4 Interesting Facts About Glucoraphanin

Posted on July 10, 2018July 6, 2021 by Brassica Contributor

By:Tori Schmitt, MS, RDN, LD

You probably already know that broccoli is a nutritious food – it is! Broccoli is full of fiber, potassium, vitamin C and vitamin K. But if you’re wondering what makes broccoli extra special when it comes to supporting health, it’s this: the important phytonutrient called glucoraphanin.

I know that may sound complex and confusing! But it’s actually pretty simple. What exactly is glucoraphanin? How does glucoraphanin function? Let’s talk about it with a couple of key facts!

Key Fact #1 Glucoraphanin is a phytonutrient

Glucoraphanin is a special “phytonutrient.” The root word “phyto” stems from a Greek word meaning “plant.” So, quite literally, phytonutrients are nutrients that come from plants! You may know that beta-carotene is found in orange vegetables and fruits, that lycopene is found in most naturally red foods, and anthocyanins are found in red and blue fruits, like berries. As it turns out, there are numerous important phytonutrients – one of which is glucoraphanin – and they each play a role in supporting optimal health.

Key Fact #2 Broccoli is a source of glucoraphanin

A variety of Brassica vegetables, including broccoli, kale, cauliflower and cabbage, feature phytonutrients.1 Yet, when it comes to the all of the valuable phytonutrients in broccoli, one stands out above the rest: glucoraphanin! In fact, the predominant phytonutrient in broccoli is glucoraphanin!2 It’s simple – when we eat broccoli, we get glucoraphanin.

Key Fact #3 Glucoraphanin converts to sulforaphane, which provides beneficial contributions to health

When you chop, cut and eat broccoli, a naturally occurring enzyme in broccoli called myrosinase converts glucoraphanin into sulforaphane. In the body, sulforaphane functions as an antioxidant to support the body’s own detoxification system. That’s right, your body has its own detoxification system and the phytonutrients in broccoli (namely, glucoraphanin) help your detoxification system do its job.

Key Fact #4 Getting glucoraphanin is easy!

It’s easy to get glucoraphanin! Because broccoli is a major source of glucoraphanin, simply enjoy broccoli more often to get more glucoraphanin.

Looking for fresh ideas to enjoy broccoli? Here are some nutritious (and totally delicious!) ideas to help you eat more of this healthy green vegetable:

• Serve broccoli on top of a salad with other foods full of phytonutrients, like kale,
strawberries, walnuts, salmon and a lemon-garlic dressing.
• Eat raw broccoli with a delicious dip like hummus or guacamole for a mid-day snack.
• Add frozen broccoli into homemade smoothies – you won’t even be able to taste it!
• Puree broccoli to make a broccoli pesto to spread over a sandwich, dip with vegetables, or
drizzle over whole-wheat noodles, bean pasta or “zoodles” (zucchini noodles).
• Add broccoli florets to your lunchtime wrap.
• Lightly steam broccoli for 3-5 minutes, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with
hemp hearts or pumpkin seeds for a savory side dish.

With the help of TrueBroc®, you can also enjoy glucoraphanin in additional nutritious ways:
• Pack Brassica Tea with TrueBroc® in your bag, backpack, purse or carry-on for glucoraphanin while you’re on the go.
• Swap out your usual morning cup of coffee for Brassica Coffee with TrueBroc®.
• Discover nutritious recipes using Brassica Tea and Coffee with TrueBroc® here [Link: https://truebroc.com/category/recipes/].
• Consider a dietary supplement containing glucoraphanin. Check with a qualified healthcare practitioner to determine what might be most appropriate for you!

What do you find most interesting about glucoraphanin? What is your favorite way to get this important phytonutrient? Let’s hear your thoughts! Share a message with me on Facebook [Link: www.facebook.com/yesnutritionllc] and tag my friends from TrueBroc® [Link: www.facebook.com/truebroc]! We look forward to hearing from you!

References:
1. Ishida M, Hara M, Fukino N, Kakizaki T, Morimitsu Y. Glucosinolate metabolism, functionality and breeding for the improvement of Brassicaceae vegetables. Breeding Science. 2014;64(1):48-59. doi:10.1270/jsbbs.64.48.
2. Cartea, Maria & Velasco, Pablo. (2007). Glucosinolates in Brassica foods: Bioavailability in food and significance for human health. Phytochemistry Reviews. 7. 213-229. 10.1007/s11101-007-9072-2.

