Always Chop Broccoli 40-90 Minutes Before Cooking
Broccoli gets a lot of press as a ‘super’ vegetable due to its high levels of a particularly beneficial compound called sulforaphane which studies show may have anti cancer properties, helps blood sugar control and aids detoxification (particularly good for oestrogen which is even more important if you have SNPs on your detox genes responsible for getting rid of oestrogen from your body like I do).
Research shows that common broccoli cooking methods, like boiling and microwaving, seriously reduces the amount of glucosinolates in the vegetable even if you just zap it for a couple minutes. And myrosinase is super-sensitive to heat, too. These are the enzymes responsible for broccoli’s super antioxidant properties but the vegetable must be chopped, chewed or cut to activate sulforaphane.
So what’s the answer? Researchers found that chopping the broccoli and leaving it alone before cooking significantly increased the sulforaphane. “Our results suggest that after cutting broccoli florets into small pieces, they should be left for about 90 minutes before cooking,” the team concluded, adding that they didn’t test it but thought “30 minutes would also be helpful.”⠀And other research supports this.
PS this super enzyme is also found in cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprout, bok choy, kale, and watercress.
Find this tip and more about sulforaphane foods (including broccoli sprouts) and other powerful antioxidants in my new book ‘Eat Right, Lose Weight’.
https://www.newsweek.com/best-nutrition-chop-broccoli-small-pieces-cooking-study-finds-801712
