Eating Broccoli Every Day Can Help to Prevent Cancer

Broccoli could help to prevent and slow bladder cancer

Research has isolated compounds from broccoli that could help in preventing or slowing the progress of bladder cancer. This research builds on another study that observed that men who consumed 2 or more half-cup helpings of broccoli every week had a 44% reduced bladder cancer incidence in comparison to men who consumed less than 1 helping every week.

Compounds known as glucosinolates were isolated from broccoli sprouts. While chewing, chopping, and being digested, these phytochemicals transform into nutritional powerhouses known as isothiocyanates, compounds that are believed to play a part in inhibiting cancer.

Bladder cancer cell growth was inhibited by the isothiocyanates in the laboratory experiments. And the most powerful effect seen was on the most potent bladder cancer type.

The glucosinolate levels from broccoli sprouts were 1st extracted and measured. A process was then made use of that uses enzymes to transform the glucosinolates into isothiocyanates. Although young sprouts have naturally higher phytochemical concentrations compared to fully grown broccoli spears, consuming the spears provides health benefits as well.

The researchers treated 1 mouse cell line and 2 human bladder cancer cell lines with different amounts of isothiocyanates and glucosinolates. Although glucosinolates are transformed into isothiocyanates, they wanted to know if glucosinolates would have any impact on controlling cancer cell growth.

Although the glucosinolates didn’t have any impact, the isothiocyanates reduced growth in all 3 cell lines. It was most effective on human invasive transitional cell carcinoma, the most potent of these lines.

Broccoli and tomato eaten together more effective for prostate cancer

Another study has shown that broccoli eaten together with tomatoes, 2 veggies renowned for their ability to fight cancer, can shrink prostate tumors better when both are part of a daily diet compared to when they’re consumed alone.

An additive effect is seen when broccoli and tomatoes are consumed together. It’s believed to be due to the varying bioactive compounds in each veggie working on varying anti-cancer pathways.

A diet that contains 10% broccoli powder and 10% tomato powder was fed to implanted prostate cancer cell lab rats. They were whole foods powders so the effects of consuming the entire veggie could be comparable to ingesting individual parts of them as a supplement.

The other lab rats were given either broccoli or tomato powder alone; or a lycopene supplement, the tomatoes’ red pigment considered to be the compound effective for preventing cancer; or a drug called finasteride that’s prescribed for enlarged prostates. Lab rats in another group were castrated.

The broccoli/tomato combo was superior to all other diets for shrinking prostate tumors. Tumor biopsies were assessed, which confirmed that tumor cells in the rats that were fed broccoli/tomato weren’t growing as rapidly. Castration was the only other treatment that accomplished the broccoli/tomato diet’s level of efficacy.

Men should consume 1.4 cups of raw broccoli every day and 2.5 cups of fresh tomato every day to get these effects, or ½ cup of tomato paste, or 1 cup of tomato sauce. Cooked tomatoes could be better compared to raw tomatoes. The bioavailability of cancer-fighting compounds was increased by chopping and heating broccoli and tomatoes.

Broccoli could help to reduce lung cancer risk in smokers

According to another study, broccoli’s cancer-preventive properties seem to be especially beneficial for smokers.

Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli have been proven to be protective against cancer in many studies, but this comprehensive study demonstrated a protective benefit for smokers, especially for former smokers. Individuals who stop smoking will certainly benefit more from the consumption of cruciferous vegetables.

Researchers carried out a case-controlled study with hospitalized lung cancer cases and smoking status-matched controls. The study included all cruciferous vegetables that are commonly eaten, and also considered raw compared to cooked vegetables. Statistical calculations were performed to account for smoking status, intensity, and duration.

The protective effect of consuming cruciferous vegetables in smokers ranged from a 20% risk reduction to a 55% risk reduction determined by the kind of vegetable eaten and the intensity and duration of smoking.

As an example, only raw cruciferous vegetable consumption was linked to the reduction of lung cancer risk in current smokers. No significant results were observed for vegetable consumption in general as well as fruits.

Compounds found in broccoli could help prevent colon cancer

Compounds produced by Brassica vegetables which include broccoli could help in maintaining a healthy gut and preventing colon cancer. A study demonstrates that mice fed on an indole-3-carbinol-rich diet, which is a compound produced when digesting broccoli and other Brassica veggies, were protected from inflammation of the gut and cancer of the colon.

Although the health benefits of veggies are well-established, a lot of the mechanisms behind them are still not known. This research provides evidence of how indole-3-carbinol in the diet can help in preventing inflammation and cancer of the colon, by the activation of a protein known as the aryl hydrocarbon receptor.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor functions as an environmental sensor that passes signals to epithelial cells and immune cells in the lining of the gut protecting against inflammatory responses from the multitude of gut bacteria.

Genetically modified mice were examined that can’t produce or activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor in the gut, and it was discovered that they quickly developed inflammation of the gut which progressed to colon cancer. When they were fed an indole-3-carbinol enriched diet, they however didn’t develop inflammation or cancer. When mice with already developing cancer were changed to the indole-3-carbinol-enriched diet, they were left with significantly fewer tumors that were also more benign.

By examining both mice and their gut organoids, intestinal stem cells, it was found that the aryl hydrocarbon receptor is crucial for the repair of damaged epithelial cells. Without the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, the intestinal stem cells are not able to differentiate into specialized nutrient-absorbing epithelial cells or generate protective mucus. They instead divide uncontrollably which could eventually result in colon cancer.

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