How Many Microgreens Should You Eat Per Day?

How Much Microgreens to Eat Per Day?

We get two common questions: How much microgreens to eat per day, and what is a serving size of microgreens?

Several websites that focus on calculating how much food one should eat suggest a serving size of microgreens is around 25-grams. This is a little more than 3/4 of an ounce. 

How many microgreens you should eat per day is subjective and depends on what other foods you are including in your diet. 

We would like to state that we are not nutritionists.

But, we don't believe you can eat too many microgreens. Yes, they are more nutrient-dense than most mature vegetables. Still, they also contain a lot of fiber, and overeating is unlikely because of the volume of plant material you would need to consume.

Microgreen Nutrition

Chefs are no longer the only ones who understand the many benefits offered by eating microgreens.

Microgreens are becoming increasingly popular among those who consider themselves “foodies” as well as a growing number of health-conscious consumers.

They are nutritional powerhouses rich in iron, potassium, copper, zinc, magnesium, and other minerals and contain high levels of vitamins.

They are much more nutritious than their full-grown counterpart herbs and vegetables.

You can find articles on microgreen nutrition by the variety on our website. 

An additional plus, microgreens add a splash of bright color to any dish, with many having a satisfying crunchy texture.  Microgreens tend to have a robust, healthy flavor. Depending on the type of microgreen, their flavor profile may be a bit bitter, spicy, sour, or mildly sweet.  

Let’s get to the question at hand:

How Many Microgreens Should You Eat Per Day?

You can eat enough microgreens to meet your daily nutritional requirements for vegetables per the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA).

According to the Food and Nutrition  Board of the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) are a set of reference values used to assess nutrient intake of healthy people.  Such values vary by gender and age and include the following:

• RDA: the average daily intake level sufficient to meet nutritional requirements of 97-98% of healthy people.
• Adequate Intake (AI): a value established when there is insufficient evidence to determine an RDA and set at the value assumed to ensure good nutritional benefit.
• Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL): the maximum daily intake level that is unlikely to result in adverse health effects.

The key is to eat various microgreens to take advantage of each variety's unique nutritional profile. 

Microgreens provide a powerful nutritional punch with meager calories. They are low in carbohydrates—a serving of most microgreens averages about five or six calories and less than a gram of carbs. 

Eating more microgreens will not add significant calories or carb load to your diet. Although they are very nutritious and the vitamins and minerals are easily digested it's not like consuming a bottle of vitamins. 

We suggest you include as many microgreens as possible into each day's meals. But instead of worrying about the volume of microgreens, concentrate on the flavor of your food.

If your food tastes good, you'll end up wanting and eating more!

Are There Outliers? Microgreens to Eat in Limited Amounts

A reader brought this to our attention after first publishing this article. 

There are possibilities that some microgreens should be eaten in limited quantities. 

So far, we have come up with buckwheat microgreens and sprouts. They contain a compound called fagopyrin.  You can read more about it by clicking the links in this section.

Researchers say buckwheat microgreens are good to eat but don't consume more than 40-grams per day.

This is a reminder that eating a lot of one thing is most likely not as good as adding a variety of greens to your diet.

How Do You Determine the Serving Size of Microgreens?

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that the average adult eat between five to 13 servings of vegetables and fruits daily.

You can substitute some or all of such servings with microgreens, which can be easier to incorporate into dishes than adding mature vegetables.

Because microgreens are so versatile and tend to have complementary flavors, it’s simple to add them to a wide variety of foods. These can include a garnish for soups or meats; served in sandwiches, salads, and wraps, they are outstanding in egg dishes or blend into smoothies or juices.

The suggested serving size of microgreens is less about 3/4 of an ounce.  But this will vary depending on the microgreen.

Microgreens are often pigeoned-holed into a unified group. But, each variety has its own nutritional and health benefits in actuality.

So generalizing a serving size is difficult. For instances, it would be easy to include 3/4 of an ounce of mildly flavored broccoli or kale microgreens into a meal. But eating that much wasabi mustard microgreens could cause stomach issues.

Again, let flavor guide your serving size and how much you add to your food. 

If you'd like to know the specific nutritional information and health benefits of a specific microgreen check out our nutrition articles.

