How broccoli sprouts became an emerging tool against a range of diseases

Strolling through the produce section of your local grocery story, you might notice—tucked between the pre-sliced radishes and the plastic-wrapped mushrooms—a container of broccoli sprouts, a mat of wispy white shoots with spring-green leaves the shape of a handmade valentine. Perhaps you took that container home and discovered the sprouts to be earthy on the tongue, less nutty than their more popular cousin alfalfa. Not pepper-spicy but horseradish-spicy, a heat that tickles the back of the nose. Perhaps you found that just a handful added complexity, a satisfying crunch, to sandwiches and salads.