Broccoli Sprouts – All You Need to Know | Instacart Guide to Fresh Produce

In your search for healthy foods, you’ve probably heard of broccoli sprouts—a lesser-known cruciferous plant that has some very promising health benefits.

These little green plants are packed with the health-promoting properties of broccoli but in a concentrated form.

In this article, you will learn all about broccoli sprouts, including the benefits, where and how to buy them, and how to add broccoli sprouts to your diet.

What are broccoli sprouts?

Broccoli sprouts are basically young tender broccoli plants. You can think of them as baby broccoli plants. They resemble any other sprouts like alfalfa or bean sprouts and are grown from seed.

These sprouts don’t taste like broccoli at all. They are crunchy and have a slightly nutty and spicy flavor, like a radish. Like other sprouts, they taste fresh and clean, with a bit of a grassy taste.

Broccoli sprouts can be added to salads, sandwiches, stir-fries, and soups. They are an excellent carrier for salad dressings and sauces. Some people even add it to their smoothies or dips.

Where did broccoli spouts originate from?

Researchers have known for a while that cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale, and cabbage are good for you. But in 1992 Paul Talalay and his team at the Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology at Johns Hopkin discovered that broccoli sprouts have a higher concentration of beneficial chemicals than broccoli.

That’s when broccoli sprouts became popular as people started eating them for their health benefits.

What are the benefits of eating broccoli sprouts?

Broccoli sprouts contain an extremely high concentration of glucoraphanin compared to broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables like bok choy, kale, and cabbage. Glucoraphanin is a compound that is converted to sulforaphane during digestion and is the substance that provides potential health benefits found in broccoli sprouts.

Some health benefits of broccoli sprouts are:

• Prevents inflammation that can lead to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease.
• Fights free radicals
• Reduces risk of heart disease and diabetes
• Treat and prevent cancer
• Detoxifies the body
• Help with mental health
• Reduces stomach ulcers

What is the nutritional value of broccoli sprouts?

Besides an exceedingly high concentration of glucoraphanin, broccoli sprouts are rich in other nutrients and vitamins, including:

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin A
• Calcium
•  Iron
• Dietary Fiber
• Protein

Are broccoli sprouts healthier, raw, or cooked?

To keep all the health benefits of broccoli sprouts, it’s best to eat it raw or lightly cooked. Broccoli sprouts are also easier to digest raw than other cruciferous vegetables.

However, raw broccoli sprouts, just like any other sprouts, may have harmful bacteria growing in it like salmonella, listeria, and E. coli.

The same conditions—warm and humid—that are ideal for growing sprouts may also breed bacteria. For this reason, children, pregnant women, and people with a compromised immune system should avoid broccoli sprouts.

It is also important to thoroughly wash sprouts before eating. Cooking sprouts can reduce the risk of contracting any bad bacteria.

How are broccoli sprouts grown?

Broccoli seeds are washed, drained, and spread out on specialized drums or trays in commercial operations. The seeds are irrigated continuously and harvested within 3 to 10 days after sowing. The sprouts are washed to remove their seed coats and then packed into plastic trays.

Broccoli sprouts can also be grown at home using broccoli seeds. However, it does not mean that home-grown broccoli sprouts are safer than commercially grown ones.

When are broccoli sprouts in season?

Broccoli sprouts are available throughout the year. You can use it in a variety of recipes, from summer salads to winter soups.

What should you look for when buying broccoli sprouts?

Broccoli sprouts are available in health food stores, farmer’s markets, and even in traditional supermarkets. When buying broccoli sprouts, make sure they look and smell fresh.

If you are looking to have your groceries delivered, you can easily shop for broccoli sprouts via Instacart. After adding a product to your cart, use the “Instructions” option to notify your Instacart shopper about any preferences or specific directions on how to choose the best products.

How to store broccoli sprouts?

Refrigerate broccoli sprouts, whether you buy them from the store or grow your own.

Make sure they are completely dry before storing them in a plastic or glass container with plastic wrap. Poke a few tiny holes in the plastic wrap so that the sprouts can breathe. You can also store them in special grocery bags.

To thoroughly dry the sprouts, use a salad spinner or a paper towel before storing them in the fridge.

Don’t keep them under high airflow in the fridge as this can cause the sprouts to dry out a lot. Refrigerate them between 34-38 degrees Fahrenheit.

Broccoli sprouts should stay fresh in the fridge for 5-7 days.

How to tell if broccoli sprouts are bad?

It’s easy to tell if broccoli sprouts have gone bad.

Broccoli sprouts should not have a strong smell. Fresh sprouts have a slight earthy smell to them similar to broccoli. If the broccoli sprouts smell bad, then that is a good sign that the sprouts have gone bad.

Broccoli sprouts should also look fresh and healthy and feel crunchy, with off-white shoots and yellow-green leaves. If they don’t, then it means that the sprouts have gone bad.

And, most importantly, toss the sprouts in the trash if you see any mold growing on them.

What can you substitute for broccoli sprouts?

You can substitute broccoli sprouts with any other sprouts, like alfalfa sprouts or bean sprouts. If using as a garnish substitute with any other microgreens.

Use the app to start shopping for sprouts and microgreens.

As you can see, broccoli sprouts are packed with a ton of nutrients, and whichever way you consume them you will benefit greatly. So why not try some delicious recipes today?

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