Google the phrase "search for the secret" and you'll get websites dedicated to everything from hidden treasures to extraterrestrial mysteries. And while these intriguing secrets may seem hard to get your hands on, finding the secret to preventing weight gain is even more elusive for many inhabitants of planet Earth.

Fortunately, new lab research may have located one solution: eating microgreens and fully-grown cruciferous veggies.

Researchers from the United States Department of Agriculture and the University of Maryland first compared the differences in the nutritional content of microgreens and their fully grown counterparts, and found that microgreens of kale, broccoli, and red cabbage had a high dose of health-promoting nutrients.

For example, in kale there were five times more cancer-fighting compounds in micros than in mature plants of the same weight.

The researchers then wanted to see what benefit could come from eating micro- and mature greens if they were fed to mice on a high-fat diet.

It turns out that both young sprouts and older kale were effective for limiting weight gain — possibly because of their positive effect on the gut biome.

This is good news for people who don't like full-grown broccoli, kale, or red cabbage.

Mild-tasting microgreen versions of these cruciferous vegetables deliver a big dose of essential nutrients, and may help battle weight gain.

Find them at a local farmers market or grocery store — or sprout your own on the kitchen table using a seed mat.