Greens Habit Guide
Why we harvest them young
Jump to recipeHarvest stage can make a dramatic difference to a plant's chemistry.
In a Johns Hopkins study, three-day-old sprouts of broccoli and related vegetables contained as much as 100× the glucoraphanin found in mature plants, gram for gram.
Glucoraphanin is the starting material for sulforaphane, a compound that helps activate the body's defenses against cell damage.
Microgreens are harvested later than sprouts. In a separate study of 25 microgreen varieties, many packed more of certain vitamins and beneficial plant compounds into each gram than fully grown vegetables.
Try this: Dijon grilled cheese with broccoli greens
Spread a little Dijon mustard on the inside of two slices of sourdough, add cheddar, and cook in a lightly buttered pan until the bread is golden and the cheese melts.
Let the sandwich cool until it's warm and comfortable to eat without burning your mouth. Gently open it, tuck in a small handful of broccoli greens, and close it again.