Sulforaphane
Sulforaphane – It Does Your Body Good
The potent aroma in broccoli comes from a super healthy, powerful antioxidant called sulforaphane which is a natural plant compound found in many cruciferous vegetables is linked to a wide variety of health benefits.
Actually, in full disclosure the isothiocyanate found in sulforaphane-generating vegetables is called glucoraphanin which remains stable until the plant is broken. Once cut or chewed glucoraphanin comes in contact with an enzyme called myrosinasea and begins the conversion of glucoraphanin to sulforaphane.
Sulforaphane is synthesized only from cruciferous vegetables. Cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, kale, collards, mustard greens, and watercress are among those having the highest concentration of glucoraphanin (the precursor to sulforaphane.)
• Kale, 34 gram (½ cup) serving: 34 mg
• Bok Choy, 70 gram (½ cup) serving: 19 mg
• Red Cabbage, 45 gram (½ cup) serving: 29 mg
• Brussels Sprouts, 44 gram (½ cup) serving: 104 mg
• Garden Cress, 25 gram (½ cup) serving: 98 mg
• Cauliflower, 50 gram (½ cup) serving: 22 mg
• Mustard Greens, 28 gram (½ cup): 79 mg
• Turnips, 65 gram (½ cup): 60 mg
• Broccoli, 44 gram (½ cup): 27 mg
But the granddaddy of all the cruciferous vegetables are broccoli sprouts, which are baby broccoli plants less than a week old. They are a superfood providing the highest amount of glucosinolate per serving out of all vegetables. A mere 1-ounce serving of broccoli sprouts provides 73 mg of glucosinolates (that’s 292 mg in ½ cup!). So when compared to regular broccoli, broccoli sprouts have 10-100 times the power of regular broccoli in terms of glucosinolate concentration per serving.
Sulforaphane is important part of any diet and may:
• Boost liver function and help with natural detoxification.
• Neutralize the carcinogen Benzene
• Protect your brain health and function
• Have anticancer properties
• Promote healthy weight loss and help prevent obesity
• Protect your heart from damage
• Have antimicrobial properties.