Broccoli is a Super Food for Diabetics

A very interesting article was written on the Mayo Clinic website about broccoli’s ability to reverse diabetes damage. The Mayo Clinic is a very credible and highly renowned hospital that has a great reputation as a pioneer and innovator in medicine – patient care, medical research and academic education. The article discussed a research study in which scientists examined the phytochemical sulforaphane, found in broccoli.

Research has shown that sulforaphane seems to help:

• Produce enzymes in the body that protect blood vessels, which is achieved by reducing tissue damaging substances triggered by high blood sugar. Vascular disease is a major complication of diabetes. This type of disease can lead to heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and circulation issues in extremities, which could lead to possible amputation.

• Activate genes that regulate protective antioxidant (scavenger harmful free radicals) and detoxifying enzymes.

• Eliminated defects in DNA (therefore, it’s not repeated/copied in gene formation meaning a reduction in cancer occurrence).

• Reduced prostate cancer in men

• And the one of the most significant findings was that broccoli may help with the reversal of high blood sugar damage.

To sum it up… broccoli is a super food!

If you find this information as interesting as I do and want to incorporate broccoli into your diet, but aren’t a huge fan of it, here are some alternatives. It’s good to know that broccoli is a member of the Brassica group of vegetables in the mustard family. Others in this family include:

• Root vegetables — rutabaga, turnips, kohlrabi
• Leafy vegetables — cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, rapini, collard greens, bok choy, napa (Chinese cabbage), mustard greens
• Flowers — cauliflower, broccoli, broccoflower
• Seeds — mustard seed and rapeseed (from which canola oil is derived)

Remember its recommended to eat 5-9 servings of fruits and veggies every day!