Why you may want to reconsider eating mature broccoli …
...and eat the sprouts instead – or in addition! - With Recipe! (see below!)
Many of us like Broccoli. And many don’t.
but many of us also don't know that Broccoli belongs to list of cruciferous vegetables. A partial list of them includes Kale, Cabbage, Brussels sprouts, Cauliflower, Watercress and , of course, Broccoli itself. These plants contain a cancer-fighting component. Hundreds of published studies prove it.
Interestingly the sprouts and even this seeds of broccoli are higher in cancer-fighting substances then the mature plant.
Why is that?
Vegetables, when they grow, mature, and their biochemistry changes with age. Vegetable sprouts as well as seeds express 10-100 times more nutrients that have been shown to be cancer-protective.
Broccoli sprouts and seeds contain large amounts of a compound called glucoraphanin and a critical enzyme called Myrosinase. This enzyme is needed to transform glucoraphanin into an anti cancer compound called Sulforaphane and you might have heard of it before. It is very important and is contained in all cruciferous plants.
So that is why you may want to prefer broccoli sprouts to the mature broccoli plant.
Are you wondering how to easily sprout in a few days on your windowsill?
I share my favorite way, together with some other favorite recipes of mine, in my book: "Eating for Vibrant Health and Explosive Energy"
Buy it on Amazon as Paperback and Kindle. Just click the link below for your country!
The cooking of broccoli reduces broccoli’s beneficial components. Not just the Sulforaphane, but there's another component called I-3-C (Indole-3-carbinol). This also requires some Myrosinase enzyme to fully activate and this component has also demonstrated Andy cancer effects.
The best way to eat broccoli sprouts or even mature florets is to eat them raw.
You can also combine the cruciferous vegetables with some others from the garlic/onion family to not only add additional myrosinase enzyme, but also allicin, another potent sulfur-containing cancer-compound.
One More Tip:
If you plan to cook it, cut it up ahead of time and leave it exposed to the air for about 10 min. This activates the myrosinase and other enzymes and increases the beneficial substances that are heat-stabile.
A lot of science, but it’s worth it.
Enjoy the recipe below for my "Cancer Fighting Salad With Broccoli Sprouts"