Everyone can remember when their mothers said, "Eat your broccoli, it is good for you." Research is showing that your mother did know best! In this article, we will discuss research on cruciferous vegetable extracts and how it can fight cancer.

Dr. Paul Talalay of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine showed that sulforaphane a phytonutrient found in broccoli can help fight cancer in laboratory mice. Other studies have shown that diets rich in broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and other greens can significantly reduce your risk of breast, bowel, and stomach cancer.

Dr. Paul Talalay discovered the once unknown reason why these vegetables can help prevent cancer. Dr. Talalay discovered that broccoli contained sulforaphane compounds, these compounds have been shown to cause cells to expel cancer causing toxins in laboratory animals. Dr. Talalay also discovered that when you isolate these sulforaphane compounds and feed them to mice, this compound accelerated the detoxification process in the animal's cells.

Dr. Talalay's published report showed how his research team isolated these broccoli sulforaphane's and fed them to groups of mice in high doses. After several days the scientists found that the cells in the mice had triggered a chemical enzyme known to neutralize carcinogens within the cells. Dr. Talalay stated that research beyond this published paper will analyze the long term effects of this newly found chemical enzyme and predict that sulforaphane compounds will block tumor formation in the animals to be studied, hoping this will hold true with humans as well.

Dr. Talalay preformed earlier studies which have shown specific proteins in cells called phase I enzymes, can take chemicals and turn them into carcinogens or cancer causing agents. He also found another protein called phase II enzymes which could block the action and formation of carcinogens. Dr. Talalay found that broccoli sulforaphane compounds actually activated this phase II enzyme which helps to protect cells from carcinogens.

Further research needs to be conducted to determine how much broccoli will need to be consumed to effectively have an anti-cancer effect on the body. There is over 10 years of research done on cruciferous vegetables proving that cruciferous vegetables can reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases. A large database has been compiled from this research which brings together and confirms how cruciferous vegetables affect the body.

In sort, cruciferous vegetables can speed up the production of enzymes helping the body neutralize cancer agents. Studies also show that cruciferous vegetables can protect our DNA from being damaged and slow the aging process. Another study has also shown that in women cruciferous vegetables can help regulate metabolic processes and help eliminate bad estrogen all the while maintaining good estrogen which can reduce the risk of beast cancer.

Many of us know that eating our vegetables is an important part of maintaining a healthy life style, but when it comes down to it, at dinner time we always skip them. Fortunately, several manufactures offer mixed vegetable formulas that contain broccoli, spinach, carrots, and cabbage in an easy to swallow tablet you can take each day. If you find your self skipping the vegetables on your dinner plate, you can always stop in to your local or internet health food store and purchase a mixed vegetable formula to help maintain better health and prevent cancer.