This green knobbly cousin of the cabbage is packed with rich nutrients and also a good deal of dietary fibre and vitamin C. It will be good to include broccoli in your diet as here are some of the diseases and conditions which it can help fight.
Cancer
Recent studies have shown that broccoli contains many nutrients such as diindolylmethane, selenium, glucoraphanin, indole-3-carbinol, etc., chemicals which help modulate the immune system with anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer activity as well as help maintain cellular processes that can cause deadly conditions like prostate, colon, breast, lung and skin cancers.The best way to retain the nutrients is to have it lightly steamed as boiling reduces the benefits.
Osteoarthritis
A study revealed that the compound sulforaphane slows down the destruction of cartilage in joints linked with osteoarthritis and may also prevent the disease from developing.
Premenstrual tension
A group of researchers looked at the health of about 3,000 nurses, who they followed for 10 years and found that women who eat food rich in non-heme iron- broccoli provides 1mg per 100g- are less likely to suffer from premenstrual tension (PMT). Iron is involved with the production of the brain chemical serotonin, which helps regulate mood.
Cardiovascular disease
Broccoli may protect against heart disease as some research have shown that sulforaphane, which is especially concentrated in broccoli, may be able to prevent arterial inflammation and also reduce levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.
