Raise a Glass to Detoxification this Holiday Season

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

Detox on the Rocks Drink for Detoxification Photo

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-TotalerThe Better Tea-Totaler Drink for Detoxification

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)

Destination Detox – How to Detox While On the Go

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.

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

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 unhealthy-body-graphicwebas 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.

New Brassica Coffee with TrueBroc® – Free Shipping Offer

Brassica Protection Products Launches Brassica Coffee with truebroc Glucoraphanin

New Coffee Features 15 Milligrams of Glucoraphanin from Broccoli in Each K-Cup®

Brassica Protection Products LLC, an innovator in the research and development of nutritional ingredients derived from cruciferous vegetables, today announced the launch of its new Brassica® Coffee with TrueBroc® glucoraphanin from broccoli seeds. Brassica Coffee is available in light and dark roasts containing 15 milligrams of TrueBroc® in each K-Cup®. The coffee is available for purchase at truebroc.com, Amazon.com and Baltimore Coffee and Tea in Baltimore, MD.

Brassica Coffee Dark Roast“We’ve produced Brassica Tea with TrueBroc® for more than 15 years and, during this time, our customers asked for the detoxification benefits of glucoraphanin in a coffee – today we are excited to make coffee lovers happy,” said Tony Talalay, CEO of Brassica Protection Products. “We are continuously seeking ways to make glucoraphanin easily available – by fortifying foods and beverages with TrueBroc® and making it available in high-quality dietary supplements and nutraceuticals there are now even more ways to get the benefits of this long-lasting antioxidant from broccoli.”

Brassica Coffee is available in all-natural light and dark roast coffees. Brassica Coffee light roast features a blend of Guatemala Antigua, Colombian Supremo and Bourbon Brazil Santos coffees. The dark roast variety delivers a blend of French roasted Central American, South American and African Arabica coffees. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) for Brassica Coffee is $10.69 per box of 12 K-Cups.

Free Shipping Special Offer

To celebrate the launch of Brassica Coffee, we are offering free shipping on all orders over $20. Simply enter coupon code bcfee16 at checkout and shipping is on us. Offer is available through May 2016. Shop Now.

A “Radbroc” Smoothie Recipe

Broccoli and RadishesWhat do you get when you combine broccoli florets with radishes? A detoxification power couple.

Broccoli contains the phytonutrient glucoraphanin and the enzyme myrosinase. When we chew raw broccoli, the myrosinase and glucoraphanin interact to create sulforaphane, which is a potent antioxidant and detoxifier.

In addition to being another rich source of myrosinase, radishes are mostly composed of water. Water helps to keep the body hydrated and helps to support the efficiency of digestion, ensuring proper uptake of nutrients from the food we eat – like broccoli.

Our nutrition consultant, Ashley Koff, RD, developed the following smoothie recipe, featuring the power couple “Radbroc.” Enjoy!

Radbroc Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients
3 radishes, washed*
3 broccoli leaves*
1 cup broccoli florets*
1 serving plant protein powder*
1 cup unsweetened hemp milk
1 cup frozen mango
2 tsp coconut oil
Optional: 1/2 ripe banana

Directions
Place all items in a blender and purée.

Makes 1 large (meal replacement) serving or 2 side servings.
*denotes organic

Survey Shows Americans Are Cooking the Health Out of Broccoli

The National Brassica Survey Reveals Nearly 2 in 5 Americans are Cooking Broccoli 10 Minutes or Longer, Significantly Reducing the Detoxification Benefits of the Phytonutrient Glucoraphanin

Brassica logo

Approximately 75 million Americans live in areas with unhealthy air, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). On top of this, consuming alcohol and exposure to UV rays and cigarette smoke increase the level of toxins found in the body. A natural way to help the body eliminate these harmful toxins is to increase consumption of broccoli. Considered by many as a superfood, broccoli boasts the highest level of glucoraphanin – a long-lasting antioxidant – of all cruciferous vegetables. Glucoraphanin supports the body’s own natural detoxification system.

