Introduction
These tiny plants are bursting with vitamins, nutrients and contain sulforaphane, a powerhouse plant-based antioxidant that supports optimal wellbeing.
As the star subject of numerous scientific studies, sulforaphane is gaining attention for its role across a range of health issues from anti-inflammatory benefits to skin cell health.[1]
Our Broccoli Sprouts Powder is made from 100% organically sprouted broccoli seeds, making it an easy way to increase your daily intake of sulforaphane along with other essential nutrients like vitamins C and K and folate which can support energy, bones, and immunity when consumed as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
What exactly is sulforaphane?
Sulforaphane is a powerful phytochemical (which is a fancy way of saying it’s a naturally occurring plant-based antioxidant).
It’s like signalling your internal wellbeing superhero to switch on your body’s protective genes that repair damage caused by lifestyle and environmental factors. [2]
As the name suggests, sulforaphane is a sulphur-rich chemical compound found in cruciferous vegetables like kale, bok choy, cabbage, and broccoli.
Broccoli sprouts may be the smallest of the cruciferous bunch, but they pack the biggest punch: containing 10 times more sulforaphane than mature broccoli. [3]
The short on science.
Sulforaphane was one of mother nature’s best kept secrets until Paul Talalay, a researcher at Johns Hopkins discovered it in 1992 while studying the cancer-fighting properties of cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower.
Because broccoli sprouts are a microgreen version of the broccoli plant, researchers put the sprouts under the microscope and made the serendipitous discovery that the young plants contained one of the highest concentrations of sulforaphane on the planet.
In 2011, the team at John Hopkins tested the real-life power of broccoli sprouts to reduce the health implications of air pollution. In a clinical trial of 300 men and women residing in one of China’s most polluted areas, the participants were given a daily dose of a broccoli sprouts beverage which resulted in the significant detoxification of air pollutants, with some levels decreasing in just 24 hours! [4]
The brilliance of sulforaphane.
Sulforaphane is activated by two ingredients – Glucoraphanin, the precursor to sulforaphane, and myrosinase which is the enzyme that transforms glucoraphanin into sulforaphane. Luckily broccoli sprouts contain both. [5]
However, to activate it, you need to break down the walls of the plant cells so that myrosinase is released and can come into contact with glucoraphanin. In order for this interaction to happen, most cruciferous vegetables need to be cut, chopped, or chewed to release the myrosinase.
When it comes broccoli sprouts, the other secret is the sprouting process because the medicine is in the broccoli SPROUTS, not the seeds.
The seeds need to be sprouted carefully, in a way that retains maximum nutrients. For every sprouted seed, there is a peak time to harvest for optimal nutritional value. For broccoli sprouts, we harvest them early as they arrive at their peak.
How do we know?
Sprouts have been our family business for almost four decades.
This makes our produce 100% Australian grown and our farm is 100% Australian owned.
We love that there is now strong science to support our family’s long-held appreciation of the nutritional value of sprouts and the incredible role they play in sustaining our health and wellbeing.
Trusting in nature’s intelligence, our broccoli seeds are left to sprout organically until they are harvested early and steam-dried to retain their nutrient value.
Pure. Natural. Nutritious.
In addition to sulforaphane, our Broccoli Sprouts Powder contains a dynamic package of essential nutrients. Broccoli sprouts are naturally rich in vitamin K and folate and provide a valuable source of dietary fibre and vitamin C. When consumed as part of a balanced diet these nutrients support a range of additional health outcomes including bone strength, skin health, psychological function, and reducing tiredness and fatigue.
Broccoli Sprouts Powder is a convenient way to top up on vital nutrients. Each 15g serve contains one serve of veggies* making it a valuable addition to any healthy balanced diet. [6]
* As outlined in the Australian Dietary Guidelines, one serve of vegetables is 75g or ½ cup.
Additional references
Antioxidant functions of sulforaphane: a potent inducer of Phase II detoxication enzymes. Fahey JW, Talalay P Food Chem Toxicol. 1999 Sep-Oct; 37(9-10):973-9, and
Growth inhibition of a spectrum of bacterial and fungal pathogens by sulforaphane, an isothiocyanate product found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables. Johansson NL, Pavia CS, Chiao JW Planta Med. 2008 Jun; 74(7):747-50.
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8394606/#:~:text=Broccoli%20sprouts%20contain%2010–100,of%20phase%202%20detoxication%20enzymes
and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2077285/
[2] https://www.hindawi.com/journals/omcl/2019/2716870/
[5] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1756464614001480
[6] https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet
[8] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8813897/
[10] https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet
[11] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16047496/
[12] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2835915/
[13] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7918790/