Certain raw cruciferous vegetables contain two important compounds that combine to create sulforaphane, an isothiocyanate. One of them is the glucosinolate glucoraphanin and the other is an enzyme called myrosinase.
Sulforaphane is created in your mouth when these vegetables are chewed raw. This is because the 2 compounds in question normally reside in separate compartments, but damage to the cell structure unites them.
Sulforaphane actually serves as an insect “antifeedant”—it is toxic to bugs who try to chew the plant. This mild toxicity in humans acts as a hormetic stressor, which, like exercise, compels our bodies to respond in a very positive way.
What will sulforaphane do for me?
Sulforaphane is not a vitamin or essential nutrient. (If we’re speaking strictly in terms of micronutrient content, adult broccoli is more nutritious than broccoli sprouts.) Instead, sulforaphane is a powerful genetic modulator known for its potent activation of an antioxidant pathway called NRF2. NRF2 is the body’s master switch that when activated, turns on the machinery to create powerful chemicals that mop up oxidative stress. In fact, sulforaphane is the most potent known activator of this pathway.
