Forget broccoli as a health food - read this
By Debs_place
@Debs_place (10520)
United States
March 14, 2007 10:21am CST
Telling people to eat broccoli is like beating a dead horse. Either they will eat it or they won't but read this
Broccoli Sprouts
The news: Broccoli sprouts are even better. At a mere 3 days old, they contain at least 20 times as much of disease-fighting sulforaphane glucosinolate (SGS) as their elders; SGS has been shown to:
Kill tumors
The chemical triggers enzymes in the body that either kill cancer cells or keep them from growing. Just 1 ounce of sprouts has as much SGS as 1 1/4 pounds of broccoli.
Protect your heart
People who ate about a half cup a day of sprouts lowered their total cholesterol by an average of 15 points, and women raised their good cholesterol by 8 points--in just 1 week
Save your sight
Exposure to UV sunlight over time may lead to an eye condition called macular degeneration, which is the number one cause of blindness in US seniors. Researchers determined that broccoli sprouts can protect retinal cells from ultraviolet light damage.
So what do we do, just plant broccoli seeds and eat it 3 days later?
5 people like this
9 responses
@desertdarlene (8911)
• United States
14 Mar 07
I actually love broccoli, but these sound great. So, I just use regular broccoli seeds and just sprout them? Sounds like something I can do inside my apartment.
Are they also high in potassium?
@desertdarlene (8911)
• United States
16 Mar 07
Thanks. I scrolled down, but didn't see the sprouts. I did see broccoli. I will try the sprouts anyway.
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
15 Mar 07
I did a little research for you...seems to have potassium
http://members.tripod.com/~charles_W/table2.html
@Willowlady (10657)
• United States
14 Mar 07
The seed contains all it needs to sprout and grow. By sprouting many seeds we get that goodness. I personally love to eat sprouts and before my fire had a seed sprouting jar. They are a great addition to salads.
With a scare some years ago about bad sprouts I do not see them as much. Someday I will again sprout the seeds and add them to my diet. Good information. Thanks for sharing.
2 people like this
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
14 Mar 07
So I could just have a tray of some kind of growth medium and toss the seeds in and eat them 3 days later. Cool. And I guess if I grew them, I would not have to worry about ecoli anymore.
Can you buy brocolli seeds year around? It is an interesting propostion,maybe one of those window greenhouses would be a cool idea.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
15 Mar 07
I am sure they will find something wrong with them, just give it a year or two. I know you can buy them at out grocery, already sprouted, like we can get alfalfa sprouts, and bean sprouts. I respect the fact that our food can be good medicine.
2 people like this
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
15 Mar 07
I think if we eat them and they are E. Coli free, we will be ok, again as with so many otaher foods, we have to eat them in moderation.
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
16 Mar 07
I love brocolli! I eat uncooked in salads, with dip, and I chop it very, very fine and add it to my tuna salad and chicken salad. (For the later I mainly use the stems) Brocolli gets mushy when boiled (and loses nutrients). It is best when steamed...and left 'al dente'. (hope I spelled that correctly) I put some in a steamer basket over boiling water and let it stay there about 5 minutes...YUM! It is really good when sprinkled with lemon pepper! I eat it plain, over a baked potato with a tad of cheese over it, in stir fry, and lots of other ways! You know the green bean casserole that is so common at cookouts? The one with the dried oninons and mushroom soup? I do that ....except with brocolli! It is delicious! I also chop brocolli and cauliflower and put them under the broiler...and have broiled veggies! I spritz them with a little olive oil and put seasonings on them...lemon pepper, garlic powder, onion powder..whatever I am in the mood for! Sorry to get so long winded..but I love my brocolli!!
1 person likes this
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
15 Mar 07
I think I am going to try it too...need to do some planning on this
@onabreak2 (1161)
• United States
15 Mar 07
Thank you. This is very useful information. I have copied and pasted it for my friends at work. I am going to try and grow some on a wet paper towel too.
Thanks again
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
15 Mar 07
Would you please post a report of your results on the paper towel experiment?
I think we all would be interested in it.
@Island_Geko (3758)
• Canada
16 Mar 07
It is like Berries: Cancer-fighting super foods - Phytochemicals seem to slow tumor growth, but key is in variety of foods. Research does show that berries are among the fruits highest in antioxidant content and that they are excellent sources of several phytochemicals that seem to help block cancer development. However, other fruits and vegetables provide different nutrients and phytochemicals with unique health benefits. The best advice, then, is to eat berries often for their great taste and health boost, but stay focused on the main goal of eating a wide variety of produce every day.
@hockeygal4ever (10021)
• United States
17 Apr 07
Interesting. I never even heard of broccoli sprouts? I don't mind broccoli but I have to confess, I love it best when it's cooked with other things like chicken and cheese or in a cheesey broccoli casserole, etc. so I'm sure the health benefits get a bit "clouded". LOL
@kathy77 (7485)
• Australia
15 Mar 07
Oh I think that after your discussion here that we had best eat broccoli sprouts it is amazing what this can do to protect our health and especially our eyes and the ultra uv sunlight. So come on members and eat your brocolli, so to help save your eye sight.
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
15 Mar 07
Yup, my father has the mac..degeneration thing. I am planing on trying to grow the sprouts myself.
