Cruciferous vegetables includes broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, collard, turnips, bok choy, kohlrabi, horse radish, and a few other vegetables.
Cruciferous vegetables are master detoxifiers. (1)
The cells in our body, especially in the liver, have “detoxification factories” in them called enzymes. These factories relentlessly work to process the things that can damage the body.
Cruciferous vegetables can speed up enzyme processing of toxic compounds. They make the body a more efficient detoxifier.
Also, cruciferous vegetables balance hormones in a favorable way (2) and help prevent various cancers.
A review of research published in the October 1996 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association showed that 70% or more of the studies found a link between cruciferous vegetables and protection against cancer.
Various components in cruciferous vegetables have been linked to lower cancer risks. Some have shown the ability to stop the growth of cancer cells for tumors in the breast, uterine lining (endometrium), lung, colon, liver, and cervix, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.
Studies that track the diets of people over time have found that diets high in cruciferous vegetables are linked to lower rates of prostate cancer.
Another way cruciferous vegetables may help to protect against cancer is by reducing oxidative stress.