The health information on our Benefits pages is grounded in peer-reviewed research from universities and government agencies. Below are the most-cited studies behind the claims we make about microgreens. We have kept summaries short and linked to the original papers so you can read the science yourself.
Honor Harvest Farms is a small family farm, not a medical organization. The information here is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Some studies referenced were conducted in animal models; human research on microgreens is ongoing.
Research Studies
1. The “up to 40 times more nutrients” claim
Xiao, Z., Lester, G.E., Luo, Y., & Wang, Q. (2012). Assessment of Vitamin and Carotenoid Concentrations of Emerging Food Products: Edible Microgreens. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 60(31), 7644–7651.
Researchers at the University of Maryland and the USDA tested 25 varieties of commercially grown microgreens for vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, and beta-carotene. They found microgreens contained four to forty times more of these nutrients than their mature plant counterparts. This is the foundational study cited across the microgreens industry.
Read the study (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry) · Plain-language summary (University of Maryland)
2. Sulforaphane in broccoli microgreens — human study
Bouranis, J.A., Wong, C.P., Beaver, L.M., et al. (2023). Sulforaphane Bioavailability in Healthy Subjects Fed a Single Serving of Fresh Broccoli Microgreens. Foods, 12(20), 3784.
The first human feeding study on broccoli microgreens. Researchers at Oregon State University’s Linus Pauling Institute showed that sulforaphane — the compound linked to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and chemopreventive effects — is effectively absorbed by the body when broccoli microgreens are eaten fresh, with results comparable to broccoli sprouts.
Read the study (Foods journal) · Read on PubMed Central
3. Red cabbage microgreens and cholesterol
Huang, H., Jiang, X., Xiao, Z., et al. (2016). Red Cabbage Microgreens Lower Circulating Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL), Liver Cholesterol, and Inflammatory Cytokines in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 64(48), 9161–9171.
A USDA-led study found that mice on a high-fat diet supplemented with red cabbage microgreens showed a 34% reduction in LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, a 23% reduction in liver triglycerides, and lower markers of inflammation. The microgreens contained more polyphenols and glucosinolates than mature red cabbage.
Read the study (PubMed) · Plain-language summary (ScienceDaily)
4. Comprehensive review — sprouts and microgreens as functional foods
Ebert, A.W. (2022). Sprouts and Microgreens — Novel Food Sources for Healthy Diets. Plants, 11(4), 571.
A wide-ranging review covering the nutritional value, phytochemistry, and health-promoting compounds in microgreens — particularly the brassica family (broccoli, kale, cabbage, kohlrabi, mustard, arugula, radish), which dominate our growing trays at Honor Harvest Farms.
Read the review (PubMed Central — full text)
5. Comprehensive review — bioactive molecules and health benefits
Bhaswant, M., Shanmugam, D.K., Miyazawa, T., Abe, C., & Miyazawa, T. (2023). Microgreens — A Comprehensive Review of Bioactive Molecules and Health Benefits. Molecules, 28(2), 867.
This review surveys the antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and phenolic compounds in microgreens and discusses links to metabolic health, cardiovascular health, and inflammation.
Read the review (PubMed Central — full text)
6. USDA — specialty greens and nutrient density
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service has published several plain-language articles on microgreen research, including the Xiao and Huang studies above.
USDA ARS — “Specialty Greens Pack a Nutritional Punch” · USDA ARS — “Eat Your Greens—Microgreens, That Is!”
A note on what is known and what is not: the “40x” headline is real, but it varies dramatically by variety and by which nutrient you are measuring — some microgreens are 4x more nutrient-dense than their mature counterparts, others are 40x. Many studies on cardiovascular and anti-cancer effects so far have been done in mice or in lab settings; human trials are still emerging. We share this research because we find it genuinely fascinating, not because microgreens replace medical care.
