Maintain an omnivorous diet rich in fruits and vegetables, especially cruciferous ones, as humans evolved as omnivores and abundant scientific literature supports their benefits. Avoid extreme meat-only diets due to potential deficiencies in fiber and Vitamin C, and risks of iron overload and inflammation.
Consume sulforaphane regularly, either through sprouts or supplements, to prime and maintain your body’s antioxidant and detoxification systems, especially if regularly exposed to toxins like air pollutants. The activation of these protective enzymes lasts for at least hours and certainly in most cases, days.
Aim for a daily dose of something between about 50 and 100 micromoles of sulforaphane, as this range is indicated by clinical studies to provide health benefits. If taking supplements, daily consumption is recommended for consistency.
Add ground mustard seed (about 1 gram), daikon, Japanese radish, or moringa to cooked broccoli or other cruciferous vegetables to provide myrosinase. This enzyme enhances the conversion of glucoraphanin to sulforaphane, which is otherwise largely destroyed by cooking.
Grow your own broccoli sprouts at home as a cost-effective way to get sulforaphane and other nutrients. Refer to the provided 15-page sprouting guide for basic steps on how to safely grow them.
Refrigerate grown broccoli sprouts for only two to three days to slow growth and prevent spoilage, as they can become rank after about a week. For longer storage (weeks to months), quick-freeze large batches by spreading them on a tray, then transfer to bags or containers, but limit to one or two months in a home freezer.
Choose sulforaphane supplements from trusted brands like Thorne’s Crucera SGS, Zymogen’s Oncoplex, Nutramax’s Avmacol, Swanson’s Vision Defense, Orthomolecular’s MitoCore, or Max International’s Max N-Fuse. Many supplements are unreliable and may not contain the stated amount of active compounds.
If taking a glucoraphanin-only supplement, a higher level of glucoraphanin may be needed to rely on gut myrosinase for conversion. If the supplement includes myrosinase, a lower glucoraphanin dose may suffice as some conversion will happen within the supplement itself.
Incorporate dried powdered moringa leaves into your diet, especially if fresh leaves are unavailable (e.g., outside the tropics), as moringa contains beneficial isothiocyanates and has a long history of safe consumption. Hot or cold moringa teas can also help modify its sharp taste.
Do not consume raw broccoli seeds directly due to their unpleasant taste and the potential for an overload of erucic acid. Erucic acid has been associated with cardiac toxicities in some animal studies.
Exercise caution with sulforaphane supplementation or heavy broccoli consumption if diagnosed with metastasized cancer. The effects in this context are not fully understood, and upregulating NRF2 could potentially protect cancer cells or interfere with cancer drugs.
If cooking broccoli, microwave it gently to minimize the destruction of myrosinase and prevent nutrient leakage into cooking water. Aim to keep the internal temperature below 70-80°C to preserve myrosinase activity.
To make broccoli sprouts more palatable, especially for picky eaters, blend them into smoothies. A mixture of pineapple juice with a hint of lime, potentially diluted with water, has been found to be a good disguiser or complimenter of the taste.
For children with rigid food preferences, crush sulforaphane supplement pills using a hand pill crusher. Mix the crushed supplement into their favorite foods to camouflage both taste and texture.
Download the 15-page sprouting guide from foundmyfitness.com/sprouting. This guide, co-authored by Dr. Jed Fahey, provides basic steps on how to safely grow your own broccoli sprouts at home and is fully illustrated.
Consider reading Doug Evans’ ‘The Sprout Book’ for comprehensive methodology on growing various sprouts. The book advocates for sprouts from a nutritional perspective and discusses their medicinal and preventive qualities.