Best Seeds for Microgreens
Here is a list of microgreen seeds that you can grow indoors. The most common, widely available and easy to grow microgreen seeds are fenugreek, radish, broccoli, sunflower, mustard, kale and pea. All of these microgreens are ready for harvest in 7 to 15 days.
Kale microgreens are considered one of the most nutritious, and fenugreek microgreens are recommended for diabetics(1).
Microgreen |
Family |
Taste/Aroma/ Flavor/Intensity |
Crop time |
Radish |
Brassicaceae |
Sweet, Strong |
10-15 Days |
Cauliflower |
Brassicaceae |
Peppery |
8-12 Days |
Broccoli |
Brassicaceae |
Bitter, Crunchy, Mild |
10-14 Days |
Cabbage |
Brassicaceae |
Sweet, Crunchy, Mild |
20-30 Days |
Watercress |
Brassicaceae |
Bitter, Peppery, Strong |
8-14 Days |
Arugula or Rocket |
Brassicaceae |
Savory, Pungent, Nutty, Strong |
10-12 Days |
Garden Pea |
Fabaceae |
Crunchy, Sweet, Juicy |
10 Days |
Kale |
Brassicaceae |
Bitter, Crunchy, Mild |
8-12 Days |
Mustard |
Brassicaceae |
Spicy, Sweet, Mustardy |
14 Days |
Lettuce |
Asteraceae |
Sweet, Strong |
8-20 Days |
Endive |
Asteraceae |
Bitter, Mild |
8-15 Days |
Sunflower |
Asteraceae |
Sweet, Spicy, Nutty |
10-14 Days |
Chicory |
Daisy |
Bitter, Mild |
7-20 Days |
Radicchio |
Daisy |
Spicy |
7-10 Days |
Dill |
Apiaceae |
Aromatic, Hint of lemon and anise |
16-30 Days |
Carrot |
Apiaceae |
Carrot taste, mild |
15-25 Days |
Fennel |
Apiaceae |
Fennel flavor, Mild |
20-30 Days |
Celery |
Apiaceae |
Like celery |
21-30 Days |
Garlic chive |
Amaryllidaceae |
Like garlic |
5-14 Days |
Onion |
Amaryllidaceae |
Savory, Strong |
12-21 Days |
Leek |
Amaryllidaceae |
onion-like flavor with a tiny hint of cucumber, Mild |
10-12 Days |
Amaranth |
Amaranthaceae |
Sweet, Earthy, Mild |
10 Days |
Spinach |
Amaranthaceae |
Sweet, Mild |
7–10 Days |
Quinoa |
Amaranthaceae |
Bitter, Woody, Mild |
10-14 Days |
Swiss Chard |
Amaranthaceae |
Sweet, Earthy, Mild |
8-12 Days |
Beet |
Amaranthaceae |
Sweet, Earthy, Mild |
15-30 Days |
Chives |
Amaryllidaceae |
Spicy Sweet, Crunchy |
14-21 Days |
Melon |
Cucurbitaceae |
Sweet, Crunchy |
14 Days |
Squash |
Cucurbitaceae |
Nutty, Mild |
14 Days |
Cucumber |
Cucurbitaceae |
Sweet, Mild |
7-12 Days |
Dill |
Umbellifers |
Sweet, Grassy |
15-30 Days |
Coriander |
Umbellifers |
Sour, Citrusy |
10-20 Days |
Corn |
Grasses |
Sweet or Bitter |
6-7 Days |
Wheatgrass |
Grasses |
Sweet and Bitter, Grassy, Mild |
7-10 Days |
Fenugreek |
Legumes |
Spicy, Grassy, Mustardy |
9-10 Days |
- Broccoli sprouts are one of the most nutrient-dense microgreens that you can grow. They contain glucoraphanin and sulforaphane which is known to prevent cancer.
- You can grow Paris Cos which is a romaine lettuce. Another variety of Lettuce that you can grow indoors is the Bronze Mignonette which has beautiful purple tinge leaves. You can grow them near a sunny windowsill but they do even better under a grow light.
- Carrot microgreens taste just like carrots.
- Don’t mistake the tiny roots of microgreens for mold. Basil seeds develop a jelly-like coating that looks moldy. This is normal.
- Corn microgreens are sweet if you grow them in the dark, and bitter if you grow them in light because of the photosynthesis that takes place in sprouting plants.
- Kale is considered to be the most nutritious microgreens that you can grow and eat. Kale is high in vitamins A, C, K1 and B6, works wonders for your skin, and is high in antioxidants
- When growing coriander microgreens, break the outer covering of the coriander with some pressure. Spread the seeds in any kind of soil.
Most Tasty Microgreens
Microgreens taste almost like the mature plant, often more potent. While most microgreens will have some level of bitterness, the least bitter and most flavorful microgreens are basil (sweet n sour aftertaste), beets, broccoli, arugula, dill, garlic chives, mustard (spicy), pea, and sunflower. On the contrary, the most bitter microgreens are bitter, cress, wheatgrass and kale (but very nutritious).
Non-edible Microgreens
The following list of microgreens should not be consumed as most of them contain toxic alkaloids such as solanine and tropanes which can cause digestive and nervous system related symptoms and make you sick.
- Potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Eggplants
- Peppers
Health Benefits of Microgreens
Eating vegetables is linked to lower risk of several diseases, thanks to its high amounts of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Most microgreens actually contain more nutrition than mature vegetable greens(1). Most varieties of microgreens are rich in potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium, copper (2, 3) and antioxidants (1).
According to a 2014 study by USDA,
“Among the 25 microgreens tested, red cabbage, cilantro, garnet amaranth, and green daikon radish had the highest concentrations of vitamin C, carotenoids, vitamin K, and vitamin E, respectively. In general, microgreens contained considerably higher levels of vitamins and carotenoids—about five times greater—than their mature plant counterparts.”
As microgreens contain polyphenols and antioxidants, microgreens can reduce the risk of following diseases:
- Heart diseases
- Diabetes. Fenugreek microgreens are recommended(1).
- Certain Cancers
- Alzeimer’s disease
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