The stinky odor oozing from cruciferous vegetables are from sulfur emanating out of them. The cruciferous part means having the flowers arranged in 4 equal parts like a cross, but to me, I think of cruciferous as crunchy when raw, stinky when cooked. Cruciferous vegetables are actually in the cabbage, mustard, and kale families. Yes, they all have the beneficial sulfur in them.
I was a kid who was never asked what I wanted for dinner. There were 5 of us kids, and we ate was cooked for the meals, prepared with love by Mama. If we finished our plates, we got a prize of dessert. Some parents have picky eaters, and have to negotiate with the little ones to eat stinky vegetables. Creative parents are experts at hiding it in sauces thanks to a blender or food processor. Of course, there are also a few of us who adore the taste and aroma of broccoli, broccoli sprouts, cauliflower, bok choy, and other fibrous stinky veggies. (I raised my hand right now!)
The potent aroma in broccoli and other cruciferous plants comes from a super healthy, powerful antioxidant called sulforaphane. And once you learn just why sulforaphane is so good for you, you may decide that eating broccoli, kale, mustard seeds, turnips, radishes, and broccoli sprouts, amongst other cruciferous vegetables, are worth putting up with the smell of sulfur.
What is Sulforaphane?
It is a phytochemical, having life-giving chemical nutrients, and having powerful antioxidant properties. These antioxidants kill off the bad parts of tired old cells, like putting them through a car wash and coming out regenerated, shiny, and brand new looking and feeling. This is especially important as we age, because the healthier we eat, we can age with energy and vibrancy.
Think about it a little like those heat packs that we have to shake to activate. Shaking, or in this case chewing, brings the chemical compounds of stinky veggies together to create new and potent effects. Sulforaphane then goes to work keeping us healthy.
5 Health Benefits of Sulforaphane
Broccoli Sprouts
Broccoli sprouts are the champions in the healthiest variety of stinky vegetables. They have 10-100 times the power of regular broccoli. If you can handle the taste, ½ cup per day of fresh broccoli sprouts is a great goal to aim for. Remember not to cook them, though, because eating them raw keeps most of the good stuff inside intact. This recommendation applies to other cruciferous veggies too. It’s ideal to eat at least some of them raw to reap the most benefits from their sulforaphane. Try to include one to two servings per day as part of a balanced diet. Broccoli sprouts are not for everyone. It is often recommended that children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems should avoid eating raw sprouts. For a more comprehensive look at how to grow all kinds of sprouts (and avoid food-borne illness), see this article.
Are There Any Side Effects Related to Sulforaphane?
Luckily, there are no substantial side effects in humans when eating foods rich in sulforaphane. While only seen in animal studies, there is the possibility that very high amounts of sulforaphane may interfere with iodine absorption and have the potential to contribute to the development of hypothyroidism. But we would have to eat an enormous amount of cruciferous vegetables for this to be a real risk.
The most common unwanted effects of eating sulforaphane-rich cruciferous veggies are that they may cause gas and bloating in some people, due to their high fiber and sulfur compound content. This is more likely to occur among people who are NOT used to eating foods rich in these compounds. So, my general recommendation is to eat the rainbow! If supplements feel better to take instead of eating things one doesn't naturally gravitate towards, Mara Labs has developed a shelf-stable form of sulforaphane made from broccoli sprouts. It’s called BrocElite, and it offers 10 mg of sulforaphane in two capsules — or the equivalent of eating about three ounces of fresh juice made from broccoli sprouts. I am not an affiliate or paid anything from sharing their information.
How to Grow Broccoli Sprouts
Broccoli sprouts are easy to grow at home, and they provide an inexpensive way to help you incorporate sulforaphane (and many other potent nutrients) into your regular routine.
What other sulforaphane-rich foods do you like to eat, or want to try? I want to hear from you!
