Posted 09/05/25

MICROGREENS AND SPROUTS

How big are these little things?

For many centuries, mothers worldwide have observed better health in their families when they eat vegetables. It wasn’t until 1910 that scientists discovered that vegetables contained vitamins. Hence the expression, “Eat your vegetables, you need your vitamins.”

Jump forward to 1992, when Dr. Paul Talalay, a researcher at Johns Hopkins University, discovered that plant compounds, other than vitamins, increased the body’s ability to fend off cancer. This discovery landed the pharmacologist on the front page of the New York Times and was touted as one of the greatest discoveries of the 20th century. This triggered a tsunami of funding to analyze the disease-preventing potential of plant-based phytonutrients (vitamins and

minerals) and phytchemicals (antioxidants and other compounds).

Studies worldwide indicate that phytonutrients and phytochemicals are both curative and preventative for many diseases. Research is ongoing, with scientists discovering new ways that plant-based compounds enhance bodily functions and support the immune system.

In 1994, Dr. John Fahey, another researcher at Johns Hopkins University, discovered that sprouts contain 50 TO 100 times more phytonutrients than the mature plant. He discovered that all the nutrients are found in the seeds and are diluted throughout the entire plant as it grows.

In 2002, Dr. Thomas Kensler, a friend and associate of Talalay and Fahey and a member of the Bloomberg School of Public Health, was trying to address the astronomical rates of liver cancer in Qidong, China. Due to the environment, all the villagers were contaminated with a carcinogen, aflatoxin. Dr. Fahey felt he had done enough research on the detoxifying effects of sprouts, so he and Kensler formed a group and flew to China with 200 pounds of broccoli seeds. They chose 100 individuals from the village who tested positive for extreme levels of aflatoxin and fed them sprouts daily for 14 days. They were delighted to find that the aflatoxins were diminished in all 100 villagers, while the rest of the village maintained their high levels of toxin. The entire village was fed broccoli sprouts daily, and soon after, the cancer rate fell dramatically.

To this day, pharmaceutical researchers and biochemists are studying the detoxifying effects and other healthy benefits of sprouts in Chinese villages. Their findings are published by the National Institute of Health in the National Library of Medicine and the National Library of Biotechnology. This is where I have spent years deciphering the findings of these studies, allowing me to formulate the Nutritional Matrix seed mixes.

If you have any questions, insights, or wish to discuss this further, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Kevin