Enriched with a pleasant nutty and crunchy flavor, the Sunflower microgreens are a healthy addition to you your next meal. If you are looking for a fast way to grow delicious greens, this one is a great choice.
What Are Sunflower Microgreens?
Sunflower Microgreens are edible sproutings from the adult plant version with the beautiful flower head. You might not think of eating sunflower plants, but as microgreens, they are tasty, nutritious and a real energy booster.
Eating them as microgreens are an amazing way to get lots of nutrition added to your food. Sprinkle them over your sandwich, soup or salad, simply eat them as they are or just as a garnish.
| Growing period | 7-10 days |
| Flavor | Distinctive, nutty and crunchy flavor |
| Growing difficulty | Medium |
| Buy seeds | Sunflower seeds from True Leaf Market |
Description
It is said that Sunflower has been around as a common crop since 3000 BC. It was cultivated among Native American Indian tribes throughout North America. The species was later brought back from America by European explorers from the 16th century.
Sunflower got its name because the flowers turn toward the sun. Some kinds of sunflowers are grown for food, seeds, and oil. A sunflower head can produce up to 1,000 seeds.
You can eat both the leaves and stem from the Sunflower microgreens. They are as tasty if you eat them raw or cooked. Just remember that if you chose to cook them, add them to your dish after you take them off the heat. In this way, they will maintain their crunchiness.
General Nutrition & Benefits
The Sunflower microgreens are full of nutrition such as fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Microgreen sunflower seeds produce seedlings that contain about 25% protein, which makes them ideal for vegetarian dishes.
They have a high content of Vitamins A, B, C, D and E. They also contain Beta-Caretone, Lutein, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, and Phosphorus.
RELATED: The 14 Most Nutritious Microgreens to Grow and Eat
How to Grow Sunflower Microgreens
Sunflower microgreens are very easy to grow. You can buy sunflower seeds from garden centers or online retailers. There are a variety of ways to grow Sunflower microgreens indoor. You can use a tray with soil or simply grow them with water in a jar (then they will be eaten as sprouts).
| Growing timeline (estimated) | |
| Presoak | 12 hours |
| Preferred medium | Soil/coconut coir |
| Avg. seed weight (10/20 tray) | 4-5 oz / 125 grams |
| Germination period (blackout) | Day 1-4 |
| Growth time (sunlight) | Day 5-6 |
| Harvest | Day 7-10 |
Sunflower microgreens are at their best in terms of flavor the closer they are to harvest date. However, if you cannot finish them and want to store them you can do so. Once you have harvested your sunflower seedling, you can store them for up to two weeks. Put them in a ziplock container in the refrigerator in conditions not too cold.
Culinary guiding
Sunflower microgreens can be eaten raw as a snack or as an addition to most dishes. They make great ingredients in soups, salads or sprinkled over omelets and sandwiches.
