Section
The chemistry of sulforaphane
The conversion reaction, the enzyme that drives it, and what happens to the compound after it is absorbed.
Quick answer
Sulforaphane is an isothiocyanate formed when the enzyme myrosinase hydrolyzes glucoraphanin, a glucosinolate stored in cruciferous plants. The two are kept in separate compartments in intact tissue and only meet when the plant is damaged. The reaction releases glucose and sulfate, and the remaining fragment rearranges into sulforaphane.
This is the section that explains why every practical answer on the site takes the shape it does. Preparation method, cooking temperature, chewing, supplement design and absorption all trace back to the same reaction.
It is also the cluster that does the most work for the site’s standing as a reference. These pages are written to be accurate first and readable second, in that order.
This page describes published research. It is general information, not medical advice, and it is not a recommendation to take anything. Sulforaphane and cruciferous-vegetable supplements can interact with medication. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before starting a supplement, particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, on anticoagulants, or being treated for thyroid disease.