Are you eating cruciferous vegetables daily?
They are one of the most health-promoting families of veggies, and I recommend 1-3 servings of them a day, in addition to other veggies (1 serving = 1 cup cooked, or 2 cups of raw leafy greens like kale).
What are Cruciferous Vegetables?
Cruciferous vegetables come from the Brassica family, which contain glucosinolates, sulfur-containing chemicals that when chopped or chewed, form sulforaphane a chemical known for its cancer protection and detoxification benefits.
Cruciferous vegetables include:
- Kale
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Arugula
- Radish
- Cabbage
- Brussels Sprouts
- Turnips
- Collard Greens
- Mustard Seed and Greens
- Horseradish
- Bok Choy
- Rutabaga
- Watercress
What are the Benefits of Cruciferous Vegetables?
Research has shown that regular consumption of cruciferous vegetables can potentially:
- reduce your risk of various cancers
- For example, a meta-analysis comprised of 94 studies reported that a higher intake of cruciferous vegetables was linked to a lower risk of lung, stomach, colon and rectal cancer. (1)
- reduce inflammation
- For example, a study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in 2014 showed that a higher intake of cruciferous vegetables was associated with up to a 25% reduction in markers of inflammation among 1,005 women. (2)
- assist your body to detox hazardous substances
- For example, several studies demonstrate that food-derived components and nutrients can modulate processes of conversion and eventual excretion of toxins from the body. In general, the nature of these findings indicates that specific foods may upregulate or favorably balance metabolic pathways to assist with toxin biotransformation and subsequent elimination (3, 4)
Cruciferous Vegetable Recipes
Kale
Cauliflower
- Simple Roasted Cauliflower
- Golden Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower
- Crispy Orange Sesame Cauliflower
- Cauliflower N’oatmeal
Broccoli
Arugula
Radish
- Radish & Olive Salad
- Pink & Purple Detox Salad
- Fully Loaded Slimming Tacos with Radish Salsa
- Skinny Salsa
Cabbage
- Ginger Veggie Spring Rolls with Lemon Tahini
- Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai
- Veggie Spring Rolls with Spicy Almond Dipping Sauce
Brussels Sprouts
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