Broccoli already is known to be a
powerhouse vegetable -- its high levels of antioxidants
even help fight cancer. Now scientists studying breast
cancer have found that the vegetable's star antioxidant,
sulforaphane, prevents cancerous cells from dividing and
growing. That could be important news for the 216,000
American women who develop the disease each year, many
of whom rely on powerful drugs to fight cancer growth.
To learn more, I spoke with researcher
Keith Singletary, PhD, professor of foods and nutrition at
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Singletary
and his team exposed human breast cancer cells to sulforaphane,
a phytochemical found in broccoli and other cruciferous
vegetables, and found that the compound disrupts the
activity of cell components involved in chromosome
separation and cell division. In this way, he explained,
sulforaphane blocks the multiplication process and
signals cancer cells to die.
While more research needs to be
done to determine how sulforaphane can best fight
breast cancer, the study's findings may help in
developing new cancer prevention and treatment
strategies, says Dr. Singletary. It has been reported
that sulforaphane can suppress the proliferation of
other cancers, such as colon cancer in culture. It is
not known yet whether it will have the same effect in
other cancers as it did in the breast cancer
cell studies.
IS THERE A SULFORAPHANE SUPPLEMENT?
Get your nutrients from whole foods, Dr.
Singletary urges. "There's a variety of phytochemicals along
with nutrients in vegetables." In addition to sulforaphane,
a serving of broccoli, cauliflower or other crucifer are
loaded with a bounty of disease-fighting nutrients, including
vitamin C, beta-carotene, quercetin, indoles, glutathione and
lutein, plus fiber, calcium and folate. "When contained in
vegetables or fruits, these compounds are in proportions that
seem to be most beneficial and safest for us to consume," Dr.
Singletary said. "We don't know yet whether isolating these
compounds provides a benefit or a risk. High amounts of one
chemical can be almost like a drug."
DON'T LIKE BROCCOLI?
You also can get your sulforaphane from
cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, bok choy, kale and
watercress. Cooking may diminish some nutrients, but most
health experts don't insist that you become a "raw foodie"
quite yet. Enjoy the vegetables raw, steamed or
lightly boiled.
Dr. Singletary recommends that,
for optimal health, you increase your consumption of
vegetables and aim for a variety in your diet that
includes cruciferous vegetables.
Sources...
Keith Singletary, PhD, professor of foods
and nutrition, University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign.
