Where did this idea of juicing come from, and can you juice microgreens?

My favorite salad restaurant had just moved to a new location. When I walked in, they had divided the space. On the right, I ordered my salad. New was the juice bar on the left.

What was it about juicing? Was it the convenience of getting your nutrients? Did juicing provide more? As I walked up to the juice counter, I noticed my host adding what looked like microgreens.

For two centuries, doctors have known that drinking fresh citrus juices prevents scurvy, a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). But why is there a new interest in fresh juicing? Science has “caught up.” Sure, juices have most of the vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients found in fruits, veggies, nuts, and berries. However, microgreens provide the same important micronutrients plus antioxidants in quantities 5 to 40 times more than mature plants.

You can add them as a garnish, add them to your ingredients, or you can chuck a boxful or two into the juicer, stems, and leaves—hundreds of recipes.

But not all juices are not equal. Juicing fruits and vegetables sieve off the fiber content.

If you prefer the pulp, then try a blender and make yourself a smoothie.

Can you juice microgreens? This post will answer the question and more.

Let’s begin.

Superfood: Microgreens over Mature Plants

In a research study for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Jennifer Di Noia of William Paterson University (Di Noia, Jennifer., 2014) defined “Powerhouse Fruits and Vegetables.”

Powerhouse Fruits and Vegetables

She classified “17 nutrients of public health importance per the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Institute of Medicine.”

The 17 Nutrients of Public Health Importance:

1. Potassium
2. Fiber
3. Protein
4. Calcium
5. Iron
6. Folate
7. Zinc
8. Vitamin A
9. Thiamin (vitamin B1)
10. Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
11. Niacin (vitamin B3)
12. Vitamin B6
13. Vitamin B12
14. Vitamin C
15. Vitamin D
16. Vitamin E
17. Vitamin K

Where do you find the highest concentration of these nutrients?

A sample of her results:

Table 1 Nutrition Density of Select Microgreens

Choose Microgreens Instead of Mature Plants

Around the 1980s microgreens became popular in California USA.

Microgreens, the embryonic leaves in seed-bearing plants (cotyledons) of many vegetables, herbs, and flowers, are now a worldwide farming phenomenon. Studies show that they are a dense source of nutrition (Xiao, Zhenlei, et al., 2012).

We can produce them in just about any place you can think of. And, we know from research they contain large amounts of vitamins A, C, K, and polyphenols.

Microgreens are four to 20 times as nutrient-dense as mature plants (Pinto, Edgar et al., 2015).  One ounce of broccoli, kale, and cabbage microgreen mix contains the amount of sulforaphane found in 1.5 pounds of raw broccoli.

According to the USDA, a 100g serving of sunflower and basil microgreen mix delivers micronutrients sure to supercharge any squeezed beverage.

The same size serving of sunflower and beet microgreens contains similar amounts of each nutrient but provides more iron, at 23.9 mg.

The key benefits of each microgreen vary.

But why bother spending more time, and more money, juicing mature leafy greens?

Eating a variety of microgreens will supply more of these helpful nutrients when combined with the best fruit.

Tools of the Trade: Juicing Equipment

Juicing has been around since the time of ancient Khamit (Egypt).

The Rise of Juicing

When N. W. Walker, an Italian immigrant to the US, invented the modern juicing machine, the Norwalk Hydraulic Press Juicer, in the 1930s, scientists of the day thought he was a quack.

But Walker was a pioneer in the field of fresh, raw vegetable and fruit juices. He lived to be 99! The Norwalk Juicer is still available and used 90 years later!

Jack Lalanne, the American fitness great who died at 94, popularized juicing in the 1970s and 80s.

For those of you old enough to remember, in 1993, a Korean man named Mr. Kim invented the first twin-gear juicer, the Green Power Juicer.

So, what’s your choice?

Do you want to skip the pulp and squeeze it till it’s dry?

If you want a smooth and pulp-free juice for optimal digestion and nutrient absorption, then you can also get yourself the successor to the Norwalk:

Do you want some pulp, as the Mayo Clinic suggests (Zeratsky, Katherine, 2016)?

If you want a juicer that extracts enough juice (masticating juicer) and preserves enzyme activity, try these:

• The Champion
• Angel Juicer
• Green Star
• Green Power
• Solo Star
• Hurom Slow Juicer
• Omega Juicers (masticating models only)

And if you’re a serious juicer, avoid these Centrifugal Juicers.

• Jack LaLanne’s Power Juicer
• Breville Juice Fountain
• Omega (centrifugal models)
• Hamilton Beach Juice Extractor
• Black & Decker Juice Extractor

“Centrifugal juicers expose the juice to heat and oxygen, killing off the essential healing enzymes in the juice. These juicers have difficulty in juicing leafy greens.”

Okay, I just tossed out my Jack LaLanne Power Juicer that I bought in 2010.

That’s the advice anyway of The Gerson Guide to Juicers. It’s the most concise, brief, and clear description of juicers that I could find out there.

My Two Favorite Microgreen Juicing Recipes

We’re all different. Your body will respond at different times in the day, to different juices.

So, experiment!

Do what your body tells you. If it looks good, drink it. You will get the nutrients either way.

Microgreens Flavors and Textures

Although they are young vegetable greens, microgreens have delicate textures and distinctive flavors.

