(NaturalNews) Levels of the beneficial, cancer-fighting compound sulforaphane in broccoli are reduced by 90 percent when the vegetable is cooked, according to a study conducted by researchers from TNO Quality of Life in the Netherlands, and published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
"Consumption of raw broccoli resulted in faster absorption, higher bioavailability, and higher peak plasma amounts of sulforaphane, compared to cooked broccoli," the researchers wrote.
Bioavailability and Kinetics of Sulforaphane in Humans after Consumption of Cooked versus Raw Broccoli
Martijn Vermeulen*, Ineke W. A. A. Klpping-Ketelaars†, Robin van den Berg‡ and Wouter H. J. Vaes
J. Agric. Food Chem., 2008, 56 (22), pp 10505-10509
Publication Date (Web): October 24, 2008 (Article)
DOI: 10.1021/jf801989e
Did you know that cutting the florets into smaller pieces and the stems into thin slices and letting them sit for 5 to 6 minutes before cooking will enhance their cancer protective properties? Cutting broccoli into smaller pieces breaks the cells and activates an enzyme called myrosinase. The myrosinase converts some of the sulfur-containing chemicals found in broccoli (call glucosinolates) into other sulfur containing chemicals (called isothiocyanates) which research has shown to contain cancer preventive properties not found in the glucosinolates . Studies have actually pinpointed specific mechanisms, like changes in cellular genetic processes, which are involved in increasing cancer protection.
Vitamin D supplementation to prevent infections: a sub-study of a randomised placebo-controlled trial in older people (RECORD trial, ISRCTN 51647438).
Avenell A, Cook JA, Maclennan GS, Macpherson GC.
Age Ageing. 2007 Sep;36(5):574-7. Epub 2007 Aug 15. No abstract available.
PMID: 17702768
doi:10.1093/ageing/afm091
129 foods that can serve as the basis of your Healthiest Way of Eating. Links to the articles about these foods can be found below.
Of course, there are many other nutritious foods other than those that we have included on our list that we feel are wonderful, health-promoting foods; if there are other whole foods - such as fruits, vegetables, nuts/seeds, whole grains, etc - that you like, by all means enjoy them. Just because a food is not on our list doesn't mean that we don't think that it can be included in a diet geared towards the Healthiest Way of Eating as long as it is a whole, natural, nutrient-rich food
The influence of processing and preservation on the retention of health-promoting compounds in broccoli.
Galgano F, Favati F, Caruso M, Pietrafesa A, Natella S.
J Food Sci. 2007 Mar;72(2):S130-5.
PMID: 17995854
DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2006.00258.x
University of Illinois researcher Elizabeth Jeffery has learned how to maximize the cancer-fighting power of broccoli. It involves heating broccoli just enough to eliminate a sulfur-grabbing protein, but not enough to stop the plant from releasing an important cancer-fighting compound called sulforaphane.
The discovery of this sulfur-grabbing protein in the Jeffery lab makes it possible to maximize the amount of the anticarcinogen sulforaphane in broccoli.