What Is Red Komatsuna Spinach

Besides being a spectacular looking microgreen, Red Komatsuna or japanese mustard spinach is a great tasting rich nutrient source. Long known in asia, the komatsuna is actually part of the brassica family so contains many of the cancer fighting compounds but also with the beautiful coloring providing even more compounds. The brassica family is prized for its potential cancer fighting effects from the presence of glucosinolates and the added anthocyanin boost from the coloration. Komatsuna itself in its mature form is nutrient dense and rich in beta carotene, calcium and Vitamins A, B2, C, K on top of the cancer fighters.

An interesting insight into its health benefits can be seen by looking at asian use of the komatsuna for health benefits. Here is an excerpt from a "Shizuoka Gourmet" blog entry from 2010 highlighting komatsuna.

"HEALTH FACTS:
-Combined with dried sardine whiting, or with sakura ebi/Cherry blossom shrimps, or with scallops, or with konbu/seaweed, helps preserve human bones, and activate rejuvenation.
-Combined with tomatoes, or with wakame seaweed, or with carrots, or with green chili peppers, povides for extra stamina, and helps prevent cancer.
-Combined with rice vinegar, or with orange, or with lemon, or with strawberries, helps prevent stress, and sore back/articulations, and helps swift recovery.
-Combined with konnyaku/devil’s tongue tuber, or with mushrooms, or with celery, or with bamboo shoots, helps combat obesity and prevent high blood pressure. Helps lower down blood cholesterol."

Our Red Komatsuna Microgreen Kit provides a hydronically grown sampling of this "new" (actually very old) super food.

See our new Kit offering now live on etsy.

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