Miracle food: Are you eating enough cruciferous vegetables?

( Natural News ) Vegetables are one of the keys to good nutrition and overall well-being; just about everyone knows that they need to eat their veggies if they want to preserve their health. But not all vegetables are created equal. To a degree, every vegetable, or at least every type of vegetable, comes with its own unique set of benefits. Cruciferous vegetables are no different: these kinds of veggies boast a wide variety of nutrients and health benefits all their own. Cruciferous vegetables belong to the Brassica family and include some well-known favorites like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage and kale. Some other notable Brassica family members are bok choy, mustard greens, horseradish, collard greens, kohlrabi, rutabagas, turnips, radishes, watercress and arugula. One thing that makes this family of vegetables special is the presence of the phytochemical sulforaphane. As Green Med Info explains, “Sulforaphane is produced when the enzyme myrosinase converts glucoraphanin, a glucosinolate (natural compound found in some plants), through a chemical reaction induced by damage to the plant, such as cutting or chewing. As such, glucoraphanin is known as the precursor to sulforaphane. ” Cruciferous vegetables contain a substantial amount of glucoraphanin, which helps to make them the nutrient powerhouses that they are. Budding research has shown that sulforaphane has a number of applications in a variety of diseases and conditions, with its potential benefits first being realized by Johns Hopkins researcher Paul Talalay in 1992. In the premier study, Talalay and his team examined and confirmed the anti-cancer effects of broccoli and sulforaphane. Since that time, he has continued to research the benefits of the plant compound and even founded The Brassica Chemoprotection Laboratory. Sulforaphane benefits the brain and body Some fairly recent research has indicated that sulforaphane can provide protective benefits to the brain […]

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