Experts claim that a simple green vegetable could help prevent certain types of cancer. It’s an affordable addition to most meals and has plenty of other benefits, too.
According to researchers at UCLA, eating more broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables can radically lower your chances of getting cancer. This includes items such as cauliflower, cabbage, kale, garden cress and Brussels sprouts.
You can buy a loose piece of fresh broccoli in supermarkets for a fairly reasonable price. In Aldi, prices start from 79p for a 360g portion. You could also opt for a kilo of the green veggies in the frozen section for £1.19.
Vijaya Surampudi, assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Human Nutrition at UCLA Health, said: “There have been studies on this dating back to 1997 with Johns Hopkins University professor and nutrition biochemist Dr Jed Fahey. Since then, we have found that there are anticarcinogenic properties found in broccoli sprouts.
“With broccoli, specifically, there is a high amount of a phytochemical called sulforaphane, which is a cancer-fighting plant compound that has been linked to reducing the risks of prostate cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer and oral cancers.”
There are lots of reasons you should consider adding broccoli to your meals
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A separate study highlighted the anti-cancer properties of sulforaphane, a natural compound found in broccoli and its sprouts. The study tracked how sulforaphane could inhibit breast cancer stem cells both in laboratory settings and in living organisms.
While broccoli is generally considered a healthy food choice and is associated with various health benefits, certain groups of people may need to exercise caution when eating it. Some may need to moderate or avoid the vegetable entirely, such as those with allergies or taking specific medications.
For example, people with thyroid issues may need to limit their consumption of broccoli because it can interfere with iodine absorption. People taking blood thinners, like warfarin, should monitor their vitamin K intake from broccoli and other foods. This is because vitamin K in broccoli can interact with these medications.
Possible cancer prevention is just one of the potential benefits of eating vegetables. They also play a huge role in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, cardiometabolic diseases and digestive diseases.
Dr Surampudi said committing to eating vegetables three times a week can also decrease risk by more than 50% for other illnesses such as heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastrointestinal illness (GI), and high blood pressure. She said: “It may seem silly, but the data is there and it shows.
“A balanced diet with vegetables can change your health tremendously. It works more than people realise, but the proof is in the data.” Although there isn’t a cure for cancer, there are ways to reduce your risk – including following a healthy diet, limiting alcohol and processed food, exercising regularly and quitting smoking.