their mature counterparts. A landmark study from the University of Maryland (Xiao et al., J Agric Food Chem., 2012*) found that microgreens can hold up to 40× more vitamins C, E and K, and carotenoids than mature leaves of the same species.
👉 In other words, gram for gram, you’re getting a lot more of the good stuff—and often in a more active form.
🌿 2. They contain different compounds, not just more
Microgreens don’t just have more nutrients—they often have different phytochemical profiles altogether. As plants mature, some beneficial compounds decline while others change function. Microgreens capture these compounds at their most diverse and potent.
Broccoli microgreens are rich in glucoraphanin, the precursor to sulforaphane, known to activate the body’s detox and defence pathways.
Red cabbage microgreens hold unique anthocyanins and carotenoids that fade as the plant grows.
Radish microgreens show broader carotenoid and antioxidant diversity than mature radish leaves.
It’s not just quantity. It’s quality and diversity—a richer mix of protective compounds that work in different ways throughout the body.
⚡ 3. They’re fresher and more bioavailable
Microgreens are usually eaten raw and freshly cut—often within hours of harvest. That matters because nutrients like vitamin C, E and carotenoids begin to degrade the moment produce is picked.
In microgreens, those nutrients are still alive, enzyme-active, and intact. That freshness helps preserve bioavailability—meaning your body can actually use what’s inside.
Because they’re raw, their enzymes (like myrosinase in broccoli) remain active—crucial for converting glucoraphanin into sulforaphane, something cooking can destroy.
🌈 4. They offer diversity that mature veg can’t match
Modern diets often lack diversity. We rotate the same handful of vegetables, which limits the range of nutrients and phytonutrients we consume.
Microgreens bring a new layer of diversity—not just in colour and flavour, but in phytochemical complexity. Research published in Scientific Reports (2025) found significant variation in phenolic profiles across six species:
Broccoli microgreens topped the chart with 825 mg phenolics per 100 g,
Red cabbage ranked high in anthocyanins and carotenoids,
Pea and sunflower microgreens stood out for their mineral richness, particularly phosphorus, copper, zinc, and calcium.
Each species contributes something different. Combined, they form a nutrient ecosystem—far greater than the sum of its parts.
🧬 5. Fermentation takes it a step further
At Enriched Being we take this natural diversity and make it even more powerful through wild fermentation.
Fermentation:
breaks down plant cell walls, increasing nutrient availability,
creates beneficial organic acids and bioactive peptides,
supports gut health through naturally occurring microbes.
The result is Big Shot—a living, bioavailable system that delivers the concentrated diversity of microgreens in a form your body recognises and uses.
🌻 So… do you still need to eat your vegetables?
Absolutely. Mature vegetables provide fibre, volume, hydration, and satiety—things microgreens don’t replace.
But microgreens—and especially fermented ones—fill a different role. They deliver precision nutrition: dense, diverse, and biologically active compounds that support detoxification, immunity, metabolism, and gut balance in a way mature vegetables simply can’t match.
Together, they create a more complete, resilient foundation for health.
✳️ In summary
Big Shot isn’t a replacement for real food—it is real food. It’s the next evolution of it: concentrated, diverse, living nutrition designed for how we live now.
Tiny plants. Big nutrition. Real function.
