Health benefits of cruciferous vegetables

You may wish that you listened to your Mother back in the old days, when she told you to eat your broccoli.  If you knew then what you know now, you may have considered it. That’s okay  though, better late than never.  Check out these fantastic vegetables and their health benefits. 

Cruciferous vegetables include:

• arugula
• bok choy
• broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• cabbage
• cauliflower
• kale
• radish
• turnips

Cruciferous vegetables are low-calorie, and rich in folate, vitamins C, E, and K, and fiber. Fiber is an important nutrient to incorporate if weight loss is the goal, as it helps keep you fuller longer.

Cruciferous vegetables are also good sources of phytonutrients, which are plant-based compounds that may help lower inflammation and reduce the risk of developing cancer.

Also present in cruciferous vegetables are glucosinolates. These chemicals are not only responsible for the aroma and flavor of these plants, but they have also been shown to have anticancer effects. According to the National Cancer InstituteTrusted Source, studies in rats and mice have demonstrated that indoles and isothiocyanates, the compounds that form from broken down glucosinolates, protect cells from DNA damage, inactivate carcinogens, and have antibacterial and anti-viral effects.

When we cook and eat cruciferous vegetables, the glucosinolates contained within them break down into biologically active compounds, such as nitriles, indoles, isothiocyanates, and thiocyanates.