Fresh Broccoli Sprouts May Reduce Stomach Cancer Risk

Yet another study has surfaced illustrating the benefits of including vegetables in our diets as a preventative measure against disease and cancer. A study in Japan has linked “sulforaphane” found in baby broccoli to the possible prevention of gastritis, ulcers and reduced risk of stomach cancer.

“Fresh broccoli sprouts contain plenty of sulforaphane, a natural biochemical that appears to trigger the production of enzymes in the gut that protect against oxygen radicals, DNA-damaging chemicals, and inflammation….It has long been known that sulforaphane is a potent antibiotic against Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that causes gastritis, ulcers and stomach cancer.”

“We identified a food that, if eaten regularly, might potentially have an effect on the cause of a lot of gastric problems and perhaps even ultimately help prevent stomach cancer,” wrote Jed Fahey, nutritional biochemist in the Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Cancer Chemoprotection Center at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “Broccoli sprouts have a much higher concentration of sulforaphane than mature heads,” said Fahey.