In Gratitude,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self Series
-CPT, CFI, Life and Wellness Coach
-Nutrition Educator
www.superiorselfwithkjlandis.com
-SuperiorSelf on YouTube
-superiorself on Instagram, Twitter
-KJ Landis on LinkedIn
-Superior Self with KJ Landis on Facebook
Books available wherever books are sold.
I was a kid who was never asked what I wanted for dinner. There were 5 of us kids, and we ate was cooked for the meals, prepared with love by Mama. If we finished our plates, we got a prize of dessert. Some parents have picky eaters, and have to negotiate with the little ones to eat stinky vegetables. Creative parents are experts at hiding it in sauces thanks to a blender or food processor. Of course, there are also a few of us who adore the taste and aroma of broccoli, broccoli sprouts, cauliflower, bok choy, and other fibrous stinky veggies. (I raised my hand right now!)
The potent aroma in broccoli and other cruciferous plants comes from a super healthy, powerful antioxidant called sulforaphane. And once you learn just why sulforaphane is so good for you, you may decide that eating broccoli, kale, mustard seeds, turnips, radishes, and broccoli sprouts, amongst other cruciferous vegetables, are worth putting up with the smell of sulfur.
What is Sulforaphane?
It is a phytochemical, having life-giving chemical nutrients, and having powerful antioxidant properties. These antioxidants kill off the bad parts of tired old cells, like putting them through a car wash and coming out regenerated, shiny, and brand new looking and feeling. This is especially important as we age, because the healthier we eat, we can age with energy and vibrancy.
Think about it a little like those heat packs that we have to shake to activate. Shaking, or in this case chewing, brings the chemical compounds of stinky veggies together to create new and potent effects. Sulforaphane then goes to work keeping us healthy.
5 Health Benefits of Sulforaphane
- It may have anti-inflammatory properties. Unchecked and chronic systemic inflammation can increase the risk for a variety of unwanted health conditions and even chronic diseases. The World Health Organization estimates that 70% of all deaths globally can be attributed to chronic inflammatory conditions. That’s one reason why eating a largely anti-inflammatory diet can be so beneficial for overall health outcomes. Sulforaphane appears to inhibit inflammation in conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, gouty arthritis, type 1 and 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, and some autoimmune disorders. It may also have a potential application in helping to treat some chronic inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, respiratory conditions, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Think of broccoli as nature’s fire hose, dousing inflammation in the cells, and giving the tissues a chance to cool down and recover.
- It may boost liver function and help with natural detoxification.In a 2019 study published in Experimental Hematology, sulforaphane was found to help reduce liver damage among rats with sickle cell disease, playing a role in the detoxification of heme released from ruptured red blood cells. In another study, sulforaphane from a broccoli sprout extract protected the liver and induced detoxification by triggering enzymes and the creation of glutathione. Glutathione is an all-star antioxidant composed of three amino acids: glutamine, glycine, and cysteine. It works by fighting against free radicals that can cause cell damage and cancer. Stress can deplete our glutathione reserves. Sulforaphane is helpful in neutralizing Benzene. In a 2019 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers looked at the detoxification effects of sulforaphane in humans related to the carcinogen benzene found in second-hand cigarette smoke, gasoline fumes, and car exhaust. In the study, 170 participants were assigned randomly to either drink a placebo beverage or one of 3 concentrations of broccoli juice. The one with the strongest concentration reduced the benzene in the body the most.
- It may protect the brain.Sulforaphane may have protective effects on cognition and brain function, or as we keeping us smarter longer. In a 2016 study published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation, after some very sulforaphane was found to reverse cognitive disruption. Sulforaphane may also have the potential to prevent neuronal disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease by enhancing the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a “brain fertilizer.”
- It may have anticancer properties.If you know someone who’s gone through chemotherapy to fight their cancer, you’ve seen how uncomfortable and taxing a process that can be. Imagine food that could mimic the positive effects of chemotherapy without the harmful and debilitating side effects. Sulforaphane appears to have chemopreventive properties and the capacity to be selectively toxic to malignant cells. It seems to know which cells are unhealthy and healthy and treats them accordingly. The effects are so potent that researchers suggest it may have clinical applications on its own as well as in combination with current therapeutic and management strategies for cancer.
