Broccoli sprout beer?

January 25, 2023 gettingwell4 4-5 stars Advanced knowledge Control group

This 2023 study investigated supplementing broccoli into beer:

“The objective of this work was to evaluate alternative broccoli materials (sprouts and by-products powder), which could be a sustainable dietary source of bioactive sulforaphane (SFN). Results showed high concentrations of SFN in beers supplemented with broccoli sprouts and powder (5.00 and 2.54 mg/L, respectively, previous to bottling), indicating that formation rate for SFN when adding sprouts and by-products powder were almost 38.5% and 19.5%, correspondingly. These concentrations remained stable until bottling, where they were reduced by >50%.

Beers supplemented with broccoli presented a higher alcohol content (6.6%, on average) than control beer, regardless of the broccoli material used. Sensory analysis revealed positive attributes (colour, floral, fruity, and aftertaste as a result of the profile of volatile compounds) of beers developed using sprouts. Future research is still needed to stabilize SFN during bottling.”

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212429222007180 “Broccoli products supplemented beers provide a sustainable source of dietary sulforaphane”

Blinded by their paradigm?

January 22, 2023January 22, 2023 gettingwell4 2-3 stars Required further work, Epigenetics, Immune system, Telomeres DNA methylation, Genetic factors

This 2022 human study investigated another type of aging clock:

“The glycan clock of age, based entirely on immunoglobulin G (IgG) N-glycans, can predict biological age with high accuracy. Unlike DNA methylation, glycosylation of IgG does not predict chronological age with high accuracy.

Heritability analysis of plasma glycans revealed that the majority of traits have high heritability estimates, indicating a tight genetic control of glycosylation. To better understand genetic and environmental factors influencing glycan clock variation, we performed a heritability analysis on data from two cohorts included in the TwinsUK registry.

Glycosylation is a series of enzymatic reactions in which carbohydrates are attached to other molecules (e.g., proteins or lipids) resulting in formation of complex carbohydrates and glycoconjugates commonly referred to as ‘glycans.’ Glycosylation of IgG antibody is especially interesting as it dramatically affects its function, and acts as a molecular switch between pro- and anti-inflammatory immune responses.

Heritability of the glycan clock was estimated to decompose observed phenotypic variance into three latent sources of variation:

A—additive genetic variance [red] represents cumulative impact of genes;

C—shared/common environment variance [purple] results from influences to which both members of a twin pair are exposed; and

E—unique environment variance [green] is events occurring to one twin but not the other, and includes measurement error.

Despite tight genetic control of the IgG glycome:

Heritability analysis of the glycan clock revealed only a moderate genetic contribution averaging around 39% [A, left side].

Including age of the individuals as a covariate in heritability analysis averaged 71% heritability estimates [B, right side].

Mean time difference was 7.5 years for points 1 and 2, and 6 years for points 2 and 3.

Observed increase in the genetic component could be a consequence of chronological age as a shared environmental variance characteristic for every individual and determined by their genetic makeup and epigenetic regulation.”

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2022.982609/full “Heritability of the glycan clock of biological age”

Although A rejuvenation therapy and sulforaphane was cited, these researchers missed its central premise: Pro-aging epigenetic programming is directional and not purely random. Contrasting their above graphic’s heritability estimates of 39% with the age-regressed, right side’s average 71% could hardly have been more clear in illustrating this fact.

This study instead stated “Aging in general leads to epigenetic mediated deregulation of genes.” This weak sauce accompanied speculations such as “supports the notion that the glycan clock can be rejuvenated by simple lifestyle choices.”

Researchers almost always want to claim being first in finding x, y, or z. These researchers could have done that in this glycan clock study by highlighting an outstanding finding. So what happened?

An alternate explanation to their paradigm blinding them could be sponsor expectations, peer pressures, etc. I’ll ask them about it, and will update here with their response.

Week 144 of Changing to a youthful phenotype with sprouts

January 14, 2023January 15, 2023 gettingwell4 4-5 stars Advanced knowledge, Epigenetics, Immune system, Memory, Stress Control group, Genetic factors, Neurodegenerative disease

Two papers, starting with a 2023 study that investigated the same red radish cultivar as Sulforaphene, a natural analog of sulforaphane:

“Availability of microgreen products is constantly rising, i.e., they are offered for sale in local farmers markets, specialty stores, and in chain grocery stores. Due to the low demands required for their cultivation and easily available LED settings, microgreens are increasingly grown on a small scale in homes and after harvesting, they are stored in kitchen refrigerators at 4 °C.

