
by Milos Pokimica
Sulforaphane is the most potent natural phase 2 enzyme-inducer know to science. It is also an inhibitor of carcinogen-induced mammary tumorigenesis.
Milos Pokimica
Some phytochemicals can help our bodies detoxify by making our livers more efficient. One of them, for example, is sulforaphane.
In 1992 researchers from John Hopkins University in Baltimore discovered that cruciferous vegetables and especially broccoli contained a substance referred to as glucoraphanin. It is a precursor to the natural antioxidant and cancer-inhibiting detoxifying isothiocyanate called sulforaphane.
It is a chemical that is present almost exclusively in cruciferous vegetables and with adequate levels only in fresh broccoli.
Broccoli sprouts are the richest origin of glucosinolates and isothiocyanates that boost antioxidant status, induce phase 2 detoxification enzymes in the liver, and protect animals against chemically induced cancer.
Phase 1 enzymes activate or deactivate carcinogens. Phase 2 enzymes detoxify.
For more than 20 years researchers had known that eating cruciferous vegetables induce enzyme detoxification in experimental studies. Isothiocyanate sulforaphane is identified as the principal phase 2 inducer in broccoli extracts. Sulforaphane is the most potent natural phase 2 enzyme inducer known to science. It is also demonstrated that sulforaphane is a dose-related inhibitor of carcinogen-induced mammary tumorigenesis.
So eat broccoli, but there is a catch, it must be raw and well-chewed same as garlic. Also, broccoli sprouts contain 10–100 times the phase 2 inducer activity of mature broccoli plants. If we want to boost liver function adding raw broccoli sprouts to the salad is a good option. Supplement single-nutrient approaches to cancer prevention and detoxifying, and inflammation lowering have usually yielded worsening results. Isolated phytochemical approaches can be proven to be equally disappointing and are not recommended at least at the time being until supplemental sulforaphane is not thoroughly tested in double-blind studies on humans. So far broccoli extract which contains sulforaphane is tested with positive results. Alternatively, eat raw broccoli.
In micromoles per gram mature broccoli has 64 sulforaphane, the number two kohlrabi 28, and cauliflower 11. Broccoli raab is just 0.13 not even worth mentioning. While broccoli, broccolini, and Chinese broccoli are closely related to cabbage, the closest kin to broccoli rabe is turnips. Also, there is no sulforaphane in frizzed broccoli cooked broccoli steamed broccoli, and actually, there is none in raw broccoli as well. It is only formed when something bites the broccoli flower as a defensive mechanism. Sulforaphane is a natural pesticide for insects.
The enzymes that create sulforaphane are heat sensitive but the sulforaphane itself is not. If we freeze or cook before we bite, there is nothing in it. The more we chew, the better and yes that is the taste that gives the broccoli bad raps. The same pesticide that forces the insects to spit the stuff out. The broccoli sprout taste is not that bad and can go nicely with a little salad dressing or in a sandwich.
Our bodies have detoxifying enzymes not just in the liver but in the lungs and throat to help us deal with air pollutants directly before they enter the bloodstream. Some people are born with less active detox enzymes in the airways and have an allergic reaction to pollutants in the air like diesel exhaust and can have asthma attacks. These enzymes clean the pollutants from the air which enter our lungs and lower inflammation. The estimate was that 15-20 percent of the general population has some defective enzymatic functions in air pathways making them prone to allergic reactions and asthma.
Short-term ingestion of broccoli sprout homogenates has been shown to reduce nasal inflammatory responses to oxidant pollutants (1). There are the same enzymes in our air pathways that exist in the liver. So sulforaphane increases the effectiveness of our lungs too not just the liver. C reactive protein (inflammation marker) can be elevated 20 years after quitting but with feeding people raw broccoli (250 grams a day) like in the above study plasma CRP level decreased by 48% after ten days.
In this study (2) they discovered that sulforaphane induces mucosal phase 2 enzyme expression in the upper airway of human subjects and confirms the effect of phase 2 enzyme initiation in the airway as a method to decrease the inflammatory impacts of oxidative stress. How much more? About 100 times more detox enzyme expression.
In this study in China (3) which has the highest level of air pollution in the world broccoli extract increased the levels of excretion of benzene by 61%, and acrolein by 23% (irritant for the skin, eyes, and nasal passages). There was concern that this level of lowering inflammation response might be dangerous because it might end up lowering our inflammation response to influenza viruses too. The studies that looked into this, showed no immune suppressive effect but completely the opposite, increasing the immune effect besides lowering the inflammation. The best of both worlds.
The bottom line is to eat raw broccoli. Also, chew it well.
