Advances in Neonatal and Pediatric Nutrition

Broccoli is known to contain the health promoting compound Sulforaphane (SF). Most consumers prefer the flavor of cooked, rather than raw broccoli. However, cooked broccoli has been suggested to provide essentially no health benefits compared to raw broccoli. This is because the plant enzyme myrosinase, that releases SF from its inactive precursor glucoraphanin when broccoli is chewed, is in large part destroyed by cooking. SF is known to activate nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), the critical trigger to increasing antioxidant defense and detoxification pathways. Here we report that the microbiome has the ability to release SF from its inactive precursor, particularly because frequent cooked broccoli ingestion alters the microbiome in a positive manner in mice and human subjects. We find that following broccoli ingestion, sufficient SF is released into the colon by the microbiome, whether the broccoli is cooked or raw to act locally to activate Nrf2 and prevent colitis. The health impact of acute and chronic inflammation and the effect of the broccoli component SF on inflammation will be discussed.