Increasing Brassica Vegetable Intake
How to sprout broccoli seeds:
Food grade seeds may be sprouted in a 1 quart sterilized Mason jar and screen that has been sterilized by placing upside down in boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Once the jar is cool, 4 tablespoons of seeds should be placed in the jar. The screen should be open enough to allow the water to freely flow out but the seeds to remain in the jar. The screen should be secured by the outside ring of the lid with the seeds open to air. Use fresh clean filtered water to soak the seeds for 4-8 hours in a dark location, then drain. Rinse the seeds with the filtered water by filling the jar with the water and then drain to rinse twice ever 12 hours. After the double rinse every 12 hours the jar should remain inverted inside a bowel at a 45 degree angle in the dark. After 48 hours, since placing the seeds in the jar, the should be placed in indirect light for the remainder of the sprouting time. If the jar is not rinsed for over 18 hours or left in direct sunlight, the sprouts may die and grow bacteria. In this case, the entire jar should be discarded. If left in direct light, the sprouts will die and will turn gray in which case they should also be discarded. The sprouts can be eaten day 4 through day 6 since seeds were placed in the jar. On the day 5, after rinsing thoroughly, the sprouts should be placed in the fridge open to air for 12-24 hours then a lid should be placed over loosely to allow some air exchange. They can be eaten over the course of a week. It is important to follow the procedure properly and make sure the supplier is providing food grade seeds, or the sprouts can make a person quite ill. There have been reports of the seeds being contaminated with E. coli from the supplier or by the person preparing the seeds. The sulforaphane in one sprout is equivalent to the entire amount in an entire broccoli plant. Take small amounts at first, and mix with salad or other foods, and increase the amount slowly as desired.