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Alternative Names: Cruciferous Vegetables, Brassica Family Vegetables.
Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage (all members of the same family), have a number of important detoxifying compounds in them.
Source
Extracts from these vegetables, such as diindolylmethane can be taken supplementally, allowing a therapeutic dose to be achieved without consuming large amounts of the vegetable. The amount of active ingredients in brocolli, for example, is unpredictable based of freshness or whether it is grown organically or not. Sprouting brocolli seed can reliably produce 50 times the amount of active ingredient by weight as the vegetable.
Function
One of the compounds in cruciferous vegetables, sulforifane, induces a range of detoxifying enzymes. Another compound, called indole-carbinol, works synergistically with tamoxifin in fighting breast cancer. Indole-3-carbinol is the only compound known that shifts the type of estrogen that predisposes one to cancer (16-hydroxy-estrone) to the 2-hydroxy-estrone which is a biologically less powerful estrogen metabolite. A number of studies in animals and humans show this effect is readily demonstrable by eating broccoli.
These vegetables also contain diindolylmethane, a much more powerful phytochemical which is actually just two indole-3-carbinol molecules attached chemically to each other. It is perhaps 10 times more effective.
These agents seem to stimulate the production of protective enzymes such as glutathione that detoxify carcinogens.
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Cabbage Family Vegetables can help with the following:
Cabbage Family Vegetables can help prevent the following: | | | | | Tumors, Malignant |  Cancer, General | Cruciferous vegetables will reduce the risk of cancer in smokers, and most likely non-smokers as well. |
Colon Cancer| | Vegetables from the cabbage family (cruciferous vegetables) may reduce the risk of colon cancer. [The National Cancer Institute booklet, "Diet, Nutrition, & Cancer Prevention: A Guide to Food Choices"] |
Lung Cancer| | Chemicals found in broccoli, cabbage, bok choy and other cruciferous (cabbage family) vegetables may protect against lung cancer, according to a new study conducted jointly with US and Chinese researchers. Although the chemicals did lower cancer risk by 36% in this study, smoking alone increases lung cancer risk by as much as 10 times. |
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KEY | | Likely to help |
GLOSSARY
Cancer
Refers to the various types of malignant neoplasms that contain cells growing out of control and invading adjacent tissues, which may metastasize to distant tissues.
Colon (Colonic)
The part of the large intestine that extends to the rectum. The colon takes the contents of the small intestine, moving them to the rectum by contracting.
Enzymes (Enzyme)
Specific protein catalysts produced by the cells that are crucial in chemical reactions and in building up or synthesizing most compounds in the body. Each enzyme performs a specific function without itself being consumed. For example, the digestive enzyme amylase acts on carbohydrates in foods to break them down.
Estrogen (Oestrogen)
One of the female sex hormones produced by the ovaries.
Glutathione
A natural sulfur-bearing peptide formed from the linking of three amino acids: glutamic acid, cysteine and glycine. Glutathione acts as an antioxidant and detoxicant and is involved with the selenium-containing enzyme glutathione peroxidase. Glutathione is also involved in amino acid transport across cell membranes and is a powerful free radical scavenger and antioxidant that removes unwanted substances from the body.
Lung (Lungs, Pulmonary)
Organ of the body, located in the chest cavity which is designed to bring oxygen from the air into the blood stream, while also expelling carbon dioxide and other waste gases out of the body. Pulmonary: Related to the lungs.
Metabolite (Metabolites)
Any product (foodstuff, intermediate, waste product) of metabolism.
Ounce (Ounces, oz)
Approximately 28 grams.
Phytochemicals (Phytochemical)
Substances such as vitamins and minerals that occur naturally in plants and have been shown in research to possibly prevent or cure disease.
Last updated: Oct 08, 2008
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