Properties of Broccoli

 

Broccoli

 

    

 

 

Broccoli is the king of crucifers. Broccoli contains more chemical compounds than most laboratories. With just a few weekly servings of broccoli can protect your body in many different ways.

 

 

 

• Heart Disease – Studies have shown that people who eat broccoli just once a week cut their risk of heart disease in half, compared to people who don’t eat it at all.
• Stroke – Researchers at Harvard analyzed the diets of more than 100,000 people over the course of 14 years and found the more broccoli and other fruits they ate, the lower their risk of having a stroke was. Broccoli and other crucifers were found to be more effective in controlling blood pressure as to engaging in physical activities, according to Ralph Sacco, MD.
• Alzheimer’s – Broccoli is rich in folate, a B vitamin that lowers the levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that has been linked with Alzheimer’s disease. Steam up some of these florets as often as possible!
• CFS – (chronic fatigue syndrome) – Broccoli, which is high in vitamin C, aids your body in producing glutathione, the powerful antioxidant that helps your body rid itself of toxins and reduce the symptoms of CFS, according to John Reed, MD. He suggests that you load up on broccoli, red peppers, oranges and other vitamin C- rich foods and also take 750 milligrams of vitamin C supplements daily.
• Endometriosis – Broccoli contains an abundance of phytoestrogens, compounds that are structurally similar to but weaker than the estrogen found in your body. What happens is that when you eat broccoli and other crucifers, these phytoestrogens compete with natural estrogen to bind to receptors in your body. When these weaker phytoestrogens bind to the receptors in your body, the overall estrogen activity is reduced, which decreases the endometriosis symptoms.
• Brain Fog – Broccoli is high in magnesium, potassium, and boron. These minerals are crucial to mental alertness.
• Lupus – For many years doctors have been advising women with Lupus to eat more broccoli. Each mini tree is chock full of powerful anti-inflammatory vitamin C and they contain indole-3-carbinol, a chemical that helps rebalance hormones in women.
• Weak Bones – Broccoli is absolutely full of calcium, the mineral your body needs for strong bones. Blanch it or steam it and serve with dip.
• Cancer I – Researchers have found that the more Broccoli a person consumes, the lower their risk of developing colon cancer.
• Cancer II – Broccoli is comprised of at least six necessary elements that your body consistently needs to maintain health: vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, fiber, and the plant compounds lutein and sulforaphane. Scientists have long considered that these elements work together to provide broccoli’s cancer-fighting benefits. A study conducted at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center found that eating three servings of vegetables daily can lower your risk of prostrate cancer by an amazing 45%! Alan Kristal, Dr. PH, stated that “If some of those vegetables are of the cruciferous kind, like broccoli is, men could drop their risk even further!”
• Cancer III – A research survey of 50,000 men determined that of those who ate a ½ cup serving of broccoli just twice a week, that they reduced their chances of developing bladder cancer – the fourth leading cancer – by ½!
• Broken Hip – The vitamin K that is in broccoli will lower the chances of fracturing a hip when you get older, according to a study conducted at Tufts University.
• Your Gums – To protect your gums, load up on broccoli. It is practically dripping with vitamin C, an antioxidant that toughens gums, reduces swelling, and squelches infections.

 

Broccoli, what most children consider to look like little trees, is full of detoxifying qualities for your body, which makes it the top of my list as far as the best vegetable that you can eat for achieving better health.