Genius Food #8

Broccoli

Our moms were right. Broccoli and other cruciferous
vegetables (including Brussels sprouts, cabbage, radishes,
arugula, bok choy, and kale) are very beneficial to our
health, in part because they are dietary sources of a
compound called sulforaphane. This powerful chemical is
created when two other compounds, held in separate
compartments of these plant’s cells, unite as a result of
chewing.
Sulforaphane is currently being studied for its impact on
a variety of conditions, and it has already shown
tremendous promise in treating or preventing cancer,
autism, autoimmunity, brain inflammation, gut
inflammation, and obesity. One fascinating study showed
that mice fed sulforaphane along with an obesity-promoting
diet gained 15 percent less weight and had 20 percent less
visceral fat compared to mice that weren’t fed sulforaphane
with their fat-inducing diets. Sulforaphane is not a vitamin
or an essential nutrient. Instead, sulforaphane is a powerful
genetic modulator known for its activation of an antioxidant
pathway called Nrf2. Nrf2 is the body’s master switch for
creating powerful chemicals that mop up oxidative stress.
While other beneficial compounds such as plant
polyphenols also stimulate this pathway, sulforaphane is the