- It may promote weight management. Leptin is a hormone primarily made by cells in the small intestine and fat tissues, which help regulate hunger/fullness cues and manage fat storage. When leptin levels are high, the brain gets the message that you’re full and should stop eating. It also gets informed that we have plenty of fat stored, so we don’t need to store anymore. In a 2018 study published in the European Journal of Pharmacology, researchers found that treating high-fat, high-sucrose-fed obese mice with sulforaphane for 23 days induced a better response to leptin.
Broccoli Sprouts
Broccoli sprouts are the champions in the healthiest variety of stinky vegetables. They have 10-100 times the power of regular broccoli. If you can handle the taste, ½ cup per day of fresh broccoli sprouts is a great goal to aim for. Remember not to cook them, though, because eating them raw keeps most of the good stuff inside intact. This recommendation applies to other cruciferous veggies too. It’s ideal to eat at least some of them raw to reap the most benefits from their sulforaphane. Try to include one to two servings per day as part of a balanced diet. Broccoli sprouts are not for everyone. It is often recommended that children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems should avoid eating raw sprouts. For a more comprehensive look at how to grow all kinds of sprouts (and avoid food-borne illness), see this article.
Are There Any Side Effects Related to Sulforaphane?
Luckily, there are no substantial side effects in humans when eating foods rich in sulforaphane. While only seen in animal studies, there is the possibility that very high amounts of sulforaphane may interfere with iodine absorption and have the potential to contribute to the development of hypothyroidism. But we would have to eat an enormous amount of cruciferous vegetables for this to be a real risk.
The most common unwanted effects of eating sulforaphane-rich cruciferous veggies are that they may cause gas and bloating in some people, due to their high fiber and sulfur compound content. This is more likely to occur among people who are NOT used to eating foods rich in these compounds. So, my general recommendation is to eat the rainbow! If supplements feel better to take instead of eating things one doesn't naturally gravitate towards, Mara Labs has developed a shelf-stable form of sulforaphane made from broccoli sprouts. It’s called BrocElite, and it offers 10 mg of sulforaphane in two capsules — or the equivalent of eating about three ounces of fresh juice made from broccoli sprouts. I am not an affiliate or paid anything from sharing their information.
How to Grow Broccoli Sprouts
Broccoli sprouts are easy to grow at home, and they provide an inexpensive way to help you incorporate sulforaphane (and many other potent nutrients) into your regular routine.
- Soak three tablespoons of broccoli sprout seeds in cool water overnight, or for at least four hours.
- In the morning, drain the liquid from the seeds and rinse them well. Place your broccoli sprout seeds in a sprouter.
- Rinse and drain your seeds with cool water every 8-12 hours.
- On day three, move your sprouter into bright light. A good place might be near a kitchen window. Here, you will continue to rinse and drain them every 8-12 hours.
- On days five through six, your sprouts will be ready to harvest. You can tell when their leaves are open and most of them are green.
- At harvest time, you can grab a big handful and throw them into a smoothie, toss them into a salad, juice them for a spicy “shot,” make one of the recipes below, or (for the adventurous type) eat them straight away.
- Make sure the sprouts are fairly dry before placing them in the fridge, as wet produce does not store well, and will not keep as long. You can roll them gently in a towel and let them sit for a period of time to dry before placing them in a container with a lid in the fridge.
What other sulforaphane-rich foods do you like to eat, or want to try? I want to hear from you!
In Gratitude,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self Series
-CPT, CFI, Life and Wellness Coach
-Nutrition Educator
www.superiorselfwithkjlandis.com
-SuperiorSelf on YouTube
-superiorself on Instagram, Twitter
-KJ Landis on LinkedIn
-Superior Self with KJ Landis on Facebook
Books available wherever books are sold.
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