VEGETABLES

Powerful Pals

Skeptical veggies could harbor such power? Researchers at the Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center discovered that men 40 to 64 who ate 3 or more ½-cup servings of cruciferous vegetables per week were 41% less likely to develop prostate cancer.

CLICK  HERE 

Furthermore, cruciferous veggies are full of antioxidants (beta-carotene and sulforaphane), fiber, vitamins and minerals. They also contain isothiocyanate -- which stimulates the body to break down cancer-causing carcinogens - and indole-3-carbidol (I3C), which may prevent breast, ovarian and prostate cancers.

Because of their high antioxidant content, cruciferous veggies may help protect against cancer by reducing oxidative stress. Oxidative stress refers to the overload of harmful free-radicals in the body. In a study funded by the National Cancer Institute, it was found that oxidative stress in the subjects' bodies dropped 22% during the period when they were eating 1-to-2 cups of cruciferous vegetables a day.

Cooking Cruciferous

It should be noted that frequent consumption of insufficiently cooked cruciferous vegetables can lead to goiter (enlargement of the thyroid gland). Raw cruciferous vegetables contain goitrogens, which interfere with thyroid hormone formation. This results in an over-secretion of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) due to low thyroid hormone levels and an enlarged thyroid gland.

Always cook your cruciferous vegetables, but take care not to overcook them. Why? Cruciferous vegetables contain phytochemicals called glucosinolates. Once consumed, glucosinolates are converted into isothiocyanates and indoles, which possess anti-cancer, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.