Raise a Glass to Detoxification this Holiday Season

Posted on November 27, 2017March 1, 2018 by Brassica Contributor

It’s only fitting to celebrate Brassica’s 20th anniversary with a toast from the company that devotes its time to sharing broccoli’s superpower with the world. Raise a glass with us…

Wishing you more detoxification
than all my words can tell,
not just for the holidays,
but for all the year as well
-unknown

We are honored that RM Seafood’s Chef Rick Moonen (@rmseafood) and his mixologists created a cocktail and mocktail that feature Brassica® Tea. You can detox this holiday season whether you enjoy your detox on the rocks or as a total tea-totaler!

Need to refill your Brassica® Tea and Coffee before your family and friends arrive? Enjoy free shipping on all orders over $15. Enter coupon code 20Years at checkout and shipping is on us.

Cheers!

Recipes

Detoxification (Detox) on the Rocks

1.0 oz Brassica® Black Tea/Pear Syrup
1.5 oz Bulleit™ Pine-infused
0.5 oz Tuaca™
0.5 oz Orange Liqueur
0.75 oz Lemon Juice
0.5 oz Orange Juice
Shake and strain
Top with Brassica® Green Tea
Serve on the rocks

The Better Tea-Totaler

Brassica® Green Tea
1.0 oz Lemon/Green Syrup
0.25 oz Lemon Juice
Shake and serve
Add blueberries and mint as a garnish (optional)

20 Years of Brassica: From Johns Hopkins to a Broccoli Field in California

Posted on October 18, 2017November 27, 2017 by Brassica Contributor

Thinking back about the 20 years since I co-founded Brassica, there have been many remarkable events that shaped the company into a global provider of nutritional products. My father, Dr. Paul Talalay, and his research colleagues at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine worked on elucidating the ways the body protects itself from damage and studied the health benefits of cruciferous vegetables. They were the first to isolate the phytonutrient – sulforaphane (derived from glucoraphanin) – demonstrate that it was highly concentrated in certain broccoli seeds and sprouts, and show its powerful ability to protect cells. These achievements made a tremendous impact on the scientific community and became the source of inspiration for Brassica.

Thankful

I’m honored to bring my father’s discoveries to life with the founding of Brassica. As many entrepreneurs can relate, creating and nurturing a new business is challenging. It takes the help of many people. The growth of our business is due to retail, nutrition, manufacturing, regulatory, applied research, agriculture and business experts who have contributed their talents to help create a company that delivers a consistent and long-lasting source of glucoraphanin from broccoli seeds – all grown in the U.S. I’m thankful for our customers who have encouraged us at every turn and validated our desires to make the highest-quality ingredients and products. I’m grateful for every person who has touched Brassica in one way or another.

Party at SupplySide West

We recently celebrated our anniversary in Las Vegas during the leading industry conference and expo SupplySide West where we enjoyed seeing old and new friends at Chef Rick Moonen’s Rx Boiler Room restaurant. The chef and his mixology team created our commemorative signature cocktail and mocktail that featured TrueBroc® glucoraphanin.

We look forward to the next 20 years of research, product innovation and customer relationships that help people throughout the world live healthier lives.

Be well,

Tony Talalay, CEO and co-founder of Brassica

Destination Detox – How to Detox While On the Go

Posted on August 10, 2017October 18, 2017 by Brassica Contributor

An Interview with Ashley Koff, RD and author of The Road Trip to Better Health.

August is the month for last minute weekend getaways or for summer’s much anticipated week-long vacation. Families squeeze in a quick trip before the first day of school for many kids throughout the U.S. It may be easy to think you can splurge on salt, sugar and processed foods while you’re on the go, but your body shouldn’t be sacrificed just because you’re away from home. Just like any other day, you need to optimize your body’s systems, including its detox system.

The TrueBroc® team sat down with its scientific advisory board member, Ashley Koff RD, to learn how to detox while on the go.

TB: Everyone is talking about detoxification – how is it different from cleansing or a quick detox product you see at the store?
AK: Our bodies have a lot to handle these days – stress, environmental pollutants, toxins, hormones – thankfully, the body comes equipped with a detoxification system that, given the right resources, can typically handle this workload.

A cleanse doesn’t have an actual definition. For some it’s reducing sugar or skipping alcohol, for others it’s only organic green juices and alkaline water for days or week(s) at a time. The idea of cleansing can involve removing or reducing offenders and perhaps adding certain foods or nutrients to help clean the body. Short and long-term effects depend on whether the cleanse matches a person’s body and the body’s needs.

Quick detox products run the gamut from unsafe to unhelpful most of the time, with a few exceptions. Quality detox products include nutrients that support the body’s detoxification system. That said, anything that says “quick detox” misses the fact that we should be detoxing daily to give our body the resources the detoxification system needs to do its job.

