I like cheeseburgers and chocolate ice cream, salty French fries and icy cold Cokes. I enjoy what most folks would call “bad food.” Bad food in the sense that it might not be so good for me. But, bad food tastes good, so most of us eat it and ignore the dangers to our health.
But what if we bad food eat- ers could find something to ne gate our gastronomical sins? What if there was an easily consumed and healthy addition that we could incorporate into our bad diets, something that might foster good health and ease our guilt? There is such a food, and I’m here to tell you about it… Before I go any further, let me say that the following words border on what could be considered medical advice.
Be advised that if you have any significant health problems or medical conditions, you should consult your doctor before consuming the world’s best vegetable.
Listen to your doctor first, be fore taking advice from a coffee- drinking guy in a ball cap sitting behind his typewriter.
So, what is this food, the world’s best vegetable? It is broccoli or more specifically, broccoli sprouts.
Why? Because broccoli sprouts offer potentially monster health benefits with minimal fuss and frustration. And unlike kale or cauliflower, you can add broccoli sprouts to anything you eat, even chocolate cake.
The benefits of broccoli sprouts can be summed up in one word – SULFORAPHANE. Sulforaphane is a phytonutrient (it activates the NRF2 compound in humans) that combats any chronic inflammatory disorder in your body.
Since inflammation is typically the beginning of almost all disease, sulforaphane will help to fight anything that ails you.
Sulforaphane helps balance your blood sugar.
It’s a powerful antimicrobial, fighting viruses and infections.
Sulforaphane inhibits aging by slowing oxidation in the body, and aides in brain repair. It is believed that sulforaphane can help prevent Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Sulforaphane has been shown to help those suffering from heart disease, and it inhibits carcinogens in the body, like Benzene (a harmful chemical that most of us have been exposed to).
It is perhaps these anti-cancer properties found in sulforaphane (and present in broccoli sprouts) that are the most exciting. So wonderful is sulforaphane that Johns Hopkins (the famous University and Medical Center) tried to obtain a patent on it several years ago. This attempt failed due to challenges in court.
Sulforaphane offers high levels of cancer protection, decreasing tumors and dismantling and detoxifying harmful chemicals and carcinogens in the body. Sulforaphane activates APOPTOSIS (a process by which cancer cells essentially commit suicide). Apoptosis is a selective toxicity that targets only cancer cells, not healthy cells – amazing, but true!
In order to grow broccoli sprouts, and provide yourself and your family with an endless sup- ply of beneficial sulforaphane, you will need the following: one large Mason jar with a sprouting lid (with mesh wire insert which makes it easy to drain your jar), and a supply of broccoli seeds for sprouting (available online – be sure to buy organic seeds).
Start by placing approximately 2-3 tablespoons of seeds in your jar. Fill the jar with water and add a bit of apple cider vinegar – this will kill any bacteria on your seeds. Soak with water and apple cider vinegar for about 10 minutes, then drain and rinse several times.
Next, fill jar again and let it sit for 8-10 hours, or overnight. After that, simply rinse your seeds repeatedly two or three times a day. Drain well each time, and shake jar so that seeds are evenly dispersed and stick to the sides. After rinsing, stand your jar upside down at an angle, so that excess water can drain. It works well if you place your jar in a bowl.
Harvest your sprouts on the third or fourth day. Seeds will sprout if jar is left on your kitchen counter. Some prefer to place jars in a dark place. If you want your sprouts to green up just a bit, you can place in the sun for a day.
When harvesting, I like to give my sprouts a final rinse, and then towel dry. They can then be stored inside a baggy or other container and placed in the fridge (some like to freeze them as well).
Your sprouts can be enjoyed with virtually any and all other foods. Add to salads or use as a topping for any dish. I like to add as a garnish on my scrambled eggs or bowl of oatmeal.
Sprouts can be added to smoothies. You can use sprouts on sandwiches or anywhere you might use lettuce, or you can eat them alone.
However you use them, broccoli sprouts (and the sulforaphane they provide) are seriously good for your body.
Perhaps now you can feel less guilty about that chocolate cake. typewriterweekly.com © 2023 Jody Dyer
