Yes, microgreens are good for you: they are leafy greens with measured amounts of vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K and carotenoids, and in a USDA study they generally had significantly higher concentrations of these vitamins and carotenoids than mature leaves of the same plants. The USDA news release put the average at about five times greater across 25 commercial varieties. This page gives the amounts, per 100 g of fresh weight, with the study named each time, so you can compare varieties before you pick seed.
Microgreens benefits at a glance
- Compared with mature leaves
- About 5× the vitamins and carotenoids (USDA)
- Vitamin C range
- 20.4–147.0 mg per 100 g
- Carotenoid range
- β-carotene 0.6–12.1 mg per 100 g
- Basis for figures
- Per 100 g fresh weight
In a study of 25 commercial microgreens, USDA researchers found considerably higher levels of vitamins and carotenoids than in mature plant counterparts: about five times greater on average.
- Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)range across 25 varieties
- 20.4–147.0 mg
- Vitamin E (α-tocopherol)range across 25 varieties
- 4.9–87.5 mg
- Vitamin E (γ-tocopherol)range across 25 varieties
- 3.0–39.4 mg
- β-carotenerange across 25 varieties
- 0.6–12.1 mg
- Lutein/zeaxanthinrange across 25 varieties
- 1.3–10.1 mg
- Violaxanthinrange across 25 varieties
- 0.9–7.7 mg
Are microgreens good for you?
They are a good addition to a plate, and the numbers show why. USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists measured vitamins and carotenoids in 25 commercial microgreens and compared them with the mature leaves of the same plants. Their finding, in the study’s words, is that microgreens “generally have significantly higher concentrations of these phytonutrients” than mature leaves. The 2014 USDA news release summarized it as considerably higher levels of vitamins and carotenoids, about five times greater on average.
The same study also found that different microgreens provide widely varying amounts. That is good news for a grower: you can choose varieties for the nutrient you like to see on the table. Red cabbage topped the list for vitamin C, cilantro for carotenoids, garnet amaranth for vitamin K and green daikon radish for vitamin E. Our most nutrient dense microgreens page lays out the full ranking, including a second USDA study of 30 Brassicaceae varieties.
Nutrient amounts in microgreens
Both USDA studies report ranges per 100 g of fresh weight. The 25-variety study and the 30-variety study tested different sets of varieties, so each range describes its own set.
| Nutrient (per 100 g fresh weight) | 25 commercial microgreens | 30 Brassicaceae microgreens |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) | 20.4–147.0 mg | 32.9–120.8 mg |
| Vitamin E (α-tocopherol) | 4.9–87.5 mg | 1.6–4.1 mg |
| Vitamin E (γ-tocopherol) | 3.0–39.4 mg | not reported here |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 0.6–4.1 µg/g | 1.6–3.7 µg/g |
| β-carotene | 0.6–12.1 mg | 4.6–10.8 mg |
| Lutein/zeaxanthin | 1.3–10.1 mg | 0.8–6.3 mg |
| Violaxanthin | 0.9–7.7 mg | not reported here |
Phylloquinone (vitamin K1) is shown in µg per gram of fresh weight, the unit the studies use. These are laboratory measurements of commercial and research samples. Varieties, seed lots and growing conditions all shape the final numbers, which is why ranges are the honest way to read them.
Nutrient table by variety
Per-variety amounts come from one open-access study that measured six microgreen species. Here is what it found, per 100 g of fresh weight.
| Variety | Vitamin C | Other nutrient highlights in the same study |
|---|---|---|
| Bean | 80.45 mg (highest of the six) | Potassium 416.05 mg (highest of the six) |
| Pea shoots | 70.76 mg | |
| Sunflower | 67.55 mg | Calcium 145.29 mg (highest of the six) |
| Broccoli | 49.02 mg | Magnesium 86.83 mg, iron 2,610.42 µg and manganese 350.56 µg (each the highest of the six) |
| Black radish | 33.37 mg | |
| Red beet | 32.72 mg |
In the same study, broccoli microgreens measured 158.88 mg of potassium per 100 g, sunflower measured 45.96 mg of magnesium and red beet measured 67.18 mg of calcium. Each of the six species stands out somewhere, so a mix of varieties gives a wider spread than any one tray.
What the numbers mean for your trays
- Pick a nutrient, then a variety. For vitamin C, red cabbage (25-variety study), cauliflower (30-variety study) and bean (six-variety study) each ranked first in their own study.
- Mix varieties. Pea shoots, sunflower, broccoli and radish are common home choices, and the six-species study gives each a different strength: vitamin C and potassium for bean, calcium for sunflower, magnesium and iron for broccoli.
- Grow what you enjoy eating. Flavor ranges from the sweet pea taste of pea shoots to the nutty, spicy bite of radish. Greens you like get eaten more often.
- Harvest at the stage the studies describe. The USDA studies measured microgreens, the young seedlings cut above the medium with cotyledons and first true leaves. Cutting at that stage matches the comparison.