Buying Microgreens - Fresh Ones That Is

You buy packages of microgreens in a wide range of sizes. Remember that fresher is better as the vitamins deteriorate over time. Depending on the variety, the size range is between one and four ounces. We sell ours in 1.5-, 3-, and 4-ounce packages.

We would assume all health food stores that carry vegetables also stock microgreens. Recently the major grocery store chains have started to sell microgreens. Of course, the local farmers' market should also have a microgreen vendor.

Even though properly stored microgreens will last up to 14-days, fresher is better.

Another great idea is to reach out to local microgreen growers and see if they have a home delivery service (we do). A weekly delivery of microgreens will make it easier to use more in your meal preparation. 

We sell microgreens wholesale to a health food store. Suppose they see someone buying multiple packages of microgreens or consistently buying them week after week. In that case, the store clerk asks the customer if they would like to put in a larger standing order at a discounted price.

Growers love standing orders because it takes a lot of the guesswork out of growing microgreens. It takes more than a week to grow microgreens, so planning is hard based on previous sales.

It's always good to ask about weekly or larger orders as it will more than likely save you some money.

The Best Way To Get Fresh Microgreens

The best way to have the freshest microgreens is to grow your own!

Most varieties are easy to grow and take up very little space and time.

We recommend growing in smaller containers because you can grow more varieties. The small tray size takes up less space and is easier to care for.

Growing microgreens is less expensive than buying harvested ones in the store, and the supplies are readily available. Plus, you will have a larger selection to grow than you can buy in the grocery store or even the farmers' market. 

Check out our microgreen growing kits!

You don't need sophisticated or heavy-duty equipment to grow microgreens. We still grow microgreens in the same trays and under the same inexpensive LED shop lights as when we started 4-years ago.

Freshly harvested microgreens (like harvesting them onto your dinner plate) means more nutrients and bolder flavors in your food.

But is it Safe to Eat a Lot of Raw Microgreens?

It is essential to realize that some minerals and vitamins do have a maximum RDA.

However, it would be necessary to eat tremendously large quantities of microgreens to reach high enough levels that could lead to serious adverse effects.  Realistically, it’s not possible to eat too many microgreens.

If you know that you’re deficient in specific vitamins or minerals, you may decide to eat microgreens that contain those supplements.

If you decide to start eating large volumes of microgreens (anything, really), be sure to consult your healthcare provider.

Like any raw food, microgreens may contain germs that could make you sick; however, this is extremely rare. But it's crucial to thoroughly rinse all microgreens before you eat them raw. We believe microgreens grown using the Home Microgreen method of bottom watering are very safe. More so than those grown over or in water.

For more information on raw food-borne illnesses, click this link to the CDC.

Of course, as always, it’s better to be safe than sorry.  If you are at all unsure about particular microgreens that you’ve grown yourself or purchased, consider steaming them instead, and do not eat them raw.

Like all things in life, it comes down to common sense. Consider the source of your food, the trust you have in the grower, how the food is handled, and smell and observe your food closely. 

Should You Be Eating More Microgreens?

The USDA reports that just one out of 10 adults eats the daily RDA of vegetables and fruits.

Poor nutrition is a leading contributor to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and other severe medical conditions in the U.S. and many other developed countries.

Therefore, an overwhelming percentage of people should actively try to add more vegetables and fruits to their daily diets.

Because so many people do have difficulty adding fresh vegetables to their daily meals, adding more microgreens (especially those you've grown yourself) to your diet is a perfect way to develop healthier eating habits in a delicious, bright, colorful, and tasty way.

So, yes, you should be eating more microgreens!

How Much Microgreens to Eat Per Day - A Summary

The amount of microgreens you can eat in a day can meet the RDA's for vegetables. Eating microgreens is no different than eating other vegetables. 

As with vegetables, add variety to your diet. 

Variety not only makes eating more enjoyable, but it also provides a broader range of nutritional and health benefits. 

We try to add microgreens to all of our meals.  It's not about eating as many as we can in one meal but spacing them throughout the day. 

It is suggested that a serving size is about 3/4-ounce, but again, use your judgment and tastebuds to figure out what is right. 

Don't eat by the numbers but rather by taste.