What are the Health Benefits of Broccoli Sprouts?

Broccoli sprouts are essentially the baby version of broccoli. They grow quickly, reaching a height of 5-7 cm in just a few days. Broccoli sprouts are high in vitamins and minerals, as well as disease-fighting antioxidants like sulforaphane. Here is everything you need to know about the benefits of broccoli sprouts, how to grow them and where you can buy them.

What Are The Benefits Of Broccoli Sprouts?

Broccoli sprouts contain a range of important nutrients, including disease-fighting antioxidants such as sulforaphane. Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale, contain this natural plant chemical. Sulforaphane has been associated with a variety of health advantages, including improved heart and digestive health.

 

How To Grow Broccoli Sprouts

1. Measure out small amounts of broccoli of seeds and rinse thoroughly with water.
2. Place the broccoli seeds onto a shallow tray and cover the seeds in water.
3. Put the tray into a cupboard or in another dark space within your home.
4. Soak the broccoli seeds for 12 hours. After you can carefully drain the water.
5. Rinse the seeds and drain them again.
6. Place the tray in a dark space for another 12 hours and rinse and drain the seeds with water at least every 2 hours to prevent the growth of mould.
7. Place the tray in sunlight.
8. Harvest them at 4 days when the sprouts are at their peak. This is when they will produce the highest amount of sulforaphane.
9. You can now add them to your foods or juice them. And enjoy!

 

How To Use Broccoli Sprouts?

Broccoli sprouts can be enjoyed fresh as part of a salad or sprinkled on top of cold foods. You can also juice them in a blender at a low speed.

Top tip: Don’t heat the sprouts too much as this will destroy the naturally present vitamin C that is key in producing sulforaphane.

Where To Buy Broccoli Sprouts?

Broccoli sprouts can be difficult to find. You may still be able to purchase them from local health food shops, however, you won’t be able to find them on supermarket shelves.

Before buying broccoli sprouts, it is recommended that you study them carefully. Well-nourished sprouts should have a strong, dark green colour and should point up towards the sky. If the sprouts are withering or don’t look like they are still growing, you should avoid these sprouts as they may be contaminated with E-coli and salmonella.

Try adding cruciferous vegetables today to your diet if you are looking for a health boost. No matter how you decide to eat them, broccoli sprouts will give you lots of nutrition that you can feel good about consuming.

At No Hurt No Harm, we use quality broccoli sprouts in our juices. For more information check out our Broccoli Sprout and Beetroot Juice.