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 the 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 daily is subjective and depends on what other foods you include in your diet. 

We want 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 of eating microgreens.

Microgreens are becoming increasingly popular among those who consider themselves “foodies” and 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.

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They are much more nutritious than their full-grown counterparts 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 the 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 the 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 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 in 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 want and eat 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 daily.

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 eats 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, adding them to a wide variety of foods is simple. These can include a garnish for soups or meats; served in sandwiches, salads, and wraps, they are outstanding in egg dishes or blended into smoothies or juices.

The suggested serving size of microgreens is less than 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 instance, 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. 

Check out our nutrition articles if you’d like to know a specific microgreen’s nutritional information and health benefits.

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. The size range is between one and four ounces depending on the variety. 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 adequately 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 want to purchase a larger standing order at a discounted price.

Growers love standing orders because it takes much of the guesswork out of growing microgreens. Growing microgreens takes more than a week, so it is hard to plan based on previous sales.

It’s always good to ask about weekly or larger orders, as it will likely save you 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 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) mean more nutrients and bolder flavors in your food.

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

Disclaimer: This website does not provide medical or nutritional advice.

The information and material contained on this website are for informational purposes only.

No material on this site is a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek your physicians’ or qualified nutritionists’ advice before undertaking a new healthcare regimen or using any information you have read on this website to treat or prevent any condition.

Realizing that some minerals and vitamins have a maximum RDA is essential.

However, eating tremendously large quantities of microgreens would be necessary 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 you’re deficient in specific vitamins or minerals, you may eat microgreens containing 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 rinse all microgreens before you eat them raw thoroughly. We believe microgreens grown using the Home Microgreen bottom watering method 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 unsure about the particular microgreens you’ve grown 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, your trust in the grower, and how the food is handled, and smell and observe your food closely. 

Do You Have a Pinterest Microgreen Board?

If not, why not start one! Use this pin as the first or add to your existing boards.

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 contributes 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 try adding more vegetables and fruits to their daily diets.

Because so many people 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 daily 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 possible in one meal but spacing them throughout the day. 

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

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