Red cabbage microgreens meet all the criteria for what is traditionally considered to be a superfood. From protection against disease to managing weight and cholesterol, there’s perhaps no other food quite as simple and effective.
If you choose to live a healthier lifestyle with natural unprocessed foods, then red cabbage microgreens are the way to go.
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How To Grow Red Cabbage Microgreens
You can grow red cabbage microgreens with just a microgreen kit and a pack of red cabbage seeds right by your window if you have a well-sunlit window. If not, then I recommend you get an LED grow light. You'll also need a wired shelf to place the LED grow lights under.
Materials Needed:
Containers: At Least 3 growing trays
Growing Medium: Such as soil or coco coir
Grow Lights: T8 Grow Lights are the way to go
Misting Water Bottle
Scissors
You'll only need to buy grow trays and grow lights once, after that you can reuse them over and over again for every grow. The only materials you'll need to buy again are the seeds of any microgreens you'll like to grow next and a growing medium such as coco coir.
First start with some red cabbage seeds, I personally recommend the Red Cabbage Seeds from Sow Right Seeds as they have given me the most success. You can grow red cabbage in potting soil, coconut coir, or using a hydroponic mat. Either way will work very well, but I prefer using coco coir with earthworm castings. Coco coir is a pest-free growing medium and earthworm casting provide the microgreens with the necessary nutrients to not only make them taste better but also promote healthy growth.
Step 1. Prepare The Grow Tray
Grab the growing tray with drainage holes and fill it with you're growing medium. Then smooth out the surface and mist it well with a spray bottle. To have a tray with drainage holes you're gonna need to make one, so grab a tray and get a very sharp knife and cut out some holes for the water to pass through.
Step 2. Add The Seeds
Red cabbage seeds are very small in size, it is very easy to plant a lot of these seeds so be careful when planting. The seeds don’t need to be pre-soaked before you plant them. Just add the seeds on top of the growing medium, and spread the seeds evenly with your hands throughout the container.
Step 3. Water And Cover
After planting, water the container one more time, do not top the seeds with soil, just place another container on top to blackout the seeds and put some weight on top for 3 days. It is very important to add weight on top of cabbage seeds so that the roots penetrate deep into the soil so that the microgreens grow straight and tall. Make sure to water the microgreens every other day with a spray bottle.
Step 4. Uncover And Blackout For 24hrs
After 3 days remove the top container and the cabbage seeds should have developed shoots. The shoots may be yellow because of lack of sunlight but this is normal and is nothing to be alarmed about. Now instead of putting the container back on top, just black out the shoots for 24 hours in a dark room so that they can stretch, which will make them easier to harvest.
Step. 5 Give Light And Check Daily
After 24 hours just give your red cabbage microgreens at least 12 hours of light every day. I recommend using a grow light, since growing them next to a window can cause your greens to lean and become leggy.
It's also important to use a watering tray at the bottom of the container to avoid any soil from splashing onto the plants and to avoid mold growth. To do this just simply grab another tray that doesn't have holes at the bottom and fill it with water so it can reach the roots of the microgreens.
How To Harvest Red Cabbage Microgreens
Once the shoots are about three to four inches tall they are ready to harvest. You do not want to wait too long as they can become very bitter, so it's good to do some taste testing before you harvest. Harvest the shoots with scissors or a knife, take the top two to three inches of shoots when harvesting. And there you go you have now successfully grown red cabbage microgreens.
Washing and Drying Red Cabbage Microgreens
Use a colander to rinse your red cabbage microgreens thoroughly under cold water. Dry the microgreens completely by spreading them over some paper towels and letting them air dry. You can also speed-dry them by using a fan on a slow setting. Cut microgreens are best if eaten right after drying.
How To Store Red Cabbage Microgreens
After you harvest your red cabbage microgreens you might be wondering how you're going to store them. Just simply place them loosely in a bowl or container and put them in the refrigerator.
What Red Cabbage Microgreens can be used for
Red cabbage microgreens can be used in salads, soups, sandwiches, and baked goods. You can even juice them and add them to wheatgrass shots or even smoothies.
Health Benefits of Red Cabbage Microgreens
Red cabbage microgreens are full of nutrients that help keep your eyesight protected, your immune system healthy, your bones healthy, and help prevent premature aging. Other Health Benefits include:
1. Anti-Aging Properties
Antioxidants found in red cabbage help keep you looking young. Antioxidants, for one, do more than just protect you from the impact of free radicals; they also help reduce the signs of aging that can occur due to free radicals. (1)
2. Supports The Immune System
Red cabbage microgreens are one of the top Vitamin C foods on the planet! Vitamin C is critical in the production of collagen, which keeps our bodies and cells united and solid. Shielding you from oxidative stress and tissue damage. (2)
3. Combats Inflammation and Arthritis
Red cabbage contains sulforaphane which was found in one study to be a potent anti-inflammatory. (3) Eating an anti-inflammatory diet may help naturally treat arthritis and arthritic complications. (4)
4. Prevents Colon Cancer
Red cabbage microgreens, along with four other plants, were found in one study to have significant antioxidant activity and successfully protect against one type of internal DNA damage caused by a specific colon cancer cell. (5)
5. Fights Chronic Disease
Red cabbage microgreens are abundant in many disease-fighting antioxidants that play an important role in shielding your cells from free radicals that cause oxidative stress (6). Research has shown that free radicals can cause heart disease, Alzheimer's, and even cancer (7).
Red Cabbage Microgreens Nutritional Chart
The nutrition in red cabbage microgreens are amazing just like any other microgreens and includes the following:
Scientific Name: | Brassica Oleracea |
Minerals per 100g of (FW) | |
Calcium, Ca | 45 mg |
Magnesium, Mg | 16 mg |
Phosphorus, P | 30 mg |
Potassium, K | 243 mg |
Sodium, Na | 27 mg |
Iron, Fe | 0.8 mg |
Zinc, Zn | 0.22 mg |
Copper, Cu | 0.017 mg |
Choline | 17.1 mg |
Vitamins per 100g of (FW) | |
Vitamin A | 0.05 mg |
Vitamin B-1 | 0.064 mg |
Vitamin B-2 | 0.069 mg |
Vitamin B-3 | 0.418 mg |
Vitamin B-6 | 0.209 mg |
Vitamin C | 57 mg |
Vitamin K | 0.03 mg |
Antioxidants: | |
Beta-Carotene | 0.67 mg |
Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0.32 mg |