Let’s choose a few of my favorites from the CDC’s list of Powerhouse Fruits and Vegetables.

Table 2 Texture and Flavor of Select Microgreens

Choosing Your Fruits

Let’s use 6 of my favorite fruits, that are high in health benefits:

• Citrus (oranges, lemons),
• Mangoes,
• Pomegranates, “nature’s Viagra”,
• Apples, the “Queen of Fruits,”,
• Grapes, and
• Cherries,

and combine them with our microgreens to create three delicious juice combinations.

Mixing it Up

Recipe#1: Fresh Tropical Blend

Fresh Tropical Blend

Mmmmm! Taste that earthy smooth juice, with just a hint of spices. For those hot days when you just want to sit back and relax.

 

• Total Time: 12 minutes
• Yield: 1 cup

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 Large Orange (3.2 oz of juice, 2.4 oz pulp)
• 1 Mango (3.3 oz of juice, 3 oz pulp)
• 4 oz. Beet Microgreens (2.5 oz juice, 1.5oz pulp)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Peel your orange. You can slice into quarters leaving the white pulp. Or, you can remove the pulp and peg the orange.
2. Peel your mango, either with a knife or use your fingers to remove the skin. Pare the mango cutting the meat to the seed. Discard the seed.
3. Wash your microgreens, if it’s already in a “triple washed” package.
4. Turn on your juicer. I bought a used Omega Juicer.
5. Put your 8 oz glass in place.
6. Put the mango slices in the first, followed by the microgreens, then the orange pieces.
7. Should take about 1-2 minutes, enough time to clean up.

 

• Author: Microgreens World
• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 2 min
• Category: Drinks
• Method: Juice
• Cuisine: Tropical Islands
• Diet: Vegan

Recipe# 2: Andrew’s Post Workout Special

Andrew’s Post Workout Special

You just spent 60 minutes in the gym working your butt off. As you make it into the kitchen, you feel those aching muscles. This cherry blend is filled with anti-inflammatory micronutrients.

Ahhhhh! Taste that almost sweet and sour flavor. Feel the relief.

 

• Total Time: 17 min
• Yield: 1 cup

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 cup Cherries (5 oz juice, 3 oz pulp)
• 1 Large Apple (2.7 oz of juice, 2 oz pulp)
• 4 oz Box or tray of Arugula Microgreens (2.5 oz juice, 1.5oz pulp)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Cut the cherries in half with a sharp knife and remove the seeds.
2. Wash your microgreens, if it’s already in a “triple washed” package.
3. Wash the apple thoroughly. Core the apple. Peel it first if you don’t like the skin, Cut into 4-to-8 slices.
4. Turn on your juicer.
5. Put your 8 oz glass in place.
6. Put the apple in immediately. They start oxidizing (turning brown) fast.
7. Add the microgreens next, then the cherries pieces.
8. Should take about 1-2 minutes, enough time to clean up.

Notes

Or use one of these methods to pit your cherries.

• Author: Microgreens World
• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 2 min
• Category: Anytime
• Method: Juice
• Cuisine: Tropical Islands
• Diet: Low Fat

If you’re just not feeling the juice thing and smoothies are for you, then check out my Delicious Microgreeens Smoothies.

Storing Your Juices and Microgreens

Make only as much juice as you can drink at once; harmful bacteria can grow in squeezed juice. The same goes for microgreens. Store in the coldest part of your fridge (35-38 F, not the freezer) for only 2 days.

Hint: Add a drop of lemon to maintain the flavor.

To get the full benefits of fresh juice, drink it within 15-20 minutes.

Another cool way of storing is in a pre-chilled thermos. Great to carry around, if you’re an on the move.

Wrapping Up: Juicing Microgreens

All the evidence I could find supports the idea that 100% raw juice delivers essential nutrients and phytonutrients (Clemens, Roger et al., 2015).

And when you substitute microgreens for mature plants, you get more nutrients for less time, work, and money.

So, can you juice microgreens? Yes!

I’ve learned a lot about microgreens, how good they are for you, and what you can do with them. Check out my guide, “The Beginner’s Nutritional Guide to Incredible Microgreens.”

References

Clemens, Roger, et al. “Squeezing Fact from Fiction about 100% Fruit Juice123.” Advances in Nutrition, vol. 6, no. 2, Mar. 2015, pp. 236S243S, https://doi.org/10.3945/an.114.007328.

Di Noia, Jennifer. “Defining Powerhouse Fruits and Vegetables: A Nutrient Density Approach.” Preventing Chronic Disease, vol. 11, June 2014, https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd11.130390.

Pinto, Edgar, et al. “Comparison between the Mineral Profile and Nitrate Content of Microgreens and Mature Lettuces.” Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, vol. 37, Feb. 2015, pp. 38–43, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2014.06.018.

‌Xiao, Zhenlei, et al. “Assessment of Vitamin and Carotenoid Concentrations of Emerging Food Products: Edible Microgreens.” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, vol. 60, no. 31, July 2012, pp. 7644–51, https://doi.org/10.1021/jf300459b.

Zeratsky, Katherine. “What to Know Before You Juice.” Mayo Clinic, 2016, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/juicing/faq-20058020.

Andrew Neves

I’m the founder of Nanny’s Farm, a startup. I live in Decatur, Georgia, and enjoy urban farming and researching, growing, and writing about microgreens and their incredible health potential. I love my greens!