vate and help eliminate carcinogens. At the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland,
69 percent of the rats injected with a chemical known to cause mammary cancer developed
tumors vs. only 26 percent of the rats given the carcinogenic chemical plus sulforaphane.
In 1997, Johns Hopkins researchers discovered that broccoli seeds and three-day-old
broccoli sprouts contain a compound converted to sulforaphane when the seed and sprout
cells are crushed. Five grams of three-day-old broccoli sprouts contain as much sulforaphane
as 150 grams of mature broccoli. The sulforaphane levels in other cruciferous vegetables have
not yet been calculated.
Adverse Effects Associated with This Food
Enlarged thyroid gland (goiter). Cruciferous vegetables, including kohlrabi, contain goitrin,
thiocyanate, and isothiocyanate. These chemicals, known collectively as goitrogens, inhibit
the formation of thyroid hormones and cause the thyroid to enlarge in an attempt to pro-
duce more. Goitrogens are not hazardous for healthy people who eat moderate amounts of
cruciferous vegetables, but they may pose problems for people who have a thyroid condition
or are taking thyroid medication.
Food/Drug Interactions
Kohlrabi