The use of cruciferous vegetables has been documented for a few thousand years. Cabbage leaves were used to relieve inflammation, as a poultice as well as stop hair loss, remedy tumors, and even remove freckles. Richer in calcium than milk, broccoli, cauliflower,kale, and Brussel sprouts also are considered superfoods by juicers, vegetarians, and health conscious individuals.
They are not popular for flavor. Some find them indigestible. So how can we eat enough of these foods?
Cruciferous vegetables - broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage contain two antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, that are associated with helping to decrease prostate and other cancers.
Lutein is associated with diminishing the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts. As an antioxidant, lutein is 10 times as powerful as Vitamin E. The macula is the area of the eye that receives the most light, and is therefore vulnerable to UV rays, and subsequent degeneration. Lutein is yellow, and filters out the blue UV light that can cause damage to the eyes. Lutein must be obtained from our diet. It is found in high concentrations in spinach, broccoli, and collard greens.
Zeaxanthan is the other antioxidant deposited in the macula, and it also blocks the UV rays, protecting our eyes. Both lutein and zeaxanthin should be ingested with food, as they are fat soluble.
Broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower have indole-3-carbinol, a chemical that can combat breast cancer by converting a cancer-promoting estrogen into a more protective type. So we can understand why The America Cancer Society promotes eating green vegetables.
Broccoli, especially sprouts contain sulforaphane - believed to aid in preventing some types of cancer, like colon and rectal cancer. It appears that the more bitter the broccoli is, the more potent this anti-cancer effect is. BroccoSprouts is a trade name for a broccoli sprout that has up to twenty times higher levels of sulforaphane than the levels found in mature heads of broccoli.
http://www.cancure.org/cancer_fighting_foods.htm has more details on this topic.
If you get intestinal gas from eating green and particularly cruciferous vegetables, it is not because of the vegetables. It is because you lack healthy bacteria in your gut. Increase your Acidophilus and bifudus intake and you will see an improvement after your intestines get more balanced. Of course see your health practitioner if this condition is extreme, or painful.
While raw vegetables may be best, if you really can't stand them, try lightly steaming them and eating them with a little butter, maybe add a little lemon juice. Or after steaming, eat them cold in salads, disguised by the other flavors in your green mix and your favorite salad dressing. Try.
Your last resort is a whole food supplement containing these cruciferous superfoods. Even if you like eating them but are on the go and miss healthy meals, do not compromise your immune system by going without. One way or another, get the elements born in nature and meant to help us thrive.
If you can't stand green vegetables, make an effort to ingest them in some form. The anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-aging and nutrient benefits for your cells, blood, colon, and your energy level is worth it. YOU are worth it.
Click here for more info about a natural whole food supplement, and get your purified fish oil here, to prevent or help manage high blood pressure, arthritis, add, diabetes, menopause, heart health,depression, joint pain and more. Dianne M. Buxton is a mother, writer, and a ballet teacher, interested in anti-aging nutrition and lifestyles.
