Sprouts and Microgreens: Chemistry, Functionality, and Applications

In the quest to find new functional food and/or superfoods to be produced on a large scale, sprouted seeds and microgreens are emerging to cover the global demand for healthier food. Sprouts and microgreens have high concentrations of phytonutrients such as amino acids, vitamins and minerals, with reduced concentrations of anti-nutritional factors such as tannins, phytates, and oxalates, which affect mineral absorption. Moreover, they are rich in plant bioactive compounds such as glucosinolates, carotenoids and phenolic compounds. The high density of bioactive compounds is responsible for effectively increasing biological activities, such as antioxidant capacity that protects from oxidative stress-related diseases. Based on published research, the sprouts and microgreens' high nutritional value, as they are rich in amino acids, vitamins and minerals, making for suitable functional foods such as sprouts of broccoli, lentils and radish, and microgreens of radish, kale and amaranths. Sprouts and microgreens' high L-ascorbic acid and phenolics content make for dietary supplements with an effective antioxidant capacity. Additionally, microgreens are more suitable for anti-diabetic food regimes as they show higher anti-diabetic activity than sprouts. Sprouts and Microgreens: Chemistry, Functionality, and Applications aims to create a multidisciplinary forum to discuss the chemistry, functionality, health aspects and applications of sprouts and microgreens. The text comprehensively covers up-to-date developments in phytochemistry, clinical nutrition and functional food production.