After reading the books How Not to Diet and How Not to Age, I was convinced that adding a daily serving of broccoli to my diet would be super beneficial to my overall health. Although I’ve been a non-meat eater for all of my adult life, neither raw nor cooked broccoli was ever my favorite item on the plate. Drench some cooked broccoli in cheese or serve it raw with ranch dressing? No problem. But on its own? Not a big fan. I knew I was “supposed” to eat it when it was served so I did, but not because I really desired it and always begrudgingly.
However, with all things made wonderful in a smoothie, I quickly discovered that I could get all of the health benefits of raw broccoli without any of the sacrifice I usually felt by adding in a serving of broccoli sprouts. Broccoli sprouts are nutrient power plants housed in little stems that can help prevent cancer with the best of them. This cruciferous vegetable contains glucoraphanin, which converts to sulforaphane during digestion, and there’s evidence that links sulforaphane to a reduced risk of some cancers*.
Following the first sip of the upgraded smoothie, my attitude towards the wholesome do-gooder broccoli changed. A quarter cup of broccoli sprouts mixed in with the other greens and fruits had virtually no negative impact on the taste of my smoothie (other than deliciously tart). On their own broccoli sprouts have a very subtle flavor so they can also be added to sandwiches and salads if desired, but I always toss them into my smoothie as a quick and easy way to make sure they’re part of my daily diet. I’ll sometimes pop a few in my mouth and if any ever fall to the ground my dogs are quick to scoop them up so they pass the pup test.
Not only are broccoli sprouts healthy, but they can be added to your diet for mere pennies per serving by growing them yourself. I ordered a sprouting kit (two mason jars and sprouting lids) and broccoli seeds from Amazon and five days later I had my first batch of sprouts. I like to make a large batch and freeze half for future smoothies to make sure I always have some on hand. They don’t require a green thumb to successfully grow and only need very minor care and effort after their initial soak. Simply do a morning and evening rinse each day until they’re ready to consume.
If you do decide to grow your own, make sure to read the instructions that come with them and wash and soak them in vinegar for about 15-30 minutes before their long soak to kill any bacteria that may have found their way onto the seeds as the process of growing broccoli sprouts is also the same process loved by salmonella and other foodborne illnesses.
All in all, I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how easy it’s been to grow the broccoli sprouts on my kitchen counter and how well they’ve blended into my daily smoothie. This was one of the most effortless ways I’ve positively increased the healthfulness of my diet.
*Broccoli and other cruciferous veggies can significantly lower cancer risks | UCLA Health