Unknown to many people, there is specific family of vegetables which many medical experts consider as ‘Super Vegetables’ because of the amount of vitamins and minerals that they contain, and because of their astounding capability to lower the risks of some to cancer – “Cruciferous”. This vegetable family is known as the Cruciferous vegetable family or the cabbage family. In scientific terms, they are known as the Brassicaceae family. Some of the Cruciferous vegetables are Broccoli, Bok Choy, Cabbage, Brussels sprouts, Cauliflower, Radishes, and Turnips. The list is quite extensive. One thing that binds all these vegetables is the enzyme composition and their health benefits. A health buff would immediately know what benefits eating these vegetables give to your body. While some treat them with the same disgust as they treat beans, others consider this specific vegetable family as life-savers.
Cruciferous Vegetables
One of the main reasons why Cruciferous vegetables are so popular amongst health buffs and health experts right now is because they are reported to be able to lower the risks of a person acquiring cancer. On October 0f 1996, the Journal of the American Diabetic Association cited how 70% of studies regarding the area prove that these super vegetables could eliminate and prevent the spreading of carcinogens and toxins in the body, thus lowering Cancer risks. These vegetables are rich in the compound glucosinolates which, when broken down by hydrolysis, turn into active compounds such as indoles and isothiocyanates. These active biological compounds created after hydrolysis prevent carcinogens from pestering and harming completely the human body. They also alter the metabolism to stop the activation of hormone-sensitive carcinogens that deadly affect the DNA cells. Cruciferous vegetables have been proven to greatly help alleviate cancer patients in different cancer fields and types like Lung Cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer. According to the UCLA Medical Center in California with their study on the effects of the super vegetables on men and women aged 50 to 74 years old, those who eat broccoli regularly are 50% less likely to develop colorectal cancer than those who do not eat them at all. Another cancer inducing factor is the Oxidative stress. Cruciferous vegetables also help in reducing Oxiferous stress, caused by oxygen-free radicals that are considered to be very harmful molecules, by lowering them down and cleaning the body of oxygen-free radicals with regular serving. The problem is that there have been studies that state how genetics affect the human body’s reaction to the super vegetables, and that some have inherited body traits which make their body quite immune to the benefits of these vegetables.
Cruciferous
vegetables have been known in the scientific field as one of the most preferred vegetable families around because of the unique qualities that they possess. Though there are still studies that contradict the validity of the benefits that the human body gets from them, there are still more credible researched and experiments that back up the benefits of the said vegetable family. Nevertheless, it is still recommended for all to take a healthy dose of these super vegetables and all other cruciferous vegetable families not only because of their claims of reducing risks of severe illnesses, but also because they promote healthy living.