21/09/2026
🥦 Want to get a little more from your broccoli?
When broccoli is chopped or crushed, it brings together a plant compound called glucoraphanin with an enzyme called myrosinase. This reaction helps form sulforaphane, a bioactive compound that has been widely studied for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as its potential role in supporting cellular and cardiovascular health.
🥦 Chop it first
⏱️ Leave it for around 10–15 minutes
🍲 Then cook it, ideally using a gentler method such as steaming
Why wait? Myrosinase is sensitive to heat, so chopping before cooking gives the enzyme time to get to work and start forming sulforaphane before it reaches the pan.
And if you’ve forgotten to chop it in advance? There’s another food science trick: adding a little mustard powder to cooked broccoli can provide active myrosinase and may help increase sulforaphane formation.
A tiny change in the kitchen, but a lovely example of how the way we prepare our food can influence the beneficial compounds we get from it.
HealthyEating NutritionScience EatMorePlants
