Broccoli is considered one of the vegetables with a protective effect against various types of cancer: lung, prostate, breast, endometrium, uterus, and tumors related to the gastrointestinal tract (stomach, liver, colon). The National Cancer Institute suggests that it could be an important preventive measure, responsible for boosting certain enzymes that help detoxify the body.
The reasons for this cancer-preventive effect are due to its high content of antioxidant nutrients (beta-carotene and vitamin C), fiber (soluble and insoluble), and phytochemicals (glucosinolates / isothiocyanates / indoles), among which sulforaphane (sulforafano) (isothiocyanate) and indole-3-carbinol (indole) stand out. These substances increase the activity of certain enzymes whose function is to eliminate carcinogenic agents from the body or block their action in our organism.
Sulforaphane is a very potent agent in fighting cancer that is present in broccoli. Researchers from the University of Illinois have demonstrated that “three to five servings of broccoli per week are enough to have a preventive effect against cancer.”
In addition, broccoli also contains quercetin, a flavonoid that acts as an anti-inflammatory and also seems to decrease the growth of some types of cancer, as well as folates (widely present in this vegetable), which protect against colon and cervical cancer.
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables helps maintain a healthy immune system, so if we incorporate broccoli into our diet, we will add a new weapon against cancer and a new avenue for prevention and care of our health.