Home | About NaturalNews | Contact Us | Write for NaturalNews | Media Info | Advertise with Natural News
broccoli

Eating Broccoli Reduces Risk of Heart Attack

Monday, August 04, 2008 by: David Gutierrez, staff writer




Share
(NaturalNews) Eating raw or lightly cooked broccoli helps protect the heart against damage and maintain its healthy functioning, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Connecticut and published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Researchers fed an extract of steamed broccoli to a group of rats for one month, then compared those rats to others that had been fed a standard diet. They found that the rats that had been fed the steamed broccoli extract had better heart function than those who had not. In addition, when all the rats were deprived of oxygen, those who had been fed steamed broccoli extract suffered less damage to their hearts and those who had been fed the standard diet.

The researchers observed that when the rats ate the broccoli extract, their body increased its production of several antioxidant proteins. Antioxidants are chemicals that remove free radicals from the body.

While free radicals play important roles in the body and are produced through normal processes such as eating and breathing, excessive levels can cause cell damage that leads to heart disease, cancer and the effects of aging.

"We are increasingly finding that 'redox proteins,' which counter the effects of oxidization, have an important role in the body's defense against heart disease," said researcher Dipak Das. "However, if broccoli is over-cooked it loses a lot of its protective effect."

Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, radish and Brussels sprouts are known to be high in antioxidants, and many studies have shown that increased consumption of these vegetables text against heart disease and cancer. Broccoli is known to contain a chemical called sulforaphane, which causes the body to produce heart-protecting proteins.

The researchers are now investigating whether the antioxidants contained in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli can also provide a protective benefit against other diseases.

Get breaking health news + a LIFETIME 7% discount on everything at the NaturalNews Store
Join two million monthly readers. Email privacy 100% protected. Unsubscribe at any time.

Articles Related to This Article:

Study: Combining broccoli with broccoli sprouts doubles anti-cancer effect

Boost anti-cancer properties of broccoli by spicing it up

Daily Dose of Broccoli Halts Ulcers and Cancer

Broccoli Juice Proven to Protect Skin Better than Sunscreen

Half-a-Dozen Healthy Reasons for Eating More of the Green Stuff

Breast cancer breakthrough: broccoli component zaps cells that fuel tumor growth

Related video from NaturalNews.TV


Your NaturalNews.TV video could be here.
Upload your own videos at NaturalNews.TV (FREE)

Have comments on this article? Post them here:

 people have commented on this article.

Related Articles:

Study: Combining broccoli with broccoli sprouts doubles anti-cancer effect

Boost anti-cancer properties of broccoli by spicing it up

Daily Dose of Broccoli Halts Ulcers and Cancer

Broccoli Juice Proven to Protect Skin Better than Sunscreen

Half-a-Dozen Healthy Reasons for Eating More of the Green Stuff

Breast cancer breakthrough: broccoli component zaps cells that fuel tumor growth

Take Action: Support NaturalNews.com

Email this article to a friend

Share this article on: NewsVine | digg | del.icio.us

Permalink to this article:

Reprinting this article: Non-commercial use OK, cite NaturalNews.com with clickable link.

Embed article link: (copy HTML code below):
Most Popular
Today | Week | Month | Year

See all Top Headlines...


GET YOUR FREE GIFT + SHOW DETAILS.


Now Available from NaturalNews.TV

Across the Web

More News...

Also on NaturalNews:

Health Ranger Videos
Activist music
CounterThink Cartoons
Food documentaries
FREE Special Reports
Podcasts
Advertise with NaturalNews...

Support NaturalNews Sponsors:
Advertise with NaturalNews...

Most Popular Stories

Collecting rainwater now illegal in many states as Big Government claims ownership over our water Share
FDA finally admits chicken meat contains cancer-causing arsenic (but keep eating it, yo!) Share
Senate Bill S 510 Food Safety Modernization Act vote imminent: Would outlaw gardening and saving seeds Share
Anti-foaming agent found in Chicken McNuggets Share
Court rules organic farmers can sue conventional, GMO farmers whose pesticides 'trespass' and contaminate their fields Share
R.I.P. Bill of Rights 1789 - 2011 Share
Why McDonald's Happy Meal hamburgers won't decompose - the real story behind the story Share
Federal agents raid Mormon food storage facility, demand list of customers storing emergency food Share
H1N1 vaccine linked to 700 percent increase in miscarriages Share
14 signs that the collapse of our modern world has already begun Share
Artificial Sweetener Disease; a new breed of sickness Share
Forensic evidence emerges that European e.coli superbug was bioengineered to produce human fatalities Share
The NaturalNews Store

Huge discounts on supplements, raw foods, botanicals and healthly personal care products. Save up to 50%! Click here to see the current sale items

Health Ranger Storable Organics

GMO-free, chemical-free foods and superfoods for long-term storage and preparedness. Bulk pricing! Shipping immediately. See selection at www.StorableOrganics.com

25 Amazing Facts About Food

This FREE downloadable report unveils a collection of astonishing and little-known facts about the food we eat very day. Click here to read it now...

 

Resveratrol and its Effects on Human Health and Longevity - Myth or Miracle.

Unlock the secrets of cellular health with the "miracle" nutrient Resveratrol Click here to read it now...

 

Nutrition Can Save America

FREE online report shows how we can save America through a nutrition health care revolution. "Eating healthy is patriotic!" Click here to read it now...

The Healing Power of Sunlight and Vitamin D

In this exclusive interview, Dr. Michael Holick reveals fascinating facts on how vitamin D is created and used in the human body to ward off chronic diseases like cancer, osteoporosis, mental disorders and more. Click here to read it now...

Vaccines: Get the Full Story

The International Medical Council on Vaccination has released, exclusively through NaturalNews.com, a groundbreaking document containing the signatures of physicians, brain surgeons and professors, all of which have signed on to a document stating that vaccines pose a significant risk of harm to the health of children. Click here to read it now...



This site is part of the Natural News Network © 2011 All Rights Reserved. Privacy | Terms All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing International, LTD. is not responsible for content written by contributing authors. The information on this site is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice of any kind. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. Your use of this website indicates your agreement to these terms and those published here. All trademarks, registered trademarks and servicemarks mentioned on this site are the property of their respective owners.