Commercially available frozen broccoli almost entirely lacks the ability to form the beneficial compound sulforaphane from the phytonutrient glucoraphanin, according to new research.
Golly gosh, whoever would have guessed that frozen broccoli has been denatured to the extent that it lacks the enzyme necessary to product the all-important sulforaphane chemical? Sulforaphane is the ingredient that confers cancer-protective properties on broccoli (and its bedmates that include cabbage, cauliflower and Brussel sprouts), it also has the ability to reduce the inflammation that comes with type-2 diabetes. So, as I said, all-important! But back to the frozen vs fresh story ... brings to mind the issue of frozen peas. To make sure they retain their bright green colour on cooking, all traces of zinc are removed by a chemical chelating agent.
So there are no short cuts when looking for all the benefits of vegetables and fruit - organically grown, fresh, whole and raw wherever possible, but if you prefer a little cooking, steam or stir-fry, with minimal exposure to heat! Add some steamed or grilled cold-water fish for their omega-3 content to minimise the adverse effects of too much processed or refined food.
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