Cruciferous vegetables are vegetables of the family Brassicaceae (also known as Cruciferae), and include brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, and bok choy. Cruciferous vegetables are rich in glucosinolates, the body converts to isothiocyanates and indole-3-carbinol – compounds associated with anti-cancer properties. Researchers from Zhejiang University (China) completed a meta-analysis of 13 epidemiologic studies, including 18,673 case-control breast cancer studies. The team combined the data to reveal that higher intakes of cruciferous vegetables resulted in a 15% reduction in breast cancer risk. They conclude that: “Findings from this meta-analysis suggest that cruciferous vegetables consumption may reduce the risk of breast cancer.”
Liu X, Lv K. “Cruciferous vegetables intake is inversely associated with risk of breast cancer: A meta-analysis.” Breast. 2012 Aug 6.
