If you weren't sold on broccoli just yet, it might be time to reconsider your position after a new study found that higher consumption of cruciferous vegetables was associated with a significantly decreased risk of colon cancer.
According to Fox News, Chinese researchers analyzed data from 17 studies with nearly 640,000 total participants and found that the group that ate the most vegetables were 17 percent less likely to be diagnosed with colon cancer than the group that ate the most vegetables.
Researchers found that the cancer-fighting benefits started with participants who ate just 20 grams of vegetables per day. The benefits stacked up with higher vegetable consumption, leveling off at about 40 grams per day.
Cruciferous vegetables, which includes broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower, contain compounds called glucosinolates that break down into substances called isothiocyanates during digestion. Isothiocyanates can help kill damaged cells or slow or stop the growth of unhealthy or potentially malignant cells.
While the researchers noted some limitation in the study's design, the data still illustrates a strong link between lower vegetable consumption and colon cancer. Low consumption of dietary fiber and vegetables and excessive caffeine and alcohol consumption are all associated with increased risk of colon cancer.