TB: If my body is detoxing every day, how can I best support it?
AK: Look for broccoli or broccoli sprouts to get a quality dose of glucoraphanin. That said, the amount you get of this long-lasting antioxidant that supports detoxification will vary based on the batch of broccoli and how you prepare it. So eat your broccoli but if you seek consistent detoxification support add a supplemental dose of glucoraphanin like TrueBroc.

Prioritize Better Digestion. No detoxification efforts can be fully effective if your digestive system isn’t working better, not perfect, more often. Assess your digestion, then do the Digestive Tune It Up (as needed).

TB: How can I help support my detox system if I’m traveling or on the go constantly?
AK: There are three easy steps that I share with my patients and practice myself.

Get in enough water throughout the day. What’s the right amount for you? Take the Better Water Evaluation.
Optimize digestion (see the tips I share in the Digestive Tune Up).
Order broccoli and pack Brassica® Tea or Coffee, which provides a standardized dose of TrueBroc and is easy to enjoy wherever you go – just add hot water (which helps with tip #1).

TB: Should I detox differently if I’m traveling to different climates – e.g. cold, tropical, humid/rainy, etc.?
AK: While the detoxification system doesn’t have different needs, the environment will impact your body’s resource needs.

Cold climate: Warm up with broccoli roasted in olive oil, a bowl of soup and a hot cup of tea.

Tropical climate: enjoy the local flavors, adding pineapple, lemon, grapefruit and other citrus, as well as enjoying coconut water, which can make your perfect tropical Arnold Palmer (replace the lemonade with coconut water in your iced Brassica Tea).

TB: What’s in your travel bag?
AK: I bring along my own arsenal to help aid my detox system…including Natural Calm magnesium, Sulforaclear® (supplement with TrueBroc) or Brassica Tea, and my Beauty Counter cleansing balm.

Recipe: Brassica® Coffee Ice Pops

Posted on May 31, 2017August 10, 2017 by Brassica Contributor

With the official start of summer still a few weeks away, we want to make sure you’re prepping your freezer for the warm summer mornings. You can cool off with your morning cup – or should we say pop – of coffee. There are 15 milligrams of glucoraphanin from broccoli in each Brassica® Coffee K-Cup® that you can turn into a delicious and fun way to beat-the-heat this summer. Our Brassica Coffee Ice Pops (thank you, Amy Fischer, RD) are here to keep you cool while helping to support your body’s own detoxification system. In fact, a recent Bustle article lists broccoli as one of nine foods that can help flush out toxins from the body if you eat them in the morning.

If you can’t grab a handful of broccoli in the morning, be sure to grab one of these Brassica Coffee Ice Pops with TrueBroc® glucoraphanin from broccoli.

Brassica® Coffee Ice Pops
Serves: 8 – 10

Equipment

High-speed blender
Ice pop mold

Ingredients

1 13.5 oz. can full fat unsweetened coconut milk

1 ¾ cups cashew milk (*see recipe below)

1/3 cup coconut sugar

2 tbsp. honey

2 tbsp. water

2 tbsp. coconut oil

1 K-Cup® pod of Brassica® Coffee with TrueBroc®

1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

pinch of sea salt

Directions

1.) Add coconut milk and cashew milk to high-speed blender and set aside

2.) In a small saucepan add coconut sugar, honey and water. Stir over low heat until sugar and honey are dissolved. Add Brassica Coffee K-Cup® contents to the saucepan and stir well.

3.) Add the coffee, coconut sugar and honey mixture to the cashew and coconut milk in the high-speed blender. Add vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Blend well.

4.) Add blended ingredients to the ice pop mold of choice and freeze overnight or as per instructions on the ice pop mold.

Cashew Milk Ingredients

1 cup raw unsalted cashews

3 cups filtered water

Directions

1.) In a medium size bowl soak cashews in enough water that they are fully covered for approximately 4-6 hours. Drain water and add to high-speed blender with filtered water.

2.) Blend until creamy. Store in a glass jar or airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Brassica Achieves Top Honors

Posted on April 10, 2017July 17, 2017 by Brassica Contributor

Brassica Protection Products, the maker of TrueBroc® glucoraphanin, was honored with the prestigious American Botanical Council’s (ABC) Varro E. Tyler Commercial Investment in Phytomedicinal Research Award for 2016. Tony Talalay, Brassica’s co-founder and CEO, accepted the award at a ceremony at the Natural Products Expo West Convention in California.

