The Power of Cruciferous Vegetables

“Eat your vegetables.” Sound familiar? But many people do not realize that this message is imperative when it comes to cancer prevention. One of the most profound ways to protect against cancer is to eat a diet featuring vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts and seeds. However, among all these healthful foods is one family of vegetables that exceeds all the others in its ability to be an anti-cancer force: cruciferous vegetables. In particular, this family of vegetables provides us with a potent level of protection against cancer.  These superfoods are:

Why are these vegetables so beneficial?

Cruciferous vegetables contain compounds called glucosinolates (which give those vegetables their characteristic flavor and pungent aroma). These compounds come into contact with the plant enzyme myrosinase when we chop, chew, or blend the vegetables. The subsequent chemical reaction  forms isothiocyanates (ITCs), which are powerful anticancer compounds that have been shown to detoxify and remove carcinogens, kill cancer cells, and slow  tumor growth. The evidence is overwhelming that all cruciferous vegetables play a major and unique role in the widely recognized protective effects of natural plant foods against cancer. Some examples of the benefits from eating isothiocyanate-rich cruciferous vegetables have been shown in observational studies:

• Three servings of cruciferous vegetables per week was associated with a 41 percent decrease in prostate cancer risk .¹
• One or more servings of cabbage per week was associated with a 38 percent decrease in risk of pancreatic cancer²
• One serving per day of cruciferous vegetables was linked to a reduction in the risk of breast cancer by more than 50 percent³

 In addition to their general anti-cancer effects, cruciferous vegetables are especially helpful in protecting against hormonal cancers, such as breast and prostate cancers. Some isothiocyanates, such as indole-3-carbinol, which is abundant in broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage, can even help the body excrete estrogen and other hormones. Research has shown additional anti-estrogenic effects of both indole-3-carbinol and another compound in broccoli, sulforaphane. Both blunt the growth-promoting effects of estrogen on breast and cervical cancers.^4-6 

Chew or Blend these Vegetables Well

 I make sure when eating these types of vegetables to chew them thoroughly to make sure I am producing  the most anti-cancer isothiocyanates that the food can offer. I recommend you include cruciferous vegetables, both raw and lightly cooked (chopped finely first),  in your diet daily and eat a variety of them.  When eating cooked cruciferous vegetables, add a some raw cruciferous to your salad, such as arugula, raw cabbage or chopped raw broccoli – the myrosinase from the raw vegetables can produce more isothiocyanates from the cooked vegetables.

There is no doubt that cruciferous vegetables offer superior benefits. The unique antioxidants found in them have the ability to modify human hormones, detoxify compounds, and prevent toxic compounds from causing DNA damage that could lead to cancer.⁷ Enjoy the benefits of these disease-fighting foods.

References:

1. Cohen JH, Kristal AR, Stanford JL. Fruit and vegetable intakes and prostate cancer risk. J Natl Cancer Inst 2000, 92:61-68.
2. Larsson SC, Hakansson N, Naslund I, et al. Fruit and vegetable consumption in relation to pancreatic cancer risk: a prospective study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006, 15:301-305.
3. Zhang CX, Ho SC, Chen YM, et al. Greater vegetable and fruit intake is associated with a lower risk of breast cancer among Chinese women. Int J Cancer 2009, 125:181-188.
4. Yuan F, Chen DZ, Liu K, et al. Anti-estrogenic activities of indole-3-carbinol in cervical cells: implication for prevention of cervical cancer. Anticancer Res 1999, 19:1673-1680.
5. Meng Q, Yuan F, Goldberg ID, et al. Indole-3-carbinol is a negative regulator of estrogen receptor-alpha signaling in human tumor cells. J Nutr 2000, 130:2927-2931.
6. Ramirez MC, Singletary K. Regulation of estrogen receptor alpha expression in human breast cancer cells by sulforaphane. The Journal of nutritional biochemistry 2009, 20:195-201.
7. Higdon J, Delage B, Williams D, Dashwood R. Cruciferous vegetables and human cancer risk: epidemiologic evidence and mechanistic basis. Pharmacol Res 2007, 55:224-236.