A Cancer-Fighting Food Combination

Myrosinase is an enzyme necessary to form sulforaphane, a compound found abundantly in broccoli that confers cancer-preventative effects.  Found in spicy foods, including broccoli sprouts, mustard, horseradish, and wasabi, myrosinanse promotes the release of sulforaphane in the digestive system in a form that is most bioavailable to the body.  Jenna Cramer, from University of Illinois (Illinois, USA), and colleagues observed that when fresh broccoli sprouts were eaten with broccoli powder, bioactive compounds were present in the blood 30 minutes later When these compounds peaked at three hours, they were much higher when the foods were eaten together than when either was eaten alone. Observing that: “Combining broccoli sprouts with the [broccoli] synergistically enhanced the early appearance of [sulforaphane],” the researchers submit that their findings “[offer] insight into the combination of foods for improved health benefits of foods that reduce the risk for cancer.”