Sprouts (Microgreens)

These baby greens, offer superior nutrition to their mature counterparts.5 They can also contain up to 100 times more enzymes than their full-grown counterparts, which allow your body to extract higher levels of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from other foods.6 Broccoli sprouts are considered to be one of the most nutritious of any sprouted vegetable. This is mainly due to containing high levels of Sulforaphane.

Best Sources of Sulforaphane, an Anti-Cancer Compound Found in Cruciferous Vegetables

Broccoli is the most common cruciferous vegetable that is rich in sulforaphane. Though it can also be found in  Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower horseradish, and arugula.  However, Broccoli sprouts are by far the richest source. Which contain up to 10 times greater amounts of sulforaphane, than the same amount of broccoli (measured in dry weight).7

Sulforaphane has been Shown to have Incredible Health Benefits

These include antimicrobial properties and the ability to normalize DNA methylation, an epigenetic mechanism used to control gene expression). DNA plays a major role in many diseases such as hypertension, kidney function, and gut health. But, Sulforaphanes biggest health benefits are seen in its anti-cancer properties. It has the ability to kill cancer cells, which slows tumor growth.8,9 Also, it increases enzymes in the liver that help destroy cancer-causing chemicals that we may be exposed to in our environment or food.9 This is why Sulforaphane has been referred to as “one of the most powerful anticarcinogens found in food.”11

  1. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/316075.php
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC23369/
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16569031
  4. https://www.nature.com/articles/srep36796
  5. http://www.jfma-online.com/article/S0929-6646(16)00028-0/fulltext
  6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4649129/
  7. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/03/050326114810.htm

No sweat recipe of the week

How to Grow your own Broccoli Sprouts

Recipe Via http://www.urbanorganicgardener.com/

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Add 2 tablespoons of broccoli sprouting seeds to a wide-mouthed quart jar.
  2. Cover with a few inches of filtered water and cap with the sprouting lid or a coffee filter
  3. Store in a warm, dark place overnight (Kitchen cabinet will work)
  4. The next morning, drain the liquid off and rinse with fresh water. Be sure to drain all the water off.
  5. Repeat this 1-2 times a day
  6. For a few days, continue this process and keep storing your seeds in a warm but dark place
  7. After those few days, the seeds will start to break open and grow
  8. Eventually, the sprouts will be an inch or so long and have yellow leaves
  9. Now you can move the sprouts out into the sunlight
  10. Continue to rinse them 3-4 times a day until the leaves are dark green. Now they are ready to eat!
  11. This whole process should take about a week
  12. Once they are ready, replace the sprouting lid with a standard mason jar lid and store in the refrigerator
  13. Serve on top of salads, stirred into soups, or however, you’d like