Broccoli's Cancer-Fighting Potential Revealed

You may not think of broccoli as a medicinal herb, but read on to find out why it should definitely be included in this category. Recently, there has been a multitude of scientific research into the cancer-fighting potential of broccoli. It seems that a vegetable we have been encouraged to eat all our lives may hold special potential to keep us healthy. Here are some of the recent findings from research studies that show broccoli’s cancer-fighting potential.

Broccoli sprout extract may keep cancer from returning.
Potent doses of broccoli sprout extract activate a “detoxification” gene and may help prevent cancer recurrence in survivors of head and neck cancer, according to new research at the University of Pittsburgh.

Colon cancer is more easily killed by a drug that includes broccoli component.
Colon cancer cells were more likely to die when they were pretreated with sulforaphane, an ingredient found in broccoli, and then treated with a cancer drug currently in development. The concentration used was equivalent to eating a typical serving of broccoli, according to a study at The Swiss National Science Foundation.

A new drug made from broccoli and other plants may help fight breast cancer.
Luteolin, a natural compound found in herbs such as broccoli, may reduce the cancer risk for women who have taken hormone replacement therapy, accroding to a recent study at University of Missouri.

Mouth cancer might be effectively prevented by including broccoli sprout extract in the diet.
Research showing the potential to prevent mouth cancer and other head and neck cancers using broccoli sprout extract has been very promising. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and Johns Hopkins University collaborated on the study, which was announced recently at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting in Philadelphia.

Prostate cancer might be treated effectively with a compound found in broccoli.
Research at the Texas A&M Health Science Center Institute of Biosciences and Technology has been studying whether a compound known as sulforaphane, which occurs naturally in broccoli, could be used to treat advanced prostate cancer, with very promising results.

A broccoli component, selenium, may fight melanoma, prostate cancer, and leukemia.
The mineral selenium, which naturally occurs in foods like broccoli and garlic, appears to slow down a process that allows cancers such as melanoma, prostate cancer, and leukemia to spread, according to research at University of Copenhagen.

So your mom was right…Eat your broccoli! And be sure to check out the full page of information about Broccoli to learn much more about this important plant.