Boosting Broccoli’s Cancer-Fighting Power

The manner in which broccoli is prepared and consumed, as well as teaming broccoli with broccoli sprouts, may make the vegetable's anti-cancer effect almost twice as powerful, according to a new study published in Nutrition and Cancer.

"Broccoli, prepared correctly, is an extremely potent cancer-fighting agent. To get broccoli's benefits, though, the enzyme myrosinase has to be present; if it's not there, sulforaphane, broccoli's cancer-preventive and anti-inflammatory component, doesn't form," said Elizabeth Jeffery, a U of I professor of nutrition.

The findings suggest combining broccoli sprouts with broccoli powder enhances sulforaphane absorption from broccoli powder, which offers the potential for development of foods that modify the health impact of broccoli products.

"There is a way to boost that powder's effectiveness, though. Broccoli sprouts contain myrosinase in abundance. And broccoli powder often contains the precursor to sulforaphane without the enzyme that would boost its healthful benefits," said Jenna Cramer, co-author of the study.

The researchers hypothesized that myrosinase from the sprouts would enhance sulforaphane formation and absorption from the broccoli powder if the two were eaten together. They recruited four healthy men who ate meals that contained broccoli sprouts alone, broccoli powder alone or a combination of the two. Next, they measured levels of sulforaphane metabolites in the mens' blood and urine after feeding to look at the plasma and urine levels associated with cancer prevention. Three hours after feeding, a definite synergistic effect was noted between the powder and the sprouts.

"There was almost a twofold increase in sulforaphane absorption when sprouts and powder were eaten together. It changed the way the subjects metabolized the powder. We saw plasma and urine metabolites much earlier and at much higher levels than when either was eaten alone," they said. “This indicates that myrosinase from the broccoli sprouts produced sulforaphane not only from the sprouts but also from the precursor present in the broccoli powder."

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* EurekAlert: Sprouts? Supplements? Team them up to boost broccoli's cancer-fighting power