Why does this happen? While the study doesn’t make that clear, Dr Lauren Blekkenhorst, a postdoctoral research fellow with the Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute at Edith Cowan University, says it’s likely a protective mechanism.

“Broccoli sprouts are young in their growth phase and hence more vulnerable to environmental stressors,” she told Medical News Today. “As a result, broccoli sprouts likely have higher concentration of polysulfide compounds to protect the plant from damage.”

She continues: “As the broccoli plant matures and becomes less vulnerable to environmental stressors, the levels of these compounds decrease but are still present as the plant still needs to be protected from environmental stressors but to a lesser degree.”

While broccoli is far from the only plant to contain polysulfides (previous research has found that onions, Chinese chive and garlic also contain high quantities) this new study highlights how beneficial microgreens can be for our health. They may be small, but they’re certainly mighty.

Small but mighty: why broccoli sprouts could be the key to boosting your antioxidant levels