Detox
Broccoli
A cruciferous vegetable best known for sulforaphane, one of the most studied plant compounds for supporting the body’s detox enzymes.
Detox
Immunity
Bone Health
Serving
1 cup chopped, cooked (156g)
Calories Per Serving
55
Key nutrients
Sulforaphane, vitamin C, vitamin K, fiber
Nutrient density
376
Why it’s worth eating
Broccoli is packed with vitamins C, K, and folate, as well as fiber and sulforaphane, a compound linked to cancer prevention. It’s great steamed, roasted, or added to stir-fries for a nutritional punch.
What you may notice
Markers worth tracking
How to eat it
Steam lightly for 3-4 minutes rather than boiling, overcooking destroys the enzyme that activates sulforaphane; raw and lightly steamed both work, boiling doesn’t.
Pairs well with
Mustard seed powder or raw radish, supplies the enzyme myrosinase, which converts broccoli’s compounds into active sulforaphane after cooking Healthy fats, helps absorb broccoli’s fat-soluble vitamin K
Storage
Refrigerate unwashed in a perforated bag; use within 3-5 days for best sulforaphane potential.
The numbers, per
183%
Vitamin K
13%
Vitamin A
113%
Vitamin C
5%
Calcium
6%
Iron
8%
Magnesium
10%
Potassium
0%
Vitamin B12
0%
Vitamin D
Fiber
5.2g
USDA-verified (FoodData Central)
Evidence
B
The best-characterised sulforaphane source, with direct human bioavailability data. Preparation changes the delivered dose several-fold.
Study dose vs. serving
Bioavailability is about 10% without active myrosinase, about 40% with it, and about 90% if hydrolysis completes before ingestion. Fresh sprouts gave about 3x higher absorption than a myrosinase-inactivated extract.
Fahey/Egner work, PLOS One 2015, PMC4394840; sprout beverage crossover, AACR Cancer Prev Res 2011.
Use caution if
You take warfarin or other blood thinners, keep intake consistent given the vitamin K content You have hypothyroidism, large raw amounts contain goitrogens; cooking reduces this
Details
Type
Superfood
Season
Autumn-winter, cool season
Forms
Fresh, frozen, sprouts, powder
Price
Budget
Bioactive
Glucoraphanin, converted by myrosinase to sulforaphane
Heat stable
No - myrosinase is heat-inactivated. Chop raw and rest, lightly steam, or add raw mustard or daikon powder to cooked broccoli to restore conversion
Watch
Raw crucifer goitrogen concern is relevant mainly with very high raw intakes or iodine deficiency.
Reliability
Research Reliability