Sulforaphane is a compound found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale, and Brussels sprouts. This powerful antioxidant has been shown to have numerous health benefits, including reducing inflammation, boosting heart health, and even potentially fighting cancer. But what exactly is sulphoraphane, and how can we get more of it in our diet? Let's take a closer look.
What is Sulforaphane?
Sulforaphane is a type of isothiocyanate that is formed when glucoraphanin, a compound found in cruciferous vegetables, is broken down by an enzyme called myrosinase. This process happens naturally when we chew or chop cruciferous vegetables, which is why it's important to eat them raw or lightly cooked to get the full benefit of sulphoraphane.
How Does Sulforaphane Benefit Our Health?
Sulforaphane has been shown to have numerous health benefits, including:
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Anti-inflammatory properties: Sulforaphane has been shown to reduce inflammation throughout the body, which is linked to numerous chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
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Antioxidant effects: Sulforaphane is a powerful antioxidant that helps to protect our cells from damage caused by free radicals.
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Cardiovascular benefits: Sulforaphane has been shown to improve blood pressure, reduce LDL cholesterol levels, and improve overall heart health.
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Anti-cancer properties: Studies have shown that sulforaphane may be able to inhibit the growth of cancer cells and even help to prevent certain types of cancer, including breast, prostate, and lung cancer.
How Can We Get More Sulforaphane in Our Diet?
One of the best sources of sulphoraphane is sprouts, particularly broccoli sprouts. These tiny sprouts contain high levels of glucoraphanin and myrosinase, which means they are a rich source of sulphoraphane. Other cruciferous vegetables like kale, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower also contain sulphoraphane, but in smaller amounts.
To get the most benefit from sulforaphane, it's important to eat cruciferous vegetables raw or lightly cooked. Cooking can destroy the myrosinase enzyme, which is needed to convert glucoraphanin into sulphoraphane. So, adding raw broccoli sprouts to salads or sandwiches is a great way to get more sulphoraphane into your diet.
In conclusion, sulphoraphane is a powerful compound found in cruciferous vegetables that has numerous health benefits. Adding sprouts, particularly broccoli sprouts, to your diet is a great way to get more sulphoraphane into your diet and enjoy the many health benefits that it offers.
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Awesome additional info and comment Jennifer :) Thanks!
Chewing cruciferous vegetables and sprouts causes the creation of an enzyme called myrosinase which is also a cancer fighter. The trick here is that this enzyme only happens if the cruciferous is raw as the the elements that create it are heat sensitive. Making sprouts a great way it get the benefit of myrosinase.