Unlocking the Health Properties of Cruciferous Vegetables – Broccoli

Through partnership with the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Brassica has laid the basis for understanding the health-protective properties of broccoli. Paul Talalay, MD, Distinguished Service Professor of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences at Johns Hopkins, discovered the ability of sulforaphane, a compound produced by cruciferous vegetables, to induce the production of enzymes that help eliminate toxic metabolites from the body. After a number of additional studies evaluating the properties of broccoli extracts, Paul Talalay founded Brassica Protection Products with his colleague Jed Fahey, ScD and his son Tony Talalay. One year later, the Hopkins group published findings on sulforaphane from cruciferous vegetables and its potential health benefits, paving the way for subsequent clinical studies.

“Being honored with the ABC’s prestigious Varro E. Tyler Commercial Investment in Phytomedicinal Research Award is a wonderful tribute to a lifetime of research by my father, Paul Talalay, who has dedicated himself to understanding the body’s own protective systems and elucidating the benefits of broccoli, glucoraphanin and sulforaphane in promoting human health,” said Tony Talalay, CEO and co-founder of Brassica Protection Products. “This award is a confirmation of Brassica’s mission to bring scientifically valid nutritional products to consumers. It is especially gratifying as it recognizes the company’s primary goal — to continually ensure quality commercialization efforts that honor the extraordinary quality of the science.”

ABC Tyler Award

The ABC Tyler Award was created to honor one of the most respected scientists in late-20th century herbal medicine and pharmacognosy (the study of medicines of natural origin). Professor Tyler was an early trustee of ABC, dean of the Purdue University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences for 20 years, and vice president of academic affairs at Purdue. He was the senior author of six editions of the leading textbook in the field, as well as numerous other professional and popular books and articles in the academic literature. Tyler encouraged scientific and product integrity, and envisioned a rational phytomedicinal health care sector that valued the proper evaluation of products’ quality, safety and efficacy.

Recipe: Brassica® Coffee Mocha Cappuccino Oatmeal

Posted on February 14, 2017July 17, 2017 by Brassica Contributor

Coffee and oatmeal – they go together like peas and carrots. With the latest recipe from our friend Amy Fischer, RD, you can enjoy them with a simple scoop of your spoon. Plus, your body’s detoxification system will thank you since this recipe features Brassica® Coffee with 15 milligrams of TrueBroc® glucoraphanin in each K-Cup®. Glucoraphanin is known to rev up the body’s natural detox system. In other words, it helps the body eliminate harmful environmental toxins and pollutants.

Enjoy!

Brassica Mocha Cappuccino Oatmeal
Servings: 2

Oatmeal
½ cup steel cut oats

2 cups water

Mocha Sauce
Yield: approx. ¼ cup

Ingredients

3 tbsp. coconut oil

2 tbsp. cacao

1 tbsp. maple syrup

2 tbsp. freshly brewed Brassica® Coffee with TrueBroc®

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. vanilla bean powder

Directions

1.) Prepare oatmeal as per instructions.

2.) In small bowl combine coconut oil, cacao, maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla bean powder. Whisk ingredients together and add freshly brewed Brassica® Coffee, mixing until smooth. Add mixture to oatmeal and combine until fully coated.

3.) Serve warm and top with steamed milk, mixed nuts, raisins and cacao nibs.

Recipe: Brassica Tea Poached Pear – National Hot Tea Month

Posted on January 1, 2017July 17, 2017 by Brassica Contributor

There is no better way to celebrate National Hot Tea Month than with a new tea recipe, but this one is not for your traditional tea cup. Our friend and registered dietitian – Amy Fischer @thegreenfisch – is back with a new recipe that features Brassica® Tea with a poached pear.

Whether you make this as a sweet or savory dish, you will be adding the health benefits of broccoli. Yes, broccoli! Each Brassica Tea bag includes 15 milligrams of the phytonutrient glucoraphanin that is found at the highest levels in broccoli. Studied for decades, the glucoraphanin helps to optimize the body’s own detoxification system. This powerful nutrient tags toxins for elimination while aiding in the actual elimination process.

Brassica® Tea Poached Pear
Servings: 6

Ingredients
5 Brassica Tea bags

6 cups filtered water

¾ cup honey

1- 1 inch piece ginger

½ tsp. vanilla bean powder or 1 vanilla bean

3 Bosc pears

Mascarpone cheese, greek yogurt, coconut yogurt, ice cream, etc.

Granola

Parchment Paper

Directions

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add tea bags to boiling water, remove saucepan from heat and let tea bags steep for approximately 8-10 minutes. Squeeze excess liquid from teas bags in saucepan and discard.

