At the University of Illinois researchers have identified certain genes that control the accumulation of something called phenolic compounds in broccoli. And consuming them can reduce the risk of certain harmful medical conditions like coronary heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, asthma and several types of cancer, including liver cancer.
University of Illinois geneticist Jack Juvik remarks, "Phenolic compounds have good antioxidant activity, and there is increasing evidence that this antioxidant activity affects biochemical pathways affiliated with inflammation in mammals. We need inflammation because it's a response to disease or damage, but it's also associated with initiation of a number of degenerative diseases. People whose diets consist of a certain level of these compounds will have a lesser risk of contracting these diseases."
The research is leading to the crossing of two broccoli lines, testing their progeny in terms of total phenolic content and their ability to neutralize oxygen radicals in cellular assays. By identifying the genes involved, the researchers are one step closer to cross-breeding broccoli with other Brassica vegetables-like kale and cabbage to produce a plant that can provide mega-doses of phenolic compounds. An added plus to this ongoing research is that those vegetables can be cooked without losing the health promoting benefits of those phenolic compounds. And when those vegetables are eaten those compounds are absorbed and targeted to certain area of the body, or concentrated in the liver.
"These are things we can't make ourselves, so we have to get them from our diets," Dr. Juvik states. "The compounds don't stick around forever, so we need to eat broccoli or some other Brassica vegetable every three or four days to lower the risk of cancers and other degenerative diseases."
So while this super broccoli is still under the microscope, we should all continue to put the existing version on the menu, regardless of presidential protests!
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