The aim of this study was to simulate such cultivation and storage conditions to examine antioxidant capacity of home-grown radish microgreens. Seven-day-old radish microgreens, grown under purple and white LED light, were harvested and stored at 4 °C for two weeks.

Measurements of total antioxidant capacity and bioactive substances were conducted on the harvesting day and on the 3rd, 7th, and 14th day of storage. All three radish cultivars (Raphanus sativus L.) with different leaf colorations:

Purple radish (R. sativus cult. China Rose, cvP);

Red radish (R. sativus cult. Sango, cvR); and

Green radish (Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus, Japanese white or daikon radish, cvG)

were purchased commercially from a local supplier.

The highest contents of total soluble phenolics, proteins, and sugars, dry matter, and monomeric anthocyanin content, as well as higher overall antioxidant capacity determined in the red radish cultivar (cvR), distinguished this cultivar as the most desirable for human consumption regardless of the cultivation light spectrum.”

https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/9/1/76 “Antioxidant Capacity and Shelf Life of Radish Microgreens Affected by Growth Light and Cultivars”

A 2021 review summarized what was known about radishes up to then. Here’s part of its Discussion section:

“It is worth considering radish’s organoleptic characteristics since its particular flavor can influence its acceptability among consumers. The main compound associated with its characteristic pungent flavor is raphasatin, which we have found to be the most reported isothiocyanate produced from the breakdown of glucoraphasatin.

Glucoraphasatin ranked as one of the most concentrated glucosinolates in radish, particularly in its sprouts, but also present in other parts like roots and seeds. Pungency differs among radish cultivars, environmental growth factors, agronomic, and cooking practices.”

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224421003058 “Nutritional and phytochemical characterization of radish (Raphanus sativus): A systematic review”

Seeds I’ve sprouted this year so far, left to right – red radish (Sango), broccoli, red cabbage (Red Acre), yellow mustard, oat (Avena sativa):

Red radish had similar growth characteristics as broccoli. Started with 3.6 grams of seeds, which increased to 22.2 g after three days using the same soaking and rinsing protocol I use for other sprouts.

The taste of red radish was too sharp for me to eat by themselves, so I combined them with my broccoli / red cabbage / mustard sprout mix. Bumped up microwaving time to 48 seconds in a 1000 W microwave while staying short of the 60°C (140°F) myrosinase cliff.

The whole mix still had a strong radish taste, though. It was as if two whole red radishes were sliced into a small salad.

Can’t add anything more to dampen that taste and expect beneficial compounds to be unaffected. From Week 19:

A 2018 Netherlands study Bioavailability of Isothiocyanates From Broccoli Sprouts in Protein, Lipid, and Fiber Gels found:

“Compared to the control broccoli sprout, incorporation of sprouts in gels led to lower bioavailability for preformed sulforaphane and iberin.”

IAW, eating protein, fats, and fiber along with microwaved broccoli sprouts wouldn’t help. A 2018 review with some of the same researchers Isothiocyanates from Brassica Vegetables-Effects of Processing, Cooking, Mastication, and Digestion offered one possible explanation for protein acting to lower broccoli sprout compounds’ bioavailability:

“In vitro studies show that ITCs can potentially react with amino acids, peptides, and proteins, and this reactivity may reduce the ITC bioavailability in protein‐rich foods. More in vivo studies should be performed to confirm the outcome obtained in vitro.”

Mixing in red radish sprouts also gave me an upset stomach five of the six mornings. So I won’t continue to sprout red radish.

That said, I’d definitely consider sprouting red radish again to accelerate isothiocyanate treatment of problems where symptoms are much worse than an upset stomach, such as:

Neurogenerative diseases with their cognitive decline;
Immune system disorders;
Bacterial and viral infections; and
Other damage caused by oxidative stress conditions in eyes, vascular system, kidney function, etc.

Piping in the New Year