Add honey, ginger, vanilla bean powder to the tea, stirring until honey has melted. Bring tea to a simmer and cook for approximately 5 minutes.

Peel pears using a carrot peeler and leave stems intact. With a melon baller or small spoon scoop out seeds from bottom of each pear. Add pears to saucepan and simmer for approximately 15 minutes until pears are tender. Remove pears from liquid and let cool.

Continue to simmer the liquid in pan until it is reduced by about half and thickens. Discard ginger pieces and let tea cool. Cut pears in half and spoon the reduced liquid over the pear. Serve with a dollop of mascarpone cheese, greek or coconut yogurt or a scoop of ice cream and granola.

True Detox Happens 365 Days a Year – 3 Steps to Make it Last

Posted on November 21, 2016July 17, 2017 by Brassica Contributor

3 Steps to Make Your Detox Plan Last All Year from Ashley Koff RD

You are reading the latest detox headlines…

You can’t detox your body. It’s a myth.
The debate over juice cleanses and toxin removal
Detoxify your liver in two weeks
Three day detox cleanse

… and you are confused! Rightfully so.

True detoxification doesn’t happen in two days or five days. It happens 365 days a year. Every single body is equipped with its own detox system and the key is to find ways to support it every day.

Ashley Koff, RD, award-winning nutrition expert and creator of the Better Nutrition Simplified Membership, shares three simple steps to help you optimize the body’s detoxification system every day.

No. 1: Tackle Toxins
Limit exposure to, and consumption of, environmental toxins. When you can, opt for organic fruits and vegetables, as well as natural household cleaners. Alcohol, cigarette smoke and diesel exhaust are other culprits to a stalled detoxification system.

No. 2: Eat Broccoli
Of all the cruciferous vegetables, broccoli has the highest levels of the phytonutrient glucoraphanin (glu·co·raph’·an·in). Studied for decades, glucoraphanin helps to optimize the body’s own detoxification system by upregulating the phase II enzyme system – essentially, it helps to tag toxins for elimination while aiding in the actual elimination process. Add broccoli (and glucoraphanin) to your plate every day with the help of these recipes.

No. 3: Drink to Detox
It is no surprise that our body needs water to function and our detox system is no different. To help get the recommend amount (approx. a half gallon) of water each day, be sure to guzzle some H2O before bed and as soon as you wake up – even before your morning cup of coffee or tea.

You can also get glucoraphanin from TrueBroc® in some of these Ashley Koff Approved (AKA) products – SulforaClear™ and OncoPLEX™, among others.

Recipe: Broccoli Risotto – Easy Rich and Creamy Risotto

Posted on November 4, 2016July 17, 2017 by Brassica Contributor

The latest installment of our monthly “Recipe Friday” features an easy risotto recipe that features our favorite cruciferous vegetable – broccoli! Amy Fisher, RD (@thegreenfisch) created this recipe knowing that the majority of Americans overcook their broccoli. In fact, a recent survey by TrueBroc® found that nearly 40 percent of Americans are cooking their broccoli for 10 minutes or more (yuck!), which can significantly denature the good stuff, including glucoraphanin!

In this recipe, you only need to lightly steam the broccoli (less than 5 minutes).

Did you know?
1 cup of raw broccoli, chopped, has only 31 calories and boasts more than 2 grams of protein and 15 milligrams of glucoraphanin.

Broccoli Risotto
Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 large head of broccoli

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 cups vegetable stock, 2 Tbsp. grass-fed butter

1 medium onion chopped

12 oz. arborio rice

1 cup dry white wine

pinch of saffron threads

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

¼ cup freshly grated pecorino Romano

Directions

Cut broccoli into florets and steam for approximately 4-5 minutes, until tender. Remove from heat, rinse in cold water, drain and set aside.

In a saucepan bring stock to a boil, cover and keep warm.

In a large saucepan, melt 2 tbsp. butter with 2 tbsp. olive oil. Add onion and cook over medium heat for a few minutes until onion is soft and translucent. Add rice and cook stirring to coat it with butter and olive oil. Add wine and simmer until almost evaporated. Add enough stock to just cover the rice and cook until the stock has evaporated. Add saffron to the remaining stock and let it steep. Then, continue adding the remainder of the stock with the saffron slowly, about ¼ cup each time, until the rice reaches the desired tenderness. The risotto is done when the rice is just past al dente and the risotto has a creamy texture, about 25 minutes. Stir in the cheese and fold in the broccoli. Season to taste with salt and pepper.