If you want to you can add it to a green smoothie or blend it and let it sit there for some time and then use it for something maybe soup. There was one study (4) that found the addition of raw powdered mustard seeds to heat-processed broccoli significantly increased the formation of sulforaphane. Both mustard and broccoli are from the same family of plants and have these enzymes. The researchers found that adding a minor quantity of ground raw mustard seeds to the heat-processed broccoli significantly increased the formation of sulforaphane. The amount of sulforaphane that is formed in this way is almost identical to the amount that is formed when eating raw broccoli so if you do not dislike muster taste you can go for it. The myrosinase enzyme is found in mustard seeds in horseradish, wasabi powder, or daikon radish.
Broccoli consumption is one of those food items that offer unique benefits. There is nothing besides these detoxifying enzymes that we would not be able to find in some other food items. There are foods that are much richer in terms of antioxidant content. There are foods that are much richer in terms of micronutrient content. There are foods that are much more palatable. The only reason why you would want to incorporate broccoli into your diet is because of its unique detoxicating properties. Especially if you have asthma or allergies or are a smoker or have some other respiratory issues.
There is one more unique property of cruciferous vegetables in general and that is that they have very strong cancer prevention abilities. They are nutritionally dense, especially kale, and have lots of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, and on top of all of that, that we can find in other food items, they have these two unique characteristics.
Glucosinolate Content of Selected Cruciferous Vegetables
Food (raw) | Serving | Total Glucosinolates (mg) |
Brussels sprouts | ½ cup (44 g) | 104 |
Garden cress | ½ cup (25 g) | 98 |
Mustard greens | ½ cup, chopped (28 g) | 79 |
Kale | 1 cup, chopped (67 g) | 67 |
Turnip | ½ cup, cubes (65 g) | 60 |
Cabbage, savoy | ½ cup, chopped (45 g) | 35 |
Watercress | 1 cup, chopped (34 g) | 32 |
Kohlrabi | ½ cup, chopped (67 g) | 31 |
Cabbage, red | ½ cup, chopped (45 g) | 29 |
Broccoli | ½ cup, chopped (44 g) | 27 |
Horseradish | 1 tablespoon (15 g) | 24 |
Cauliflower | ½ cup, chopped (50 g) | 22 |
Bok choi (pak choi) | ½ cup, chopped (35 g) | 19 |
Related Posts
Sources:
Passages selected from a book: “Go Vegan? Review of Science: Part 1” [Milos Pokimica]
- Effect of 10-day broccoli consumption on inflammatory status of young healthy smokers. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2014 Feb;65(1):106-11
- Oral sulforaphane increases Phase II antioxidant enzymes in the human upper airway. doi: 10.1016/j.clim.2008.10.007
- Rapid and sustainable detoxification of airborne pollutants by broccoli sprout beverage: results of a randomized clinical trial in China. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2014 Aug;7(8):813-823
- The potential to intensify sulforaphane formation in cooked broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) using mustard seeds (Sinapis alba) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.10.119
- Current potential health benefits of sulforaphane doi: 10.17179/excli2016-485
- Prevention of Carcinogen-Induced Oral Cancer by Sulforaphane doi: 10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-15-0290
- Sulforaphane suppresses EMT and metastasis in human lung cancer through miR-616-5p-mediated GSK3β/β-catenin signaling pathways doi: 10.1038/aps.2016.122
- Sulforaphane improves the bronchoprotective response in asthmatics through Nrf2-mediated gene pathways doi: 10.1186/s12931-015-0253-z
- Facebook18
- Pinterest1
- LinkedIn1
- Blogger
- Gmail
- WhatsApp2
- Viber
- Love This
- Click me for More
- Facebook Messenger
- Skype
- Digg
- Del
- Tumblr
- VKontakte
- Flattr
- Buffer
- Odnoklassniki
- Meneame
- Amazon
- Yahoo Mail
- AOL
- Newsvine
- HackerNews
- Evernote
- MySpace
- Mail.ru
- Viadeo
- Line
- Comments
- Yummly
- SMS
- Telegram
- Kakao
- LiveJournal
- Yammer
- Edgar
- Fintel
- Instapaper
- Copy Link
- Mix
- 63shares
From The Same Category
You Might Also Like
Brain size, intelligence and meat consumption- The vegan argument
Arsenic exposure and rice consumption- The most toxic grain of them all
Cancer, The Forbidden Cures-Rife machine, Historical review
Pesticides, GMO’s, and toxic overload.
Tap water toxicity- Risk assessment
Cooked Meat- The Mutagen in a Bite, Heterocyclic Amine Exposure
Glycogen depletion- How not to exercise
Detoxification – A Scientific Review
Supernormal stimuli- Binge eating disorder and appetite regulation
Environmental toxicity- It is just a food chain

Medical Disclaimer
GoVeganWay.com brings you reviews of the latest nutrition and health-related research. The information provided represents the personal opinion of the author and is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The information provided is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.NEVER DISREGARD PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY SEEKING MEDICAL TREATMENT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ ON OR ACCESSED THROUGH GoVeganWay.com
NEVER APPLY ANY LIFESTYLE CHANGES OR ANY CHANGES AT ALL AS A CONSEQUENCE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ IN GoVeganWay.com BEFORE CONSULTING LICENCED MEDICAL PRACTITIONER.
