Why David Perlmutter, MD, Wants You To Eat Broccoli Sprouts This Year

When it comes to eating healthy, we're always on the hunt for lesser-known powerhouse veggies to incorporate into our diets. We asked neurologist and mbg Collective member David Perlmutter, M.D., what food he wants us all to eat in 2020, and he answered with a resounding (and fairly surprising) vegetable.

"We've known for a long time that broccoli is good food for us," Perlmutter said in an Instagram post. "It helps out the body's antioxidant function; it helps us reduce inflammation; it helps with detoxification."

But he's not pushing regular old broccoli. Rather, Perlmutter wants us to be eating broccoli sprouts.

Broccoli sprouts, at their most basic, are just what they sound like: an immature version of the cruciferous vegetable we all know and love. What makes them different and packs their power is a higher concentration of the necessary components to boost the production of sulforaphane.

Broccoli sprouts offer a naturally high concentration of the compounds necessary for boosting sulforaphane naturally, making them a great addition to your 2020 grocery lists. But how do you use them once you have them? While they may not be the same as the more popular bean sprouts that you find more commonly, they can be used in many of the same ways.

Perlmutter pointed out that while you may not see them in your average grocery store, that doesn't mean you can't get your hands on broccoli sprouts.

Don't expect to taste broccoli when trying this type of sprout. The less mature form has a strong, slightly spicy flavor that's more reminiscent of radishes than their grown-up version.

To get all the health benefits of this veggie, be sure you're chewing.

Perlmutter told mbg that olive oil and fibrous veggies should also make your weekly rotation.