Nutrition: Broccoli may help guard against arthritis

We all know that broccoli is good for us: Over two decades of research studies have shown that people who eat lots of this cruciferous vegetable have a significantly lower risk of colon, cervical, lung and bladder cancers. As well, a compound in broccoli was found to inhibit the growth of pre-cancerous breast cancer cells.

Now a research group at the University of East Anglia in England is looking at whether broccoli can also help relieve the painful joints of osteoarthritis. Earlier laboratory research by these scientists found that a compound in broccoli called sulforaphane blocks the enzymes that can cause osteoarthritis’s destruction of our joints. (It’s the most common form of arthritis.) The goal of this latest study is to evaluate whether sulforaphane may act to prevent the development of osteoarthritis, or slow its progress.

This all adds up to even more reasons to load up on broccoli, and other cruciferous veggies, including cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, from the piles now at farmers’ markets across the country. To get more into your meals, try our Broccoli, Cauliflower and Leek Soup (it also contains sweet potato for an extra hit of nutrients), or Indian Chicken and Broccoli Wrap. What are some of the healthy and creative ways you work cruciferous vegetables’and broccoli in particular’into your diet?