Ascorbic Acid & Microgreens: A Scientific Sleuth
Hopefully by now we all have grasped and understand the immense health benefits that microgreens have to offer us.
If not, I'd encourage you to do some simple research on Google using reliable sources and you'll quickly find the evidence- that microgreens are packed with nutrition, can protect the body from harmful environmental pollutants, can inhibit chronic disease, and even have super detox superpowers! You can check out my blog post about the powerful detox effects of microgreens here.
These tiny seedlings truly have the ability to impact our lives in an amazingly powerful way.
The scientific sleuth?
Bioactive compounds like ascorbic acid, phylloquinones, α-tocopherol, β-carotene, phenolic antioxidants, carotenoids, anthocyanins, glucosinolates, and sugar content, are reported by various scientific studies to be present in microgreens in higher amounts than that which is found in a mature vegetable.
Scientific research has uncovered some pretty amazing discoveries, like these, about microgreens. You can find studies when searching online to prove these claims.
Today I'm going to focus specifically on ascorbic Acid and it's value, when it comes to the popular seedlings known as microgreens.
Ascorbic Acid is also called vitamin C. What exactly is vitamin C and what are its benefits?
🌱Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, a compound that inhibits oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals.
🌱Vitamin C therefore, neutralizes free radicals in the body, that damage its cells if not eradicated.
🌱Vitamin C encourages white blood cell activity, and therefore, plays a large role in the health of the immune system's function.
🌱Vitamin C is collagen forming, which means it supports the body's collagen production that forms skin, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, bones and blood vessels.
🌱Vitamin C also supports wound healing in the body. It is vital for the repair and development of the body's tissues.
🌱 Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron, which is important for the production of red blood cells.
🌱Vitamin C works synergistically with glutathione and can increase glutathione levels in white blood cells and red blood cells.
Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant produced by the liver to protect the body against free radicals, peroxides, and heavy metals. Glutathione also eliminates poisons such as drugs and pollutants from our bodies. When paired with vitamin C, it's benefits to the body are immense.
🌱Adequate vitamin C intake reduces the risk for chronic disease like heart disease and hypertension by improving nitric oxide production and reducing plaque instability in atherosclerosis.
Because vitamin C is not stored well and cannot be synthesized by the human body, it must be taken daily through food or supplements. Vitamin C deficiency leads to a slew of nasty symptoms including weakness, irritability, and anemia.
With the common household American diet, comes a lack of vital nutrition, which means low vitamin C intake. Because of convenience and clever marketing tactics, many Americans consume a diet that is low in nutrition and high in preservatives and other questionable additives like unnatural dyes.
So what's the solution, besides the obvious dumping of the standard American diet?
Well, Im glad you asked!
You can find an abundance of sleekly packaged vitamin C supplements at the health food store, which seem much more convenient than consuming a raw veggie diet but the optimum avenue to consume an adequate amount of vitamin C is by consuming them in their raw form, like eating fruits and veggies. There's further, evidence that vitamin C supplements may not be easily absorbed and then are unused and dumped, quite literally, by the body.
The best solution?
The micro, yet mighty, microgreen- the vitamin C superhero!
Some microgreens, such as broccoli, and radish, are particularly high in vitamin C. In fact, radish microgreens have been found to contain 1.5 times the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.
But wait, friends! There's more.
Many forms of vitamin C like powders or tablets are not absorbed well by the body as I mentioned, but even more, vitamin C is best absorbed when taken in whole, raw form because of the other various minerals and vitamins necessary for optimum vitamin C absorption.
Other vitamins in microgreens support vitamin C absorption, including vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin A, and B vitamins
🌱Sunflower microgreens are packed with Vitamin D.
🌱Broccoli microgreens are rich in vitamin E, which is a fat-soluble vitamin that works with vitamin C to protect cells from oxidative stress.
🌱Microgreens like sunflower and radish are a good source of vitamin K, which is important for blood clotting and bone health, when taken alongside vitamin C.
🌱Radish microgreens provide 391 International Units (IU) or an estimated 8% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin A in the diet.
🌱Radish microgreens are also a rich source of B vitamins, including folate, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, and vitamin B5.
With cold and flu season right around the corner neighbors, it's important that we are consuming good sources of bioavailable vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, to support the immune system's health and proper function, along with other vital nutrients that aid in the absorption of vitamin C.
In today's environment, with new virus scares around every corner, vitamin C is important for us to be consuming in its most raw form.
Dani Greens microgreens would be a great addition to your diet of you're interested in feeding your family nutrient dense foods, or are looking for easy ways to consume more nutrient dense raw foods.
A raw, whole foods diet is without a doubt the best way to aid your body's health and function, and to consume adequate amounts of vitamin C which we have learned here, is so important for so many reasons, including avoiding nasty colds and viruses.
While you can absolutely cook your microgreens and add them to any cooked meal, the best way to attain the health benefits of microgreens is by eating them raw. You might think that won't be easy to do, when we're talking about children who refuse veggies.
I know the struggle friends! It's real. While many people report that their children love microgreens raw, my 2 youngest children absolutely refuse to eat any vegetables. You might also think that's strange because I'm the microgreens girl, but its a lot more common, unfortunately, than you may think.
All of my children were raised on a diet high in vegetables, they ate a large variety of veggies as babies, and still, I struggle when it comes to talking them into eating their vegetables and not sneaking to slide them into the trash when I'm not watching.
We all know that our own parents forced us to eat our veggies and that we didn't get any choice in the matter. Some of us better have eaten those vegetables or we'd be sleeping at the kitchen table. But research has proven why this forced method isn't helpful in the long run to our children and can even lead to unhealthy eating habits and a poor relationship with food as adults.
So, how do you get your children to eat a whole foods diet when they refuse mostly to consume whole foods like vegetables?
Smoothies! Smoothies have been the best way for me to add whole,raw, leafy vegetables to my children's diets. And when it comes to microgreens, you don't need a whole lot of them to pack a powerful punch of nutrition. A handful of Microgreens in a smoothie each day is the perfect way to feed my children nutrient dense micros until they hopefully grow out of this vegetable strike stage.
Just a pro tip there, friends!
Say no to snotty noses and the common cold, and say yes to the mighty microgreen!
If you'd like to get serious about your family's health by adding whole, raw microgreens to your diet to aid in immune system function, protection against chronic disease, or even if you have been diagnosed with a chronic illness and want another powerful tool to add to your nutrition belt, you should try Dani Greens microgreens!
You can head to www.danigreens.com and will see the available varieties right there on my home page. Checkout is now only one page and is so easy. You have the option to place a one time order or a recurring subscription, which will save you up to 20%! Place your order, I'll grow it, then I'll conveniently deliver your order right to your front door.
I look forward to meeting you! I am absolutely honored to be your microgreens girl, and a vital part of your family's wellness journey.
Dani at Dani Greens💚