Caroline Hopkins Legaspi in The New York Times:
Ever scrunched up your nose at broccoli’s sulfuric smell?
Along with cauliflower, brussels sprouts and other cruciferous vegetables, broccoli is a source of a sulfur-based nutrient called sulforaphane. It’s the compound behind broccoli’s odor and slightly bitter flavor. It also has anticancer properties, scientists believe. Research suggests the sulforaphane in broccoli could help your body produce more of the enzymes that get rid of toxins like air pollution and cigarette smoke, Dr. Ho said.
In addition, sulforaphane is an antioxidant that can protect your body from inflammation. The theory “is that broccoli is protecting cells from the inflammation that promotes the growth of cancer,” said Ingrid Adams, a registered dietitian and associate professor of medical dietetics at Ohio State University. In a recent analysis, 17 out of 23 studies found associations between eating broccoli and having lower risks of common cancers, including lung, colon and breast cancer. Taken together, the studies suggested that people who ate broccoli at least once a week were 36 percent less likely to develop cancer than those who didn’t.
More here.
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