“Eat Your Broccoli !” - And fight cancer

Cruciferous vegetables contain sulforaphane (SFN)  - a healthful / anti-cancer phytochemical in

Cruciferous vegetables are rich sources of glucosinolates, which the body metabolizes into isothiocyanates such as SFN.    Numerous studies have shown that sulforaphane provides a number of health benefits, including anti-cancer properties.

Anti-cancer properties.   A study, led by Dr. Emily Ho, associate professor at the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, discovered that SFN selectively targets benign hyperplasia cells and cancerous prostate cells, while leaving the normal prostate cells unaffected. A clinical test found that consumed sulforaphane reaches womens' breast tissue in < 1 hour.

• SFN inhibited the enzyme histone deacetylase (HDAD) that plays a critical role in expression of tumor suppressor genes.     It is being pursued from both a pharmaceutical and dietary approach.

• Destroys vital enzyme for SFN formation.  A Univ. of Illinois study found that overcooking broccoli destroys the enzyme myrosinase, which is needed for SFN to form. Broccoli powder supplements do not contain myrosinase.

• Boiling leaches glucosinolates into cooking water.   Boiling cruciferous vegetables for9 - 15 minutes decreases total glucosinolate content by 18 - 59 %. "British Journal of Nutrition.", Sep 2003

3-day old broccoli sprouts are the richest food source of glucoraphanin, the precursor to SFN.    Offering 10 to 100 times more of it, by weight, than mature broccoli plants or cauliflower "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences." , Sep 1997. Per 100g serving, broccoli sprouts provide ~250 mg. glucoraphanin. 1-oz. serving provides 73 mg.

Brussels Sprouts and Cabbage are good SFN sources.   Of the cabbages, savoy and red cabbage are particularly high in SFN precursor, glucoraphanin, retaining most phytochemicals when eaten raw E.g. in a coleslaw..