In the event of a medical emergency, call a doctor or 911 immediately. GoVeganWay.com does not recommend or endorse any specific groups, organizations, tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned inside.
Around The Web,
Medicine
Around The Web,
Medicine
-
A high-throughput screening assay for small molecule inhibitors of the antigen aminopeptidase ERAP1
by News Medical Life Science News Feed on January 28, 2023
The January 2023 issue of SLAS Discovery contains a collection of four full-length articles and one technical brief covering cancer research, high-throughput screening (HTS) assay development and other drug discovery exploration.
-
Activated neutrophils can become potent cancer fighters
by News Medical Life Science News Feed on January 28, 2023
Elevated levels of immune cells, called neutrophils, in tumors have been associated with poor outcomes in people with cancer.
-
Jaypirca Approved for Relapsed/Refractory Mantle Cell Lymphoma
by Diana Ernst, RPh (Medical Bag) on January 27, 2023
As a noncovalent inhibitor of BTK, pirtobrutinib is able to reestablish BTK inhibition in patients previously treated with covalent BTK inhibitors.
-
FDA Approval Updates Enjaymo Indication for Cold Agglutinin Disease
by Diana Ernst, RPh (Medical Bag) on January 27, 2023
Enjaymo is an immunoglobulin G subclass 4 monoclonal antibody.
-
Is At-Home Teeth Whitening Safe?
by Harmeet Gurm (Medical News Bulletin) on January 27, 2023
Medical News Bulletin – Daily Medical News, Health News, Clinical Trials And Clinical Research, Medical Technology, Fitness And Nutrition News–In One Place The desire to whiten teeth has existed for over a century, with hydrogen peroxide being the go-to whitening agent.1 In cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening is one of the most popular practices.1 Hydrogen peroxide is used in dental offices […]
-
Keytruda Approved as Adjuvant Treatment for Stage IB, II, or IIIA NSCLC
by Diana Ernst, RPh (Medical Bag) on January 27, 2023
The approval was based on data from the KEYNOTE-091 trial.
-
Various Factors Affect the Pancreatic Microbiome Following Pancreatic Surgery
by Kwamesha Joseph (Medical Bag) on January 27, 2023
Researchers examined the relationship between the pancreatic microbiome and patient characteristics as well as the duodenal microbiome.
-
Childhood, Adolescent Cancers Linked to Higher Risk of Major Psychiatric Disorders
by Erin Clancy (Medical Bag) on January 27, 2023
Compared with the general population, survivors of childhood and adolescent cancers have an increased risk of 6 major psychiatric disorders.
-
Gepirone Under Review for Major Depressive Disorder
by Steve Duffy (Medical Bag) on January 27, 2023
Exxua (previously named Travivo) is a novel oral serotonin 1A receptor agonist.
-
Emzahh Gets FDA Approval for Pregnancy Prevention
by Diana Ernst, RPh (Medical Bag) on January 27, 2023
Emzahh is an AB-rated generic equivalent of Ortho Micronor.
-
Researchers identify an unexpected driver of cancer immunotherapy resistance
by News Medical Life Science News Feed on January 27, 2023
A research team from the LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) has identified an unexpected driver of cancer immunotherapy resistance: the harmful effect of chronic Type I Interferon signaling on tumor-killing CD8+ T cells.
-
Survey: Trust in genetics increased significantly during the pandemic
by News Medical Life Science News Feed on January 27, 2023
A survey of over 2,000 British adults finds that trust in genetics is high and went up significantly during the pandemic. It also finds that there is a hunger for more coverage of genetics.
-
Researchers discover a key role played by ch-TOG protein in the initiation of microtubule assembly
by News Medical Life Science News Feed on January 27, 2023
Microtubules are cellular fibres that are part of the skeleton of the cell, termed cytoskeleton. They ensure that cells maintain their shape, carry out their functions, and divide.
