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The Health Benefits of Broccoli
Health Directory - Healthy Foods Center
The Health Benefits of Broccoli
Broccoli is one of the cruciferous vegetables and is related closely to cabbage and cauliflower. Broccoli is an excellent accompaniment to stir fries and pastas and makes an excellent soup. It is also delicious raw or lightly steamed, or cooked with a cheese sauce. Health benefits of broccoli include cancer prevention, healthy eyesight, strong bones and healthy iron and haemoglobin levels.
Broccoli Nutrition
The health benefits of broccoli can be traced back to its superior nutritional content. Broccoli is one of the most nutritious vegetables in the world. It is a rich source of the fat-soluble vitamins, A, E and K, as well as vitamins C, folate and B6. It also contains high doses of the minerals iron, calcium potassium, magnesium and phosphorous. Broccoli also contains additional antioxidant compounds, known as indoles and sulphoraphane and is a good source of lutein. Green plants also contain chlorophyll, which is similar to haemoglobin in humans.
Broccoli and Cancer Prevention
Antioxidants in broccoli may help fight cancer. Indole-3-carbonol, in particular, has promise in protection against hormone sensitive cancers like breast cancer, due to its ability to deactivate a potent oestrogen metabolite that can promote breast tumour growth. Indol-3-carbonol has also been shown to help stop other cancers from metastasising (spreading). Indol-3-carbonol has also shown some promise in protecting against prostate cancer cell growth
Sulphoraphane is s potent detoxifier. It helps boost liver detoxification enzymes and has also been shown to cause programmed cell death of abnormal and cancerous cells.
Compounds in cruciferous vegetables may also be associated with a lower incidence of lung, colon, ovarian and bladder cancer. One study conducted at the University of Texas looked at the diets of over 1000 bladder cancer patients and healthy controls and found that those eating the most cruciferous vegetables were found to have a 29% lower risk of bladder cancer compared to those who ate the least.
Broccoli for Healthy Eyesight
Because it contains lutein, broccoli can also help prevent blindness by offsetting cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
Broccoli for Strong bones and osteoporosis prevention
Broccoli is rich in calcium and phosphorous, needed for strong bones and teeth. Broccoli is also rich in vitamin C, which aids the absorption of calcium. Eating calcium rich foods can help prevent bone loss and osteoporosis.
Broccoli for Healthy Iron and Haemoglobin Levels
Broccoli is a good vegetarian source of iron, the mineral that helps form haemoglobin, which carries oxygen around the blood. The presence of chlorophyll in green vegetables also helps with oxygen transport.
Because it is rich in folate, eating broccoli before conception can help prevent neural tube defects in the newborn.
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