The Science · Preparation

Fresh / raw, chopped or chewed

Eating broccoli sprouts or microgreens raw, where chewing or chopping releases the plant's own myrosinase.

What changes

Damaging the plant tissue brings myrosinase into contact with glucoraphanin, forming sulforaphane.

Compounds affected

GlucoraphaninMyrosinaseSulforaphane

EMG crops connected to this

Broccoli

See Broccoli research →

Human research

Human interventionBioavailability

Preparations with the plant's own myrosinase delivered sulforaphane 3 to 4 times more effectively than glucoraphanin without the enzyme.

Population
Healthy volunteers
Measured
Sulforaphane conversion and excretion

Keep in mind: Very small volunteer group. Measured absorption, not a health outcome.

Fahey JW et al. · PLOS ONE, 2015 · View study

Human interventionBiomarker

30 g a day of fresh raw broccoli sprouts for 10 weeks lowered IL-6 and C-reactive protein in overweight adults.

Population
Healthy overweight adults
Participants
40
Amount studied
30 g fresh raw broccoli sprouts, daily
Duration
10 weeks
Form
Fresh raw broccoli sprouts
Measured
Inflammation markers IL-6 and C-reactive protein

Keep in mind: Compared the same people during and after the sprout phase, with no separate placebo group. Healthy overweight adults only.

López-Chillón MT et al. · Clinical Nutrition, 2018 · View study

Keep in mind

Small volunteer groups; absorption measured, not health outcomes.

← The Science
Sources: peer-reviewed research and NIH/USDA reference data, labeled by study type. EMG foods are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.