Are ‘Baby’ Veggies Healthier Than Their ‘Regular’ Counterpart?

According to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, “micro greens (immature greens that are harvested anywhere from a week to two weeks after germination) may contain even more nutrients and vitamins than their more mature versions.”

Another reason to include the baby versions of veggies is that they often have a more delicate texture and more mild taste, both of which might be conducive to getting that veggie-hater in your life to be a little more daring and go ahead and try that raw, baby kale salad or baby spinach smoothie you’ve whipped up.

No need to eschew their grown counterparts, though; as always, the more variety, the better!

• Do make sure that if you’re buying baby veggies to go organic.   Their often fragile texture puts them into the category of ‘must buys’ as opposed to heartier produce like fully grown broccoli or bananas, both of which one could get away with buying conventionally.
• Also, wash several times and spin dry, even if your baby veggies came in a package and were marked as ready to eat.   No such thing as being too sure that your produce is not only pesticide free, but dirt (and subsequently, bacteria from the soil)-free!  
• Store washed baby veggies the refrigerator at 38-40 degrees in a closed container.    Eat soon after washing and spinning as their dainty structure won’t allow them to last as long as a hulking head of red cabbage!