Broccoli; a humble hormone superhero.

One of my favourite foods in the world is broccoli! I know, I’m heaps of fun!

It’s because it is one of the best sources of a powerful, hormone balancing phytochemical called sulforaphane and, personally, it has helped heal my acne amongst other hormonal benefits!

Sulforaphane is a natural plant chemical found in cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cabbage, kale, mustard greens, cress and cauliflower. It's like a tiny superhero in your body, offering a range of potential health benefits: ️

• Fights inflammation: Chronic inflammation is linked to many health concerns.

• Supports liver detoxification: It supports your body's natural ability to eliminate toxins, i.e. old oestrogen!

• Protects your cells: Research suggests sulforaphane might even play a role in cancer prevention.

How to unlock sulforaphane's power?

Here's the really interesting part: sulforaphane is inactive in the whole plant. To activate it, we need to convert the inactive form, glucoraphanin, into sulforaphane using the enzyme myrosinase. To do this we need to damage the plant. That means:

• Chopping or chewing: When you prepare your cruciferous veggies, you're creating the perfect opportunity for sulforaphane to be released.

• Leaving the cut veggies for about 40 mins before cooking them also maximises the conversion, as myrosinase is heat sensitive. After this time the sulforaphane will be made and is then heat resistant, so steam away!

While broccoli is a superstar no doubt, broccoli sprouts actually contain up to 32 times more sulforaphane than mature broccoli! They add a peppery twist to wraps, eggs and avo on toast! So if you are keen to nurture some mini broccoli seeds into sprouting, this is a great way to boost your intake.

There are supplements available too. Something worth discussing with a specialist dietitian

Remember: While sulforaphane is a promising area of research, a balanced diet is key. Talk to your dietitian for personalised advice on incorporating cruciferous veggies into your meals! #Dietitian #Nutrition #CruciferousVegetables #Sulforaphane #EatYourVeggies

Kim JK, Park SU. Current potential health benefits of sulforaphane. EXCLI J. 2016 Oct 13;15:571-577. doi: 10.17179/excli2016-485. PMID: 28096787; PMCID: PMC5225737.