A New Broom for Your Spring Clean – Sulforaphane in Broccoli

Exposure to Toxins is Inevitable

It is an unfortunate fact of modern life that we are constantly exposed to all manner of toxins; in our homes, cars and workplaces, in the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink. These unavoidable toxins can do a lot of damage to your cells through a process known as oxidation (or free radical damage), which also contributes to the ageing process. Sulforaphane is a component from broccoli that may help provide protection against the stressors of modern living thanks to its ability to clear toxins and reduce free radical damage, helping you and your cells feel healthier and happier.

Eat Your Greens

Your parents were giving you wise advice when they encouraged you to ‘eat your greens’! Many vegetables contain protective plant-based phytochemicals, particularly those from the Brassica (cabbage) family such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower. These protective compounds (known as isothiocynates) contain sulphur, which can make them taste bitter or hot (they are also constituents of mustard, wasabi and horseradish). One of the more important isothiocyanates is sulforaphane. Broccoli has been called the ‘Queen of Vegetables’ for good reason – it is particularly rich in sulforaphane, and regular consumption is an important part of a healthy diet for a healthy life.

Broccoli Seeds and Sprouts Make a Great Combo!
While including broccoli and other veges from the cabbage family in your diet is definitely a good idea, you would need to eat quite a large amount of broccoli to make the most of its therapeutic actions; and additional sulforaphane can be beneficial in many instances. Taking a combination of both broccoli seeds and sprouts is one of the most effective ways to get sulforaphane. The seeds contain the main ingredient (called glucoraphanin), which gets converted to sulforaphane with the help of an enzyme found in the sprouts. Vitamin C is naturally occurring broccoli and helps speed up this conversion. This is a great example of Mother Nature’s wisdom, with different parts of the broccoli plant working together to deliver higher amounts of sulforaphane, for greater therapeutic benefits.

Here’s to a Healthier You

The following tips can help support your body’s natural detoxification processes and reduce oxidation:

• Ensure your diet contains a wide selection of coloured fruits and veges; these are rich in antioxidant phytocchemicals for optimal health.

• Drink 2 L of filtered water each day to support toxin clearance.

• Get plenty of exercise. As well as improving cellular health and circulation, exercise encourages sweating which is a great way to detox.

Stand up against the toxic stressors of modern life with the help of sulforaphane. Our Gold Coast Holistic Health and Integrative Practitioner Linda Cairns nutritionist gold coast will advise whether it’s detoxifying and antioxidant abilities may benefit you.

The Many Benefits of Sulforaphane

Sulforaphane not only stimulates detoxification – the process of removing toxins from the body; it is a potent antioxidant as well. This means it helps to clean up your system and repair cellular damage at the same time. These actions are immensely useful, and sulforaphane from broccoli has been shown to improve a wide range of health conditions including autism, heart disease, type two diabetes, asthma, allergies, prostate problems and many more.

Talk to our Functional Medicine Gold Coast Holistic Health and Naturopath Linda Cairns about whether sulforaphane may be beneficial for your individual health needs! Call 07 5518 7608 today.