Many Australians fall short of meeting health guidelines and eating the recommended five vegetable servings per day, however microgreens could help us reach that goal effortlessly. This tiny green has been adopted by high-end restaurants around the world for decades as a garnish to make expensive meals appear fancy.
Picked one to three weeks after the seeds are sown and before the plant becomes an adult vegetable, they are easily grown from one’s kitchen window sill or in the garden, and have become popular among today’s households who are part of the ‘superfood’ craze.
At a much smaller size of one to three inches tall, they are easy to consume and can have four to six times more nutrients than standard vegetables.
Research has also proven microgreens can provide up to 40 times more antioxidants than fully grown vegetables.
With low start-up costs and a much less time-consuming process to grow, they assist in deterring Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, heart disease and an array of cancers in a few small mouthfuls. Moreover, their concentrated flavours make them a perfect supplement to add into salads, sandwiches, soups and smoothies, to provide a unique texture in our meals.
But those who don’t want to get their hands dirty can rely on ‘That Leaf’, a small family business that sells microgreens, run by Gisborne locals Gabrielle and Rohan Draper.
Gabrielle has always been interested in human gut health and it became of particular importance when her mum died of bowel cancer when Gabrielle was just 22 years old.
Twelve years on she is working as a full-time mum and nurse with a passion for promoting microgreens to fix a modern day health crisis.
“I want to help people have a better diet because I think the system is entirely wrong at the moment with the processed foods industry,” she said.
With the state of contemporary eating habits, Rohan admits it’s “tough” getting their four kids to eat healthy, but their new venture has made it a whole lot easier.
“For dinner, I normally make spaghetti bolognese and stick a whole bunch of broccoli microgreens in there. The kids don’t taste it at all,” he said.
Sustainability is the couple’s core ethos and all products at their business are made from recycled goods within Australia and supplied in biodegradable containers. Their seeds are also chemical-free and not genetically modified, unlike the fruit and vegetables at some giant supermarket chains.
For those wanting to try their starter kits or purchase their greens directly, they can be found at HMS Community Hub in Gisborne and Macedon Wholefoods. Gabrielle and Rohan can also be found at many weekend markets in the local area or on Instagram at ‘that.leaf’.
Microgreens can provide up to 40 times more antioxidants than fully grown vegetables.
