Broccoli, love it or hate it, is well-known as a food that has a host of vitamins, minerals and fibre beneficial to our health in general. Evidence is mounting too that it may have properties to help fight cancer, boost immunity, counter inflammation and even help children with autism.
A team led by Dr Tom Karagiannis from Monash University’s Department of Diabetes has published a review of clinical trials worldwide testing the benefits of the active ingredient sulforaphane. Sulforaphane is produced in the body from a naturally occurring compound called glucoraphanin, found in cruciferous vegetables including cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy and broccoli. The highest concentration is found in broccoli sprouts.
“We looked at more than 100 clinical trials done into sulforaphane and how effective it was in different types of disease,” Dr Karagiannis said. “In the last couple of years, research has increased exponentially on this compound,” he said.
The review, published in Clinical Nutrition last month, is part of a body of work by Dr Karagiannis with the ultimate aim of developing a pharmaceutical-grade sulforaphane preparation for clinical use in inflammatory conditions.
