Broccoli

[seal!]

Somebody told me that broccoli can help prevent cancer, is this true and if so how?

[l_h_kings]

Eating 5 portions of fresh fruit or vegetable per day is supposed to keep cancer at bay, I'm sure tescos used to promote it.

[slimfandango]

Yes, you're right, the information is not long out and supersedes information on '5 portions of fruit and vegetables'. Just like the 'red' stuff in tomatoes, there is something specific in broccoli which can fight cancer. Actually 2 types of the same thing, and their relative levels depend on whether you cook it or not.

From New Scientist: "Eating your greens could be even better for you than anyone thought. Macerated raw broccoli turns out to contain small amounts of a potent chemical that inhibits the oxidising enzymes that damage DNA and potentially cause cancer.

When you chew broccoli, its cells rupture, releasing an enzyme that produces a class of chemicals called sulphoraphanes. "

 

 

[robbieh]

If you ever have the misfortune of reading the daily mail, every day there seems to be a food that is a new cure for something, and then about 2 months later they'll say that it infact it does the opposite.