- Plan trays with the harvest planner. Pick a variety and a sow date, and it gives the blackout end date and harvest window.
How microgreens compare with mature leaves
The comparison in the USDA studies is between microgreens and mature leaves of the same species, measured as vitamin and carotenoid concentration per weight. The finding of about five times higher on average is a statement about concentration in the young plants. It does not mean a spoonful replaces a bowl of mature greens, and the studies do not claim that. It does mean the small, fast crop you can grow on a windowsill carries notable amounts per gram, which is a good reason to garnish generously. See how to eat microgreens for serving ideas.
Vitamins and carotenoids in microgreens, nutrient by nutrient
Vitamin C. This is the nutrient with the widest spread. The 25-variety study reports 20.4 to 147.0 mg per 100 g, and the 30-variety Brassicaceae study reports 32.9 to 120.8 mg. Red cabbage had the highest concentration of vitamin C among the 25, and cauliflower had the highest among the 30. In the six-species study, bean led at 80.45 mg, followed by pea at 70.76 mg and sunflower at 67.55 mg.
Vitamin E. The 25-variety study measured two forms: α-tocopherol at 4.9 to 87.5 mg and γ-tocopherol at 3.0 to 39.4 mg per 100 g. Green daikon radish ranked highest for tocopherols there. In the 30-variety Brassicaceae study, α-tocopherol ranged from 1.6 to 4.1 mg per 100 g and red radish ranked highest for vitamin E. Two studies, two different sets of varieties, and radish at the top of both.
Vitamin K. Phylloquinone measured 0.6 to 4.1 µg/g in the 25-variety study, with garnet amaranth highest, and 1.6 to 3.7 µg/g in the 30-variety study, with rapini highest.
Carotenoids. The 25-variety study reports β-carotene at 0.6 to 12.1 mg, lutein/zeaxanthin at 1.3 to 10.1 mg and violaxanthin at 0.9 to 7.7 mg per 100 g, with cilantro ranked highest for carotenoids. The 30-variety study reports β-carotene at 4.6 to 10.8 mg and lutein/zeaxanthin at 0.8 to 6.3 mg per 100 g, with upland cress ranked highest.
Minerals. The six-species study measured potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and manganese. Bean led for potassium, broccoli for magnesium, iron and manganese, and sunflower for calcium.
A simple way to use this page
Choose three trays that cover different strengths. A bean or pea shoot tray gives the vitamin C numbers at the top of the six-species study, a sunflower tray gives the highest calcium figure, and a broccoli tray gives the highest magnesium, iron and manganese. Add a quick radish tray for the vitamin E ranking and a flavor kick. Each of these varieties has its own seeding chart in the Varieties section, and the harvest planner turns your sow date into a harvest calendar.
Reading the research
Four sources sit behind this page: the 2014 USDA ARS news release, two USDA ARS publication records (25 commercial microgreens and 30 Brassicaceae microgreens), and one open-access 2024 study of six species. The USDA records give ranges and the top-ranked variety for each nutrient. The six-species study gives per-variety amounts. Where a number appears, the study is named beside it. You can read how we handle sources on how we research.
Frequently asked questions
Are microgreens good for you?
Yes. Microgreens are leafy greens with measured amounts of vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K and carotenoids. In a USDA study of 25 commercial microgreens, the greens generally had significantly higher concentrations of these vitamins and carotenoids than mature leaves, about five times higher on average.
How much vitamin C do microgreens have?
USDA researchers measured 20.4 to 147.0 mg of vitamin C per 100 g fresh weight across 25 commercial microgreens, and 32.9 to 120.8 mg per 100 g across 30 Brassicaceae varieties. In one six-variety study, bean microgreens measured 80.45 mg per 100 g, pea 70.76 and sunflower 67.55.
Which microgreens have the most nutrients?
It depends on the nutrient. In the 25-variety USDA study, red cabbage ranked highest for vitamin C, cilantro for carotenoids, garnet amaranth for vitamin K (phylloquinone) and green daikon radish for vitamin E (tocopherols). Our most nutrient dense microgreens page has the full table.
Are microgreens more nutritious than mature vegetables?
In the USDA studies, microgreens contained considerably higher levels of vitamins and carotenoids than their mature plant counterparts, about five times greater on average across 25 varieties. Amounts vary widely by variety, so the comparison is made variety by variety.
Do home-grown microgreens have the same numbers as these studies?
The figures come from commercial and research samples measured in a lab, per 100 g of fresh weight. Variety, seed source and growing conditions all differ at home, so treat the numbers as ranges that show what microgreens can contain.
Sources
- Specialty greens pack a nutritional punch (USDA ARS research news, 2014), USDA Agricultural Research Service
- USDA ARS publication record 278071: vitamins and carotenoids in 25 commercial microgreens, USDA Agricultural Research Service
- USDA ARS publication record 333748: nutrients in 30 Brassicaceae microgreens, USDA Agricultural Research Service
- Nutrient composition of six microgreen species (open-access study, 2024), PubMed Central