The Power of Broccoli

Larry A. Law

Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, collards, cauliflower, and kale contain several plant compounds important for health and immune system support. One of the best compounds within these cruciferous vegetables is called sulforaphane, which is an organic sulfur. Sulforaphane supports many aspects of cellular function including reproduction (cell division) and apoptosis (programmed cell death). Several types of cancer exhibit abnormal apoptosis where cells don't self-destruct and become immortalized in their diseased state. Studies demonstrate that just three servings of broccoli per week can reduce the risk of prostate cancer by more than 60%. But it is also effective against colon, liver, breast, and lung cancer (induced by tobacco). Sulforaphane is a very powerful chemoprotective compound. In addition to sulforaphane, there are other potent phytochemicals inherent in cruciferous vegetables that not only reduce cancer risk but can break antibiotic resistance and bacterial biofilms.

Diindolylmethane (DIM)

Cruciferous vegetables contain another very important phytochemical called indole-3 carbinol (I3C). I3C is converted in the gut to diindolylmethane (DIM), a powerful immune system booster. A study from Ben-Gurion University in Israel and co-authored by researchers from Near East University and Girne American University in Cyprus was published in the journal Pharmaceutics. The study found that DIM broke down antibiotic-resistant biofilms. This significantly boosted the effectiveness of antibiotics used in treatments. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii are two bacteria whose biofilms are resistant to multiple drugs. DIM was able to break down these biofilms by 65 to 70%. When DIM was combined with the antibiotic tobramycin, biofilm growth from P. aeruginosa was reduced by 98%. 

Antibiotic Resistance

The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies antimicrobial resistance as "one of the top ten global health threats facing humanity" (despite the WHO's many mistakes they did manage to get this right!). The primary cause for this man-made epidemic is the widespread misuse of antibiotics. This misuse occurs in human medicine and in food production. Agricultural uses represent 80% of all antibiotic use in the United States and thus represent the biggest source of human antibiotic consumption. Animals are fed antibiotics for disease prevention and growth promotion. Those antibiotics are transferred to the meat, and milk, as well as through the manure used in crop fertilization. Superbugs are pathogens that have developed resistance to more than one drug and are called pan-resistant. The development of new antibiotics capable of attacking them is virtually at a standstill because of ineffectiveness. 

How to Get the Best Benefits of Cruciferous Vegetables Like Broccoli

To get the most nutrition out of vegetables like broccoli, lightly steam them for three to four minutes. Do not steam longer than five minutes. This allows you to get the most bioavailable sulforaphane. If you want to boil broccoli, do it for less than 20-30 seconds, then immerse in cold water to stop the cooking process. Broccoli sprouts are also another great way to eat broccoli. They pack a powerful punch of nutrition and contain 100 times more enzymes than raw fruits and vegetables, which allows your body to extract more vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fats from the food you eat. You don't have to cook sprouts, as they are eaten raw, and it is easy to grow them indoors at home. 

Real food grown by nature has the nutrition we need to support our immune systems and provide us with the building blocks for optimal health. Make sure to include broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables in your diet. Living a healthy life depends on it. For more information on how to support your immune system, see my book.