Didn't your mother always tell you to eat your broccoli? Well, it turns out mom was right – but now for a very different reason than just being low-calorie and highly nutritious.
A recent study conducted at the University of Michigan's Comprehensive Cancer Center has found that an extract in broccoli – sulforaphane – can kill breast cancer stem cells, which drive a tumor's growth. By killing the stem cells, it actually stopped new tumors from forming.
The findings are particularly significant because even existing chemotherapy treatments do not eliminate the stem cells of cancer, which means it's possible for the cancer to spread or come back.
The study, which was conducted on mice and in human cell cultures, relied on higher concentrations of sulforaphane than can be ingested by simply eating the green veggie, but there are supplements out there. However, since the concentration in these supplements are not controlled or regulated, and clinical trials on actual patients haven't been done yet, researchers don't recommend adding the extract to one's diet yet.
But hey, it's a start.
I heard about this too. Back when I was going through all my fun stuff I found a great recipe online for a non-dairy not-fattening cream of broccoli soup, and it was D-licious! I left it at Mark's and he keeps forgetting to email all my recipes. :) I'll look it up and post it for you. I've been wanting to make it lately and this is a perfect opportunity to get off my butt and do so! :)
ReplyDeleteFound it! It's actually former First Lady, Rosalynn Carter's recipe from the First Ladies' Cookbook. Here's a link to it:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sara-moulton/rosalynn-carters-cream-of-broccoli-soup-with-no-cream-recipe/index.html