-
FDA Revises Evusheld EUA Halting Use of the COVID-19 Therapy for Now
by Diana Ernst, RPh (Medical Bag) on January 26, 2023
Recent data show that the product is unlikely to be active against currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Latest from PubMed,
#plant-based diet
-
Phosphate Intake and Removal in Predominantly Vegetarian Patients on Twice-Weekly Hemodialysis
by Namrata Sarvepalli Rao on January 27, 2023
-
Self-care and lifestyle interventions of complementary and integrative medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic-A cross-sectional study
by Michael Jeitler on January 26, 2023
-
Use of male-to-female sex reversal as a welfare scoring system in the protandrous farmed gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata)
by Paul G Holhorea on January 26, 2023
-
The effect of diet quality on the risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis
by Xiaoxia Gao on January 26, 2023
-
The Climate Change Challenge: How to get research into society through an online workshop
by Laura Müller on January 26, 2023
-
Associations of dietary patterns with obesity and weight change for adults aged 18-65 years: Evidence from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS)
by Yang Chen on January 25, 2023
-
Two a posteriori dietary patterns are associated with risks of hyperuricemia among adults in less-developed multiethnic regions in Southwest China
by Xinyu Wu on January 25, 2023
-
Buffalo milk and rumen fluid metabolome are significantly affected by green feed
by G Neglia on January 25, 2023
-
Metabolic and nutritional biomarkers in adults consuming lacto-ovo vegetarian, vegan and omnivorous diets in Spain. A cross-sectional study
by Elena García-Maldonado on January 23, 2023
-
Protein quality as a complementary functional unit in life cycle assessment (LCA)
by G A McAuliffe on January 23, 2023
-
NEW Soul in the neighborhood-reach and effectiveness of a dissemination and implementation feasibility study
by John A Bernhart on January 23, 2023
-
Interaction between genetics and inulin affects host metabolism in rainbow trout fed a sustainable all plant-based diet
by Jep Lokesh on January 23, 2023
-
Adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet, genetic susceptibility, and risk of type 2 diabetes in Swedish adults
by Shunming Zhang on January 22, 2023
-
Risks and Benefits of Different Dietary Patterns in CKD
by Shivam Joshi on January 22, 2023
-
Plant-based and vegetarian diets: an overview and definition of these dietary patterns
by Shila Minari Hargreaves on January 21, 2023
Latest Articles
Podcast of the day…
Plant Based News
-
Dublin Bus Adverts Promoting Veganism Spark Backlash From Politicians
on January 27, 2023
-
192-Year-Old Luxury Retailer Harvey Nichols Finally Bans Fur
on January 27, 2023
-
Cauldron Foods Is Now A Fully Vegan Brand
on January 27, 2023
-
‘The Last Of Us’ Star Bella Ramsey Is An Outspoken Advocate For Veganism
on January 27, 2023
-
‘Put Zebra Meat On The Menu in South Africa,’ Say Scientists
on January 27, 2023
-
LinkedIn Headquarters Goes Mostly Plant-Based To Reduce Carbon Footprint
on January 26, 2023
-
‘Pet’ Tiger Killed After Escaping Enclosure And Attacking Man In South Africa
on January 26, 2023
Top Health News — ScienceDaily
- New test could detect Alzheimer’s disease 3.5 years before clinical diagnosison January 27, 2023
New research has established a blood-based test that could be used to predict the risk of Alzheimer’s disease up to 3.5 years before clinical diagnosis.
- Most U.S. children use potentially toxic makeup products, often during playon January 26, 2023
Scientists found that most children in the United States use makeup and body products that may contain carcinogens and other toxic chemicals.
- New AI tool makes speedy gene-editing possibleon January 26, 2023
An artificial intelligence program may enable the first simple production of customizable proteins called zinc fingers to treat diseases by turning genes on and off. The researchers who designed the tool say it promises […]
- AI technology generates original proteins from scratchon January 26, 2023
Scientists have created an AI system capable of generating artificial enzymes from scratch. In laboratory tests, some of these enzymes worked as well as those found in nature, even when their artificially generated […]
- Artificial human skin paves the way to new skin cancer therapyon January 26, 2023
In a new study, researchers have managed to curb skin cancer. The study was conducted on artificial human skin.
- Body phenotypes say a lot, but not everything, about a person’s healthon January 25, 2023
Researchers studying body phenotypes — the observable characteristics like height, behavior, appearance and more measurables — found that regardless of the muscle they had, high levels of fat mass in an individual […]
- Supplementation with amino acid serine eases neuropathy in diabetic miceon January 25, 2023
The study adds to growing evidence that some often-underappreciated, ‘non-essential’ amino acids play important roles in the nervous system. The findings may provide a new way to identify people at high risk for […]

PubMed, #vegan-diet
-
Metabolic and nutritional biomarkers in adults consuming lacto-ovo vegetarian, vegan and omnivorous diets in Spain. A…
on January 23, 2023
-
NEW Soul in the neighborhood-reach and effectiveness of a dissemination and implementation feasibility study
on January 23, 2023
-
Comparison of sensitivity to taste and astringency stimuli among vegans and omnivores
on January 22, 2023
-
Protective Effect of Vegan Microbiota on Liver Steatosis Is Conveyed by Dietary Fiber: Implications for Fecal…
on January 21, 2023
-
Plant-based and vegetarian diets: an overview and definition of these dietary patterns
on January 21, 2023