Posted on 08/05/2008 10:46:10 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Eating broccoli could reverse the damage caused by diabetes to heart blood vessels, research suggests.
A University of Warwick team believe the key is a compound found in the vegetable, called sulforaphane.
It encourages production of enzymes which protect the blood vessels, and a reduction in high levels of molecules which cause significant cell damage.
Brassica vegetables such as broccoli have previously been linked to a lower risk of heart attacks and strokes.
People with diabetes are up to five times more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes; both are linked to damaged blood vessels.
The Warwick team, whose work is reported in the journal Diabetes, tested the effects of sulforaphane on blood vessel cells damaged by high glucose levels (hyperglycaemia), which are associated with diabetes.
They recorded a 73% reduction of molecules in the body called Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS).
Hyperglycaemia can cause levels of ROS to increase three-fold and such high levels can damage human cells.
The researchers also found that sulforaphane activated a protein in the body called nrf2, which protects cells and tissues from damage by activating protective antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes.
Countering vascular disease
Lead researcher Professor Paul Thornalley said: "Our study suggests that compounds such as sulforaphane from broccoli may help counter processes linked to the development of vascular disease in diabetes.
"In future, it will be important to test if eating a diet rich in brassica vegetables has health benefits for diabetic patients. We expect that it will."
Dr Iain Frame, director of research at the charity Diabetes UK, stressed that research carried out on cells in the lab was a long way from the real life situation.
"It also may help add some scientific weight to the argument that eating broccoli is good for you."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
Hey, as long as I don’t have to eat Brussel Sprouts.....
More broccoli is just fine with me!!
Aw, I like Brussel Sprouts much more than Broccoli.
It wouldn't be prudent to add
broccoli to my diet.
Beat you by 20 seconds!
This should be considered too.
I eat broccoli and love brussel sprouts. Just playing the devils advocate here I guess.
I eat lots of red meat so the chances of becoming anemic are slim I would think.
lol
I only posted what I did for information purposes
A good idea but it will increase my methane output..
Even better with Hollandaise...
I’d eat many more veggies if I could find a juicer which was easy to clean. I *hate* picking out that little screen and the dishwasher never seems to do the job.
If anyone has a juicer they love, please let me know which one it is. (I’ve given away three, but then I always get cheap ones.)
Wife has put 49 gallon bags of brocc in freezer so far; probably get over 75 when done; good healthy eatin.
My daughter says her kids love brussel sprouts halved and cooked in apple juice. Never heard of it. She says she got it from a German friend.
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