Broccoli compounds may help combat chronic diseases

Conclusion The "news" that broccoli may protect against some types of disease because they have high levels of phenol compounds is nothing new. We've known about the link between diets rich in phenolic compounds and the lower risk of heart disease since 1995. This study looks instead at the mechanisms within broccoli plants that regulate how much phenol a plant produces. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this varies a lot and seems to be affected both by the plant's genetic make-up and the environmental conditions in which it is grown. The research may help food growers to increase the amount of phenol compounds in vegetables – including veg other than broccoli – using breeding programmes, genetic modification or controlled growing conditions, such as greenhouses. However, this research is just one step on the pathway to that. More research will be needed to put these tentative findings into practice. Also, this study does not involve people and in itself provides no direct evidence that eating large amounts of broccoli – high phenolic or otherwise – will directly influence your risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes or any other chronic diseases. Anyone wanting to increase the phenol content in their diet can do so by eating not just broccoli, but many other fruits and vegetables, including green vegetables, tomatoes, beans, berries and stone fruits. Better still, why not try growing some in your garden or allotment? For more info, read some tips for growin...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Food/diet Genetics/stem cells Source Type: news