Good Morning!  Today, I want to talk about broccoli, what it contains, what you get out of it, and thus, why you should be eating it.  In my opinion, broccoli should be a main stay in every persons diet.  First, let’s take a look at what is packed inside these tiny trees.

Background

Broccoli contains isothiocyanates.  Isothiocyanates fight cancer by neutralizing carcinogens – the stuff that causes cancer.  They help fight the battle by reducing their poisonous effects and stimulating the release of carcinogen killers, speeding up their removal from the body.  While able to help prevent lung and esophageal cancer, isothiocyanates also help lower the risk of other cancers.  Many isothiocyanates have also been shown to inhibit tumors caused by chemical carcinogens.  One of these, most potently found in broccoli, is an inhibitor of mammary tumors.  (Eating a plate full of broccoli yet?  Keep reading!)

Broccoli Fights For Women!

Broccoli contains a compound, indole-3-carbinol, which is a strong antioxidant and stimulator of detoxifying enzymes.  It can also greatly reduce the risk of breast and cervical cancer.  Here comes my favorite part…Estrogen contains 3 basic metabolites, 2 of which contain carcinogenic action, while the 3rd (good) is benign and has protective properties.  Indole-3-carbinol helps increase the ratio of the good metabolite to the harmful ones.  There have been other studies that have shown the effects of indole-3-carbinol to be extremely positive when it comes to fighting against the carcinogenic effects of pesticides and other toxins that seem to make their way into our food.

Enough Nerdy Talk, Here’s The Juice

Clearly, broccoli has its benefits, and if you’re not eating a fat stalk of it right now, then shame on you!  Just kidding…We all are (or should be) counting our portion sizes these days, so let’s take a look at what a cup of broccoli will give you from a nutritional standpoint.  In one cup of broccoli you get 2 g protein, 2 g fiber, 288 mg potassium, 43 mg of calcium, 81 mg vitamin C, plus folate, magnesium, phosphorus, beta-carotene, vitamin A, and 1,277 mcg of lutein and zeaxanthin.  For you that don’t know what those last two are, and probably can’t read it like me since I’m blind as a bat, lutein and zeaxanthin are currently being researched for their ability to reduce or prevent macular degeneration, the number one cause of blindness in older adults.

So there it is folks.  Think about how you can make broccoli a part of your diet.  If you don’t eat broccoli, try to work it in every week with one meal.  If you eat broccoli once a week, try to push it to 2 or 3 times a week.  In the end, you’ll only be helping yourself.  Thanks for stopping by and have a great rest of the week!

Chris Kurtz – Certified Personal Trainer