With National Air Quality Awareness Week April 27 – May 1, now is the time to identify ways to help rid the body of harmful environmental toxins. Broccoli, if prepared properly, is a natural way to help boost the body’s own natural detoxification system.

Findings from the recent Brassica survey, which polled 1,012 nationally representative U.S. adults ages 18 and older, revealed that Americans are cooking the health out of their broccoli, not realizing that cooking broccoli at high temperatures and for long periods of time decrease the effectiveness of many nutrients.

Findings at a Glance

Health Benefits of Broccoli

  • Americans know broccoli is healthy, that’s why nearly 2 in 5 wish they could get the nutritional benefits from broccoli without actually having to eat it. And more than half – 56 percent – of those under the age of 35 wish this.
  • Many are confused about the health benefits of broccoli. In fact, 51 percent do not realize broccoli is a natural detoxifier.
  • Nearly 20 percent of Americans believe kale contains more antioxidant phytonutrients than broccoli. In reality, broccoli contains the highest level of glucoraphanin of any cruciferous vegetable.

Preparing Broccoli

  • For 76 percent of Americans, cooking broccoli is their favorite way to prepare it. This includes tried-and-true cooking methods like steaming it on the stovetop (31 percent), steaming it in the microwave (18 percent) and sautéing it in a pan (11 percent).
  • While Americans are eating broccoli, they’re cooking it at high temperatures for up to 15 minutes, which destroys nutrients in the process.
  • The longer broccoli is cooked at high temperatures the more nutrients are deactivated, even though 13 percent of respondents believe cooking broccoli at high temperatures helps to activate its healthy enzymes.

“One of the most significant benefits of eating broccoli is its glucoraphanin that helps to support your body’s own natural detoxification system to function optimally,” said Ashley Koff, registered dietitian. “I’m excited to hear Americans are eating broccoli because it is such a powerhouse vegetable. While I suggest people aim to eat a serving of broccoli daily, I know that’s not realistic. For those non-broccoli days I recommend a quality glucoraphanin supplement especially for those needing extra detoxification support based on environmental pollutants or other health concerns.”

Survey Methodology

Wakefield Research conducted the Brassica survey for Brassica Protection Products, an innovator of nutritional ingredients from broccoli, in March 2015. The survey sample included 1,012 nationally representative U.S. adults ages 18 and older.

Surprising (and Simple) Ways to Detox Your Body

We bet you didn’t realize that adding a houseplant in your living room not only helps to add oxygen to your home, but also helps to detoxify the air around you. Registered dietitian Ashley Koff shares her top 5 habits to help detoxify your body in a recent blog post on WholeFoods Magazine website, and adding greens made the list.

Ashley Koff, RD
Ashley Koff, RD

Another tip is to eat more broccoli or add a glucoraphanin supplement – such as TrueBroc® – to your daily routine. Found in broccoli, glucoraphanin is a powerful detox-promoting antioxidant that helps eliminate toxins from your body. Our bodies convert glucoraphanin to the potent antioxidant sulforaphane, which then boosts our phase 2 detox enzymes – the body’s natural defense system. The best part is that these boosted detox enzymes remain active in our body for up to 72 hours compared to direct antioxidants like vitamin C that only last up to 3 hours before needing replenished.

One other tip we’d add to this list is to avoid excess exposure to environmental toxins such as those found in gardening supplies, dry-cleaning fumes, car exhaust and second hand smoke. When it comes to dry-cleaning, remove your clothes from the plastic protective bag and let them air out before storing them in your closet.

Whether you’re adding a houseplant or dietary glucoraphanin supplement, be sure to avoid exposure to environment toxins whenever you can. By doing so, you’ll help to rid them from your home and your body.

Looking to add a daily glucoraphanin supplement into your diet? Visit the TrueBroc® supplement page to learn more.