What Are Microgreens? Benefits, Nutrition & How to Grow at Home

What Is So Special About Microgreens?

(And Why We Think Everyone Should Try Growing Them at Home)

 

Let’s be honest — microgreens don’t exactly sound cool at first.

Tiny greens.
Fancy garnish.
Overpriced plastic tubs lurking in supermarket chillers.

That’s exactly what we thought too… until we started growing them properly.

At titbit!, our relationship with microgreens began at a commercial level, growing consistently high-quality crops where flavour, timing, and presentation genuinely mattered. That experience reshaped how we think about food at home — and ultimately led us to bring professional growing principles into everyday kitchens, without the complexity.

Microgreens sit at a rare intersection of taste, nutrition, simplicity, and experience. And once you understand why, it’s easy to see how they’ve moved from restaurant kitchens into homes across the UK.

Let’s break down what actually makes microgreens special — and clear up a few myths along the way.

 

They Instantly Make Food Taste Better

 

One of the first things people notice about microgreens is the flavour.

These aren’t watered-down baby greens. Microgreens are harvested at a stage where their flavour compounds are naturally concentrated — which is exactly why chefs have relied on them for years.

But here’s the good part: you don’t need chef skills to use them.

Sprinkle microgreens over eggs, pasta, sandwiches, noodles — even takeaway — and suddenly your food feels intentional.

·        Sunflower microgreens add clean crunch and gentle sweetness

·        Radish microgreens deliver precise, peppery heat

·        Broccoli microgreens keep things fresh and balanced

Minimal effort. Maximum payoff.

 

Microgreens Nutrition: Small Portions, Big Impact

 

This is where microgreens quietly flex.

Microgreens punch well above their weight nutritionally — and that’s not marketing talk.

A landmark study by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the University of Maryland found that many microgreens contain four to five times higher concentrations of key vitamins and antioxidants compared to their mature counterparts.

That makes microgreens ideal if you:

·        Want more nutrients without eating larger portions

·        Struggle to get enough greens day to day

·        Prefer simple, realistic upgrades to your diet

Broccoli microgreens are a standout here. They’ve been widely studied by institutions such as Johns Hopkins University for their sulforaphane content — a compound linked to antioxidant activity and cellular health.

Translation? You don’t need a massive salad to get real benefits.

 

They’re Fast. Like, Surprisingly Fast.

 

Most microgreens are ready to harvest in 7–14 days.

That’s faster than most people abandon a new habit.

No garden.
No experience.
No waiting months to see if something worked.

You plant the seeds, water them, and they just… grow.

This speed is a big reason microgreens work so well as:

·        A first step into growing food at home

·        A screen-free activity for children

·        A satisfying project that actually finishes

 

Clearing Up a Few Common Microgreen Myths

“They’re expensive to grow at home”

They’re expensive to buy — not to grow.

Supermarket microgreens reflect transport, refrigeration, and short shelf life. Growing microgreens at home strips all of that away, giving you fresher greens for a fraction of the cost.

 

“Aren’t microgreens just cress?”

Not even close.

Cress is just one variety. Microgreens include broccoli, sunflower, radish, pea, rocket, basil and more — each with its own flavour, texture, growth speed, and nutritional profile.

Microgreens are a family, not a single plant.

 

“They’re hard to grow”

Honestly? Microgreens are one of the most beginner-friendly foods you can grow.

In our experience, even people who’ve “killed every houseplant” succeed first time. They’re forgiving, fast, and harvested young — before most problems even have time to appear.

 

The Part People Don’t Expect: The Experience

 

This might be our favourite part.

Growing microgreens isn’t just about the end result — it’s about the process.

You watch them grow every day.
You harvest them minutes before eating.
You feel genuinely involved in your food again.

For many people, this changes how they think about nutrition. Instead of trying to eat healthier, they simply start adding microgreens to everything — because they’re fresh, available, and taste great.

That’s a habit that sticks.

It’s also why microgreens make such a brilliant:

·        Gift for food lovers

·        Family or children’s activity

·        Thoughtful, practical present that actually gets used

 

So… What’s So Special About Microgreens?

 

They’re special because they combine:

·        Chef-level flavour

·        Science-backed nutrition

·        Ultra-fast growth

·        Minimal space and effort

·        A genuinely rewarding experience

Very few foods check all those boxes at once.

Whether you’re sceptical, health-conscious, gift-hunting, or just curious, microgreens offer one of the highest returns on effort we’ve ever seen in food.

Sometimes the smallest plants really do make the biggest difference 

 

Why We Created the Microgreens Pro Grow Kit

 

The Microgreens Pro Grow Kit reflects everything microgreens represent: precision, simplicity, and reliability.

Designed using principles refined through commercial growing, it removes guesswork while preserving the satisfaction of growing your own food. It’s a refined, enjoyable way to grow fresh, nutrient-rich microgreens at home — whether for yourself, your family, or as a genuinely thoughtful gift.

Microgreens aren’t a trend.

They’re a quiet upgrade.