Sulforaphane is the good chemical in broccoli. Broccoli sprouts are known to have 50-100 times more sulforaphane per gram than mature broccoli. I sprouted broccoli seeds for years to add to fresh vegetable juice when my wife was doing the Gerson Protocol for cancer.
Sprouting is very simple, and basically involves rinsing the seeds twice a day - in the morning and again in the evening. The soaking then rinsing removes a chemical called phytic acid, which retards any germination.
Here are some tips to make sure you have the best harvest possible!
1. Purchase a sprouting kit. I recommend a Mason jar with a stainless steel screen, however, you can buy trays as well. I've done both and they both have their benefits and downsides. I use a Mason Jar now.
2. Research your seeds. Not all seeds contain the same amount of sulforaphane. Technically, the seeds have a chemical that comes before sulforaphane called glucoraphanin. I recently purchased some organic broccoli seeds from Italy that contained almost none. Buy seeds that have been tested for or are known to have a high sulforaphane content. Our store has seeds that have been tested that can be purchased here.
3. Add radish seeds to sprout along with the broccoli seeds. Radish seeds have their own good chemicals separate from broccoli. Additionally, radish sprouts are high in myrosinase, the enzyme that converts glucoraphanin, the precursor chemical to sulforapahane the good chemical.
4. Soak and rinse with reverse osmosis or distilled water. Avoid chlorinated water.
5. To green, put them in the sun for an afternoon. Often the sprouts may not look too appetizing like the ones you purchase in the grocery store. Set them in direct sun for a day, and they develop the green color you are use to seeing in sprouts!
Once your sprouts are ready, you can extend their life by placing them in a ziplock bag with a damp paper towel to place into the refrigerator.
Sprouting is the cheapest way to get our sulforaphane. While it is not complicated to sprout, it also isn't easy. Some batches may not make it. You may have to go out of town. When things come up and you cannot sprout, we recommend BrocElite - the only supplement on the market with Stabilized Sulforaphane in the capsule.
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